Assassin's Creed

3D Game Comparison - Game vs. game. No hype; just facts.™

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Revision as of 12:03, 6 February 2010

Engine

• collision detection: see physics
• lighting: dynamic, colored, vertex & lightmap; coronas, flickering; fire, windows
• particle effects: debris, dust, hay, leaves, mist, smoke, splash, steam, swarms (birds, insects)
• reflection: floors (marble, metal), most metallic surfaces, walls (marble only?), water (+ puddles), weapons; pixel shaders; see environmental texture mapping
• shadows: vertical angle adjustment, fading; NPCs, moving objects, clouds
• skeletal animation
• texture: 32-bit depth
  • filtering: bi-/trilinear
  • mapping: bump, environment, mip
  • decals: blood
• transparency: fire, glass, light beams, projectile trails, smoke, steam, water
• other: blurring, depth of field, pixel/vertex shaders (reflections)

atmospheric/environmental effects

• dust: footsteps, impacts, light beams
• lightbeams: vents, windows (some)
• shards: ceramic, wood
• smoke: burnt rubble, cauldrons, chimneys, fire, incense burners
• steam: animus underfloor machinery, vents
• water: puddles, splash, spray
• weather: fog/haze
  • clouds (moving)
  • wind: dust, fabric, hay
• other: fire, projectile trails; see particle effects, physics, and sound

physics

• engine: Havok
• gravity: player, NPCs
• friction, inertia, momentum, weight
• weight: see breakable objects
• hay stacks bounce when jumped into and out of
• ragdoll bodies
• swaying fabric
• swinging lights/signs

Character

player character

• character: Altair, an assassin
• blinking, facial animation, idle animations (stretch)
• footsteps: dirt, gravel, metal, sand, stone, tile, water, wood
• moves: climb, drop, grab, jump, punch, run, sprint (arms in/out), throw, walk
• view: 3rd-person (1st-person in "eagle vision"--blurred, distorted colors)
  • pan: keyboard/mouse (+ vehicles)
  • pain: black & white, flickering red

NPCs

• humans, birds (chickens, eagles, pigeons)

AI

• friendly NPCs help player by blocking enemy NPCs
  • scholars walk with character blend into crowds and get past guards
• object impact reaction
• pigeons fly away when approached

Environment

• levels: 7 memory blocks, 5 cities, 1 kingdom
• location: Middle East, 1191 AD during the Crusades, cities (Acre, Damascus, Jerusalem, Masyaf; ~500m² each), coast, Arsuf; 2012 corporate building
• cutscenes: yes
• level editor: no
• puzzles: climb view points, destroy merchant stands, eavesdrop, interrogate, pick pockets, kill people, save citizens
• traps/hazards: drowning, falling, getting cut/hit

interaction

• break: bowls, crates, merchant stands, pots (flower, normal), stools, vases, watermelons (some)
• move: bows (dead enemies only), incense burners, people, swords (dead enemies only); see breakable objects
• ride: horses
• throw: knives, people
• other: activate (computers, keypads); see physics

Inventory

• ammo, weapons (blades, fists, knives, sword)

Other

• sound: stereo, multi-channel (2, 4, 4.1, 5.1)