Far Cry 3 announced 2012

[mandru]

On the last interview with the head director of production for FC3 right at the end of the E3 show (as near as I can tell) a couple things he had said that were of particular interest were:

*Vass is not the big boss (just one of many was the word  ??? )

*2012 release but he would not commit to a month though he did tell the interviewer that he would talk to him about it off air (seems that there is a firm target they are shooting for but we can only hope it's while 2012 still has some spring in its step   ;) )



From what I've been able to see so far the native population and the pre-modern civilization ruins the videos have allowed us glimpses of would place the location for FC3 in Central or South America.

Also in looking at the video clips that have popped up we see that there were macaws that spooked and flew off right before Jason Brody got his lights knocked out with a rifle butt by that mercenary.  This makes me wonder if that was a one time occurrence orchestrated for the cut scene or if we are going to end up cursing those birds every time they blow our cover after we've crept into an advantageous position to set up an ambush.   :D

If we keep scouring over and picking at the info as quickly as it's released we'll have 9/10ths of the game figured out before UBI releases it.   >:D

[JRD]

If we keep scouring over and picking at the info as quickly as it's released we'll have 9/10ths of the game figured out before UBI releases it.   >:D

... or... they are reading through OWG as we post and implementing those ideasfree of charge   ????

[mandru]

... or... they are reading through OWG as we post and implementing those ideasfree of charge   ????

;D

Another thing that was mentioned in that interview was about the sequence in the video where once Jason gets his hands and feet free, makes it to the surface and exits the cave to see that merc through the mist whom he grabs from behind and kills there are some game mechanics that are revealed right there that I'm sure will be a large part of the game play later on.

It turns out the mist that we see the merc through is a waterfall that we are approaching from behind and it visually hides us from the merc while the noise from the waterfall covers the sound of our footsteps as we get into position to grab him.  After the merc is dispatched the viewpoint of the video turns to view the waterfall that we have emerged from.  So there's a few things we can conclude that are revealed by that video segment.   (There's actually two distinct free roam examples posted here on OWG.  One shows a drop stab ambush and the other shows Jason finding what I believe is a Dragunov so we can see that this sequence is not pure cut scene   :-X )

*Waterfalls with firm footing behind or under them will be good ambush vantage points or useful simply for hiding.   :-X

*Something creating noise covers the sound of our movements.   :-X

*Waterfalls may also hide access to areas to explore for loot that's not accessible to the mercs.   8)  (Can they swim?  We'll find out.  :-D )

*One of the videos if you watch closely shows the merc killed at the waterfall when he's looted had ammo and such while the other video showed the merc was carrying items including an ivory sculpture which says to me loot loot loot every dead body you happen to encounter.  Of course how much sweeter is all that loot if the bodies that provide it are the net results of our own efforts?   >:D

*We've seen that we can make a grab and kill from behind but whether we can release, shove or throw a grabbed merc is still to be seen.  (Maybe my exposure to AC2 speaking there but we can hope)



*Sigh*  2012 is so far away...   :(

[JRD]

I noticed that Ivory statue as well.... In nexor`s post it says " Loot items (ivory) " I wonder if this is the kind of currency present in the game instead of diamonds this time. It seems weird to be able to buy things such as guns or whatever using ivory statues  ????

As for the waterfalls being used to cover footsteps you have a good point there, mandru. FC2 claimed to use the environment on your advantage. hence the fire  ;) . It would be cool if they extend that concept to play hide and seek using waterfalls and noise to cover your footsteps. Throwing knives is a plus in that sense  ;)

[mandru]

It also appeared that once Jason had killed that merc at the waterfall he pulled the body back inside the fall before looting him.  Could it be that we will be able to hide the bodies from detection by stashing them in waterfalls bushes and such?

Another wait and see aspect of the game I suppose.   :-\\

[ninzza]

no mention on customization  :-(
No mention on spreading fire although since it uses the same engine, who knows?  ????

I saw the scope mount railing on top of Jason's AK, so I think there will be attachments.

The fire was one of the coolest features in FC2, I love to see it return but the terrain in this tropical island is very different from Africa, therefore I'm not sure if the fire propagation is possible.

[mmosu]

I wonder if this is the kind of currency present in the game instead of diamonds this time. It seems weird to be able to buy things such as guns or whatever using ivory statues  ????

Something - I can't remember now if it was a video or something I read - made mention that a type of "economy" will be in place.  Again, who knows what that will mean in the end . . .

[JRD]

@ mmosu: I remember something about a monetary system of some sort... not sure if the statue has something to do or if it`s just a collectable that grants some XP every time you collect, say, 20 of those.  ????

To be able to hide bodies calls for some strategy when using stealth to attack... I like that  >:D also there is an indicator of the level of awareness of the mercs (blank= no awareness, white=aware but not engaged; red=aware and engaged) which means we can trace our success in keeping unnoticed.

@ ninzza: As for the fire, I guess you are right, as someone else here also pointed out. It is not easy to set fire on a tropical jungle  :-\\ ... we `re gonna have a flamethrower though  >:D

Oh boy... 2012 can`t come soon enough...  :-\\

[ninzza]

Oh boy... 2012 can`t come soon enough...  :-\\

Indeed. While I'm very excited that Ubisoft finally announced FC3 after waiting for years but at the same time I'm disappointed it wont come out until next year :( Hopefully it comes out in early 2012.

[JRD]

Hopefully it comes out in 2012  ????

[Art Blade]

I agree, free choice of which guns to combine would be awesome :)

[PZ]

With such a small weapons menu to choose from, I agree that it would be great if you could choose any three weapons of your choice rather than being forced into primary, secondary, and tertiary.

A silent pistol was on the list, and from the video tidbit I saw, it did look like the 6P9.  I've experimented with most of the secondary weapons in FC2, and for the longest time, it is the only one I consistently use.  I love to rapidly sneak around in an area and use nothing but the 6P9 to clear the area.

Oh, while the list of features is wonderful, one I am disappointed to see missing is an SP mission/map generator.  However, while that would be the ideal, I'd much rather give it up than have the game delayed.

[Art Blade]

I disagree. Even if you didn't use it yourself, as long as there is a fan base who used to create maps and by that keeping the interest in the merchandise alive they will have added to the decision that the game now has a sequel. And I'd much rather be able to edit some myself (again) than having a half-baked game delivered early :-D

[mandru]

Over the last couple days I've been seeing the quote "Have I told you what the definition of insanity is?" pop up in quite a few other sites I visit frequently some of them non-gaming related.  The announcement that FC3 is coming does seem to be stirring up quite a bit of excitement even though so many people were too impatient to tap into the true wonderfulness of FC2.

Or maybe Vass stirs up the latent lunatic for the people quoting him.   >:D

[Art Blade]

Vass's line isn't original, by the way. "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" is said to be one of Albert Einstein's lines  :)

But I don't agree with that statement. For instance, medical treatments or drugs are tested over and over again and if the tests lead to the same result most of the time then the treatments or drugs are "approved" (mainstream medicine). If the results are unpredictable, then they won't be approved. Also, individual medicine, alternative medicine, like Chinese medicine -- tailored for one particular patient, won't necessarily help someone else, it would cause different or no results for them.

In simple terms: Dip a big brush into paint and hurl the paint at a white wall. Do that a thousand times and you'll get a thousand different marks on the wall (that method used on canvas is called "action painting") :)

[mmosu]

I have to agree with Art on this one - how awsome would it have been if the devs would have made FC2's assets availible in an SP mission editor?  If they can make a MP map editor, they can make an SP mission editor to generate new missions in the game world!  I mean, what would it really take?  The ability to place an "object of interest" somewhere, and then an NPC to give you a reason to go there and get it - doesn't seem too hard.

[JRD]

Oh, while the list of features is wonderful, one I am disappointed to see missing is an SP mission/map generator.  However, while that would be the ideal, I'd much rather give it up than have the game delayed.

I disagree. Even if you didn't use it yourself, as long as there is a fan base who used to create maps and by that keeping the interest in the merchandise alive they will have added to the decision that the game now has a sequel. And I'd much rather be able to edit some myself (again) than having a half-baked game delivered early :-D

Guys... you are missing something...

(...)

Will there be a map editor?
There is no official confirmation yet. However, previous versions of Far Cry have included map editors on all platforms. As this is the same game engine(Dunia) as Far Cry 2, no additional development time would be required to include the map editor in Far Cry 3.

My guess is that there will be a map editor for sure... MP had a big community that held up sales and the game itself for a while.

On an unrelated note... What I find odd is how they tweaked the franchise. FC1 was in a tropical island where your character gets stranded and have to survive against mercs at first but then realizes there are monsters and creatures as well. FC2 has no monsters at all and 8 characters to choose from, and buddies, in the African setting. Now they kind of mixed things up: you get stranded in an island  again (one character only) with no monsters but only mercs and mohawked lunnatics. We don't know nothing about buddies or who you are (apart from the name) or why you are there

[Art Blade]

I didn't miss that hint about the editor, but it was nothing but a statement of facts (that the old editor exists and that they use the same engine).

[mandru]

Borrowing from Art to illustrate a contrasting point of view.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results...

But I don't agree with that statement...

Dip a big brush into paint and hurl the paint at a white wall. Do that a thousand times and you'll get a thousand different marks on the wall...

But you would have to admit if that "white wall" was the front of a police station after you'd called them and tipped them off that you were on your way there and you did that a thousand times and expected anything other than being tossed into a cell...  That would be insanity.

No matter what I say to myself to justify it or how I approach it, grabbing the hot burner on a stove top with my bare hand is always going to give me the same net effect.

[JRD]

I didn't miss that hint about the editor, but it was nothing but a statement of facts (that the old editor exists and that they use the same engine).

Ok, what I mean is that it is very likely we're gonna have an editor in FC3 and for the same reason you mentioned: thay have it on their schedule now that a sequel is confirmed and it won't demand any extra w@&k since it's the same game engine  ;)

[PZ]

Ok, what I mean is that it is very likely we're gonna have an editor in FC3 and for the same reason you mentioned: thay have it on their schedule now that a sequel is confirmed and it won't demand any extra w%&k since it's the same game engine  ;)

I'm not exactly a gambling man, but my bet is that there will not be a SP map editor.  My interpretation of their statement meant (to me) that there will be a simplistic MP editor, just like in FC2.  I'm really skeptical of an SP map editor in FC3 because that would require extra program development.  I think this because there is no reason to have a SP editor unless you can also create missions because just creating a different environment to roam around by yourself with nothing to do is rather pointless.  Even if they developed a SP editor that had the ability to include mercs randomly or deliberately placed, it would still be boring after a while with no mission to accomplish.  ;)

[Art Blade]

Mandru, I see what you mean :)

PZ, remember the ArmA II mission editor? Creating SP content was possible albeit not exactly easy.  :)

[ninzza]

 I wish FC3 will allow players creates their own missions in SP like inFamous 2. That would be awesome.

[JRD]

PZ, I see your point... a map editor is not a SP editor. I got the same message as you: what we have in FC2 is what we're gonna have in FC3 as it doesn't require further w@&k. If placing a SP editor is somehow troublesome to them, then forget about it.

[ninzza]

According to FC3's lead narrarive designer Jason Vandernbeghe, FC3 has been in development for 4-5 years  :o

Far Cry 3 Interview, 'Five Years In Development'
David Lynch 00:48, Thursday 9 June 2011


We chat to Far Cry 3's lead narrative designer Jason Vandernberghe.
We catch up Jason Vandernberghe, narrative director on Far Cry 3, to find out how the impressive sequel is doing...

NG: What has been your biggest inspiration throughout Far Cry 3's development?

JV: We've been inspired by Far Cry 2, a fantastic f***
game. Some parts felt unfair though, but we absolutely want to
establish the gameplay core of 'you arrive on the scene and you have to
devise a strategy or you're going to die' Player driven action is at the
core of the Far Cry experience.

NG: So it's the stranded survivor vibe then?

JV: Absolutely, as a narrative we call it 'man alone', the guy who
through no fault of his own, ends up in a bad place, surrounded by
darkness. The world is full of bad men and 'hey, here's an AK47'. It's a
fantasy we refer to as the 'desert island' fantasy, that you're alone
and surrounded by bad guys.

NG: Is this a proper open world?

JV: After Far Cry 2 we decided we're weren't going to back off. We
wanted to take the same huge scale and provide a greater sense of
clarity this time around, because we felt some people got lost and lost a
sense of direction and progression in Far Cry 2. We wanted to keep it
more driven, but having an open world, keep that sense of exploration.
It's difficult for devs to deliver a strong sandbox world. We've been
building the world for about four or five years, we started right after
Far Cry 2 shipped.

NG: What's the basic story in Far Cry 3 ?

JV: The bad guy from the trailer is insane, but the island is a long
way from civilization, and there are other inhabitants who have lost
their minds. By not playing the insanity card, we want players to
question 'IS he crazy? What does it mean to be crazy?' So then you're
responding to him as a human being, not an archtype.

NG: Will there be any survival challenges?

JV: In Far Cry 2 malaria and the fire mechanics were central to the
survival aspect of the game. We have a different set of aspects in Far
Cry 3. Survival isn't as harsh and not as huge a focus, but you can do
things like digging bullets out your arm with knives. We're trying to
provoke a sense of physical sensitivity and more of an individual story
of survival. The gameplay/shooting mechanic has been in development for
past 3 years.

NG: Are you drawing influences form first game?

JV: Of course, the tone was what we were going for. We're not going
back to the island setting because of the first game, but it felt like a
good fit for the kind of 'desert island' fantasy we were going for, you
against the world with no means of escape.

There was a definite disconnect when we shifted Far Cry 2 to Africa,
but we did that deliberately to make a statement. One of the things I
love, is when you put the disc in, you knew it was an important game.
Shooters have crossed the gap into serious entertainment. I was like
'wow'. The environment really sucked in that it beat you down and it was
oppressive and grim, but it was really mature experience and it
inspired us to see if we could take it forward in new ways in Far Cry 3.

NG: What about the hang glider?

JV: We can't tell you about that, but it is a marquee feature. We can
do it, but what do you think we should do with it? One of the things we
heard from fans on Far Cry 2 was it was hard to get around, so we're
looking at new ways to fix that.