The developer behind the epic open world pirate game talks about what's in store for gamers.
Can you talk about the naval warfare in this game?
The naval combat is significantly enhanced. Lots of work has been done on the physics, which gives really great emergent strategies. Riding a wave and using it for cover feels great. In terms of combat, we have many new weapons for the player to master. Each providing different strategies and requiring different skills. It’s up to the player to upgrade these weapons and push for the play style they enjoy. To support this, we have many new AI (artificial intelligence) ships that will challenge the player in different ways. We have the Charger, which does not have much fire power but is very fast and has a the power to ram you. We have the Tank, which is a massive ship that has trouble turning, but is incredibly powerful. We have really poured in a lot of effort to take naval to the next level.
How much customization is there with The Jackdaw?
The naval combat system in ACIV is really built around player progression. Edward Kenway is Captain of The Jackdaw. This is a brig class ship that players will be able to upgrade and customize. Upgrading is necessary. As you explore the world, you will meet tougher and more challenging enemies. They will have new abilities and more firepower as you progress forward. You will need to keep up with them. To finish the main story path you do need to upgrade the Jackdaw, but you don’t need all the upgrades.
However, there is side content that is built to challenge the best of players. For this content you better get as many upgrades as you can and you better be good! Customization goes from upgrading the hull to the cannons, the sails, the figurehead, the cargo capacities, etc.
What role does Hollywood talent like Kristen Bell play in bringing this game to life?
The more realistic and cinematic video games become, the more we feel the need to work with true actors to impersonate our characters. For ACIV: Black Flag we’ve worked with a British casting agency to help us find the perfect fit for our pirates. This is how we had the chance to get an incredible crew on board. Matt Ryan as Edward Kenway, Ralph Ineson as Charles Vane and Mark Bonnar as the infamous Blackbeard just to name a few. We used motion capture technology and they performed their role entirely, it’s really performance capture and not just voice acting. We held auditions to be sure that there was a real chemistry between them, and this translates perfectly on screen when playing the game.
