Rise for This Live Action Assassin's Creed III Trailer

[Falseprophet]

The Ass Creed games have always been pretty even handed in how they portray their characters and factions; those loosely based on real world counterparts anyway. This is why all the publicity for this game comes over badly, because even handed it is not.

Not really. The Templars went from Well-Intentioned Extremists with a point (sometimes order is better than freedom) in AC1 to just tyrannical (and kind of stupid) assholes in AC2. The Borgias are portrayed entirely in line with contemporary propaganda, despite more recent scholarship that salvages their reputation somewhat--at least Lucrezia.

Actually one of the big points of contrast between Christianity and Judaism or Islam is that the Christians don't believe people are chosen by god but rather that it is a personal choice.

Muslims believe faith is a personal choice as well.

 

[Seneschal]

Did I say pre-war? No I don't think I did. Context. Reading comprehension. These things matter. Don't base an argument on an assumption, on a premise you think exists but does not.

If you were talking about the violence during the war, I would expect an empire to quell an outright secessionist movement with more than soothing words and stern looks. A movement that, let's not forget, started a political revolution and began arming their militia before the war broke out. With the gigantic amounts of historical evidence that we have these days, it would be easy to use the Revolutionary War as a backdrop for a game and still represent it accurately. It serves NO ONE to paint one side as the victim, especially not in such a dramatic, propagandistic and thoroughly historically inaccurate way that both you and the trailer are doing.

No, an 18th century propaganda piece is in no way appropriate or tactful as a commercial in the 21st century. And don't even try to pull the "it's from the perspective of 18th century colonists", as if the trailer was being objective. To whom do you think the "rise" tagline is addressing?

 

[laggyteabag]

I love how Ubisoft is constantly saying that you will be killing templars/soldiers on both sides, yet it is always portraying the British as the bad guys...

I suppose they're just appealing to the larger audience

 

[Woodsey]

The Ass Creed games have always been pretty even handed in how they portray their characters and factions; those loosely based on real world counterparts anyway. This is why all the publicity for this game comes over badly, because even handed it is not.

Not really. The Templars went from Well-Intentioned Extremists with a point (sometimes order is better than freedom) in AC1 to just tyrannical (and kind of stupid) assholes in AC2. The Borgias are portrayed entirely in line with contemporary propaganda, despite more recent scholarship that salvages their reputation somewhat--at least Lucrezia.

Having replayed AC2 a few days ago (and now Bros in da Hood again), a lot of the Templars in AC2 are similar to the 'Well-intentioned extremists' in AC1. Borgia himself is presented as a tyrannical nut-case, but a lot of the others aren't.

Brotherhood's less fair, but then you're mostly dealing with one massive dick weed (Cesaré) and a few of his accomplices, nowhere near as many Templar targets. Lucrezia comes off as being stuck in a fucked up family and being a bit of a ***** because of it, but that's it.

 

[Jon Shannow]

Oh dear God a trailer released on American Independence Day that's clearly advertising a game made in Canada by a French company to Americans is pandering to a romantic American view of the American Revolution. How unexpected! Remember when they advertised all those Christians and Chosen People of God you were going to kill in the first Assassin's Creed? No? Huh, me neither.

Well I do. There's trailers involving both Christians and Muslims getting killed from 1. In 2 trailers show you killing soldiers from every city. Revelations trailer has you killing both Ottomans and Byzantines.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

That's it, I have been sticking up for them so much, but that's it, I /ragequit.

 

[Badassassin]

I wonder how they will handle "The Boston Massacre" in the game. If they do it the way it is shown in Paul Revere's picture my blood will boil. That should be one of the shades-of-grey moments in the game but from the vibes I get from the trailers i doubt it will.

From what I remember in history class colonists were throwing rocks and one of the British soldier's guns went off by accident and then the rest started shooting.

So the person whose gun "went off" was a Templar. No way they'll skip that chance for a conspiracy.

 

[Woodsey]

Remember when they advertised all those Christians and Chosen People of God you were going to kill in the first Assassin's Creed? No? Huh, me neither. Why didn't I hear all the Russians crying about Cally of Duty: Let's Kill Some Ruskies, or whatever. Get some thicker skin, Brits.

Uh... yeah. Have you watched any of the pre-release material for Assassin's Creed? In fact I'm pretty sure the reveal trailer was of Altair nailing a Christian Crusader's head to a wooden board. (And there are constant complaints about the Russians being the new go-to enemies.)

 

[lord.jeff]

When I refuse to learn the history of a country I will never see?

What a ridiculous, American attitude. I'm rooting for the British.

I'm American and I hated that line, mostly because are history is still kind of boring when compared to the rest of the world.

 

[Nurb]

People were killing templars in the first game, which were French historically, Italians in the second (if I remember right). If a Canadian dev made a war of 1812 game you'd get to burn the white house... would that make ya feel better?

Seriously though, why are we getting all uppity over a live action trailer when we really want to see actual game play. This isn't a movie.

 

[DJjaffacake]

I'm still holding out hope that the devs know what they're doing and its just the marketing department who have no concept of balance. Although it's getting harder and harder to think that every time they release a trailer in which Connor kills redcoats, while and American flag waves in the background and a voice with an American accent monologues about liberty, and some guy straighfacedly declares they won't be taking sides in front of a poster showing Connor killing a redcoat while an American flag waves in the background.

Still, there's always my back up plan: keep careful count of every British guy they make me kill and kill that same number of Colonists between missions. If they won't do balance, I'll have to do it for them.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

It's making it damn hard for me to like this game as a Brit. I mean it's saying we're the bad guys pretty damn clearly despite that being less than true ( http://www.cracked.com/article_18442_5-reasons-founding-fathers-were-kind-dicks.html ).

There's definitely some preposterous notion of black and white that's being enforced by this game. The past two Assassins Creed games weren't even remotely based on the conflict of the time and it had you assassinating people on both sides of the war.

I mean I know it's only a game but for a series that accurately represented the cities of the time to the point that it's instantly recognisable to people who've been there, it doesn't seem to care even remotely for an accurate portrayal of the war.

If I may bring my own preposterous notions of black and white to this debate.

Americans make up the majority of the market. Americans cannot handle being told they weren't exactly nice guys and the constant saviours of the world and all its people. Thus, now the game is focusing on American history instead of anything else significant that happened in that period of time (hello French Revolution! Whatup Russo-Turkish War? Oh look it's France versus the entire world!) there won't be a single thing that challenges the idea of the brown haired white middle class American valiantly retaking his homeland from the evil of the British Empire.

It's alright America, we get that there was something interesting happening to you, but the rest of us were dealing with our own stuff, and given the effect that the late 1700s had on you even today, it'd just be nice if you could pay some attention to it, even in a videogame.

 

[Nurb]

It's making it damn hard for me to like this game as a Brit. I mean it's saying we're the bad guys pretty damn clearly despite that being less than true ( http://www.cracked.com/article_18442_5-reasons-founding-fathers-were-kind-dicks.html ).

There's definitely some preposterous notion of black and white that's being enforced by this game. The past two Assassins Creed games weren't even remotely based on the conflict of the time and it had you assassinating people on both sides of the war.

I mean I know it's only a game but for a series that accurately represented the cities of the time to the point that it's instantly recognisable to people who've been there, it doesn't seem to care even remotely for an accurate portrayal of the war.

If I may bring my own preposterous notions of black and white to this debate.

Americans make up the majority of the market. Americans cannot handle being told they weren't exactly nice guys and the constant saviours of the world and all its people. Thus, now the game is focusing on American history instead of anything else significant that happened in that period of time (hello French Revolution! Whatup Russo-Turkish War? Oh look it's France versus the entire world!) there won't be a single thing that challenges the idea of the brown haired white middle class American valiantly retaking his homeland from the evil of the British Empire.

It's alright America, we get that there was something interesting happening to you, but the rest of us were dealing with our own stuff, and given the effect that the late 1700s had on you even today, it'd just be nice if you could pay some attention to it, even in a videogame.

This thread is going to be another moan and groan circle-jerk I think.

 

[Woodsey]

People were killing templars in the first game, which were French historically, Italians in the second (if I remember right). If a Canadian dev made a war of 1812 game you'd get to burn the white house... would that make ya feel better?

Slightly flawed argument, nationality wasn't the major divide between the 'sides' presented in the previous games - the point is that there were still Templars in each camp (although AC2 is muddier, as there's no conflict as there was in AC1, and now in AC3). In here, they've all been shown to be in one camp (which this time is defined by the different nationalities).

 

[wooty]

Come on lads, get a grip.

If your really offended with having to kill British soldiers in this game then I suppose you could always just walk into a Continental controlled town and kill a few civilians or soldiers. That way I guess you can feel a bit better about the whole process.

I'm pretty sure that won't be necessary. Isn't diversity and equal representation a thing when it comes to the Assassin's Creed team? As far as I know, they're the only ones that put the "developed by a multicultural team" in their game's opening, and they handled a volatile period like the Crusades admirably and tactfully. I'm pretty sure the third game won't just shit all over that and throw it in the bin to get points from its American players (thereby also insulting most of them by painting them as bloodthirsty nationalists). At least I hope not. But what the hell is their marketing team doing?

Somebody did say that this was an advert released for the 4th July, so it would make sense to throw in some form of patriotism on that day at least. There are rumours circulating that the UK will get its own version of this advert from a pro-Britain point of view.

The bad thing about this whole mess is that there could be no end to this digital mud slinging. I'm still aiming for a big twist somewhere in the middle, AC has always had elements of being betrayed, lied to or used by the "higher ups" or friends.

 

[malestrithe]

Dammit EA!!! This edgy videos always cause you Public relations nightmares. I thought you learned your lesson with Dante. Now here you are doing it again.

.... What? ACIII is not produced by EA!

Erm, Nevermind....

 

[kurupt87]

2) Either they're ripping the shit out of Americans with that kid, or that line is just straight-faced embarrassing

That's the thing, it was delivered straight faced with not a hint anywhere in the trailer of a dissenting opinion or sarcasm. My eyes literally goggled at that line.

If it is a stealthy dig then it is possibly the most po faced delivery I've ever seen.

Considering the marketing department has seemingly named the marketing drive "Operation Pander", it'd make sense that it's buried pretty deeply. Hilarious though if it was a dig.

Baha, really? That gives me hope. Suck them in with Patriotic garbage and deliver some education like a Hidden Blade to the gut, I like it.

It fits too because that line doesn't make sense in context, only in modern day. That kid would be taught other countries History because not only does America at that point not really have any of its own but it is ruled and the world is controlled by those that do. Compare that to the stereotype that modern day Americans don't have a clue about anything outside of Planet America.

The modern day meaning fits better because in context the line makes no sense if played straight and isn't funny or "insightful" if ironic; so the line has to be an ironic play of the modern trope. I hope. Operation Pander, lol, it has to be!

 

[Woodsey]

2) Either they're ripping the shit out of Americans with that kid, or that line is just straight-faced embarrassing

That's the thing, it was delivered straight faced with not a hint anywhere in the trailer of a dissenting opinion or sarcasm. My eyes literally goggled at that line.

If it is a stealthy dig then it is possibly the most po faced delivery I've ever seen.

Considering the marketing department has seemingly named the marketing drive "Operation Pander", it'd make sense that it's buried pretty deeply. Hilarious though if it was a dig.

Baha, really? That gives me hope. Suck them in with Patriotic garbage and deliver some education like a Hidden Blade to the gut, I like it.

It fits too because that line doesn't make sense in context, only in modern day. That kid would be taught other countries History because not only does America at that point not really have any of its own but it is ruled and the world is controlled by those that do. Compare that to the stereotype that modern day Americans don't have a clue about anything outside of Planet America.

The modern day meaning is the only one that makes any sense because in context the line makes no sense if played straight and isn't funny or "insightful" if ironic, so the line has to be an ironic play of the modern trope. I hope. Operation Pander, lol, it has to be!

Well, not the literal name, but that's the impression that's been given - the developers themselves commented on it recently and seemed less than impressed with how it's been.

 

[Grimh]

Just a reminder guys. The marketing department are not the people actually making the game.
They just spin it the way they think will garner the most sales.

 

[kurupt87]

Well, not the literal name, but that's the impression that's been given - the developers themselves commented on it recently and seemed less than impressed with how it's been.

Ah ok, I am giving too much credit to satirical marketing departments then. Still, if the devs are moaning about the marketing campaign that is a good sign.