INTERVIEW: JEAN-SEBASTIEN DECANT, UBISOFT Rock the boat
Black Flag feels like a very different entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Players are able to explore the game’s open-world environment at their own pace sailing aboard their very own ship. Greg Lockley sits down with lead designer Jean-Sebastien Decant to discuss these changes and what it means for the series moving forward
UBISOFT surprised many when it unveiled Assassin’s Creed IVfor the first time back in March. Black Flag was a step away from the series’ previous entries. Its pirate-based theme was celebrated by core fans of the series following the small dose of naval gameplay in previous entry Assassin’s Creed IIIproved a hit. But it’s not just the focus on the golden age of piracy that feels different in this year’s entry. Black Flagwas initially rumoured to be a spin-off of ACIII rather than a fully-fledged entry in the series. But the finished product is an open world title, moreso than any of the previous entries in the franchise. Gone is the linear mission structure of ACIII, replaced by a vastly free roaming adventure, which challenges players to explore. A perfect representation of this is the inclusion of The Jackdaw, the player’s boat, which they are able to sail anywhere in the world at anytime.
“It started back during the development of Assassin’s Creed III,” says lead game designer Jean- Sebastien Decant, detailing the roots of Black Flagand how it ultimately came to life during the development of its predecessor by Ubisoft Singapore.
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“The naval package was really enticing and some people on the team decided we should go for that. So we started to dream about pirates. “Afterwards we discovered that we could connect Black Flagwith the stories and characters of ACIII, and it would be exactly at the golden age of piracy. So the stars were aliened and we went for it and made the game.”
We are inspired by everything. Real life, TV, and of
course, other games. Jean-Sebastien Decant, Ubisoft
“
Just a few moments spent in the company of Decant and it becomes abundantly clear why Black Flagis what it is. The Ubi man radiates excitement as he circles the room of journalists playing this new definition of an Assassin’s Creed game. Sitting down with Decant, this enthusiasm continues, resonating through the lead designer’s comments. And he has reason to be excited. Early press previews for Black Flag indicate the game is a return to form for the series. And Decant says ACIVis a major step forward for a franchise now on its sixth iteration due to its unique setting and full open world gameplay. “We wanted to make the Assassin’s Creedthat gave the most freedom to the player. Piracy was really interesting in that sense because players could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. So we tried to apply that to the game development.
October 11th 2013 37
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