Community Created Content for Assassin's Creed - Is there a demand for it?

[Sorrosyss]

Player created content has been seen in many games, but never has it touched the Assassin's Creed games themselves. Ubisoft has always shown an interest in engaging AC fans in new ways, be it Project Legacy, The Watch, Initiates, or the recently launched Council. But what if the relationship between fans and the games was to extend further?

Player created content is very popular in a lot of sandbox titles. It rewards creativity amongst players, and ensures a stream of new content for fellow players to enjoy. For some people though, they feel it is a waste of time, and indeed the development time required for console friendly building tools often results in core content being reduced.

So, let's look at some examples from other games, and how they might apply to Assassin's Creed.


Map Building

http://i.imgur.com/xXHf5Nw.png

The obvious place to start is with custom maps. Ubisoft has even used this method themselves on some of their other franchises such as Far Cry and Rainbox Six. In short, you are given a small sandbox area with an assortment of tools to place objects or features as you so please, allowing you to create something of your own making. These can then be uploaded to the main game servers for other players to download and enjoy.

If we were to apply this to Assassin's Creed, an obvious option would be for players to create custom black box assassinations. We could create some kind of mansion or fortress, specify where to place guards and their patrol routes, locked doors, entry points etc. We could even control what tool sets that players could use, to prevent them going in and smoke bomb cheesing their way through.

Arguably, map creation could be implemented for solo players. But we know that multiplayer will be returning to Assassin's Creed in the future, so we could really vary things up on this front too. Perhaps;

Custom naval battles

Parkour Courses


Carriage Racing


Multiplayer Arenas/Co-op


If we can create maps, why don't we go a step further?


Mods

http://i.imgur.com/Rn8GSi2.jpg

Mods are small modifications that creators use to change aspects of a game. Some common examples are big head mode, reduced gravity, and enhanced explosions.

The modding community has traditionally been a PC haven, but there are some examples within the console arena - such as Unreal Tournament 3, that allowed players to create and use skins like Cloud and Master Chief.

If we were to apply it to Assassin's Creed, what could we do? Well, with the map builder, why not allow for an artist to create custom textures, or shapes? You want an Egyptian themed map - fine, make one.

Indeed, why not extend this to the character models as well? We could create and dye custom clothes, or weapons. The tradtional multiplayer even started to touch on this in a very basic fashion in AC3 and AC4, with a fair bit of customization there. So I think it is definitely something that Ubisoft are thinking about.

If you could completely create your unique Templar target, with custom guards. on a custom map it would really allow you to place your stamp on a created experience.

But why stop there? Why not allow custom costumes for example, in the main game? Want to take Desmond around the streets of Syndicate? Well, now you can! Kinda.

In short though a modding tool would allow for the creation of many items, which the community could add to such as;

Artists to create custom textures, outfits, and skins. Or perhaps a nice cover art for your map.


Custom music created by fans, to try and create the correct atmosphere to your map.



Voiceover - allow aspiring actors to lend their voice to your NPCs



Fanfiction - Write the concept of your scenario, and create your map to suit with pop up text. Or make a request for someone to realise your map.



Conclusion

These are just some of the examples that I feel could be added to Assassin's Creed. With Syndicate we have seen the introduction of a full XP system, and so long as there is sufficient motivation to continue levelling up, player created content would allow players to continue playing their beloved product long after the main story campaign has ended.

With a database linked website, it would engage and accommodate the franchise community, allowing fans to focus their efforts into a central hub for everyone to enjoy - rather than spread around the net between deviantart, facebook, the council etc. With the Helix monetary system, we could even incentivise or credit other players for their good works.

Who knows, there are some examples of popular map creators and modders ending up working at the associated company - due to how impressive the creations were. Herein lies an avenue for Ubisoft to also find some top talent going forwards. Or even for some player created characters or areas, to be incorporated to future titles.

You need only look at the sheer popularity of Minecraft videos on Youtube to see that player creation tools can engage and excite players - and perhaps even draw new fans to the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Some final thoughts;

Pros
+ Allows for new content to be created post game
+ Engages the community and encourages creativity
+ Offers new ideas and talent to Ubisoft

Cons
- Development of world building/modding tools will detract the length of the main game
- Player created content will for the most part, lack the quality of Ubisoft's content
- Licensing or royalty issues remain a sticking point in other titles

What say you fellow initiates? Would you like a player creation hub and toolset within Assassin's Creed?

[BananaBlighter]

If we could play other's blackbox missions in Syndicate it would add so much replayability for me. If Syndicate surprises and amazes us, I was hoping that they give next year a rest and instead of a new title they make an expansion pack that adds multiplayer, coop, and maybe something like this, giving them more time to work on the next game.

[D.I.D.]

I think it could be great, especially for designing share-able closed mission like Ori-Troller suggested, or your MP idea.

The developer videos for Unity's world-building tools were very interesting, and I'd love to play with those. While some people might use the facility to make fantasy worlds that couldn't have existed, I don't see the problem with that, and I'm sure a lot of the AC fans would love history enough to simply make painstaking version of real buildings from history anyway. Call it all an Animus Training Ground, and that's the cover for whatever people want to do (and you could have a moderated category for real places).

I think it would add a lot of value to the games, much more than further collectables or so-so extra missions. No doubt there'd be a lot of rubbish, but I bet there'd be plenty of creators who'd work very hard to make their content the best it can be.

[strigoi1958]

I would like something along the line of a mission editor/ creator.

Even if it was set inside a fort that we could add guards, patrols and traps/ obstacles.... with a target, either a person or object that needs to be stolen. Pitting my wits against the community would be fun and challenging... I know how sneaky and clever a lot of assassins can be 8^)

I think it would help pass the time between each release.... some people may have noticed my recent lack of posts here lately but that is due entirely to having played rogue and Unity repeatedly and now moved on to another game while I struggle with the wait for syndicate... being here just makes me want it released sooner. 8^)

[pacmanate]

Didnt the dev team for Unity show that they could generate a row of houses now instead of placing individual ones? I would love to see the community making their own blackbox missions OUTSIDE of the map the developers make, although that would be seriously hard to do

[Alphacos007]

AC is a game focused on the story, so I don't think community created content for the game itself would be interesting.
A separate map editor for fun out-of-the-game missions would be awesome though.

[Wolfmeister1010]

All I want is to use mods to mess with the textures and models and whatnot and improve the draw distance amongst other things



AC is a game focused on the story, so I don't think community created content for the game itself would be interesting.
A separate map editor for fun out-of-the-game missions would be awesome though.


On the contrary, this is the perfect opportunity for mods BECAUSE it is a single player only story based game. Half the time mods aren't supported are because the devs are scared of them being used unfairly and messing with the online component. This happened with Dying Light, GTA5, and a few other games I believe.

[I-Like-Pie45]

if they allowed mods people would just replace all the character models with my little ponies and minecraft

[Alphacos007]

On the contrary, this is the perfect opportunity for mods BECAUSE it is a single player only story based game. Half the time mods aren't supported are because the devs are scared of them being used unfairly and messing with the online component. This happened with Dying Light, GTA5, and a few other games I believe.

What I meant is that the game is focused on the story, so mods that inevitable change them wouldn't be welcome, at least for me. Of course, graphics or textures mods are completely acceptable, but those already exist for previous game so no need for a content creator for them. Huge mods are great for games that don't really focus on the story but instead the gameplay, like Skyrim for example. I don't think anyone actually cares about it's story, you have like 5 main quests or something.

[strigoi1958]

a map editor with a place in the AC council website where we can upload some ingeniously evil tough assassinations missions that must be done unseen by any guards 8^)... and people who generate the best ones get a prize for community support

[Sorrosyss]

if they allowed mods people would just replace all the character models with my little ponies and minecraft

Death by Rainbow Dash. The Templars have no response to this terror. :p

But of course, any such mods should have a modicum of control by Ubisoft as to what people can actually amend. For example, I think the basic skeleton of the model would have to remain the same, or a lot of iterations and animations might go a bit mad.