• Confirmed that there is a team dedicated for the PC version working directly with Nvidia. Very likely it is a team within Ubisoft Toronto working on it to optimise the game and create proper control schemes.
• DX9 and DX11 builds
• PC features: TXAA, HBAO, higher-resolution textures and shadows, parallax mapping, tessellation

• Gamepad can be used for multiple features such as inventory management, to fly the tri-rotor drone, or as the snake cam (to see under doors), mark enemies, hold it up for night vision, and much more.
• There will not be off-screen (offline/split-screen) co-op on launch for the WiiU. Ubisoft has not clarified if it will be patched in later or not.

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• Sam Fisher returns as the leader of the new Fourth Echelon (4E).
• Team members include: Anna Grimsdottir (from the previous games), Charlie Cole (hacker), Isaac Briggs (CIA operative). Also joining the cast is loveable asshole Andriy Kobin from Conviction.
• The plot of the game revolves around a series of attacks on American interests orchestrated by a group of rogue nations: they demand that the United States withdraws its armed forces from every country in the world. Each attack is on a countdown and it is up to Forth Echelon to stop the Blacklist attacks from happening.
• From what is revealed and shown from trailers
  Spoiler

  the first attack happens in Guam and is Sam Fisher happens to be there with Vic Coste and Charlie Cole as it occurs; this is before he returns at the behest of the President to lead 4E
  .
• Sam Fisher, normally a recluse and solo operator is now in charge of an organization; the goal of the dev team/narrative is to show how Sam Fisher has to adapt to a leadership role throughout the game.
• The hub for 4E is in the C-147B Paladin, a large airplane re-purposed as a mobile HQ. From here you can access everything in the game or wander around the plane (like the SSV Normandy).
• There is an integrated economy system that runs through all gameplay modes (SP, COOP, SVM). You can earn currency in any game mode and spend them for any game mode with no restrictions.
• The Strategic Mission Interface (SMI) replaces any main menu present in the game and allows for extremely quick drop-in/drop-out into other gameplay modes without having to dig through menus or sit through quit/confirm screens as well as showing weekly/daily challenges (on ShadowNET) as well as integrating your friends lists and their progress (think Sleeping Dogs).
• You can disable many of the HUD elements.
• List of Achievements (spoilers!)

• Blacklist is an attempt to merge the faster, lethal gameplay found in Conviction with the more traditional elements in the older games such as systemic stealth gameplay (yes, that actually had to come back), gadgets, non-lethal and lethal options for players.
  • The developers have gone on to admit that many of the ideas in the final version of Conviction ended up being very half-baked and incomplete. Either way it was a decent base with not much systemic gameplay around it.
• The devs have three main gameplay pillars: navigation, combat and stealth. The level design and AI should always be challenging one or more of those pillars and the player's mastery of the systems in the game.
• The goggles return with a full feature set: night vision and sonar modes. Some upgrades exist to add thermal to sonar, as well as additional upgrades such as footprint tracking.
• Being hidden in the dark is no longer binary and there are different stages, though probably less precise than the older games. The lights on your back, goggles and watch light up brighter the more hidden you are, turn off to let you know you can be seen rather than turning the screen from colour to a black/white filter. A fuller explanation halfway down this post.
• Closer Than Ever returns: In Chaos Theory, this is when a different set of animations play as you get closer to an enemy and start stalking over sneaking.
• Lethal/Non-lethal toggle: Now you have the option to either knock out an enemy or outright kill them. There are pro/cons to each option. The game is supposed to feature almost a hundred different takedown animations depending on stance, context, etc.
• Picking up bodies: Now you can hide bodies either in dark corners or occasionally in containers. You cannot carry a body while crouched however.
• Variable speeds: Not as many as the old games but control and precision in movement speed is still required for stealth, especially if you are right behind an enemy. There is an active sprint button that puts you into parkour mode for most things in the environment.
• The launcher returns (sorta): in the older games there was a launcher attached to a FN F2000 that fired certain gadgets, this is replaced by a crossbow that fires different bolts.
  • The crossbow can fire sticky shockers (non-lethal), EMP bolts (AOE EMPs an area), gas arrows, possibly others.
  • This replaced the launcher from the previous games to accommodate the customization system and not force players to have to pick a weapon that could accommodate a launcher over one without.
  • Other gadgets are simply thrown, like in Conviction. Such as the sticky camera, probably to nerf abuse with firing sticky cameras at people for free KOs that could be pickd up and reused.
• Whistling: Sam can once again attract enemies with a whistle/whisper. What you do with that is up to you, but the AI will catch on eventually if you try to abuse it.
• The Knife: instead of a straight double-edged blade, you now have a Karambit which functions nearly the same as any other knife except with occasionally flashier animations, plus you can cut fabrics again to create paths.
• Mark and Execute/Killing in Motion: A very polarizing feature but with some more depth built into it this time around.
  • The M&E token has its own 'gauge' that fills up to allow you to use the execute portion. A melee takedown/grab is worth 100% while a regular kill is only worth 25%, etc, or depending on difficulty. The gauge is 4 pips.
  • Mark and Execute also works with the crossbow and possibly with whatever ammo it holds for non-lethal use, as well as with the stun gun.
• Gadgets: (not exhaustive list)
  • Sticky Camera: can be upgraded to distract, release sleeping gas or detonate. Can be used to mark enemies.
  • Sticky Noisemaker
  • Proximity Shocker: throwable AOE shocker when there isn't water around to propagate a sticky shocker through multiple enemies.
  • Tri-rotor drone: A small flying drone that operates like a sticky camera except instead of sleeping gas it fires sticky shockers. Can be seen and heard and destroyed.
  • Spider-bot: possibly a late-game gadget that probably replaces the sticky camera/operates similarly enough
  • Sleeping gas grenade
  • Flashbang grenade: flash! bang!
  • Frag Grenade
  • Incendiary Grenade
  • Remote and Proximity mines in lethal and non-lethal flavours (prox shockers, etc.)
• Customization system: Equipment and their respective upgrades can be purchased for SP/Co-op with the economy system for many of your body armour slots and weapons. There are equipment pieces that vary differently between attributes that affect things like noise generation, armour, gadget capacity, ammo capacity, etc. You are free to mix and match pieces as you choose.
• Enemy types: rather than simply all the same guard with slightly different AI routines and uniforms, there are some different enemy types that vary wildly and try to force the player to re-evaluate their options.
  • Dogs: Can sense you even if you aren't in line of sight, will bark and cause attention to other guards in the area.
  • Snipers: extremely long distance enemy, you will notice them right away with their laser sight scanning back and forth. Most reports say that regardless of difficulty and armour combination, they will very likely one-shot kill you regardless.
  • Heavies: heavily armoured enemies as the name suggests, they can take more punishment from gunfire, wear a helmet/gas mask (cannot be sleeping gased directly) and cannot be meleed from the front. Also equipped with a shotgun. One mark and execute against him will only remove his helmet and you must follow up somehow, whether it be a gunshot, melee, or your partner's mark and execute.
  • Shield enemies: Likely similar to heavies, but simply cannot be shot to death from the front (whereas you could just waste ammo to finish a heavy). Make sure to attack from behind, whether that be in melee or with a gun/something else.
  • Tech enemies: They actively jam your vision modes (yes even NVG) from working unless taken out. They also seem to be as well geared as heavies. If alerted they will release remote controlled cars that search for you and explode. Cars shot once will be disabled. A second shot will cause them to explode. Good for setting traps.
  • Night vision enemies: The dark is no longer safe!

• The designers have stated that the goal was to create a sandbox-lite feeling within the levels; so even as levels are linear in a sense (as most Splinter Cell levels are), there are plenty of sections that open up and are rife for the player to tackle as they wish to achieve whatever objectives.
• The developers did not want to 'force' trial-and-error stealth on players throughout the entire game (there are sections with forced ghost stealth) but they are doing their best to encourage it by making it more rewarding (points, currency) and trying to make it difficult to tackle enemies head on; you will still get overwhelmed and killed easily even with the improved gunplay if you play it simply as a cover shooter.
• The most drastic change is that all levels open up with the enemy unaware of your presence (or, "by default you are stealth" to quote the devs) whereas in Conviction where 99% of the time the enemy was immediately aware of you are as soon as you passed a predetermined spot in the level you enemies were placed on alert and specifically aware of your presence for narrative reasons.
• Therefore the levels have been crafted as 'ecosystems' where for all intents and purposes the AI run as if you don't exist or were never there but will react accordingly if they become alerted to your presence.
• All levels have been carefully crafted and playtested ad nauseum to allow for all playstyles but not with separate "paths". The devs has stated on the record they have 'advocates' that play each level specific to a playstyle and co-ordinate with the level designers to ensure all three playstyles are supported through level design.
• Levels are 'blackboxes' as explained by the devs, they do a 2d pass (for cover, lines of sight), then 3d pass (for things like ledges, pipes, vents) to ensure levels are full of options and opportunities.
• Stealth is rewarded much more than playing lethally or loudly to where knockouts are worth 66-100% more points (in turn more money) and completely leaving guards undisturbed is worth even more alone.
• There is a trophy/achievement for completing the game without any kills though there will be sections where you are forced to neutralize the enemy to proceed.

• Once again, guards will not notice your presence in a level unless you make a mistake or decide to tell them and will go about their way in the world. You will still hear conversations but there are no interrogation dialogues as in the older games or interrogation sequences from Conviction.
• AI more likely to hear you if you aren't almost completely still or at the slowest speed, even decked out with equipment designed for maximum stealth.
• AI more aggressive if you disturb the environment, especially if you do something like shoot out a light versus turning it off; they will go to investigate regardless but they might react differently and/or escalate/call for help.
• There are different AI roles, some that are leaders that will co-ordinate with others to start searches rather than having a bunch of stragglers walk off while others stand still, especially if you caused a ruckus.
• Dogs will chase you further and rouse guards into searching if they sense you; human AI will work with dogs to try to figure out where you could be.
• AI will now hear nearby abductions (character grabs) unlike other games. This also makes it harder to pick off guards slowly one-by-one as they will notice their fellow guards going missing.
• AI work better when investigating, covering one another rather than roaming alone. If you are spotted they will try to funnel you into compromising positions with cover fire, grenades, etc.
• AI has better detection and notices things better, you cannot simply walk between blobs of shadows to get to where you want; observation and planning is more important especially if you wish to remain undetected.

• Ghost
  • The style that most old-school players will want to play and the most rewarding of all playstyles. Almost entirely enforced in Perfectionist mode.
  • Everyone has their own definition of what ghosting entails but the game rewards you for non-lethal KOs (takedowns, gadgets, etc.)
  • Awards even more points for leaving enemies alone.
• Panther
  • The optimal style the devs hope some players will play or for people coming in from Conviction.
  • A lethal take on stealth formalized in Conviction, you are rewarded for killing an enemy in stealth by any means
  • Also awards points if you slip past enemies alerted to you (but currently cannot find you) at checkpoints.
• Assault
  • If you are detected when you kill an enemy, you will get assault points, knockout or kill or whatever as long as they remain detected and don't de-escalate from that phase.
• At the end of missions (or SvM rounds), whatever points you accumulate is subject to a multiplier, which in turn converts it into cash (dollars) and can be used to buy into the customization system. One way to increase your final score multiplier is to upgrade the Paladin.
• On Normal Difficulty, it looks like a KO (ghost) is worth 125, a stealth kill (panther) is worth around 100 and a straight up kill while detected (assault) counts as 'combat kill', only 75 points. There are also points rewarded after points of no return for ghost (enemies undisturbed, more than non-lethal KOs) and panther (some points for enemies evaded). These scale with difficulty.
  

• New 4th difficulty to encourage older Splinter Cell gameplay
• AI has better detection, much deadlier if spotted
• One-shot one-kill against the player
• Cannot melee any enemies from the front (observation: only when they have detected you)
• Cannot see through walls with Sonar goggles
• Cannot restock/change loadouts mid-mission
• No option to "execute" with Mark & Execute; can still mark however
• Last Known Position ghost is disabled: Surprise! It's been in all the games the entire time! You just couldn't see it until it was in Conviction.

• There are 14 distinct co-op missions that are completely different from the single player and SvM maps.
• Co-op maps were developed by Ubisoft Shanghai (SCPT, SCDA)
• Your co-op partner is Isaac Briggs, who plays exactly the same as Sam Fisher and has the same customization options.
• With the exception of the Isaac Briggs missions, many levels can be soloed and can be repeated for points/money for customization.
• Devs don't want co-op to become a 'follow the leader' mentality where one player knows everything and does the majority of the work; greater emphasis on co-op moves to traverse environment or situations where players are asked/encouraged to split apart for periods of time to accomplish tasks.
• Mark and Execute no longer works the same in Conviction, you can only execute the targets you have marked. For enemies like the heavy that require two shots to kill will require some timing on behalf of both partners.
• There will be paths in some of the soloable maps that are inaccessible because they require both partners to access.
• Co-op missions are given by Grim, Briggs, Charlie and Kobin with their own flavour to it. The Deniable Ops label has been abandoned but analogues are very similar to how they worked in Conviction, but with a better spin on it:
  • The majority of the missions will be narrative based and will feature a mix of play styles. These missions cannot be soloed. (Co-op campaign)
  • Grim's missions are very old school SC (ghost style), there are usually extreme restrictions such as no-kills or instant-fail upon detection. (Infiltration mode but with objectives, no forced terrorist hunt). Bonus points for leaving guards undisturbed. Patrol paths randomize upon load. These maps work more like a large sandbox (think Chaos Theory's Bank level).
  • Kobin's missions are more panther style, and play exactly like Hunter in Conviction. There are a series of small sandbox arenas and you can take out guards how you want before proceeding to the next area.
  • Charlie's missions are more assault style where you have to defend an objective from enemies. You can use stealth/go non-lethal.

• Two versions with similar general map layouts but laid out similarly and lit differently depending on game mode.
• Original creator of SvM (Gunther Galipot) is back as director of SvM along with Ubisoft Montreal.
• Basic premise involves the spies (play in third person) hacking 3 terminals in any order, mercs (play in first person) have to prevent that, then teams switch.
• There will be extensive custom match options provided.
• Additional modes besides traditional SvM: Team Deathmatch, Extraction (a version like Double Agent's) and Uplink (control point)
• Apparent changes since PT/CT/DA SvM:
  • Both sides have unlimited lives so spies trying to kill mercs and burn their lives no longer possible; have to hack instead.
  • Hacks are now initiated on the spot, but wireless after it has started, so the spy can go off and try to hide. The area is cordoned off and the other nodes cannot be hacked simultaneously.
  • The spy who initiates the hack has to stay within the area to finish it; if killed there is a small grace period where someone can continue the hack before it resets.
  • Spies have a knife that can kill mercs up close, but usually difficult. They also have environmental attacks (ledge grabs, death from above) while most merc kills are either weapon-based and they have more humiliating melee finishers.
  • When mercs are killed, they spectate based on security cameras in the level instead of on their teammates. These cameras can be disabled temporarily by the spy team.
• Classic variation (2v2):
  • Extremely light-and-shadow based, maps are lit appropriately so that spies can blend or hide in the shadows, more claustrophobic feeling
  • Mercs armed with flashlights; they can be turned off to hide and ambush spies as well.
  • Spies do not have offensive guns (only a knife), carry only non-lethal weapons like sticky shockers and gadgets; also armed with night vision goggles.
  • Limited to no customization involved, at least with the economy system.
• Blacklist variation (4v4):
  • Maps aren't lit as extremely as classic mode and the pace is a little faster with 8 players, slightly opened up with less dark shadows and layout.
  • Both sides come with pre-set classes that have their own gadgets and abilities.
  • Takes full advantage of customization with create-a-class slots unlocked fairly soon after playing, similar to SP where you can customize all body slots plus a special ability, total of twelve slots (6 each, 3 available and 3 unlockable). Some gear pieces might also provide some sort of change in ability use (e.g. further Death From Above distance, prevent being spotted on screen by other abilities, etc.)
  • Weapon customization similar or on-par with what exists in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier gunsmith.
  • Spies now can equip regular guns but mercs more armoured, better handling than spies with guns. (spies cannot ADS)
  • Spy Presets:
    • Intel Scout - tracks enemies
    • Predator - stronger at CQC, has a digital camo suit that allows you go temporarily go invisible
    • Saboteur - distrupt or take out enemy gadgets and equipment
  • Merc Presets:
    • Peacemaker - strongest merc with extra armour, adrenaline shots to boost stats
    • Hunter - has drones that can be used to mark and track spies or detonate them
    • Distruptor - can distrupt spies equipment and HUD

• World Premiere trailer (CGI)
• The Fifth Freedom trailer
• Inauguration trailer
• Abilities: Strike, Stalk, Silence trailer
• The Blacklist Begins trailer
• Transformation trailer
• Ghost/Panther/Assault trailer
• Threat trailer
• Multiple Choices Trailer (aka Blacklist 101)
• Co-op trailer
• Spies vs. Mercs trailer
• Wii U trailer

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SketchTheArtist said:

Was anything from Spies VS Mercs shown during E3 at all?

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Kazerei said:

Great work OP, thanks for writing it all up.

It's encouraging to hear the dev team emphasize stealth and open-ended gameplay, and the recent footage looks solid. I hope it's a good game but I'm still not convinced though. I'll be waiting to see the reviews and gaf impressions.

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Courage said:

Spies vs Mercs...

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Effect said:

Picking up the Wii U version for sure. I haven't played Splinter Cell since the GameCube. I just hope enough people are interested and buy that version as well.

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Mileena said:

SvM (and in turn, basically this whole game) on Wii U would be ruined if no one bought it and had a really pathetic player count online. Would hate to see that happen because if I was gonna get a console version, that would definitely be it. Will probably skip or wait for Steam sale though.

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Mileena said:

SvM (and in turn, basically this whole game) on Wii U would be ruined if no one bought it and had a really pathetic player count online. Would hate to see that happen because if I was gonna get a console version, that would definitely be it. Will probably skip or wait for Steam sale though.

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Effect said:

Picking up the Wii U version for sure. I haven't played Splinter Cell since the GameCube. I just hope enough people are interested and buy that version as well.

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Sober said:

Here is a pretty good article/post from one of their most vocal critics on the official forums. He got flown into Toronto to play what they had plus Q&A with the dev team. Definitely worth a read even if it isn't GAF impressions. Wish I had room to fit it in the OP.

Why Everyone Should Be Excited About Blacklist

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xandaca said:

I'm buying the Wii U version too. So there'll be at least two people.

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Gareth Bale said:

"Their mission with Blacklist, as Max put it, was to "open as many doors as possible for the old fans to come back to the franchise". By offering as much of the old SC experiences within their newly evolved Splinter Cell framework, plan was to give everyone who has a history with this game a reason to return."

Not encouraged by this. Not if their newly evolved framework includes more of those small play areas within their linear levels, moving at 100mph, and pressing a button to autokill 3 enemies

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Sober said:

New framework I do have to assume means most of the base is Conviction in terms of speed but it seems like they've made the effort to try to reach for what made Chaos Theory good which is the feeling of being an invisible intruder and not action-hero-in-a-stealth-sequence.

Watch some of London map videos, they are bit repetitive but they each try to show different paths that can be taken. Splinter Cell has been pretty linear, not really as open as Blood Money or what have you. I guess you could argue that Bank/Displace/Hokkaido and some other maps from Chaos Theory were sandboxy but they were still pretty small in scale.

Movement definitely still concerns me because Sam is a bit faster but at least they seem to have made some concerted efforts to make sound more important and creeping up on guards tougher, especially if they hear abductions and other disturbances.

Mark and Execute is a tragedy and really ever made sense in GRFS but honestly it is literally has button devoted to it and nothing else and on PC you could probably unbind it so there's never really time you might actually hit it by accident over something else.

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Gareth Bale said:

Yeah I've watched that video in the warehouse type place, but I have trouble believing their claims. I remember watching similar ones for Conviction where they showed some of the more 'open' points in a level and tried to show us you could play it like you used to. In the end it was painfully obvious they designed the game to be played differently. And this is always a problem, no matter how much they say "well you can turn off this, and you don't have to use that if you don't want".

Ok they re-added stuff like sticky shockers and night vision, but to me it just sounds like they're just throwing a few bones and still fighting to take the game in a direction that no one wants. That, or they're trying to cater to everyone.

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miladesn said:

nice thread.

The game really doesn't seem bad like it was at first, but still doesn't look exciting. They brought back most things removed in Conviction, probably worth playing now. We will see what they've done with level design and everything else. Still the game feels soulless to me.

Edge just put up their Time Extend on Chaos Theory, I was just reading that;

http://www.edge-online.com/features/time-extend-tom-clancys-splinter-cell-chaos-theory/

Seeing what Splinter Cell series could've become after that game and what it became is very disappointing. Everything worked well together in CT, from narrative and some great dialog to the gameplay & fantastic level design.

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Courage said:

Spies vs Mercs...

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/tumblr_mbhkbxr0Zl1qdb4cxo1_r1_500.gif[/IM G][/QUOTE]

Hold it right there, judging from the gameplay it's more like the spies are from assassin's creed multiplayer

=(

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ViewtifulJC said:

Derrick will be back in August, just in time to shit on this game

Sober, you've done a great job being the single (un)officla PR guy for this game. There always one of this website, from 8byte's fanatical defense of Fuse, to Ezekial's "give NT a chance you guyz " acceptance of DmC to Ticky-Shadow's "OMGGGGGG GAME OF THE EVER OPRAH.GIF" love affair with Tomb Raider. I gotta say though, out of all them, you're the least annoying to read!

Keep up the good work

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Sober said:

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