Can anyone give me a hand listing all the individual changes on the maps in the Alpha? I haven’t had much time to research all of this, but here’s what I can think of off the top of my head. Small things like lighting changes and whatever aren’t really necessary.
Information on what opportunities work and changes between them and the final game (preferably with steps) would be helpful.
A lot to ask for I know, but I’d appreciate the help. Thanks guys!
Paris:
The cellar entrance was made smaller compared to the final game.
Crates that would be moved by NPCs which you could conceal items in were removed.
The crane was removed.
Dialogue with two guards regarding the security on the third floor were removed.
Dialogue near the backstage area outside between a guard and a worker was removed.
Changes to guards behaviour whether they frisk or ask for an invitation when going upstairs was removed.
Guards used flashlights in the attic.
Sapienza:
Francesca had a different model.
Silvio had a different model.
The golf coach uses the same outfit that Silvio uses in the final release.
There was a crane in the Ether lab that was removed.
You can’t shoot the virus to destroy it.
Marrakesh:
Have to go back and have a look at this, but if anyone can list any changes they know about, please let us know.
Bangkok:
Poker game possibly related to an ET (have to double check this)
Colorado:
Completely different map.
Features the retina scanner which was possibly going to be more present throughout the map, unlike the final game.
Sean Rose has a different name.
Sean Rose is using a different character model (likely a placeholder).
Concept art of this different Colorado does exist.
Hokkaido:
Some interesting layout changes.
Helipad doesn’t exist in this version (Have to check this).
For Paris, you can watch at my previous posts on this thread.
I’ve done a while ago a list gathering most of the changes I’ve observed and recalled between Alpha Paris and released Paris.
There are differences in terms of NPC placement, gameplay mechanics or modifications of opportunities.
Moreover, I saw that Dr Lafayette is present close to Caruso’s mansion entry in the Alpha, whereas he is present near the restaurant in the released game.
Finally, I discovered that there are at least two Alpha Paris (the closed Alpha and the recently released Alpha). Here are some differences I’ve observed between the two:
Another post contains the Alpha briefing.
You can also look at @Luiluix posts. They contain different things present in the files but not present in the Alpha, illustrating the different features considered by IOI team.
Hey there. Just want to check if I remember correctly, but the dialogue does appears in the final release, right? It should take place between the two cap-wearing guards who patrol around the second floor, starting with one saying “Hey why couldn’t we go upstairs…”
I’m sorry if someone mentioned this before but Agent 47 used to have a combat move where he flipped the guard over and punched him the head which was from Absolution. I wish they didn’t remove it. Also, please bring back human shields
Been playing a bit of Absolution recently and boy did I not realize back in the day how awesome the empty hand and knife takedowns are in that game. Wish they´d bring them back entirely (and yes, human shields too).
That’s the one thing Absolution absolutely nails compared to WOA. Variety. So many takedown animatins, guns, gun features, dual balling, point shooting. Yes it was action heavy, but I’d take back all the takedowns, guns and gun features + gun handling straight from Absolution over WOA any day.
Completely agree. Not to mention the gunplay itself. It´s the one game where 47 actually feels like the ultimate killing machine. The focus on action certainly reaped its benefits in those areas.
Yep. And I totally understand the argument that WOA shouldn’t be played as shooter, but why can’t have it still? If people play WOA as shooter because they like the gunplay, let them. The game is based on stealth anyway, almost no unlocks if you play as shooter either way, with the flashbangs and guard AI punishing enough as it is. So a really weak argument in my opinion. Well, maybe the next trilogy.
I was actually quite startled coming back into ABS. After 3 years of playing WOA I got so used to the strict separation of lethal and non-lethal melee items that I completely forgot that all melee takedowns in ABS are lethal. Boy was it a surprise when 47 shoved that book into a guy´s face in a way that would make Jason Bourne blush
Indeed. I do like to go for a little shootout in the game every now and then, and I miss Absolution´s gunplay quite a bit when doing so. It´s really one of the areas where it definitely improved over the classics, and I wish they had preserved it more into WOA. Ubisoft actually did a pretty good job at that with SC: Blacklist (probably the last time they did a good job at anything, cough cough). Emphasizing and rewarding the (mostly) non-lethal stealth playstyle of the old SC games, but keeping the more action-focused lethal playstyle of Conviction a completely viable and fun option, even improving on it (god I love those karambit takedowns).
I think the difference is in whether you’re asking or expecting the developer to add content specifically so that you can play it as a shooter as opposed to just playing the game as a shooter, as is.
Some players have said things like “we need them to add in a human shield mechanic” so we can have firefights. Now if there was no such mechanic in game, and to add it would require development effort, then the argument of “I want to have it” falls short of justifying the effort and expense for a game that is definitely not a shooter-style game.
On the other hand, if that mechanic is already there, and all it would take is unlocking the code, than you have a much better argument (again, taking into account whatever development time would be needed).
Asking the developer to add in things like health buffs, med kits, armor, more extensive hand-to-hand combat mechanisms, etc., does go beyond just “I want to play the game like a shooter, even though it isn’t”. At that point you’d be asking the developer to make it into a shooter-style game when it clearly isn’t.
I guess in short, play your game any way you want to play it, but generally you have to do so within the confines of the game’s existing systems as defined by the developer.
Your arguments are valid, but; Hitman is a bit behind in that regard. The last Splinter Cell game, from 2013 (!) rewarded you for playing both stealth, and shootouts, with unlocks tied to those progressions. Metal Gear Solid V, from 2015, had a better gunplay and allowed massive, base wide shootouts to a certain extend, while not ruining the stealth experience, or making the stealth nor shootout gameplay an “easier way”.
Hitman on the other hand makes gunfights extremely hard, with laser accurate npc aim, and lots of flashbangs. Which could be ok, if the gunplay would fit this.
Since Absolution and WOA run on the same engine, alot gunplay requested features worked in the Alpha of WOA, and could have been part of WOA. Especially on the third game in the series.
I’m not saying they need to do this to fit my style of playing the game. But I’m saying gunplay is in the game, there are tons of guns as unlocks, with the recently added rude ruby raptor. While having arguably the worst gunplay in the entire franchise.
What I am saying is, that if you put so many unlocks on gunplay, then have a good gunplay. And if you feature a game with armored guards everywhere, and shootouts as result of any, and really any mistake in stealth runs, then have a better gunplay.
Especially if previous entries in the franchise did it much better.
I do agree with the gun argument. I almost never use any of the “loud” guns unless the contract requires it. Because this isn’t a shooter-style game, I don’t understand why those guns are in the game to begin with other than because they’re “cool”.
I do agree also that the game is sort of stuck halfway between. It’s a non-shooter with a shooter inventory.
Like I said, if they would have made stealth the only viable option to go with to get to your goals, that would be ok. But with the unlocks, promotional imagery, videos, trailers, they all suggest that “going loud” is either encuraged, or good, but it’s neither.
I mean, I have fun, but only because I’m the type of person that always has fun with gunplay/driving mechanics, even if they are terrible.
