Monday 25 March 2024

Using Assassin's Creed: Unity to answer industry questions


How does the Assassin’s Creed series attract and maintain its audiences both locally and globally? 

  • Ease of gameplay mechanics, which is explained through a series of tutorials
  • High production values targets a global audience through it’s perception of quality, and a reputation of excellence
  • Resembles a blockbuster film, with professional voice actors, a complicated storyline and large set scenes 
  • A repetition of previously successful elements attracts oolong time fans 
  • Parisian setting is extremely historically accurate, and provides appeal to French 
  • Highly interactive, with opportunities for audience choice
  • Use of English language and regional accents creatures an easy to understand narrative for a wider, english speaking audience
  • Game set in 17th century Paris appeals to and attracts a local and global audience 
  • Characters speak in English (in default settings) in English accents to attract a global audiences 
  • Option to change the language to a variety of options, and a variety of subtitles 
  • Use of high quality graphics presents a AAA experience that will appeal to fans around the world 
  • Huge mess of genre hybridity (sci fi, action, open world, RPG, combat, simulation, climbing/platform…) allows game to appeal to huge range of audiences 
  • RPG - role playing game 
  • Appeals to local audiences (Parisians) as the architecture is extremely historically accurate (Notre Dame cathedral rebuilt from data from this game) 
  • MES of high quality graphics


How have specialised production processes shaped the Assassin’s Creed franchise?

  • The game features realistic performances made possible using motion capture technology 
  • Use of voice acting 
  • Public concept art, released to the publ;ic, and included throughout the game 
  • The detailed graphics are only made possible through specialist animators
  • Available on multiple platforms
  • High quality realtime graphics, including realtime lighting requires specialists 
  • (Baked iun li8ghting! Not actually realtime! Prerendered! But still stuff to do!)
  • An event planner is needed to construct and keep track of the complicated narrative
  • Specialised - good at one thing in particular 
  • Interactivity: audience has the opportunity to choose their own adventure 
  • Highly detailed map with a high draw distance
  • Realtime lighting requires a highly specialised programmer to design 
  • Research, costume design and in-house historians 
  • Concept art


How has digital convergence affected the distribution of media products? Make reference to the Assassin’s Creed franchise to support your answer

  • Digital convergence refers to how digital technology merges industries together
  • Game distributed through digitally convergent online storefronts 
  • In game downloadable content/dlc/mission packs 
  • Updates an patches 
  • Advertising, on YouTube, Tiktok, and other social media platforms 
  • Digital convergence - how digital technology has allowed other forms of technology to come together
  • Game can be downloaded off of online distribution services 
  • Game can be advertised using digitally convergent tech such as YouTube videos 
  • Game was developed using the Ubisoft Anvil engine, an in house engine for creating video games, which allows Ubisoft greater flexibility in producing and distributing games
  • Custom, bespoke software creates a higher quality of product
  • Games are distributed on digitally convergent platforms like Xbox series, which allows audiences the opportunity to experience game in a variety of ways 


What is a conglomerate?

A company that produces and distributes a range of products. Conglomerates become conglomerates by conglomerating, or buying out smaller companies to maximise profit and to minimise competition. Therefore, conglomeration is a process of power.


How is Ubisoft an example of conglomerate ownership?

  • Company expanded into the computer industry early on, selling computer parts through the post
  • Own a range of other companies including Blue Mammoth, Red Strom Entertainment etc
  • World wide studies, including studios in Shanghai, Montreal, and Milan, demonstrating a global outlook 
  • At the end of 2020, company moved focus away from AAA games to focus on smaller games, perhaps to target a wider audience 
  • Ubisoft Film and television (diversification!)
  • The videogame industry has shifted dramatically, and many o0f the biggest and most profitable games are NOT graphics intensive, and include a high level of user creation
  • Many subsidiaries in many different countries. Eg Ubisoft Stockholm, Malaga, Montreal, Berlin etc
  • Invested in by Tencent an absolutely enormous corporation
  • Attempted takeover?
  • Mobile phone act production!
  • Extremely high revenues 
  • Have bought out a range of smaller companies 
  • Ubisoft motion pictures (diversification)
  • Public stock exchange