Please note. I jotted this down on my phone and thus had no idea how lengthy it would be.
I had started jotting down recommendations regarding what to improve on and add to revisions of past games before reading that you were already planning to revisit the Ezio trilogy. Since it will probably be too late to change much in the game itself by the time you have read this message, please consider adding some of the material in patches/updates of the Ezio trilogy, or, should you ever choose to revisit the Renaissance Era, include it in such a game. The following are some aspects of Assassin's Creed 2 that I think can be improved. Some seem easier to add than others, like vigilantes.
DLC FOR PC USERS
-make all future DLCs available in equal degree for all platforms (PS, Xbox, PC)
-make the three Templar Lairs missions (Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria dei Frari, and Venice Arsenal) available to PC users as a DLC that includes all three of them, or as memories that automatically appear in the game, or in any other way
-make Assassin's Creed: Discovery a purchasable DLC expansion for all platforms
-make a DLC about Domenico Auditore and his life (and therefore his son's); can be accessed upon completing the game
-make a DLC about Giovanni Auditore and his life; can be accessed upon completing the game
MAP
-add landmark icons (non-purchasable) to map and a seamless transition from clicking on one to locate it to accessing its database entry, and vice versa
-add faction locations as hidden (due to their quantity) but accessible icons
-districts distinguishable on map (like in ACB and ACRev)
MEMORIES
-ability to replay each individual memory after finishing game
-in Everything Must Go Antonio's thieves should wear the crossbowmen's (not archers') uniforms after Emilio's assassination, and fire crossbow bolts (not arrows) at the guards advancing on Ezio
-make Palazzo de Medici (Templar Lair memory) mandatory and occur immediately before Romagna Holiday
-explained in Come Out and Play that Berdardo Baroncelli used a decoy (that was hanged instead) like Francesco Salviati did
-in Behind Closed Doors, Ezio can infiltrate Francesco Salviati's villa dressed like a guard like in the book (Renaissance)
-for In Bocca Al Lupo:
>delete Ponte Emanuele (inaccurate)
>decrease the apparent height of the Passetto di Borgo (so that it does not seem like a city wall), and move it away from the Banks of the Tiber to its actual location
-Florentine noble attire (disguise) available for the duration of Carneval, or at the very least for Having a Blast (if he equips it only for that memory, make sure that he changes into it after he pickpockets Dante)
-in That's Gonna Leave a Mark, Rosa does not get shot with an arrow by an archer, but by a crossbowman with a bolt
-in Roadside Assistance:
>Maria and Claudia Auditore run around from guards
>guards do not try to kill them, but rather, tackle, grab, punch or punch them (this still harms them)
-AC: Discovery DLC available for play after Far from the Tree
-Ezio is required to wear Armour of Altaïr for last memory, and his clones/decoys all wear it and look identical to one another
-Silvio Barbarigo, Lodovico Orsi, and Savonarola's Captain have pistols
-Gunners and crossbowmen on il Duomo instead of random guards during Last Rites
-after With Friends Like These:
>Torre Grossa secret location patrolled by Medici guards (if not played yet)
>San Gimignano Pazzi guards replaced by Medici guards
MODERN DAY (should you choose to repeat it in your revisit, which some people would appreciate)
-in Desmond's hallucination:
>the Templars in front of Acre Citadel should be replaced with either King Richard's men, knights Hospitaler, or knights Teutonic
>Altaïr cannot attack anyone, but still has his weapons on him
-just before Vidic and his men come, Desmond should be given a pistol (with holster) and smoke bomb along with his hidden blade, and should be given a bulletproof vest and a special helmet
-Vidic's men:
>do not have batons, but have knives for close range and use pistols (aim quickly without announcing turn to fire) to shoot at Desmond if they see him
>can be blinded with the smoke bomb
>take two shots to kill if Desmond only locks on to them and shoots from afar
>take one shot to kill if Desmond is near them or locks on, aims at their heads (should only take as much as aiming in ACB) and shoots from afar
>do not wait for Desmond to come to them, but come at him or search for him if he is above them
>fight like leaders would at close range, but with knives
>can be disarmed of their guns and rendered incapable of shooting by well aimed shots to hand (should take as long as hidden gun aiming in AC2)
GUARDS
-replace all archers, except for the ones shooting flaming arrows at the carriage and those firing at the flying machine, with crossbowmen, as it is likely to be more historically accurate
-add harquebusiers (the Pazzi should be old-school and have none; the Medici faction should have some, as should the Forlí faction; the Borgia and Vatican factions should have several; Venice should have many; the Savonarola faction should have as many as the Borgia faction) that can either shoot alone (without taking a long time to announce that they will shoot), or in firing lines; have at least some use supports to fire their guns; wear helmets, but not face masks (to see clearer)
-give crossbowmen and gunmen swords/knives to wield like basic militia close range
-add horsemen (knights AND light cavalrymen) with various helmets (some ubiquitous or more common in certain factions)
-knights armoured like seekers, wear helmets with visors (some like ACB harquebusiers) wield a long, cavalry-style sword to wield at least like an elite if not like a leader, and should EITHER have crossbows and quivers or use shields (variability); get up a long time after being knocked down, and can be permanently immobilized under collapsed horse; ride larger and/or armoured horses
-light cavalrymen differ from knights only in that they have lighter armour, get up quicker, and less of them get trapped under horses
-make faction armour vary in more ways than just colour (i.e. design/pattern, form)
-replace the red&white Vatican guards in the final memory with Borgia guards (including several harquebusiers, with helmets, but without face masks) from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, also replacing all guards in Sistine Chapel with papal guards
-replace guards the Doge's Palace and on Marco Barbarigo's ship (at the carneval) with Schiavoni guards (brute/papal guard height and build, but quite mobile); equip them with heavy swords (to be wielded with one hand due to size and strength), harquebuses/pistols, and/or spears; give them some heraldry indicative of their rank and allegiance to the Doge
-brutes do not wield labryses (war hammers, instead), immune to slashing/normal hits (special tactic required to actually bybass their armour); immune to throwknives, crossbows (except really well-aimed (longer time)), require well aimed gunshot to die; take an extremely long time to get up if knocked down or simply cannot get up
-all agiles can chase Ezio by swimming
-some guards (some militia, some crossbowmen, some gunmen, some Schiavoni) can swim to safety and climb out of the water
-a very few guards (some leaders/captains, some elites, some Schiavoni, some light cavalrymen) sink in water for around 1-2 minutes, emerge without most of their armour, tread water and swim to safety (most of these in Venice, some in Forlí)
-knights, seekers, and brutes drown in the water
-guards wait less to attack (multicounters possible), with the exception of leaders, who duel Ezio when nobody else remains
-leaders should sometimes be agile, able to resist a counterattack in the same manner as Borgia captains from ACB (also causing some damage with countering a counter), counterattack basic swings, occasionally disarm opponents not in parrying mode, and sometimes smash (abilities to dodge, counter a counter, and counter normal attacks should decrease as their stamina decreases and as they become wounded)
-smashes and disarms take significantly less time
-Romagna guards should tend to have dirty metal armour
-better AI (smarter guards)
-certain other archetypes can mount a horse and fight on horseback
-more face, voice and dialogue diversity
-add African guards if history permits
-guards go for openings and attack from behind simultaneously
-agiles wield light/thin swords or hatchets and can dodge laterally and strike afterwards
-guards should have short blades to use when disarmed; all hold them with icepick grip
-no guard should wield a scimitar, old Syrian sword, or sultan's knife
-seekers and some knights can slowly climb ladders
-a few captain/leaders should use pistols and be accurate at close range
WEAPONS
-bring back visible weapon sheathes (for Ezio, guards, and other characters alike)
-make axes and clubs appear sheathed correctly (axes with blades at hip and shafts pointing downwards) on guards
-add hatchets
-replace labrys axes (pagan and rare) with heavy war hammers
-remove scimitar, old Syrian sword, and sultan's knife from all blacksmiths except Venetian ones
-remove schiavona and do not have basket-hilted swords (not made until 17th century)
-make Ezio capable of picking up, keeping, using, and abandoning (for stealth situations) a crossbow and quiver
-make mêlée use of crossbow possible by having a ranged use button and one for close-quarters
-make quiver show on Ezio, otherwise the crossbow is only a mêlée weapon
-crossbows load more slowly than in ACB (more realistic)
-make Ezio capable of picking up, keeping, using, and abandoning (for stealth situations) an harquebus/matchlock pistol and medium bullet pouch
-make mêlée use of harquebus/pistol possible by having a ranged use button and one for close-quarters
-make bullet pouch show on Ezio, otherwise the harquebus is only a mêlée weapon
-harquebuses load more slowly than in ACB (more realistic)
-choice of strapping either crossbow or harqebus to back, but both hip quiver and bullet ouch can be worn concurrently.
-more improvised weapons
-broom does not slash at guards and makes wooden noises when used and breaks if smashed repetitively hit by guards
-remove smoke bombs from all smithies except the one in Monterigionni
-have Leonardo craft the first three based on a codex page and then give translated instructions to Ezio to give to the Monterigionni blacksmith only (due to historical inaccuracy of smoke bomb development date, it is a good compromise to have a blacksmith loyal only to the Assassins craft and sell them); let it be an early codex page so that Ezio can use smoke bombs
-add shields like bucklers, targa, rotella, parma (not everyone uses them, but still nice to have)
-counterattack success dependent on type of quard attacking, not weapon
-possible to buy matchlock pistols before hidden gun; take less to aim than hidden gun, but cannot be used after being in water; capable of being abandoned
-weapons/armour/supply description like in AC3
-metal cestus a piece of armour (include Missaglias armour), instead of a weapon; call it an armoured glove; be removed or replaced with normal brown glove
-add brass knuckles to smithies
CITIZENS
-all citizens have sheathed knives (quality correlated with quality if clothes) and use icepick grip
-some/most, not all, can swim, depending on city (some in Florence, more in Romagna, most in Venice)
-improved AI and crowd dynamics
-more citizens have tasks to accomplish and/or houses to get to and enter
-fishermen actually catch fish, cut them, and put them in basket/container
-meat and veggie chopping, food cooking, more realistic brooming, wiping floor and moving to another place to continue, hunting in wilderness, etc.
-more face, voice, and dialogue diversity
-add African citizens
-add taller, bulkier citizens (farmers) in Tuscany, Appenines, and Romagna
-citizen missions besides beating up people and delivering mail: saving citizens from guards and/or thugs (kind of like Cento Ochii from ACB, but maybe dressed differently); delivering crates/boxes quickly; helping merchants (street ones that sell non-purchasable items to NPCs) and/or shopkeepers (the ones Ezio buys things from) by completing shop quests with special items obtained from treasure chests (more on this later)
-few citizens on streets at night, except for Carneval
VIGILANTES
-saved citizens become vigilantes either directly helping Ezio while he is being chased (using weapons instead of holding guards' arms) or get relations (like in AC1) to do so
-vigilantes can die, be given last rites, be upgraded like recruits are upgraded in ACB, given the option/order to flee by Ezio should the guards be too experienced for them, and gain XP by being trained by Mario and his men at the Monterigionni training area
-vigilantes can develop to mimic specific guard archetypes after being trained
-a few vigilantes' moves can progress to Ezio's (including his speed) after many lessons, but should not include climbing
-in terms of equipment, all of the items commercially available for Ezio should be available for vigilante upgrades
-vigilantes having guard archetypes should have their upgrades restricted to their specialty (i.e. agile vigilantes can only have light armour and light swords and hatchets)
-Ezio can pay for the vigilantes' equipment, weapons, and special villa training lessons entirely as he can gain money by just waiting for the Villa income
-vigilantes do not stand in the middle of the street waiting, but do so leaning against a wall or sitting on a bench or walking around the area guarded
THIEVES
-thieves hold knives with icepick grip
-thieves can loot/drag/hide dead guards; option included to be able to request they give Ezio whatever supplies/items they have that he needs (else they pocket everything they can fit, like money, medicine, ammo, better/different weapons, outfits)
-thieves can be interacted with (ordered) in a menu so that they: >can carry guards' bodies off-screen, return completely disguised as them and covertly-escort (AC3) Ezio
>act as AC3 bodyguards
>set up ambush points
>distract/lure guards away from posts
-the "lure guards feature" should not work when the guards targeted are guarding someone/something important
-greater variety of clothing colours (some hints of the color palettes specific to tailors from their respective cities, while still maintaining a grungy appearance), voices, dialogue, and faces
-sometimes seen playing hazard or board games that existed at that time; Ezio can participate in games, but no achievements/other requirements for his success in games (chess is not his strength, as shown in Bloodlines)
-can swim (some in Florence, more in Romagna, and most in Venice)
-some can climb/do parkour like Ezio, with only a few capable of leap-climbing
-add a few female thieves
-add some African thieves
-actively competing with the racers in rooftop races
-can be hired in taverns, streets & rooftops
-only thieves sell treasure maps (specific to their cities)
-less waiting time between attacks (multiple can attack simultaneously)
COURTESANS
-flee to the nearest mercenary or thief post when combat is initiated (do not simply replace them with roman courtesans, as those pointlessly poisoned guards every now and then)
-greater variety of dress colours (some of the Roman ones, some of the color palettes specific to tailors from their respective cities), voices, dialogue, and faces
-few courtesans can swim (most in Venice)
-some must be saved from thugs/guards for full synch
-can be interacted with (ordered) in a menu so that they:
>may lure guards away from posts
>keep guards where they are
MERCENARIES
-add African mercenaries
-armorless mercenaries have normal and/or agile mobility; those with some armour have normal mobility, and heavily armoured ones have low mobility
-averagely mobile and agile ones can swim, and climb ladders and low ledges (normal guard mobility), while heavily armoured ones can do neither (like with guards)
-specialized in terms of weaponry (some use guns/crossbows and swords, others heavy weapons and shields)
-have knives and can use icepick grip
-know how to ride horses, some wait mounted or have horses near them prior to being hired
-stand in secluded (marked on the map) areas (place them in courtyards and have lookout replace the guards that guard the treasure commonly found in courtyards), or walk around and can be hired whenever they pass by (except Mario's men, who are posted in plain sight, until the Medici take over Sangimignano, when they, too, wait in courtyards or walk around)
-differ in height, with normal-sized individuals compensating for less strength with mobility, swordsmanship, and/or marksmanship; some normal-sized ones can do parkour
-those with a greater variety of clothing colours (some of the color palettes specific to tailors from their respective cities) and styles (Mario's men, Machiavelli's men, Bartolomeo's men, and Romagna mercenaries can all be distinguished from each other), armour (thickness, style, quantity), voices, dialogue, and faces
-can be interacted with (ordered) in a menu so that they:
>can carry guards' bodies off-screen and return completely disguised as them (think about clothing sizes, though) and engage covert-escort (AC3) style behaviour
>act as AC3 bodyguards
>set up ambush points
>can use ranged weaponry from specified locations (i.e. street-level and roof level) (even if there is one marksman in the faction, that one can reload and try to take out the rest of the targets until they converge on him, at which point, the mercenary's allies intervene)
>directly confront guards
-variable faction sizes(~5-7 individuals)
-less waiting time between attacks (multiple can attack simultaneously)
-Mario's men (Monteriggioni and San Gimignano) are significantly more effective, though less numerous, than Bartolomeo's and Machiavelli's men, being able to fight almost as well as Ezio (instant counter-kills, etc
-Mario's men's outfits more akin to the classic assassin outfit, using outfits similar to those in AC Identity's classes
-Mario's men can be seen posted in and patrolling Monteriggioni, including on ramparts and rooftops (long-range specialists for the latter two post types)
FACTIONS (GENERAL)
with a Faction Menu, Ezio can:
-send factions to stand guard in specific city locations
-command swim-capable faction members to create a bridge (over water) made from gondolas
ENVIRONMENT
-make Apennine mountains as explorable as the Frontier in AC3
-make the forested areas surrounding San Gimignano and Romagna as explorable as the Frontier in AC3
-add Italian animals in rural areas (defensive kills, not hunting, should be possible; citizens/guards be attacked by them can be saved and thank/reward Ezio somehow)
-add domestic animals
-improve graphics in general
-improve water graphics and animations
-currently, a viewpoint tower in San Gimignano can only be fully climbed by using the climb leap to grab the roof's edge, causing an assassination contract in its vicinity to not be completable until that skill is obtained later in Venice; Please fix this by making it possible to synchronize the viewpoint there during Sequence 5
-add variable atmospheric conditions (with citizens reacting to them; taking shelter during rain), especially in Romagna (not always so grey and dreary)
-add taverns, where games can be played (sometimes with guards when not notorious)
-add stables
-add printer shops (most in Florence and Venice, one in Monteriggioni, and 1-3 in Forlí and San Gimignano); books can be bought here
-make bonfires in Oltrarno not exist before Sequence 13, and stop after Mob Justice; throughout his rule, there should be bonfires all over Florence and heralds encouraging them
-the bridge under construction over the Arno should be completed by the time of Florentine Fiasco (preferably by Having a Blast)
-add military barracks (permanently restricted)
COMBAT
-kick/knock-downs like in AC1 possible on guards/Ezio/faction members when their stamina is low
-counter-attacks specific not only to weapon used/countered, but also to type of armour attacked, such that brute armour cannot be penetrated by ordinary swords, knives, and throwknives by any means (need to find a weakpoint/unarmoured place, like medial thighs, gap between neck border of torso armour and helmet, or laterally sneaking blade behind armour and stabbing)
-greater variety of NPC counterattack resistance moves (add some from ACB Tower Captains, and some from Janissaries)
-some enemies/allies learn in combat (adapt to previous moves)
-sweep ability improved (attackers can immediately impale and kill fallen opponents (Ezio can roll out of the way of the spear if he is quick); NPCs do not sweep if their allies are near)
-brutes can counter (very damaging) and counter disarm
-brutes and Dante can use one arm to grab and throw
-Ezio can dodge brute/Dante grabs before they reach him, but cannot break the hold by pushing him away
-seekers can grab-break (ability decreases as stamina depletes) in combat and strike more frequently in general
-guards, thieves, mercenaries, and all other fight-capable characters can grab and hold or grab and throw
-thieves and medium-sized mercenaries can grab-break (ability to do so decreases as stamina depletes) but cannot escape brute grabs
-large mercenaries can escape brute grabs
-add kick ability for Ezio, all guards, thieves, mercenaries, and every other character that fights
-easy for Ezio and allies to dodge kicks from militia, gunmen, and crossbowmen (or they take longer to follow through with attacks)
-agiles dodge grabs and kicks until their stamina is critically low
-captains/leaders break grabs and dodge kicks until stamina is critically low
-Dante, Bartolomeo, Francesco Salviati, and Mario can have execution streaks (chained-kills)
-Throughout the game, Mario can also dual-wield a knife/hidden blade with his sword (Ezio cannot), and otherwise fights identically to Ezio
-Ezio can have an execution streak tutorial option at the villa training center between Play Along and X Marks the Spot, and can use it thenceforth
-Ezio figures out how to dual wield hidden gun with sword in In Bocca al Lupo
-make both counter disarm counterattacks (like in AC3) and offensive disarms (using a defense-break-type move (batting enemy's weapon up and out) like in AC1) possible for Ezio, Schiavoni, Mario, Dante, Bartolomeo, brutes, and large mercenaries; some resist offensive disarms
-some guards (lightly armoured ones) can make use of shields like the targa, parma, rotella, and/or buckler
-repetitively slashing with normal swords at heavily armoured opponents does not decrease their health
-twisting/breaking someone's neck with bare hands does not knock them out (writhing on the ground); it kills them
-cannot beat-up brutes by head butting or punching them; instead kicking and breaking their defence knocks them down
-cannot throw brutes, even at their lowest stamina (too heavy), but pushing them is possible
-beating guards up only possible by hitting unarmoured places with distinct moves
-throwing knife damage varies for guard types exactly like in ACRev
-add more ground-finish moves
-Antonio de Magianis fights like Ezio, but cannot smash, sweep, or disarm
-Ezio capable of disarming opponents with long-ranged weapons, either up close with his mêlée weapons or hands, with well-aimed long-range shots from afar, or with throwknives up close; should also incapacitate hand used and guard effectively relies on other hand, be it armed or not
GONDOLAS
-if gondola close to shore, Ezio can place/remove dead bodies and unconscious guards on/from gondolas
-some faction members can steer gondolas, be led to sit in and exit gondolas to be transported (courtesans need the gondola closer to land; thieves and mercenaries capable of swimming can swim to them, those capable of leaping to them can do so), and can shoot while on them
-some guards can steer gondolas, transport guards (max armour quantity/passenger: that of seeker), and shoot while on them
HORSES
-horses can be used in cities, including venice
-NPC rxn time to speeding horse is faster, they do not drop whatever they have in their hands in surprise, and they are usually not trampled
-add whistle ability
-horses that are chopped/shot down stay dead (not a realistic death with prolonged whinnying, but they remain dead on the ground and are unusable; whistle ability unusable until Ezio mounts a new horse
-color and type of horse currently alive and being used recorded and saved for summon (whistle ability)
-diversity of horse types (jennets, rounceys with saddlebags, armoured destriers from ACB, diversity of horse fur colours from AC1, keep current mobility
-add saddlebag ammo menu
-add horse stamina
-Ezio: ability to poison horses
-Ezio: ability to shoot/chop down horses
(DE)SYNCHRONIZATION & EZIO’S HEALTH AND ARMOUR
-desynchronization for killing even one civilian
-desynchronization for wantonly killing posted or patrolling guards at their posts or patrolling (should only be the case when no mission is currently active)
-health and armour should be distinguished (like the Aquila's layers of hull armour in AC3 naval combat) from one another in the HUD, the amount his health remaining constant, and the integrity of his armour variable (use armour stats from blacksmith menus)
-remove medicine; all injuries must be treated by a doctor; takes time (at least 5 minutes)
-Ezio staggers/limps around after much damage to his health (like at the beginning Brotherhood, or like Connor in AC3), and for a while after being healed by doctor, acts similarly to a stunned player in AC3 Multiplayer
-armour damage of any kind must be dealt with by blacksmith; takes time (at least 5 minutes)
-falling damage to health only; depends only on height, not on armour type (armour not affected by falls)
-crossbow bolts and bullets do the same damage to Ezio when he is unarmoured or wears leather armour (lethal, causing desych, when he is standing still and the attacker is at or closer than standard distance it takes for a guard to detect Ezio; significant damage when he is moving or shooter is far away)
-after leather armour, crossbow bolt damage is lessened by Helmschmied armour (when it is completely destroyed, Ezio's health remains), bullet damage same as with leather and no armour; Ezio can no longer sprint in water
-metal armour almost impervious to crossbow bolts, more resistant to bullets; Ezio can still sprint on land, but can only do breaststroke in water; Ezio can no longer scale buildings, but can still swing from horizontal poles and freerun to the extent of a guard
-Missaglias armour impervious to crossbow bolts, very resistant to bullets; Ezio can no longer sprint on land, can climb ladders and step up stepped platforms, can still swing from horizontal poles, but cannot hang on to them for more than an instant; in water, Ezio sinks and must escape from armour within two minutes (otherwise desynchronization), after which he is disoriented
-Ezio can choose to abandon armour (not a cutscene, able to be done while in motion, at the very least when not in combat when armour is completely breached)
-off-chance that projectile hits unarmoured surface and affects health accordingly
-add the following armour statistics to smithy menus, or describe them qualitatively: resistance to crossbow, resistance to bullets, resistance to heavy attacks, and mobility
NPC HEALTH AND ARMOUR
-Bartolomeo either wears Missaglias-type armour or can be as subject to bullet damage as armourless Ezio when armourless -armourless Mario as subject to bullet damage as armourless Ezio; give him metal armour for Sequences 3 and 11 -in general, design NPC’s armour and health so that they function on the same principles as Ezio’s
MOVEMENT (FREERUNNING AND SWIMMING)
-Ezio can hold his breath for two minutes at least (he is an assassin)
-springboards seen in Oltrarno region more common throughout cities (most agiles do not attempt to use these, some attempt unsuccessfully and die, a few can use it successfully)
-add pulley systems/lifts (agiles can use these too)
-Antonio de Magianis and Mario can scale buildings like Ezio -Bartolomeo can run as fast as Ezio and freerun as well as him but cannot scale buildings
-Antonio de Magianis and Bartolomeo can swim
-depending on both roof height and (mass of) armour worn, tackle-leaping from a roof may stun, knock-out, or kill the person tackled, unless it is a brute (knocked down and vulnerable)
-Ezio can climb trees and rocks, but not as proficiently as Connor
TAILORS
-can craft militia guard uniforms for disguise use
-alternative color schemes for Ezio's noble Florentine attire
-alternative color schemes for capes
-alternative color schemes for sleeves
-not listed as dyes, but as outfits, and tailors can be paid (in the price of outfit) to keep outfits until Ezio's return to that specific tailor shop
-up to three outfits can be stored in saddlebags (accessible thru saddlebag menu)
-takes five minutes to make outfit/disguise, but 0 s to equip saved outfit
TREASURE CHESTS
-only thieves sell treasure maps (slightly more expensive); for their own cities
-Monteriggioni treasure map given for free by Mario
-put less in random locations near houses and more in secret locations, banks, and barracks
-make less commonly seen outside overall
-close and lock door to banks (only one guard has the key and runs if he is the last one alive; can be looted for the key, and the key can then be used)
-make it necessary to pick their locks (albeit without timed latch from AC3)
-trade items found inside some of them (like in ACB)
-Ezio able to carry them
-heavily defended squads sometimes guard individual(s) carrying chest(s) from one bank to another
EAGLE VISION AND LOCKING ON
-benches and hiding places should be green in Eagle Vision
-targets that Ezio tails or must pickpocket (but must not kill), heralds, secret location entrances, and the tops of viewpoints should be white in Eagle Vision -locking on to an NPC featured in the database results in the option to directly view their database enry
NOTORIETY
-notoriety levels like in AC3
-at night, default notoriety is level 1
-Ezio can buy heavy sheaths (actual visible sheaths positioned correctly), but wearing an axe, harquebus, or crossbow makes guards suspicious of him
-during Sequence 4, Ezio's notoriety in Florence increases invariably:
>Notoriety Level 1 after Uberto's assassination (even after reducing notoriety)
>Notoriety Level 2 from the moment Ezio saves Lorenzo de Medici all the way to Francesco de Pazzi's assassination (incognito as of Medici takeover)
-during Sequence 5, Ezio's notoriety in San Gimignano increases invariably:
>Notoriety Level 2 from Ezio's first arrival (guards have been informed by the escaped conspirators) all the way to his first minor assassination (unless it is Antonio Maffei's or Francesco Salviati's; notoriety does not increase as a result of these two)
>Notoriety Level 3 (all guards search for Ezio in all hiding places and crowds) from first minor assassination (from whenever either Stephano or Bernardo is assassinated) all the way to Jacopo de Pazzi' assassination (incognito to Medici afterwards)
-after Carlo Grimaldi's assassination, Ezio:
>must wear Florentine noble attire with mask and longer (to knee) cape, and cannot be equipped with swords, heavy weapons, crossbows, or harquebuses
>can still wear leather or Helmschmied armour, knife sheath (under cape), and all pouches other than bullet pouch over the noble attire if he chooses
-after Having a blast, Ezio must go back to normal Assassin outfit, but is at a minimum of Notoriety Level 1
-throughout Sequences 12-13, Ezio is at Notoriety Level 2 as a minimum
-notoriety due to other crimes adds on to baseline notoriety level of given sequence/memory
-notoriety spreads radially, starting from the area the assassination was committed, and estimated notoriety levels in the area visible in the map as an option:
>first, actual witnesses to the crime (fleeing citizens, and soldiers and target's personal bodyguards that have fled the scene or have lost pursuit of Ezio) alert heralds and patrolling guards, radiating outwards from the crime scene
>after the authorities have been notified, notified guards are in the "informed" stage, and heralds speak out against Ezio (in the persona he was seen in)
>heralds that are guarded cannot be bribed
>non-guarded heralds can be bribed and temporarily decrease notoriety by giving false last-seen whereabouts of Ezio in other districts
>wanted posters are last to be put up in cities (starting in area where Ezio was last seen/chased/fought)
>more wanted posters guard posts/talking tetrads
>wanted posters removable, little to no effect
STEALTH
-silent knock-out with bare hands (like in AC3) out in open, but also from hiding places (does not work on guards with covered faces)
-ability to drag assassinated/KO'd targets to hiding place (like Yusuf in ACRev)
-crowd blend ability works only with any outfit ans outfit color other than Assassin White
-whistle to attract guards like in AC3
-blend in shrubs/bushes
SECRET LOCATIONS (CRYPTS AND LAIRS)
-Templar lairs should not have lock mechanisms shaped like Assassin insignia
-Santa Maria della Visitazione should not have any guards unless it is otherwise described as a Templar Lair
-must be discovered before accessible or displayed on map (realistic because Ezio has to have had memories about how he discovered the locations), except for Palazzo de Medici (displayed):
>Assassin Tombs not listed on the map until Ezio wanders near a skull-key lock and/or views it with Eagle Vision
>>except Torre Grossa; treated like a Templar Lair
>Templar Lair locations revealed by wandering and EV or by looting dead main assassination targets (may yield a key or a note); assassination memories should always allow for looting
>>looting Vieri/Francesco/Jacopo de Pazzi, Antonio Maffei, Stephano da Bagnone, Francesco Salviati, or Bernardo reveals Torre Grossa
>>looting any Venice main target yields both Templar Lair locations in Venice