The lead writer for Assassin's Creed III tells JOE GRIFFINabout moving the series to the American Revolution
The Player: How important is historical accuracy?
Matt Turner: It’s core to the franchise. As much as possible we try to stay as authentic as we can. In fact, we’ve upped it a little bit because a lot more people have a general knowledge of this period. With this game, it’s closer to today and there’s a more extensive historical record. We’ve had to dive deep and make sure it’s accurate and supported.
I imagine it's both a blessing and a curse that there's so much research to draw from?Yes! Let's start with the curse side. Obviously when dealing with, say, the Crusades, there are more gaps that you can fill in yourself. But here, day to day, we have letters, diaries, documentations from congress, and so on, and that limits the creative path a little. But it also gives us the ability to create experiences with icons, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. We had a chance to create the men, with all their worries and idiosyncrasies and mistakes, as human beings in this extraordinary time.
What do you think games can bring to historical stories?Immersion. In Boston Pier, for example, these people have lives outside of you - this guy is selling fish, that guy is going for a walk with his wife. When you're on Boston pier, you can feel that sense – ships swaying, a city in front of you with people all around you living their lives. That immersion is absent, from say, cinema because that's passive. Here you can buy a paper, chase a thief, be involved in that world.
What does this setting have that others do not?Two things: First, the frontier. We were excited about the prospect of creating an organic forest environment that was as exciting as a city. We wanted a big space. We started building that, and realised that it was a way to bring the franchise to a new place. Second, what's happening in that time thematically – tyranny vs freedom – reflects perfectly with where our main story was heading. These awesome natural reflections were too good to pass up.
- Assassin's Creed 3 will be released in October
