By popular request, for those of you who want to collect every item, every feather, decipher every glyph in the excellent Assassin’s Creed II then these are the maps for you:
Achievementhunter.com has all the maps from the game showing the locations of all feathers, glyphs and statues. Also when you click on each of the hidden items locations you get a youtube video showing its exact location. Couldn’t be simpler. Happy hunting!
Assassin’s Creed II is out now on Xbox 360 and PS3.
Finally, following on from the MAG sabotage, suppression and acquisition tips here’s some more for the domination game mode. This time provided by Nate Klee (Chief Software Architect). So watch the video below and then read the tips:
Basic Tips:
The goal of the attackers in Domination is to destroy a rival PMC’s oil facility in 3 phases. Each attacking platoon first needs to simultaneously grab control of two burn-off towers. Once these are both held, they are destroyed and can’t be repaired. Destroying these towers also unlocks a pair of cooling towers which operate in a similar fashion. Once those are taken out, the attackers move in to take over oil pump controls and destroy the facility. The more pumps that are held, the faster you can damage the facility. The goal for the defenders is to keep the facility from taking too much damage before the attackers run out of reinforcements.
Try to stay near to your squad. Not only do you receive leadership bonuses but you are more likely to be resuscitated quickly.
Come in prepared with a loadout that has a repair kit for defending and a rocket launcher for attacking.
Advanced Tips:
If you are attacking:
Focus on taking out the defender bunkers and possibly the AAA before you go for the burn-off towers.
Make sure that you take out the bunker turrets from behind cover before you rush in to plant charges on the bunker.
You can damage the bunker turrets with rockets, grenades, APC turrets, and even small arms fire.
Make sure that your squad leader puts down FRAGOs on each objective.
Lead objective assaults with grenades.
If you are defending:
Keep your bunker turret repaired. You can repair it faster with multiple people repairing at once, though there are diminishing returns.
Repairing the AAA is a great stall tactic since it can push back the attackers. You can often grab a motor pool vehicle and drive up to repair it with some protection.
You can force offensive Helicopters to fly off by damaging them, forcing attackers to spawn further away from the front lines.
Repairing the doors around the objectives can prevent the attackers from flooding in.
Via MAG blog MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3
Following on from the MAG sabotage and suppression tips, here’s some more tips and tricks this time for the acquisition game mode. This time provided by Joe Maris (designer). As before, watch the video below and then read the tips:
Basic Tips
Unofficially, the Acquisition Maps have two main phases: the bunker phase and the extraction phase. In the bunker phase, the attackers will attempt to break through the frontlines of bunkers and destroy the anti-air batteries, allowing them to spawn closer to their final objective. In the extraction phase, the attackers will attempt to steal the prototype vehicle and drive it to safety. Generally speaking, it is best for the attackers to complete the bunker phase before attempting the extraction phase.
For an attacking squad, there are three basic strategies for taking out an enemy bunker: smoke grenades, smoke grenades, and smoke grenades. The smoke grenades are a cheap way to neutralize the turret and confuse the defenders. For extra credit, the attacking squad can hit the turret with weapon fire while it is encased in smoke. Defenders will often give away the turret’s location by firing wildly in the smoke.
During the extraction phase, attackers should select an evacuation route and then assign squads to remove any obstacles along that route. Once the obstacles are removed, keep the squads near the obstacles to prevent the enemy from repairing them and to provide cover fire once the enemy vehicle is stolen and evacuated by the lead squad.
Defending squads should spend the first phase of the game concentrating on three main goals: 1) Keeping the bunker turret repaired, 2) keeping charges off the bunker, and 3) keeping charges off the anti-air battery.
Not only should defenders work to keep gates and tank traps repaired, but they should use their regular vehicles to block important evacuation routes.
Defenders, you don’t need a rocket launcher to damage or destroy a prototype vehicle. If you see a vehicle race by, fire at it. If you see it take damage, keep firing. Every little bit helps.
Advanced Tips
If the attackers are having a hard time getting through the front line, platoon leaders should coordinate their platoon on a single point in the line. Once one bunker is down, the next bunker’s flank will be exposed, making it more vulnerable. Work on down the line until all bunkers are down.
Attackers, try to keep a Precision Strike in reserve as soon as your team attempts to extract the vehicle. The defenders may unexpectedly repair a road obstacle, and a Precision Strike is a quick and appropriate counter.
If possible, the attacking faction’s platoon leader should help steal the vehicle, because his passive repair ability automatically repairs the prototype vehicle without anyone needing to get out and use the repair gun.
Bunkers are most effective when supported by other bunkers. A defending squad should prioritize protecting its own bunker, but when a neighbor goes down, it should send a few soldiers to help get it back up.
During the Extraction Phase, the defenders should jealously guard the mortar battery as if it were the prototype vehicle itself. If the enemy manages to steal one of your vehicles, the mortar battery is a quick way to both destroy and demoralize the enemy attackers. However, if your area is secure, don’t let the battery go to waste. Use it to help the other platoon, if necessary.
Once the bunkers have fallen, if a defending squad has a soldier or two who insists on being a lone wolf, the squad leader should encourage the loner to sneak behind enemy lines and start repairing bunkers. As long as the defending team doesn’t waste too many resources, this is a nice way to knock the attackers back on their heels.
Via MAG blog MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3
Following on from the MAG suppression game mode tips, here’s some more tips and tricks for the sabotage game mode. This time provided by Alan Van Slyke (producer). As before, watch the video below and then read the tips.
Basic Tips
Squad cohesion is important. There are multiple approach routes as an attacker, so talk to and follow your squad leader and steamroll the opposition as a unit.
Having problems getting your squad to A or B objectives? Two or three medics per squad can pick up any fallen teammates along the way, which keeps the squad together on approach.
The faction that typically prevails in Sabotage is the one that’s willing to make a focused charge at the objective. Sustained firefights at 100 meters from the objective as an attacker may give you a nice kill/death ratio, but will more often than not, result in your loss.
If you have a headset, let your squadmates know about the guy under the stairs or in the church tower (yes, I hate that guy too). If you don’t have a headset, listen for callouts from your team.
FRAGOs mean double points. They’re set by your squad leader as a mechanism to give the squad a unified goal and provide double XP when you’re in the FRAGO’s vicinity. If you’re interesting in getting more points, these will get you there fast.
Advanced Tips
On approach as an attacker, drop smoke grenades about 80-100 meters from A or B. This will get your full squad to within striking distance where you can regroup and make the final push to the objective.
All final C objective buildings have front entrances (attackers) and rear entrances (defender). A few attackers can often flank C towards the back to disrupt the defender’s spawn into the final objective building. This provides a critical opportunity to secure the final objective. 10 seconds of spawn wave disruption can often result in an Attacker’s victory.
Poison Gas and Frag grenades are great ways to clear Sabotage objective buildings of enemies. Poison does nasty proximity damage over time and Frag grenades can insta-kill if they’re too close – this provides a huge additional bonus in that fragged enemies can’t be revived and must travel back to the objective from the spawn point.
Via MAG blog MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3
One of the MAG developers (lead designer – CJ Heine) has posted some tips for the suppression game mode. Given that this is one of the first game modes you get to play, its a useful place to test out your new skills (and earn some quick XP). Check out the video and then read the tips.
Basic Tips
Wins and losses in Suppression do not count in the Shadow War, but you may also find Suppression missions less stressful because you don’t have to worry about impacting the war as you learn the game.
Remember to stick with your squad. You will improve your survivability while learning how to fight alongside your team.
There are no vehicles or objectives to repair in Suppression, so modify your loadout appropriately (no need for the Repair Kit or Anti-tank Mines).
Learn the locations of the Resupply Points as they’ll refill your health and ammo, so knowing the way back to these quickly will keep you alive longer. They also tend to be player magnets, and can often become the center of combat.
Most default loadouts contain a First Aid Kit, so practice using this on yourself when your health gets too low. If you have upgraded to the Medical Kit or have the Resuscitation skill, seek out wounded allies and try healing them.
Don’t bleed out if you’ve been killed! Get familiar with the incapacitation and bleedout mechanics in Suppression, and see if there is anyone available to revive you before you choose to respawn.
Advanced Tips
Go easy on the low level guys! They’re in Suppression trying to learn and gain their first few levels. You are all in the same PMC, and taking the time to help them and answer their questions could make the difference down the road in a Shadow War mission.
Suppression is a great place to experiment with your new skill unlocks. The Suppression missions are small and time to combat is quick, making them a great source for practice targets. Use this closed environment to experiment with things like anti-personnel mines, items from the Electronics skill tree, new weapon upgrades, etc.
Right on the edge of your next player level but short on time? Often times, it’s faster to play a quick Suppression match instead of a full Shadow War mission for that last bit of needed experience.
Via MAG blog MAG is out now only on the Playstation 3
We all trooped down to the Science Museum on Saturday to play “every game worth playing”, as the posters say. The part they omit from the posters is “and also Pitfall 2, which sucks ass.”
The Game On exhibition is at the London Science Museum until 27th February 2007. It was an… interesting experience, to say the least. Not comfortable. Here’s The Average Gamer’s survival guide, if you’re planning on seeing it: Continue Reading
For the past two days I’ve been wracking my brain trying to get my Nintendo WiFi USB connector software to install on my Windows XP system but keep running into the same issue. I’ve tried all sorts of solutions from forums but every time the installation got to “Setting up Internet Connection Sharing” it choked and died with the infamous “Internet Connection Sharing Error” problem message without ever installing the USB Connector Registration Tool. Waaaaah!
I have now tracked my problem down to something probably caused an old Norton AntiVirus installation that didn’t completely remove a dependency from the DHCP client (the Windows service that manages network configuration) when I uninstalled it. This prevented the DHCP client from starting when the Nintendo installation requested it. Evil thing! Continue Reading
Here’s a quick run-down of things I’ve learned about Nintendogs over the past few months.
Puppies can only learn up to 14 voice commands so choose ‘em wisely
Make sure your puppy is happy before he goes for a walk – he’ll find more good items
Double-tapping on the screen will call all your puppies. Essential for commuter Nintendogging!
The hunger-measurement thing pauses when they’re on a walk, so leaving it in sleep mode during a walk can save your butt if you won’t have time to feed your puppy for a day or two. Keep your DS charged though! (I haven’t tried this with multiple puppies. Let me know if it still works!)
We all trooped down to the Science Museum on Saturday to play “every game worth playing”, as the posters say. The part they omit from the posters is “and also Pitfall 2, which sucks ass.”
