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[SolidSage]

Hello Cell Mates.

I was totally blown away at E3 today. I looked at my watch 30 minutes in to the briefing and could not believe all the fantastic stuff that came after. I completely expect Ubi to dominate the gaming landscape over the coming decade.
I imagine that will be due, in large part, in their finding ways to appeal to emerging audiences.

There is a real balancing act required here, with the passionate Legacy fans on one side, and new and curious audiences on the other. The two sides shouldn't be sides at all, shouldn't be at odds with each other, but Legacy fans almost REFUSE to accept deviation from the mold, and newer audiences are perhaps more fickle in their interests.
I would hate to see Splinter Cell fade into obscurity and then be terminated because of flagging sales and an inabilty to generate new interest. I would also hate to see the fans that LOVED this franchise from day one and supported Sam on all of his varying missions to take the long walk, never to return.
The Development Team has been handed the problem and the accountability.

It seems that the Legacy fan base will accept nothing less than THEIR ideal version of SC, which is somewhat embarrassing for me as I count myself one of that number. We have turned on Sam and SC, labelling them a traitor. Who here loves Sam so little that they would see him and his franchise DEAD before letting him evolve and share the fantastic World of Slinter Cell with a new audience?

The truth as I see it, is that Chaos Theory was the pinnacle and full realization of the ORIGINAL Splinter Cells. We almost ALL agree that it was the ultimate realization of those early titles. How can anything surpass such an achievement without just REMAKING the same game with new maps? And asking that is asking Sam and SC to wallow in Limbo, ignoring the same passage of time that many are criticizing in regards to Sam's age.

We have seen 6 minutes of excellent AGGRO gameplay. Many of you do not like the aggro but CHOICE is what SC HAS to offer to be a viable title in the new markets. It has to, you do all see that right?
The EPIC trailer also highlighted the AGGRO appeal, that in all honesty, the mass market is ****oring for. We have yet to see the stealth side AT ALL. That does not mean it doesn't exist. Most of Sam's enemies don't EVER see Sam when a hardcore fan is at the controls but we all know he exists.
E3 IS marketting. Should Ubi market the game at that venue to the ever shrinking harcore fan base OR the army of non hardcore players? If we want to see more SC we have to support the second option.

Tomorrow I get an extended hands on with the game. I will do my best to explore whatever stealth is available at this juncture and have been informed that I will be with the big guys and get to ask the hard questions.

Sam looks a little different. Ironside has handed over the reins. Aggro is more apparent. And SAM STILL LIVES.
If you are all so eager to bury him in your hearts then go ahead, but I will NOT bail out on OUR Boy. As long as Sam still breathes (metaphorically), I'm not leaving him behind.

We have spent SO much time here talking aout his impending death, and new leads and 3E's demise, and the team has offered an apparent alternative to our suggestions. 4E, and perhaps a newer version of Sam that should be considered somewhat of a reboot, regarding his age and the new Actor. Why not? Does this iconic figure HAVE to expire to satisfy our desires for closure. Or can he live on, and shrug off the chains of reality that bind us all in the REAL World.
Personally I expect more of a fan base that claims to love SC so much. Apparently some of us only love OUR version of it. That is unfair my friends. I ask you to be patient, and display the kind of intellect that I have come to expect from avid SC fans.
Show the Developers that we care, that we will support Sam, and see if efforts to improve a realtionship with a workforce that has been chained to a post on the beach in low tide, can actually bear fruit.
We can't be heard until we STOP shouting.

Viva Sam Fisher.

[chaostroll7621]

No Ironside, no purchase. I don't care what your reasons were. I can give it up for a new genre of action. But this is worse than when James Bond changes. James Bond always changes. Mostly because the actors need to move on. But Dumping Ironside because of a lack of ability? I think that's just plain bull****. You should have at least gotten someone who could match Ironside's pitch and scratch. No, instead you got some random baby voice guy. This is absolutely unacceptable. I am boycotting Ubisoft in it's entirety from this day forward. (I'm 22, so if your company survived my entire lifetime that's going to be...somewhere around a few thousand dollars).
The only acceptable reasons to not use Ironside were:
Ironside died.
Ironside quit.
Ironside lost his voice in some freak accident.
Ironside died.
Ironside was kidnapped.
Tom Clancy himself doing the voice of Sam Fisher because Ironside went mute or had strep and died.
This is enraging and I can barely contain myself from crying over the loss of a brilliant voice actor.

"No Michael Ironside = No Sam Fisher

No Sam Fisher = No Splinter Cell

No Splinter Cell = Not worth my time, money, and effort. You brought that on yourself Ubisoft. "

EDIT: I would also like to take this time to mention that the benefit of a voice over is that you can still put Ironside's voice in this game that currently sucks without it.

[SolidSage]

P.S.
Hi Zack, what's cracking? Thanks for facing the passion and emotion so eloquently. We DO love Sam and SC. It's the LOVE that's caused the hurting, and these initial responses are exactly that initial, or first impressions.
I'm sure there is so much more to see, and I believe your statements.

[SolidSage]

No Ironside, no purchase. I don't care what your reasons were. I can give it up for a new genre of action. But this is worse than when James Bond changes. James Bond always changes. Mostly because the actors need to move on. But Dumping Ironside because of a lack of ability? I think that's just plain bull****. You should have at least gotten someone who could match Ironside's pitch and scratch. No, instead you got some random baby voice guy. This is absolutely unacceptable. I am boycotting Ubisoft in it's entirety from this day forward. (I'm 22, so if your company survived my entire lifetime that's going to be...somewhere around a few thousand dollars).
The only acceptable reasons to not use Ironside were:
Ironside died.
Ironside quit.
Ironside lost his voice in some freak accident.
Ironside died.
Ironside was kidnapped.
Tom Clancy himself doing the voice of Sam Fisher because Ironside went mute or had strep and died.
This is enraging and I can barely contain myself from crying over the loss of a brilliant voice actor.

"No Michael Ironside = No Sam Fisher

No Sam Fisher = No Splinter Cell

No Splinter Cell = Not worth my time, money, and effort. You brought that on yourself Ubisoft. "

EDIT: I would also like to take this time to mention that the benefit of a voice over is that you can still put Ironside's voice in this game that currently sucks without it.

Were you playing SC at 12 years old? I can understand original fans being so hurt but this is just ridiculous. It's like me bashing the replacement of Sean Connery with Roger Moore. Don't be so silly.

[CovertOwl]

I appreciate the post but man, the gameplay has strayed so far from its roots. It feels like the entire game is about mark and executing (which is the one feature that I absolutely hated with every single fiber of my body in SCC). Furthermore, I would actually prefer to not see Fisher anymore. I don't get the logic behind trying to get a younger, more energetic protagonist and not replacing him at the same time. Just replace him. It makes no sense. This game is just making me cringe. I don't hate Eric Johnson. It's just that he tries too hard to be his own version Sam Fisher. I'd rather wait for another year than to suffer through the story with this non-Sam-Fisher.

This. Again and again this.

[ahmedfisher2012]

I want to spyware, such as the duble agent
The most important thing to open closed doors, such as dabule agent
And the most important and there are some tasks of espionage and eavesdropping
Please, Ubisoft
we wat spy game no action game

[Dieinthedark]

Anyway I'm fine with new ideas being presented for the evolution of the franchise. I've come to accept scc and therefore blacklist mechanics. It's the norm and it's all that will sell on today's market. As for Sam shrugging off time and such I have to disagree. I prefer to keep that for super heroes and such and part of what made Sam special was that he was very much human. Sure he was in SEALs but he relied on stealth because it was smart. He wasn't supposed to take on everyone. He is now but imnolay with that as Lon as you can present It in a stealthy manner ala kill everyone but discretely enough that no one notices until its too late.

[SolidSage]

@Die
I don't know that he hasn't aged. He looked a little fresher to me though. SC IS fiction though. If it was a complete reboot would you accept a younger Sam, or do you feel he HAS to go away forever?

[CovertOwl]

P.S.
Hi Zack, what's cracking? Thanks for facing the passion and emotion so eloquently. We DO love Sam and SC. It's the LOVE that's caused the hurting, and these initial responses are exactly that initial, or first impressions.
I'm sure there is so much more to see, and I believe your statements.

Sage is right, its the love of this franchise that is causing all this pain. Im sure once we see more we will all calm down. Its just a huge pill to swallow to see my favorite game lose its soul (Ironside, stealth focus, light and shadow gameplay, unrealistic). I just remember it being a big deal in the first Splinter Cell when they almost cut out the NVG/Thermal goggles for being too unrealistic. Now none of that seems to matter.

[SolidSage]

Ironside HAs to go at some point (very sad). Sam actually doesn't HAVE to though.
I can't hate the team for giving us at least one more outing with our boy. Who knows what happens at the end of this one?

Personally I hope to all get out that Archer and Kestrel are still alive too, so.......