David Sears directing next Ghost Recon?? | Forums

[doogsy91]

Sorry if the title of this thread is deceivingly breaking news-esque but reading this, Yannis Mallat said Sears is now working on "a major project for a major brand". And Sears said "Another opportunity arose that was a really good fit, and I am more than delighted to contribute to that." What could a major project for a major Ubisoft brand that Sears would be a better fit for than Patriots be other than Ghost Recon? This is of course pure speculation and he could very well be reading this and laughing but it seems perfectly plausible to me. If this is the case, perhaps Future Soldier could be the last half arsed game from Ubisoft as they seem to be nailing or at least progressing very well with their other big franchises next instalments (AC, R6, SC). Thoughts?

[sameer_monier]

well personally I like what Sears brings, having him make GRFS.2 would be a great move IMO, since he comes from a similar background ((SOCOM)), and yup as you said there are few military titles that Ubi got that he may be working on, he isn't part of SCB, so that only leaves GR, I don't think he would work on a the leaked Prince title ?!, but in all honesty I hope we hear soon from him.

BTW I believe GRFS had a rough development cycle, hence all the problems, but it is doing nicely more or less, GRFS.2 will probably have a health development cycle that can enable it to fix all the problems and turn out as bigger and better game.

[doogsy91]

Sears and friends would absolutely be the best thing to happen to the Ghost Recon franchise. I'm an SP player and patchy development aside, Future Soldier really lacked the mature approach that Ubisoft's upcoming titles all seem to have adopted and that I admire so much in this largely immature industry. It had some great features but didn't deliver as a whole package and there seems to have been nowhere near the level of thought put into it, especially regarding authenticity and narrative quality that the Patriots team were focussing on so strongly. I feel that FS is finally what GRAW 1 should have been (intelligent friendly AI w/ synch-shot, decent stealth elements, relatively minimalist AR/HUD, varied environments) and as a result it just felt more like a correction than something new. GR really needs to innovate like Patriots in order to break the mould and I don't think there could be a better man for the job than Sears. Ubi Paris has now had three attempts and I just simply don't think they have what it takes to make a truly great game. Ubi Montreal, however, is in my opinion the best studio there is so fingers crossed.

[sameer_monier]

Sears and friends would absolutely be the best thing to happen to the Ghost Recon franchise. I'm an SP player

I am glad I am not the only one, I play most ((actually all)) of my games for the SP part, I jump in MP from time to time, just for fun, but my really enjoyment comes from the SP, I remember when Assassin's Creed Brootherhood introduced the MP, I didn't bother playing it, just played the tutorial, then switched back to the SP.

patchy development aside, Future Soldier really lacked the mature approach that Ubisoft's upcoming titles all seem to have adopted and that I admire so much in this largely immature industry. It had some great features but didn't deliver as a whole package and there seems to have been nowhere near the level of thought put into it, especially regarding authenticity and narrative quality that the Patriots team were focussing on so strongly. I feel that FS is finally what GRAW 1 should have been (intelligent friendly AI w/ synch-shot, decent stealth elements, relatively minimalist AR/HUD, varied environments) and as a result it just felt more like a correction than something new. GR really needs to innovate like Patriots in order to break the mould and I don't think there could be a better man for the job than Sears. Ubi Paris has now had three attempts and I just simply don't think they have what it takes to make a truly great game. Ubi Montreal, however, is in my opinion the best studio there is so fingers crossed.

One of the best things about GRFS were the Synch Shot and the teammates AI, it was really fleshed out, I loved the big open environment, especially Shattered Mountains, and I actually loved Gallant Thief too.

but so we can be on the same page, and can discuss what Sears can bring to GRFS.2, can you talk more about how FS is less mature ?!.

For Authenticity there were certain situation where the game seemed realistic, actually any open field with Stealth seemed realistic to me, the action well even though not that realistic seemed a more engaged than most games, especially on Elite, 2 bullets and you are dead, I liked that about it, there were some tough situations, but there were also some unnecessary situations, for example On-Rail Diamond Formation, I hated that, it was so meeeh to me, the whole stand in place X and wave after of wave enemies will come at you, get rid of them, and continue on, and there weren't many options when it comes to controlling teammates, I don't want Micro-management, but I want Macro-management, some more options like hold fire, suppressive fire, throw a smoke to create an escape window.

But the most nerve recking thing is the tutorial, I mean I replaying the game trying to get some trophies, and here I am stuck at mission 4 where I MUST do it the same the game wants me to do it, just no, let's have the tutorial very separate from the SP campaign, but over all I think FS in my book deserves an 8, probably higher if it wasn't for these problems.


As for Patriots I really hope Sears vision remain as intact as possible, I will be totally disappointed if I see a whole different game like what happened with GRFS.

[Dcopymope]

Sears and friends would absolutely be the best thing to happen to the Ghost Recon franchise. I'm an SP player and patchy development aside, Future Soldier really lacked the mature approach that Ubisoft's upcoming titles all seem to have adopted and that I admire so much in this largely immature industry. It had some great features but didn't deliver as a whole package and there seems to have been nowhere near the level of thought put into it, especially regarding authenticity and narrative quality that the Patriots team were focussing on so strongly. I feel that FS is finally what GRAW 1 should have been (intelligent friendly AI w/ synch-shot, decent stealth elements, relatively minimalist AR/HUD, varied environments) and as a result it just felt more like a correction than something new. GR really needs to innovate like Patriots in order to break the mould and I don't think there could be a better man for the job than Sears. Ubi Paris has now had three attempts and I just simply don't think they have what it takes to make a truly great game. Ubi Montreal, however, is in my opinion the best studio there is so fingers crossed.

If Sears is directing the next Ghost Recon, then I wouldn't be holding my breath so soon given that we haven't even seen anything of Patriots. Until we start seeing some gamplay footage of Patriots, its too early to say with absolute certainty that Sears would be the best thing to happen to any Tom Clancy franchise, especially since he has no prior experience with the Tom Clancy games in any way. If I am to say who would be best suited to direct the next Ghost Recon it would be the guys behind the making of the Ground Branch game, since they actually were involved in the development of the original Ghost Recon, so they would be best suited to give us a worthy successor to the first Ghost Recon. This of course would only happen in my dreams, a fantasy in the minds of long time Ghost Recon fans.

[doogsy91]

I am glad I am not the only one, I play most ((actually all)) of my games for the SP part, I jump in MP from time to time, just for fun, but my really enjoyment comes from the SP, I remember when Assassin's Creed Brootherhood introduced the MP, I didn't bother playing it, just played the tutorial, then switched back to the SP.



One of the best things about GRFS were the Synch Shot and the teammates AI, it was really fleshed out, I loved the big open environment, especially Shattered Mountains, and I actually loved Gallant Thief too.

but so we can be on the same page, and can discuss what Sears can bring to GRFS.2, can you talk more about how FS is less mature ?!.

For Authenticity there were certain situation where the game seemed realistic, actually any open field with Stealth seemed realistic to me, the action well even though not that realistic seemed a more engaged than most games, especially on Elite, 2 bullets and you are dead, I liked that about it, there were some tough situations, but there were also some unnecessary situations, for example On-Rail Diamond Formation, I hated that, it was so meeeh to me, the whole stand in place X and wave after of wave enemies will come at you, get rid of them, and continue on, and there weren't many options when it comes to controlling teammates, I don't want Micro-management, but I want Macro-management, some more options like hold fire, suppressive fire, throw a smoke to create an escape window.

But the most nerve recking thing is the tutorial, I mean I replaying the game trying to get some trophies, and here I am stuck at mission 4 where I MUST do it the same the game wants me to do it, just no, let's have the tutorial very separate from the SP campaign, but over all I think FS in my book deserves an 8, probably higher if it wasn't for these problems.


As for Patriots I really hope Sears vision remain as intact as possible, I will be totally disappointed if I see a whole different game like what happened with GRFS.

I feels FS is very immature given its namesake (Tom Clancy) and heritage. In reality, it is not uncommon for special forces operators to go an entire career without a single kill, but Kozak alone manages to rack up what seems like several hundred in the timeframe of the game. Plus how many helicopter gunships? I count at least five off the top of my head. Then there's the car chase at the end of the airport mission (what started as a really good mission descended into one of the worst) where you manage to takeout something like ten other identical vehicles. Even little things like the fact that Ghost Lead uses an SMG the entire time. He snipes with the thing for god's sake. You only have to listen to the woeful dialogue to know that the people who made the game obviously weren't taking it anywhere near as seriously as someone like Sears was with Patriots. I cannot stand 30K's pestering and do you remember the cutscene in the ship's cafeteria with those sailor's talking about the ghosts? I swear if I hear the word badass used once more in a TC game I'm gonna break something. It's all Maxime Beland used to describe Sam Fisher during the launch of Conviction and it's just left a bitter taste in my mouth. Then there's the stupid warhound. And there's also the slaughter of countless Bodark soldiers who are supposed to be more or less the equivalent of the ghosts. But then I suppose they mustn't be any good because they didn't even bother to search for the ghosts after they jump off that tiny little bridge. And yes, the diamond formation and mid campaign tutorials were definate lowlights. The climax of the game is just laughable. "Diamond formation ghosts!" <all run into an absolute hive of Bodark soldiers and slaughter the lot because they have their magical diamond powered forcefield>.

I am probably above all an SC gamer and I love to ghost. That is ultimately to not kill (or K/O) anyone that is not a mission objective. Ghosting in SC alone has really forged in me a strong aversion to unnecessary violence and the glorification of violence in games (the main reason I loathe COD). The amount of innocent guards you are required to kill in AC always bugged me so I was really glad to hear Alex Hutchinson say that in ACIII, it's perfectly possible to play the entire game without killing anyone but your targets. I hope it's the same in Blacklist, although I've gotta say I'm not overly impressed every time I watch the gameplay demo and hear Max say "now THAT'S killing in motion" after Sam just headshots and stabs seven guys for no real reason as though all people have ever wanted to do is be able to kill other people without even having to stop and think about it. I realise I might be starting to sound like an angry mother but that's my opinion and Sears and his team sounded like they really wanted to emphasise the emotions that come with taking life. Even FarCry 3 is taking similar (albeit probably not as drastic) steps. It seems that morality and maturity are things that Ubi really wants to push in it's upcoming titles which I embrace wholeheartedly. I just hope the next GR focusses on morality too and I think Sears would be the perfect man to head up the team.

[sameer_monier]

I feels FS is very immature given its namesake (Tom Clancy) and heritage. In reality, it is not uncommon for special forces operators to go an entire career without a single kill, but Kozak alone manages to rack up what seems like several hundred in the timeframe of the game. Plus how many helicopter gunships? I count at least five off the top of my head. Then there's the car chase at the end of the airport mission (what started as a really good mission descended into one of the worst) where you manage to takeout something like ten other identical vehicles. Even little things like the fact that Ghost Lead uses an SMG the entire time. He snipes with the thing for god's sake. You only have to listen to the woeful dialogue to know that the people who made the game obviously weren't taking it anywhere near as seriously as someone like Sears was with Patriots. I cannot stand 30K's pestering and do you remember the cutscene in the ship's cafeteria with those sailor's talking about the ghosts? I swear if I hear the word badass used once more in a TC game I'm gonna break something. It's all Maxime Beland used to describe Sam Fisher during the launch of Conviction and it's just left a bitter taste in my mouth. Then there's the stupid warhound. And there's also the slaughter of countless Bodark soldiers who are supposed to be more or less the equivalent of the ghosts. But then I suppose they mustn't be any good because they didn't even bother to search for the ghosts after they jump off that tiny little bridge. And yes, the diamond formation and mid campaign tutorials were definate lowlights. The climax of the game is just laughable. "Diamond formation ghosts!" <all run into an absolute hive of Bodark soldiers and slaughter the lot because they have their magical diamond powered forcefield>.

I am probably above all an SC gamer and I love to ghost. That is ultimately to not kill (or K/O) anyone that is not a mission objective. Ghosting in SC alone has really forged in me a strong aversion to unnecessary violence and the glorification of violence in games (the main reason I loathe COD). The amount of innocent guards you are required to kill in AC always bugged me so I was really glad to hear Alex Hutchinson say that in ACIII, it's perfectly possible to play the entire game without killing anyone but your targets. I hope it's the same in Blacklist, although I've gotta say I'm not overly impressed every time I watch the gameplay demo and hear Max say "now THAT'S killing in motion" after Sam just headshots and stabs seven guys for no real reason as though all people have ever wanted to do is be able to kill other people without even having to stop and think about it. I realise I might be starting to sound like an angry mother but that's my opinion and Sears and his team sounded like they really wanted to emphasise the emotions that come with taking life. Even FarCry 3 is taking similar (albeit probably not as drastic) steps. It seems that morality and maturity are things that Ubi really wants to push in it's upcoming titles which I embrace wholeheartedly. I just hope the next GR focusses on morality too and I think Sears would be the perfect man to head up the team.

I see your point, and I agree with most of them more or less.

I hope Patriots manages to nail the gray morality, I wonder when we will see it.

[Pest_AWC]

Incorrect about David Sears...

He jumped ship from the sinking UBI and went elsewhere:

http://www.sofstudios.com/news/post.php?id=19

He went to: Independent games publisher, Special Operations Forces Studios

[TheDandyManCan]

Oh yes he did. I posted about that in the other thread, but for convenience sake:

Well guys, peep this: Sears is doing a live interview and Q&A session with SOFs soon. You can check this out at http://www.sofstudios.com/community/...read.php?id=59

You should also consider checking the News section on the site - more info on Sears' recent activity. Good day.

World Renowned Creative Director and Shooter Entertainment Pioneer, David Sears, Joins SOF Studios.

Southern Pines NC - August 7, 2012 - Independent games publisher, Special Operations Forces Studios, Ltd. (SOF Studios), is honored to announce the hiring of 22-year games industry veteran and AAA Creative Director, Mr. David Sears.

David, the visionary Creative Director behind shooter entertainment's pioneering franchise, "SOCOM: US Navy SEALs" and most recently ground-breaking Creative Director for Ubisoft's unreleased shooter title, "Rainbow 6: Patriots", resigned from Ubisoft Montreal last month and joined the SOF Studios team in Southern Pines, NC.