Hitman: Blood Money [revisited]

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-09-04 05:04am

Stark wrote:The games could really use more complex decision trees for 'suspect recognition'. And I can't be the only person who thinks that he shouldn't get the garrote out when it's selected, only pulling it out when you hold the button down to ready the attack.

Generally speaking, this is my single biggest gripe with the game.

There really too many little faults to list, but these little things add up. DIfferences in weapons were mentioned already, and I'll give some others:

1. Out of placeness. If you enter a restricted area, guards try to throw you out, which is good - but why don't they react when they see things like, say, a lone guy in a suit walking around the Opera building by himself? For a naturally paranoid SS agent, this should trip some internal alarms. Hard to pull off from a programming perspective, but it would reward acting cautiously - and make the damn tours useful for once.

2. Nobody notices their friends being gone. When someone disappears, it's only natural that guards should start looking for him in a while. Elite guards would, of course, have radios and procedure (regular reporting, for example) and some will immediately sound an alarm.

3. The cops never question a huge bald guy standing over the body in a blood-smeared elevator if nobody directly saw you. Bad.

4. Everybody will fire on you eventually if you have a human shield. What drives the decision? If you hold the US vice president hostage, the Marines would be pretty hesistant to just start blasting with M14s. Same goes for police shooting into crowds.

5. Lockdowns. In some locations, it should be very difficult to leave after an alarm was sounded.

6. Backup. Shep mentioned it - shootouts in urban environments would provoke a police response, which should be overwhelming.

7. Buddies - in heavily trafficked areas, it's clear nobody would give a shit about a common John Doe walking about minding his own business. But when you don a suit of an elite guard, it should only work at a distance if at all, and the closer to your target, the less effective it should be (okay, ninja suits from Hitman 2 excluded). It can be simulated easily enough.

8. Body searches - why just the metal detector? If the guards are paranoid enough, they will pat you down and search the crate you are carrying, and it won't help if you put the silverballers in your handbag. Depends on their paranoia level and professionalism, of course.

9. CCTV - why the hell nobody monitors the things? You can get recorded, but nobody will come to check you out.

It's not actually AI that needs improving ; A lot can be done by simply scripting the missions better, considering the circumstances and logical reactions of the NPCs. I think it will add much more to the game than more bloom and HDR and other bling could ever do.

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-09-04 05:13am

The worst example of the AI in Blood Money is during the Nawlins mission. Why is it that walking into a bar wearing the incorrect outfit leads to the guards shooting at you?

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-09-04 05:19am

weemadando wrote:The worst example of the AI in Blood Money is during the Nawlins mission. Why is it that walking into a bar wearing the incorrect outfit leads to the guards shooting at you?

My theory is that "Murder Of Crows" was put together haphazardly as a demonstration of their "Look at that awesome crowd!" technique.

The hit was completely illogical, the police were trigger-happy maniacs, the "backup units" on site were retarded (how the fuck did those guys blend into the crowd?) and you already said about the bars.

So, that's why I think the developers thought up how they can make huge crowds appear in the game and them decided that they just have to showcase it. So they called an intern and told him to whip something up quickly

Worst thing is, it's still one of my favorite hits, because of the atmosphere alone

Post by **Vympel** » 2007-09-04 05:34am

I do think Hitman is getting better and better with each passing game - I think it'll continue to get more advanced, and until then, the gameplay is still good fun.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2007-09-04 05:53am

PeZook wrote:5. Lockdowns. In some locations, it should be very difficult to leave after an alarm was sounded.

Indeed; this goes for not just only Hitman, but for a ton of other games out there, which take place in environments like military bases, or secret labs; shouldn't lots of gunfire cause lockdown?

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-09-05 02:18pm

Finally dusted off the old disc. I'm currently playing through the game again.

One more thing to add to the next Hitman game: When five cops run around a corner and you hear gunfire, assume that the creepy-looking man in the mechanic's outfit who walks out is the one who shot him. Moreover, don't just let him run up on stage immediately after a bullet from behind the stage hit an actor in the back of the head and killed him.

(Basically, I took the mechanic outfit and walked behind the stage. I shot the actor in the back of the head while he performed, gunned down half-a-dozen security guards as they tried to shoot me, then walked up on stage and shot the other target. I held off the secret service agents and guards from the large dressing room, got my suit from the bathroom, and took off.)

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2007-09-05 06:05pm

somehow I figured out a new threat for 47. have a mission in Austrialia, and have a Drop Bear stalking him.

Or better yet, those elite sniper Roos that Stuart and Shep mentioned once.

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-09-05 07:29pm

I encountered the elevator thing on House of Cards. When the scientist was in the elevator I just turned and popped him in the head with a silenced Baller. I calmly walked out of the elevator with a briefcase in my hand, and the security guard totally ignored that a creepy bald dude in a suit just walked away from a dead body. I did the same with the Nazi. This time, I was on my way to the casino to kill the sheik when I passed blondie on the stairs. Nobody found it suspicious that I did an immediate about-face, entered the same elevator, and then shut the door in the face of the exact same guard as before when I got to the 7th floor.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2007-09-06 04:05am

chitoryu12 wrote:Moreover, don't just let him run up on stage immediately after a bullet from behind the stage hit an actor in the back of the head and killed him.

To be honest, it's going to be impossible to figure out what angle the bullet came from, until you can examine the body.

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2007-09-06 07:32am

chitoryu12 wrote:(Basically, I took the mechanic outfit and walked behind the stage. I shot the actor in the back of the head while he performed, gunned down half-a-dozen security guards as they tried to shoot me, then walked up on stage and shot the other target. I held off the secret service agents and guards from the large dressing room, got my suit from the bathroom, and took off.)

Before I learn't the glory that is having the bastard killed in a tragic accident involving a misplaced C19, I did this as well. Except I never went on stage. I shot Alvaro in the back of the head, then waited for the Ambassador to run on there to bitch and moan - if you're quick, you can put a hole in his head before he bends over.

Then it's a matter of jumping down the hole as quickly as possible.

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-09-06 07:41am

You know that you can walk on the stage dressed as the supporting actor and shoot Alvaro yourself, right? This fits right into the "stupid AI decisions" ranting

During one playthrough, I shot the guy, walked off the stage, blew up the chandelier to kill the ambassador, and nobody thought to stop me from leaving. Marvellous

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-09-06 03:28pm

To be honest, it's going to be impossible to figure out what angle the bullet came from, until you can examine the body.

His head would most likely pitch forward as he dies. That, and you can see how much blood is squirting from the back of his head. Besides, if every cop that went around the corner guns blazing didn't come back, wouldn't you assume that the mechanic who walked out from there is a little suspicious?

PeZook · Post by **PeZook** » 2007-09-06 03:33pm

chitoryu12 wrote: His head would most likely pitch forward as he dies. That, and you can see how much blood is squirting from the back of his head. Besides, if every cop that went around the corner guns blazing didn't come back, wouldn't you assume that the mechanic who walked out from there is a little suspicious?

47 is suspicious by default, blazing guns or not. I really have no idea how he can be a super assassin when he looks like an emotionless killing machine to anybody who cares to look

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-09-06 06:33pm

And do they just assume that the barcode on the back of his head is some funky tattoo? I've never seen witnesses describe anything beyond being bald and scary-looking. All they would have to describe is "He had a barcode on the back of his neck" and he'll instantly stick out unless he gets a wig.

Enigma · Post by **Enigma** » 2007-09-06 07:07pm

chitoryu12 wrote:And do they just assume that the barcode on the back of his head is some funky tattoo? I've never seen witnesses describe anything beyond being bald and scary-looking. All they would have to describe is "He had a barcode on the back of his neck" and he'll instantly stick out unless he gets a wig.

That is another idea for the next game. Wigs. This would better enable 47 to blend in.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-09-06 07:12pm

Call me crazy, someone needs to make an assassination game with these improvements and NO 47. He's the least plausible stealth killer ever. At VERY least you'd need to dress him up every time to not stick out like a sore thumb, and at that point what's the point of it being 47 at all? Aside from branding.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2007-09-06 07:38pm

PeZook wrote:You know that you can walk on the stage dressed as the supporting actor and shoot Alvaro yourself, right? This fits right into the "stupid AI decisions" ranting

During one playthrough, I shot the guy, walked off the stage, blew up the chandelier to kill the ambassador, and nobody thought to stop me from leaving. Marvellous

I've never been able to figure out how to get to the actor's changing room in time.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2007-09-06 07:42pm

They do the scene multiple times. I think they actually do it until you manage to complete the mission.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2007-09-06 09:37pm

chitoryu12 wrote:
To be honest, it's going to be impossible to figure out what angle the bullet came from, until you can examine the body.
His head would most likely pitch forward as he dies. That, and you can see how much blood is squirting from the back of his head.

Which way the head goes doesn't tell you anything, as depending on circumstances it could go in either direction. Go watch the video of President Kennedy getting shot. You'll notice his head pitches toward the direction the bullet came from, not away from it.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2007-09-07 06:10am

Stark wrote:Call me crazy, someone needs to make an assassination game with these improvements and NO 47. He's the least plausible stealth killer ever.

I think it's assumed that you always achieve Silent Assassin in each game; and there's some talk in Blood Money about that; how nobody really believes that there's a giant bald killer walking around with a barcode on his back, it's an urban legend. Even if you manage to get seen, probability is HIGH that you will be mistaken for an angry goth, rather than a giant bald well cut guy.

EDIT:

Proof on how 47 might be able to pass unnoticed

These guys were waved through TWO security checkpoints while in cars flying Canadian flags, when the Canadian delegation wasn't even due to arrive for another day or so.

47 is a pretty clean cut guy; and is a stylish dresser; nice and neutral. If you saw him, you'd just assume that he's PART of the target's security entouage; or with the FBI/Secret Service; from the way he never smiles.

The only big hangup is the barcode. He needs to cover it up each mission.

So I can imagine it would go like:

"report any suspicious people in the area:"

"Uhhh, there was a filthy unkept son of a bitch nearby."

Not the "nice clean cut guy who is OBVIOUSLY secret service"

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2007-09-07 06:30am

Apart from the barcode, 47 doesn't really have any particularly notable traits. He's just tall, bald and well dressed. Sometimes he does look completely out of place - like when he's wearing his leather gloves in Chile. I honestly wouldn't think that 47 is that notable, and considering how clever he's supposed to be (and how clever you can get in the Hitman games), that he'd be instantly recognisable, as opposed to someone like Parchezzi.

The most implausible thing is that due to the heritage of his cloning, that he can seem as though he's from South America, or Asia, or Europe. That's pushing it somewhat.

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-09-07 06:36am

Well in the original Hitman game, for one mission if you wore a triad outfit they'd question the fact that you were white and a round-eye.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2007-09-07 10:31am

Note that it's possible that in several missions 47 very well might have gotten wigs/cosmetics/dress up appropriately for the occasion, and the game doesn't represent because having your character suddenly have beards and stuff appearing and disappearing constantly might be annoying. After all, one of the portraits of him has the facial structure and stuff perfect, just covered in hair. Because imagining people turning a tall-and-sullen type bald man into a fat chuck of a kid through witness reports is just silly.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2007-09-07 01:48pm

weemadando wrote:Well in the original Hitman game, for one mission if you wore a triad outfit they'd question the fact that you were white and a round-eye.

The player was given the choice of posing as a negotiator and the other guy would ask about it. 47 smoothly replies "I was especially chosen for this job", which ironically is quite true. It is Hong Kong, so white people aren't unusual.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2007-09-07 02:55pm

it's so damn hard to get kills with the nailer on pro - it makes absurd amounts of noise