Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Deep Dive into the Naval Gameplay
Hello everyone!
We're back with another Deep Dive into a core aspect of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Naval Gameplay.
This time we're joined by Guilhem Marin, the lead Naval Designer to go in depth on Resynced’s naval gameplay.
Please note that all footage is from a work-in-progress build. Make sure to watch in 4K for the best quality. HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options.
Navigation and Exploration on the High Seas
The Jackdaw is a character in its own right and will accompany Edward and his crew on their journey throughout the Caribbean. It’s still the ship you know and love, but with some upgrades to improve your experience and create a more seamless, immersive sailing experience.
Autopilot and Getting Around the Map
A benefit of the latest generation of hardware has been the ability to create seamless open worlds with no loading screens. As such, Resynced has upgraded to modern hardware, allowing us to remove loading screens between naval gameplay and the major cities of the game.
You'll also be able to take advantage of two new navigation tools to help you get around the Caribbean. First is the Pathfinder; pin a destination on your map and activate it, which highlights your route across the water; handy if you want to stay in control of the Jackdaw while keeping your heading in view. Second is Follow Sea. This is a fancy term for autopilot; once your path is set, switch it on to hand navigation over entirely, letting the ship steer herself until you reach your destination.
Sea Shanties
Whether you use the new navigation tools, or simply decide to set sail with no destination, the iconic shanties from the original are back to accompany Edward’s journey. All 35 original shanties are here to find through exploration, plus 10 newly produced ones just for Resynced that are now tied to specific quests and activities.
In Resynced, you can now choose a specific shanty you want to hear with a brand-new shanty wheel, accessible by pressing D pad down (if you’d prefer to cycle through randomly, you can still choose a random shanty by pressing D pad right). Of course, if you want a quiet moment to simply enjoy the sound of the waves, you’ll also be able to turn off spontaneous singing by holding down D pad right.
Forts and New Regions in Assassin’s Creed Resynced
Each region of the map houses one Fort, with difficulty varying by region. You’ll be able to initiate combat with Forts, usually tough battles which also alert nearby enemy ships. After naval combat, you’ll have to deboard your ship with your crew and face the hordes of enemy soldiers on land, lowering morale enough to face off against the fort’s commander and kill him to claim it as your own. Destroying a Fort highlights new points of interest in its region and opens additional missions for Kenway's Fleet (more on that later).
Instead of fixed objectives, we now use a dynamic morale system that ensures that all your actions matter. Once you’ve lowered morale sufficiently, the commander will stand up and fight instead of trying to surrender like in the original game.
Dynamic Weather in Assassin’s Creed Resynced
Using the Anvil Engine’s dynamic weather system, called Atmos, the Caribbean Sea is truer to life than ever. Through rogue winds and waves, violent storms, and placid sun, your journey throughout the world will be colored by weather systems that simulate the water cycle, realistically blow the billowing cloth of sails and move or even destroy objects in the world.
In Resynced, you’ll need to be extra cautious in bad weather, as there are now two waterspout types, while lightning strikes can fall into the water to do AoE damage.
“One of the key pillars we discussed with our Tech and Realization teams was to convey the awe-inspiring power of nature,” says Guilhem. “We really cranked up the gameplay of the elements to convey that, despite all of its firepower and tools, the Jackdaw has to respect the fury of the sea or face oblivion.”
Aquatic Activities at Sea
The sea presents many opportunities for adventure outside of the main quests.
Loot and where to find it
Loot is a key resource on the high seas, providing useful materials for Ship Upgrades for the Jackdaw. You can collect loot by:
Destroying or boarding enemy ships
Collect floating loot as you traverse
Finding underwater chests with the diving bell or the new free dive feature
Harpooning sea creatures
Taking out Forts
Finding burning ships.
To get the most out of your efforts, boarding enemy ships will net Edward the most loot – double what you’d get by simply destroying them – and you can use your Spyglass to see what materials the ship has on board, ensuring your plunder is exactly what you need for your next upgrade.
Diving and Hunting side Activities
Black Flag’s naval side activities return in Resynced.
Diving: Once the Diving Bell is unlocked through the main story, you’ll be able to use it to access diverse and dangerous underwater areas that contain much rarer loot. Edward will have to navigate the threats of stinging jellyfish and stalking sharks, fast moving currents in caves, all while watching his oxygen. Edward will be able to blend stealthily in schools of fish to avoid the watchful eyes of the lurking sharks.
Dive Anywhere: You can now dive under the waves whenever and wherever you like, even without access to the diving bell. This mechanic will allow Edward to find hidden chests of loot submerged near isolated island playas or approach ships and shorefront targets in total stealth beneath the waves. Diving Bell locations are still too deep to brave the depths without the Diving Bell, making it a critical apparatus for rarer loot.
Harpooning: Harpooning makes a return in Resynced. When you spot a location where a whale or shark can be found, Edward will step aboard on a small boat. Harpooning acts as a sort of mini game where you'll have to use finite harpoons and steady aim to kill or become prey. Successfully harpooning a whale or shark will reward Edward with some high-value resources you can sell off at the next port or use for crafting upgrades.
The Role of the Captain’s Cabin
The Captain's Cabin is a special location on The Jackdaw, and you can access it any time you’re not piloting the ship.
From the Captain’s Cabin, you can:
Customize your ship’s appearance like the sails or figurehead.
Customize the appearance of Edward with his variety of outfits coming back from the original game (you’ll also be able to do this outside of the Captain’s Cabin)
Change your ship’s pet
Manage your fleet – send your fleet of vessels out on missions to gather resources, trade your loot, or fight enemy ships
Some functions previously tied to the Captain’s Cabin, such as purchasing ship upgrades, restocking ship’s weapons, and buying and selling cargo, have now been moved to the local Harbourmaster – found in a variety of ports throughout the Caribbean. This means that you’ll need to manage your resources while out on the open ocean and make more strategic decisions and about when and who you engage so you don’t enter a fight unprepared.
Kenway’s Fleet
Captured ships become valuable rewards for Edward and will be added to Kenway’s Fleet – a naval minigame returning in Resynced. Every ship added to your fleet can be assigned to missions, generating passive income, trade goods, and rare activity spawns, even while you're busy elsewhere on the map.
You can assign one ship to each mission, if you have enough docked to do so. You'll start with a limited number of Fleet slots, but this number increases as you progress through the game. Building a varied fleet is essential, as different mission types require specific ship classes to succeed. As they say, don't bring a Schooner to a Man-o-War fight.
Note that while in the original game, the Kenway’s Fleet was tied to a companion app; it is now fully integrated to Black Flag Resynced.
Capturing ships happens naturally as the Jackdaw sails the open seas. After defeating an enemy vessel, you can choose to use it for repairs, lower your Wanted Level, or add it to an empty fleet slot. Choose wisely, though: send an underpowered ship on the wrong mission and it may be destroyed. Keeping your fleet repaired between missions is just as important as expanding it.
Combat on The Jackdaw
Edward Kenway is – first and foremost – a pirate, and captaining the Jackdaw is at the center of Black Flag Resynced.
Weapons and Battle
Throughout your journey, you’ll spot a number of ships from different naval factions and of different classes, and all of them have a pretty penny or two on board for the taking. But to get at that loot, you’ll have to take them down first using The Jackdaw’s varied arsenal.
The Jackdaw’s Arsenal
The Jackdaw is more than a ship – it’s a trusted friend and brother-in-arms. Outfitted with an arsenal to see you through the toughest battles, we’ve added and improved a few things to make it able to take down whatever enemies you encounter.
To start with, all weapons on The Jackdaw now have a secondary firing mode, akin to a new ammo type, that you can swap to at any time while aiming. This gives you greater flexibility in combat, and adds new gameplay options. You’ll need to find and acquire these new firing modes around the Caribbean. Here are some other updates:
The Ram Dash - This turns the bow of The Jackdaw into a brutal weapon as it surges forward to deal devastating collision damage. In the original game, this move was unlocked after defeating all four Legendary Ships. While a noteworthy reward for such an achievement, it happened too late in the game to be much use during the story. This ability can now be unlocked through the Padre (more on him later) even earlier in the game, and we’ve improved it with increased damage and a dedicated camera.
Deadman's Cohort – The regular mortar will be upgraded with the Deadman’s Cohort during your playthrough thanks to the new officer Deadman Smith. This new mortar keeps the original firing mode, but also gains a secondary firing option that saturates an area with a huge number of Carcass bombs. While each individual bomb does little damage on its own, you can manually control where each projectile will land as it fires, devastating an area with sheer volume.
Bow Chaser Cannons – In addition to the original chain shots, we are now adding a double shot as a secondary firing mode, dealing a powerful volley of cannonballs from the front of your ship and dealing heavy damage while chasing prey.
Broadside Cannons – On top of flexible round shot and the short range heavy shot, we are adding heated shots to the Jackdaw’s arsenal. Heated shot ammunition fires multiple volleys of fiery projectiles in quick succession, dealing high damage to a target should you manage to land them all.
Shrapnel Barrels – The new firing mode launches shrapnel barrels from the stern of the ship. As the name implies, they propel shrapnel upwards to shred enemy sails on explosion, providing a viable tool to escape when being chased. Also, all barrels now have increased area of effect to make them easier to use.
The Wanted System in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Returning is the Wanted System when sailing, which adds consequences for your actions and a level of strategy to naval gameplay. Get in a few too many fights and you’ll see your wanted bar grow, which in turn causes Pirate Hunters to tail you, with more powerful ships chasing you as your level gets higher. While you might be able to avoid them with enough speed and agility, they will continue to hunt you down as you sail the seas. Reduce your Wanted Level by taking out enemy or merchant ships, boarding them, and choosing to lower your notoriety, or visiting an Officer at a port and bribing them to get the authorities off your back.
The Benefits of Boarding Ships After Battle
After combat, you’ll have two options available with a disabled ship. If you’re in a hurry, sink it immediately, but if you have the time to earn extra loot, come in close for a boarding party and increase your spoils. The goal here is to take out remaining members of the crew and lower their morale through combat or cutting down the ship’s flags until they surrender. Once you have control of the ship, you’ll have a few options available to you:
Repairing the Jackdaw will use the ship’s resources to round up your ship’s health back to the nearest health bar segment, which can be useful when far from a port or when exploring new areas.
Lowering your wanted level can keep Pirate Hunters off your tail and extend the time you have to sail free and unimpeded.
As mentioned earlier, adding the ship to your fleet increases the number and type of missions you can send your ships on for additional passive rewards.
Grab the Captains Lockbox! Previously after a successful boarding, you had a choice of adding a ship to Kenway’s Fleet, repairing the Jackdaw, or lowering your Wanted Level. The Captain’s Lockbox will be a fourth option offering more reales – though only available on larger classes of ships like frigates or Man O’ Wars.
While boarding certainly grants more loot than simply sinking a ship, the battle that ensues will have an impact on your crew numbers, and you’ll need to be sure to replace them. You’ll be able to recruit new crew members at taverns, by rescuing pirates held hostage on land, or by finding castaways adrift on the ocean.
Ship upgrades and resources in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Explained
Sailing the seas of the Caribbean is a dangerous proposition, and upgrading the Jackdaw will be essential for taking on – and surviving – the most fearsome and legendary ships that Edward will encounter.
Each enemy ship is full of resources for Edward to plunder, and the higher the ship’s level, the more booty can be looted and used to upgrade The Jackdaw. Once resources are collected, Edward can talk to the Harbormaster in various locations to purchase upgrades which will increase the damage from weapons, bolster defense against other ships, increase weapon numbers, and more.
Officer Recruitment and The Jackdaw’s Crew
New to Resynced, Edward will be able to recruit and assign Officers to the Jackdaw, each of whom will provide specific perks. Officers will automatically be assigned to the crew and equipped once recruited, and their perks will be permanently unlocked. To recruit each unique Officer, you will have to find them in the open world and complete their quest before they agree to join your crew and bestow their powerful perks upon your ship:
Lucy Baldwin: A Shipwright of legendary status, she unlocks Perfect Brace – a mechanic to enhance your Brace and almost completely nullify incoming damage – if you time the Brace correctly.
The Padre: A Master-at-Arms turned priest returning to his roots, the Padre will join your boarding parties when capturing or looting disabled ships. He’s a tough fighter, and definitely someone you want on your side in a fight. He also unlocks the Ram Dash ability, allowing you to ram ships at even higher speed.
Tobias “Deadman” Smith: A Master Gunner, Deadman grants you the ability to fire an additional volley from your broadsides with minimal cooldown between salvos. Available in aimed mode, it adds an extra edge and increases your overall damage over time.
How do naval factions interact with each other in Assassin’s Creed Resynced?
Each faction you meet on the open seas has alliances and enemies, just like Edward. You will often encounter ships locked in battle, whether it’s the British against the Spanish or a fellow pirate attacking a merchant. These alliances will affect how the ships react when they meet on the water and if they simply pass each other by or engage, opening up potential opportunities for you to wait until the smoke clears to deliver the decisive blow against an already-weakened ship, or join an ally to outnumber an enemy.
Legendary Ships
Legendary ships return as a set of high-difficulty endgame encounters. They’re designed to test the full extent of the Jackdaw’s upgrades and your skill, and as such are the ultimate challenge in naval combat.
What makes Legendary Ships different?
Each Legendary Ship encounter offers a unique and self-contained experience beyond any naval challenge you’ve faced up to this point. Battles feature a distinct enemy vessel which you will need to fight using tactics, skill, and planning.
Defeating a Legendary Ship rewards you with unique cosmetic skins for The Jackdaw, for the figurehead, hull, wheel, and sails. These serve as permanent proof of your prowess in battle and are exclusive to each encounter. You’ll find four challenging encounters in your travels across the Caribbean:
El Impoluto
HMS Fearless & Royal Sovereign (The Twins)
La Dama Negra
HMS Prince
“Legendary ships are the ultimate challenge one may experience in Naval combat,” says Guilhem. “Do not face them unprepared, for they require complete mastery of all the Jackdaw’s tools. Even if you defeated them in the original, do not underestimate them, for we rebuilt them to be stronger, tougher, and meaner. If you survive, you’ll get cosmetic skins for the Jackdaw to brag about your skill. Oh, and by the way, they respawn after a while.”
We hope you enjoyed this look into the Naval Gameplay of Black Flag Resynced. Stay tuned for our next deep dive article, where we’ll explore some of Resynced’s new content.
And in case you missed it, be sure to take a look at our deep dive into Parkour, Stealth and Combat here.