Why Michael Ironside won't return for Splinter Cell: Blacklist - Polidicks

[quote] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/r39Zf.jpg[/IMG] Who is this? If you're sensitive to Sam Fisher's sultry voice, you probably noticed a distinct lack of sexy in the Splinter Cell Blacklist gameplay demo. Ubisoft has confirmed to IGN that Michael Ironside, the voice of Sam Fisher for the past 10 years, won't be back for Blacklist. The reason? With Blacklist's focus on agile forward-movement, Ubisoft needed an actor capable of motion capture and performance. Consequently, the 62-year-old Ironside is out, and 32-year-old Eric Johnson, known for his role as Whitney Fordman on Smallville, is the new Sam Fisher. Even without him, [URL="http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/04/e3-2012-splinter-cell-blacklist-fearing-sam-fisher"]Blacklist is looking excellent[/URL]. For more on Splinter Cell Blacklist, keep those goggles locked to IGN.com. [I]Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on [URL="http://twitter.com/MitchyD"]Twitter[/URL] and [URL="http://people.ign.com/Mitchy_D"]follow him on IGN[/URL].[/I][/quote]Source: [URL]http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/05/e3-2012-why-michael-ironside-wont-return-for-splinter-cell-blacklist[/URL]

It looks okay, but it's not splinter cell damn it.

Not gonna buy it. Not just because the voice, but the gameplay introduced in Conviction. It's not Splinter Cell anymore.

What I don't understand is why not just make it a prequel, or get a voice actor with a slightly gruffer sounding voice. From the E3 demo atleast it sounded nothing like you would expect a fifty-something grizzled super-agent to sound.

'Even without him, Blacklist is looking excellent.' Thanks you IGN.

"Blacklist is looking excellent." No, it looks like shit.

This is news how? They explained this back at the E3.

Damnit, where are my gadgets and shimmying. Splinter Cell is about gadgets and shimmying, if at least half of the game doesn't involve employing either then it isn't a Splinter Cell game.

[QUOTE=Raidyr;36686650]What I don't understand is why not just make it a prequel, or get a voice actor with a slightly gruffer sounding voice. From the E3 demo atleast it sounded nothing like you would expect a fifty-something grizzled super-agent to sound.[/QUOTE] Or just change Sams name.

I don't get it I mean do they have to motion capture and voice capture at the same time? Can't just Ironside voice while the new guy does all the hippy-hoppy? Is it viable that Sam Fisher would be able to performs stunts like that anyways?

[QUOTE=G-Strogg;36686704]I don't get it I mean do they have to motion capture and voice capture at the same time? Can't just Ironside voice while the new guy does all the hippy-hoppy? Is it viable that Sam Fisher would be able to performs stunts like that anyways?[/QUOTE] I was thinking this, isn't that how they normally do it?

Looks like a fantastic game, not a fantastic Splinter Cell game, but a fantastic game, just like Conviction was.

[QUOTE=G-Strogg;36686704]I don't get it I mean do they have to motion capture and voice capture at the same time? Can't just Ironside voice while the new guy does all the hippy-hoppy? Is it viable that Sam Fisher would be able to performs stunts like that anyways?[/QUOTE] They used to do that, but now a lot of games end up using the same actor for the voice and the motion capture, it really helps bring the whole character together and make it feel less like the voice acting was just dropped on the character animations at the end, which usually ends up making the parts where a character talks really unnatural.

[QUOTE=simkas;36686984]They used to do that, but now a lot of games end up using the same actor for the voice and the motion capture, it really helps bring the whole character together and make it feel less like the voice acting was just dropped on the character animations at the end, which usually ends up making the parts where a character talks really unnatural.[/QUOTE] Really? Haven't noticed a difference.

[QUOTE=No Party Hats;36686964]Looks like a fantastic game, not a fantastic Splinter Cell game, but a fantastic game, just like Conviction was.[/QUOTE] conviction was far from fantastic, I've no idea what you are talking about. in "Blacklist" you can call in missiles. why do they even label it as SC? looks to me like a cheap take on all the recent, terrible games of the "Action" genre.... it's getting so dull. and the execution kills may look flash and cool but they take all the flavour out of what is SUPPOSED to be a splinter cell game

[QUOTE=fixture;36687034]conviction was far from fantastic, I've no idea what you are talking about. in "Blacklist" you can call in missiles. why do they even label it as SC? looks to me like a cheap take on all the recent, terrible games of the "Action" genre.... it's getting so dull. and the execution kills may look flash and cool but they take all the flavour out of what is SUPPOSED to be a splinter cell game[/QUOTE] The only great thing about Conviction was co-op. The story was meh at best.

[QUOTE=simkas;36686984]They used to do that, but now a lot of games end up using the same actor for the voice and the motion capture, it really helps bring the whole character together and make it feel less like the voice acting was just dropped on the character animations at the end, which usually ends up making the parts where a character talks really unnatural.[/QUOTE] They don't record it while motion capturing.

splinter cell is dead and has been for a while the e3 trailer for the new splinter cell involved sam jumping over a crate (in broad daylight) into the middle of a ring of like 6 terrorists armed with ak's and quickly killing them all like an action hero remember.. the keyword here is stealth..

I remember back when Tom Clancy attached to the name of a game titled usually denoted a game with quality designed and a quiet reserved intelligence, usually with gameplay emphasizing tactics and cunning over scripted explosions and rehashed michael bay tropes. Now it seems to be a code word for KICK IN THE DOOR DO A BARREL ROLL LOOK AT OUR PRETTY EXPLOSIONS OPERATOR OPERATOR DONT YOU WANT TO BE AN OPERATOR TOO?

[QUOTE=fixture;36687034]conviction was far from fantastic, I've no idea what you are talking about. in "Blacklist" you can call in missiles. why do they even label it as SC? looks to me like a cheap take on all the recent, terrible games of the "Action" genre.... it's getting so dull. and the execution kills may look flash and cool but they take all the flavour out of what is SUPPOSED to be a splinter cell game[/QUOTE] Conviction was fucking fun, it wasn't splinter cell sneak around stealth fun, but I'll be damned if the story wasn't cool and the gameplay wasn't interesting. It wasn't splinter cell, but it wasn't awful.

[QUOTE=No Party Hats;36687444]Conviction was fucking fun, it wasn't splinter cell sneak around stealth fun, but I'll be damned if the story wasn't cool and the gameplay wasn't interesting. It wasn't splinter cell, but it wasn't awful.[/QUOTE] I say it was awful. It's like if EA made a Crysis-kart-racing game. I don't care how fun the game is, it isn't Crysis so what the fuck are they doing using the ip like that.

I just watched the trailer and I thought: "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4"

[QUOTE=Liber;36687592]To all of you who complain about the new sam fisher: [img]http://www.hotdvdcollection.com/images/upload/Image/James-Bond-Logo-Poster-C10053467.jpeg[/img][/QUOTE] And like Splinter Cell a specific person is what made James Bond for me. Everyone else didn't feel like James Bond to me so I stopped watching them after Connery left the scene; what was your point?

I know for many of you Splinter Cell is dead but I'm actually looking forward to it because even though they kept stuff from Conviction they also added features from older games. [video=youtube;yNSf_l77Jzo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSf_l77Jzo[/video] Post from official forums: [QUOTE]Hey guys... It's been a very long, emotional, uplifting, and draining day. You don't know me. Yet. I'm Zack Cooper. I'm the Community Developer here at Ubisoft Toronto (writing you from E3/LA). It's been an emotional day because the team finally got to talk about its new baby. It's been uplifting, because of the overwhelmingly positive response that we got from the audience at the Microsoft press conference, on Twitter, and on Facebook. It's also been draining because I read what a lot of you are writing, and it pains me. Not because of my place on the project - I've only been at UbiTO for a few momths - but because I feel (and I'm being completely honest and unfiltered here) like a lot of people are jumping to conclusions. I am a huge fan of Splinter Cell (old and more recent). I'm a big fan of the stealth genre as a whole. I'm also a big time gamer (before hopping on with Ubi, I was on the journalism side of the industry). I would really like for you guys to open up your minds for a moment (I'm not pleading, I'm asking). Understand that a lot of what goes into an announce is marketing. Mass appeal. Show what sings to the people. Not just the hardcore fans. We knew that there would be some resistance. We knew that there would be knee-jerk reactions to being outdoors. It's bright. ...and there are lots of enemies. ...but I assure you (and this is where you're going to have to trust me for a bit)... there is PLENTY of stealth in Splinter Cell: Blacklist. I'm going to do my best to convey this to you (ideally, by the end of the week - there's a LOT to do). We are not going to please everyone. That's impossible. ...but I am (and certainly the team is) very confident that you will be very pleased with what you will see. We listened to the fans. Spies vs. Mercs is back. ...and it's going to kick some serious ***. There will be plenty of shadows and darkness... and sneaking... and moving bodies... and sticky shocker moments (and TONS of other stuff we'll communicate later). There will be alternate routes, and more open levels. It comes across as an action game. I know. ...and it can be just that. ...but you can also be the sneaky bad *** Sam Fisher who a lot of you know and love. But with a different voice. The decision to go with a new Sam Fisher in that regard was with the gamer - you - truly in mind. I love Michael Ironside (I was the guy who did the interviews). I loved Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher. In order to push the gameplay to tomorrows standards we HAD to make the change; To push the envelope of gameplay and combat. (you watched the video, right?) You've seen Killing in Motion. ...you HAVEN'T seen how it is so much deeper than just pushing a button and watching some slow-mo bullet-time. You will. Conviction was released in 2010. Blacklist will be out Spring 2013. Settling for just a voice-over wasn't deemed acceptable for us, when we've got the capabilities to do full performance capture (and I'm a guy who worked in radio for 11 years - I appreciate the power of voice) ...as for the idea of having someone do the physical movements and laying on someone else`s voice? Come on, guys. The whole 4th Echelon team has been doing full performance capture. It would be a disservice to the theatrical process (the believability of the story-telling) to do any such thing. I've spent some time with Eric Johnson - the new Sam Fisher - as well (video of that is forthcoming). He's not only a great actor, but he's a great fit. (sidenote: early in Eric`s career, he was involved in a scene where he was interrogated by Ironside, who, afterward, offered Eric a part in another project shortly thereafter). There is SO much to Splinter Cell: Blacklist. We aren`t kidding when we say this is the biggest (and most customizable) Splinter Cell ever made. You will truly be able to play how you want. I`m simply asking you to believe me at this point - because a lot of this is not in what`s marketing calls the "communication calendar" - until later. I could get in trouble for this... but to me, it`s more important to make sure we don't lose you to some rash judgements before you see the big picture. ...not just 6 minutes of gameplay and a CGI trailer. The story... the elements that are for YOU the hardcore fan who's been playing since 2002. The multiplayer... the co-op... I am a longtime SC fan... and I, too, dealt with some initial shock when I was first shown some of what you've seen. ...but I've seen so much more (and you will too, when it's ready for public consumption)... and I KNOW that you will be happy. Please... just be patient. Sorry for the rant. Feel free to reach out to me. It`s a busy week - as you know - but I`ll do my best to respond. Thanks for listening. -Zack[/QUOTE]

What would be a really easy way to try and lower a lot of the criticisms people seem to have over the "new direction" is to release one of those playthrough videos ala the latest Dishonored ones. Two videos of the same controlled level being played in radically different ways: a stealthy, non-lethal, non-engagement perspective that makes a point to get in and get out with as little collateral as possible; as well as a an all out balls to the wall third person shooter stabby shooty playthrough. I personally liked Conviction (and Chaos Theory, and the original) so I'm probably getting Blacklist unless something horrible occurs in the PC porting process but it would help the brand image quite a bit.

I'm sick of all these wannabe old fart gamers who look down upon Conviction even though they have only played in single player. Play the coop campaign, realistic difficulty, infiltration mode. Complete that using your l33t sKillz0rz then come back here and tell us more about how Conviction is not Splinter Cell.

[QUOTE=zugu;36689824]I'm sick of all these wannabe old fart gamers who look down upon Conviction even though they have only played in single player. Play the coop campaign, realistic difficulty, infiltration mode. Complete that using your l33t sKillz0rz then come back here and tell us more about how Conviction is not Splinter Cell.[/QUOTE] Yeah. Trying playing Chaos Theory coop on the hardest setting with that mode where you have no ammo in your weapons and come back to say that. Ramping up settings only adds fake difficulty. Chaos Theory and other games would pretty much kick your ass around the floor if you didn't play smart all the time, no matter what difficulty mode you were on. This being said I'm sick of people who call Conviction an awful game, because although it wasn't what I'd call a Splinter Cell game, it did give better gameplay than a lot of games nowadays. While I wish they'd go back to Chaos Theory style splinter cell, I doubt that'll ever happen so I'd rather see something decent come out of the series than it laying dead.

[QUOTE=No Party Hats;36687444]Conviction was fucking fun, it wasn't splinter cell sneak around stealth fun, but I'll be damned if the story wasn't cool and the gameplay wasn't interesting. It wasn't splinter cell, but it wasn't awful.[/QUOTE] I guess you're damned

Honestly I loved Conviction despite it not being a proper Splinter Cell game. It's no Chaos Theory, but if you go into it looking for deep stealth gameplay then you're looking in the wrong place.

I still hope they fix up pandora tomorrow for PC, was a great game but its hard to find for PC because of graphics issues. chances are ill try this just to see what its like I didn't mine conviction however it was far from my favourite