February Roadmap - Initiation Protocol (2021)

[StingingVelvet]

Walking the Constant down to the boat is also part of the story, and yet you can ignore it on future playthroughs.

[BEowen]

@TheChicken

Also please increase the lure range for the Audio Devices!

The coins even have better range flash phone is the way to go

[resevilx]

“part of the story”, in a game designed around the idea of repetition? Where they’ve put things on place already in Hitman 3 (such as you not having to hack the core in Chongqing after 1 playthrough, or being able to use any exit in Colorado) that take into account the avoidance of repetition in story elements of the game. And where many other things that are part of the game can be toggled on or off, such as NPC interaction highlights, instinct, etc.

In fact it’s possible to turn off the voice overs by turning Dialogue Volume to 0, but then you lose all sounds of talking NPCs. Maybe it is a case of uncoupling the voice overs from being classed as dialogue. Or it could be more complicated than that behind the scenes. But I think it’s worth pursuing.

Another idea if they want to stick with some of the things they’ve done already is to force voice overs from the ‘story-based’ starting locations. For example if you use the default train starting location in Chongqing then you are forced to hack the data core. Why not also force voice overs here (setting over-ridden) but would be on/off for any other starting point. So all of the story based things that are only relevant on your first playthrough are kept there.

[JaM_47]

Waiting for the 23rd February like;

Need to learn to spread the content out across the month a little more rather than playing it straight away

[TheContractor]

Well the pacing could be viewed as a little odd

• 1 Escalation
• One week wait
• 1 Set of featured contracts
• One week wait
• 1 Escalation
• 5 day wait
• 2 Escalations + 1 Set of featured contracts
• 3 day wait
• Elusive Target

That being said, if you don’t have deluxe then it’s a pretty consistent drop of nearly 1 a week. Deluxe people just get treated on the 23rd

[StingingVelvet]

@resevilx

Another idea if they want to stick with some of the things they’ve done already is to force voice overs from the ‘story-based’ starting locations. For example if you use the default train starting location in Chongqing then you are forced to hack the data core. Why not also force voice overs here (setting over-ridden) but would be on/off for any other starting point. So all of the story based things that are only relevant on your first playthrough are kept there.

Yeah I actually love that they did this, and I think it’s perfect for the series. The normal starting location includes side objectives, Diana talking, unique endings if applicable, etc. They could even force default loadout on these and I’d be happy with that. Then have the unlocked starting locations focus on the repetition of unlocking challenges and shooting for better rankings, with none of that extra fluff.

The fact they did this in Hitman 3 shows they know there’s a difference between the first story focused playthrough (or replays even) and the murder playground challenges of later playthroughs. Applying that to Diana’s voice… and things like the clues in Whittleton… shouldn’t be that crazy an idea. Though I will again say I think things like the virus and the bank data are different, and function as targets. I guess that’s a hazy line though.

[Generickillz]

I like using the default starts because of the voice overs but I wouldn’t want to have to do objectives or not have a loadout. I’d literally stop playing the game.

[Generickillz]

I thought they did increase the range. I heard something about there now being a benefit to choosing between each kind of audio range.

[TheChicken]

Idk, I just tried it now with an NPC around the corner. Sticking it to the wall, dropping it on the ground, even throwing it against the wall…they don’t hear a thing.

But if I throw my coin at the same spot they come running.

[JJoa74]

@TheChicken

Elusive Targets should either be confirmed to be on a constant loop – not pulling the plug and reactivating them whenever they please. – or added as permanent content later. I’ve luckily got all the ET suits, but I’m worrying for anyone else who doesn’t. A bunch of HITMAN 2 suits only have one chance, and it’s looking like the ET suits are still tied to those limited-time, limited-chances content. I’m fine with the SA and Cumulative Challenges being tied to ETs, but the locations suits really shouldn’t.

I’m still concerned about my unlocks in the future. I’m on PS4, but I’d still love to be playing Hitman in the future. Right now there’s no way to carry all my unlockables over to PS5, and someday I wouldn’t mind owning this game on PC, but I’d be missing so many things.

[iEmeralds]

This is kinda off topic, but since were talking about default starting locations, are the optional objectives forced if you choose the director commentary starts?

[ZeroGravitas]

Yes. The commentary starts act just like the non-commentary version of those starting locations, so you’ll have to do the optional stuff like when you first played the level.

[Freezer]

They patched out 47 having to repeatedly do the tornado shelter in Colorado and that is part of the story that can’t be glossed over.

A lot of HITMAN 3’s first playthroughs are very much set as the “canon” playthrough. Things like hacking the ICA and having to talk to Diana in Mendoza. We can ignore this on repeat playthroughs.

The voice overs are not only not needed but they seriously get in the way on repeat playthroughs, hell they get in the way in your first playthrough (shut up Diana I am solving a murder by myself). We should get the option to at least turn off the handler voices.

[thrison]

@JJoa74

I’m still concerned about my unlocks in the future. I’m on PS4, but I’d still love to be playing Hitman in the future. Right now there’s no way to carry all my unlockables over to PS5

No concern is needed as the PS4 and PS5 games connect to the same H3 servers. Therefore progress between the two is interchangable whenever you do upgrade to the newer console - simply download the PS5 Upgrade and launch the game.

This is absolutely the case as I play the PS5 release, but go to the PS4 build for VR.

@JJoa74

and someday I wouldn’t mind owning this game on PC, but I’d be missing so many things.

In that situation, you would lose progress and have to start over though.

[Generickillz]

Walking down the Constant is ignored because it can’t be done easily suit only.

[schatenjager]

The other obvious reason that they will never implement a way to silence Diana is that with today’s culture, providing a way to silence the primary female voice in the game is politically dangerous. I don’t know what it’s like in the rest of the world, but the U.S. trend right not at least is certainly not friendly to that sort of thing.

[Hichkas]

@schatenjager

providing a way to silence the primary female voice in the game is politically dangerous. I don’t know what it’s like in the rest of the world

I’m pretty sure that Iran’s government will support this.

[TheContractor]

@schatenjager

silence the primary female voice in the game is politically dangerous

As much as Hitman has strong political themes, people asking for a way to stop Diana talking over top of people isn’t

If people’s issue was they found Diana inherently annoying and wanted to completely silence her for that then perhaps misogyny would be playing a role and then it would stray into the realm of politics

However, the issue people have (or mainly what I’ve seen) is that Diana has a proclivity to talk over other people’s dialogue so you can’t actually hear what’s going on with the mission. Plus after the first few playthroughs you know who Viktor Novikov is so you don’t need to be introduced to him every time. It’s a quality of life option they want. The same issues occur when Grey is the handler, it’s not directly about Diana

And if the concerns would be outlets painting the situation in the sense of “IO Interactive has decided to allow disgruntled players to silence main female lead” then they’d be disingenuously presenting the case, and then that’s on them

For a context I like having Diana in missions, I find humour in how she introduces targets. But I’ve had my fair share of annoyance of her talking over NPC dialogue

[Jason_Portman]

This, so much this. Its not about Diana as a person, but her repeating the same lines over and over again.

I actually like it and dont mind her at all. But I do mind IOIs wierd desicion to remove her only every 24 hours. Thats a compromise I dont like. When I feel like playing the game I want the full experience, I dont want have her voicelines cut and shedule my playsessions with a calender. Just give the people an option and let me her everything.

[StingingVelvet]

@Hichkas

@StingingVelvet

Walking the Constant down to the boat is also part of the story, and yet you can ignore it on future playthroughs.

These are not related. You can ignore that because Grey will come and do the business himself. Voiceovers are always active because of the obvious reason @schatenjager mentioned.

They never actually say Grey does it, to my memory. Oh no the story is broken we must immediately patch it!

Not trying to be mocking, but this idea I need 100% story cohesion in my 100th run on Whittleton to get some crazy challenge is just kind of silly to me. More casual players will get the story the first playthrough, and if they ever do a second they’ll probably get it again because they don’t have alternate starts yet. IOI use this EXACT philosophy in Hitman 3 right now with other things, so applying it to voice-overs would not be some crazy idea.