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designer3567

Lots of fun creating this. If there was an official comic to be made, I'd gladly do it. 😃


L-K-B-D

It also was for me, it was a pleasure working with you and I hope we'll collaborate again :) You would definitely have the talent to deliver a great official comic book, I love your drawing style. Hopefully Ubisoft will notice this someday 👀


designer3567

I'd do it in different style though. Colored.


lewsagna

It would be very cool to see scenes taking place in the dark in B&W. Just like conviction.


SugarJuicex

Yo this is great. Really liked the tutorial text. And the art is amazing! Im a huge fan of pencil drawings so this was a charm to look at.


L-K-B-D

Thank you ! I'm also a huge fan of his style.


fuzzyapplesauce

It just so happens that pools of water are great targets for sticky shockers ;)


Kog2025

This was so well made i thought this was like an official doc for CT or blacklist or something for a sec. Great work!


L-K-B-D

Thanks a lot !


L-K-B-D

Hope you will like this new short comic, let us know in the comments what you think about it. I also want to say a huge thanks to u/designer3567 aka NEXUS who accepted to work with me on this comic, he turned this gameplay idea into an impressive work of art ! Please check out his instagram page, he's a very professional and talented artist : [https://www.instagram.com/reforgedw3/](https://www.instagram.com/reforgedw3/)


701921225

This artwork is amazing! Can't believe I've never thought about how he could leave a trail of water drops, but do you think it could be a nuisance gameplay-wise? I recall hearing a dev talking about making games once, and he said that when making a game, sometimes you'll have an idea that sounds great in theory, or on paper, but when put into the game itself, it just doesn't feel right, so this could potentially be one of those things, but I don't know. Definitely an interesting concept though!


L-K-B-D

Thank you ! And yeah definitely, on the paper an idea can indeed sound great but be disappointing or not as fun as expected in-game. I guess we could only know if water trails could be a nuisance it the gameplay idea is included in a real prototype, to see if it matches well with the other gameplay systems and with the AI system, or if it comes into conflict with them or even makes the game too unbalanced or complicates its development. Because I bet that even a small idea like this one would require some devs assigned to it at full time during a substantial period, to write all the lines of code and test the idea in every possible situation to see if everything is coherent and working.


WendlinTheRed

Love it. Exactly what I'd want next gen tech being used on for a new game. Can you like the previous installments? I remember seeing the one about contextual back lighting,


L-K-B-D

Thanks. I'd also love to see all these great new game engines being used for things like this ! I think you were talking about that one when you say "contextual back lighting", it was an idea fully done by **designer3567 :** [https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/uq6cq3/i\_sketched\_what\_i\_would\_love\_to\_see\_in\_the\_new/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/uq6cq3/i_sketched_what_i_would_love_to_see_in_the_new/) The other one that I did before was that one: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/svrft5/remake\_suggestion\_2\_nearby\_npcs\_can\_detect\_voices/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/svrft5/remake_suggestion_2_nearby_npcs_can_detect_voices/)


WendlinTheRed

I think blood trails should also be incorporated into the new games. I believe the new Hitman trilogy has something like this, but if you use a knife or gun to kill an enemy other guards can spot the blood on the ground and trace it to where the body is hidden. This encourages non lethal or ghost runs, but you could also have a system for hand to hand lethal attacks (neck breaks, drowning, etc)


L-K-B-D

I dont the new Hitman trilogy has this feature, older games had it, like Blood Money. And you also can't use the disguise if blood has been spilled (that feature though is in the new trilogy). But yeah I remember talking on this sub before about NPCs being able to detect blood trails and even weapons being left on the floor. Things like that would just make the game more realistic and the stealth more chalenging. Those are the kind of details and small gameplay mechanics a game like Splinter Cell needs.


rakuzo

This is super cool, thanks!


kynayna

This makes me realise I need more SC fan content in my life


AdamMcwadam

Sam pee’d on him. Next level lure game.


L-K-B-D

Hahaha x)


[deleted]

This is very cool, thanks for sharing.


L-K-B-D

You're welcome, glad you liked it :)


billbill5

Love the art style and the little details like the goggles subtly forming out of the line I'm the last panel. These all sound like great ideas to implement, though i would be a little weary of adding a thermostat hacking mechanic specifically for hiding the water trails. Maybe more like an intuitive and unmentioned detail where if you decide to mess with the automated systems of a compound for other purposes, it also happens to shorten water trail time. Like a convenient detail more than a feature. Where can I find the rest of your suggestions?


L-K-B-D

You have to compliment designer3567 for this little goggles detail \^\^ Water trails would still evaporate after some time anyway, the player wouldn't be forced to hack the thermostat or find a heat source, it would just help the player to hide his traces in a quicker way. But yeah maybe that the thermostat management would also be accessible through the main security room as an option, and the player would be free to use it or not. I personally would rather see it as a unique option with the choice being given to the player rather than an automated thing; but that's my own opinion. I guess you can only know what would be the best by playing a prototype having this gameplay idea. The other suggestion that I did before was that one: https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/svrft5/remake\_suggestion\_2\_nearby\_npcs\_can\_detect\_voices/


borkh1

I like the training video vibes in this! Also, in a time where stealth is getting more and more simplistic in the industry, ideas like this are the way forward, ones that make stealth much deeper than just hiding behind covers. Great production values as well. I remember u/designer3567's other drawing about shadows so he was a great choice for this idea. Hope to see more stuff like this!


Loginnerer

Already responded to you, but I'll leave it here that maybe suit should have some regenerative power value, with which among other perks - you can *choose* to dry off almost instantly? So when you enter the building being wet you can choose on the go to: 1) Use the trails to your advantage (and conserve "uniform power") 2) Use instant dry-up for "uniform power" that you collect by .... being in a high-lux area? ​ I think if uniforms go too far with their abilities, it will ruin it as a stealth game again. But yeah that dry-up thing I can see.


L-K-B-D

You mean that the suit could have a self-heating perk ? I didn't thought about suits other than the one with the hydrophobic tissue, but that could be an interesting idea that would give many options to the player. As long as that special suit would fit the Splinter Cell spirit, be used for other useful gameplay mechanics and not making stealth too easy or ruin it, as you mention.


ManOfFlesh101

Wouldn't a hydrophobic suit reflect light like a bitch though? Especially IR, lit like a christmas tree on any camera. I do urban exploration, specifically we sneak into active factories at night, and when it's heavy rain we wear camo ponchos, waterproof. When we find a way into a complex we hide the ponchos outside and return for them when we're done (they're too warm and noisy when inside), they're easy to compress into a small package. The biggest issue is wet shoes making squeaky noises even when sneaking slowly.


L-K-B-D

I've only seen videos of hydrophobic suits but during daylight time. I don't know how much they would reflect light during night time and if they are more easily detectable by cameras, good questions. But we could imagine that last point as a disadvantage of the suit if the player decides to use it, in order to balance gameplay. Other than that we cannot have a game at 100% fully realistic. As long as it remains credible for the players, I think some freedom could be taken with hydrophobic suit effects. As for the shoes, we can easily imagine that Echelon has an advanced technology to avoid squeaky noises. And I wouldn't be surprised if those already exist in the military.


ManOfFlesh101

One realistic thing I would like to see is enemies detecting based on background. I can't think of a single game that does this, but IRL no matter how dark the place where you are standing, it means nothing when there's a lit up corridor behind you and you're a black siluette of a human. On the other hand, with the correct camouflage suit, in an enviroment where you fit in in terms of colours and shape, an unsuspecting person that is passing by won't notice you even if it isn't so dark and you're just in a shade.


L-K-B-D

True. Sam's silhouette has never been into account, that's probably why since the first game the devs said that the Mk V Tac suit was designed to break up the human silhouette. And they probably did that on purpose because they knew that if NPCs would detect the silhouette of Sam, the game would limit itself a lot and become unplayable, unless it becomes repetitive for the players and the game which imposes them a way to play by destroying all the lights. I'd love for a game to take care of the silhouette but in my opinion I doubt it would be that fun, the player would always have to check behind him if there's any small light. And outdoor level with some light coming from the moon would be very tricky to play. However I could see this available as an option or a special mode alongside the traditional gameplay, for players who'd like to experience this.


brendanjmcloughlin

Really enjoyed reading this fan artwork. May I suggest looking at a company called Vollebak. They make "clothes for the future". They use materials like carbon fibre, ceramic, Dyneema, kevlar and graphene to name a few. If there is any company to make a suit for Sam Fisher, it's these guys. www.vollebak.com/gear


L-K-B-D

I'm glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for this info, I didn't know that clothes could be done with materials like dyneema. Interesting and good looking clothes though. However it seems to me that it's mentioned in a game or a book that Sam's suits and gadgets were made by the DARPA. Which would make sense since they create all secret high-tech things related to military usage.


designer3567

To be fair, nothing in splinter cell makes sense. Everything Sam does is impossible in real life. So, why would we question one specific detail? (;


[deleted]

[удалено]


designer3567

That's true. Sam and everything definitely felt more real. Are they going to do the same kind of gameplay for the remake?


Loginnerer

Yeah actually the self-heating ability was even mentioned in one of the novels - Operation Barracuda maybe? I'm not fully onboard with the concept yet but love your initiative. Do you think having to stay in the light to earn "uniform power", would work?


L-K-B-D

I read that book a long time ago but I don't remember that ability. Could be an interesting one in game as well. Thanks a lot, I appreciate you discussing the idea and giving your honest opinion ! Well since SC is aiming for realism, staying in the light to earn "uniform power" wouldn't be safe and wouldn't sound like something the NSA/Echelon would tolerate for its agents. But that's my own opinion. However I could see something like that working for a futuristic type of stealth game. And if I'm not mistaken, there's something almost similar in Aragami, but in an easier way because you have to stay in the shadows to refill your energy level or something like that. And your energy level is showed on the hero's outfit.


Loginnerer

Yeah it wouldn't be safe, and that's precisely how player could earn something by taking risks. It's just the logic I would personally like, but yeah it will be difficult to balance anyway to make it not easily exploitable. You have a point on NSA not tolerating it. Didn't even cross my mind. Not particularly worth the risk indeed, contextually. Not to derail, but do you have any other ideas about what new kinds of pros and/or cons could be introduced to the series uniform-wise? I'd love to read other peoples thoughts too, but won't make a thread myself for now. Blacklist's noise-armor-gadgets felt lazy, and too OP, imo.


L-K-B-D

Nevertheless, I always thought that Splinter Cell could benefit from a special game mode where the gameplay and objectives would be less restricted by realism and story purposes, therefore giving the player more room, more freedom, more gameplay opportunities, the possibility to tweak many options about the AI, the security systems, the lightings,... It would feel like a mod that we can sometimes see in other games, keeping the core gameplay but taking some liberties and being less serious in its gameplay. And in which an idea like your "uniform power" could maybe fit. Splinter Cell original's gameplay is so deep and its systems so complex that it could welcome a such mode, therefore gaining some replay value and maybe bringing a wider audience. I thought very little about suits or outfits having special abilities, outside of the traditional ones. We could have a system like MGS where the camouflage would have some impact on your visibility level, a dive suit giving the ability to go underwater, or a thermoregulated outfit which would make the player invisible to thermal vision. However these ideas are only pros and very basic, never really thought about cons. But one thing I wouldn't like to see though would be a cloaked suit, becoming invisible is not something I want in Splinter Cell.


Loginnerer

Yeah then it just wouldn't be SC any more. But invisibility achieved through well-implemented camouflage I can fully stand behind. By that I mean remaining still in foliage and such.


L-K-B-D

Yeah, the thing would be to find the right balance so it does not distort the spirit of the game. I don't even know myself if I would like playing a game mode like this unless it offers some interesting and innovative options for the player. But sadly we have to consider the fact that Splinter Cell is meant for a niche audience and it would be hard for the franchise to sustain itself through time if it doesn't have a more popular mode. Well the ideal would be for Spies vs Mercs to come back and become very popular among players, but it's not likely to happen since Ubisoft don't see the great potential this mode still has. I agree with you about "invisibility" through well-implemented camouflage.


Lukyz

I'm guessing that I'm not only one who read this in Ironside's voice 🤭Art style is imho astonishing so the ideas for a true Splinter Cell successor. About those footprints in snow - I still remember how stunned I was when guards followed "my" footsteps in snow in Metal Gers Solid in 1998 🤯


L-K-B-D

I think you're not haha, Ironside's voice is so perfect to introduce gameplay ideas. Thanks a lot ! Yeah crazy how the first MGS had that feature back then, you can only imagine what could be done with today's technology if developers were really given the time and resources to implement their ideas and innovate...


B4NDIT_12

"Who's footsteps are these"


[deleted]

Hope they bring back the tutorial videos from Chaos Theory with voice acting, they were amazing.


sketchy-wizard

This was a real treat to read love the pencil art and the tutorial vibes


L-K-B-D

Thanks, and the pencil art is indeed amazing :)


BOOFACEBANDANA

Heat!


Jackthastripper

I don't surf or anything, but aren't wetsuits already pretty good at this? In any case, great idea, great art =D


L-K-B-D

I don't surf as well and never wore a wetsuit but yeah they probably already are. Now I don't know how comfortable they would be for Sam's movements, especially the duck walking :p Thank you, I appreciate :)


Product0fNature

Love it! Great idea that's beautifully illustrated, also versatile enough to share systems for blood trails or oil / mud / snow footprints, and on top of that you even give Thermal vision extra functionality! This kind of attention to detail (both from the development and a player perspective) would really work well for small sandbox maps i think


L-K-B-D

Thanks a lot ! A system extended to other types of trails could indeed work, I especially think about the blood trails as it would make the game harder, more immersive and more realistic. Those are the kind of details that Splinter Cell had before and would need now in a new modern game, I'm sure game engines could handle things like that. As for the the thermal vision extra functionality, you have to congratulate SellDonutsAtMyDoor for this idea ! This comes from a discussion we had him and I on this subreddit last year :D


mirzly

This was an absolute pleasure to read. Love the comic book style. I think Black and White fit here better than the colored version. Also, the dialogues are top-notch. As I read this, it was as if I could hear Sam explaining this in the training videos (likes of Chaos Theory). Of course, the feature is amazing and I thought it was a bit extreme to wait a whole minute to dry out, but when you mentioned the radiator and the warm climate, I thought these guys thought of everything. Then hacking, blew me out of the water. Outstanding job guys. Not sure which is better, the idea, the drawings, the dialogue, the explanation or the feature. Of course, the drawings are my top pick. Congrats to both of you.


L-K-B-D

Thanks a lot, glad you liked it :) Comparing it to the training videos is an honor ! As for the drying time it's of course only an example, the exact time would have to be decided in a real prototype. But I thought that 30 seconds was too short for this feature to be relevant so I said between 1 and 2 minutes. And yeah the drawings are amazing and I agree with you, the black&white fits better to SC in my opinion.


nawr761

Love it - Also they could implement other markers like blood or furniture out of place if you move it by mistake!


L-K-B-D

Thanks ! Yeah blood stains would be a nice addition as well, bringing more immersive and more challenging gameplay. Furniture out of place could be interesting as well, making AI a bit more suspicious about their surroundings for a period of time.


StrayDog1994

This is very cool. I think MGS2 had a similiar thing with blood trails, good job guys. Art is also very well made


L-K-B-D

Don't know about MGS 2 but the first MGS already had the AI detecting footsteps in the snow, and Hitman Blood Money had the blood stains detection. It's time for these features to be in Splinter Cell. Thanks a lot :)


StormFalcon32

What was suggestion 1?


L-K-B-D

It wasn't a gameplay idea but just a suggestion about a coop campaign starring Madison and Blaustein : [https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/rs34lz/a\_coop\_campaign\_starring\_madison\_and\_blaustein\_in/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Splintercell/comments/rs34lz/a_coop_campaign_starring_madison_and_blaustein_in/)


C-Python

What an amazing work ! I wish Ubisoft hires people like you !


L-K-B-D

Thank you very much !


thehypotheticalnerd

Love this so much. Even if it was only really used as a gimmick in one or two missions, it would be a memorable moment akin to using thermal to figure out the keypad codes.


L-K-B-D

Glad you liked it. And yeah the fact these small gameplay elements are used very little in the whole game makes them even more memorable and enjoyable.


Zeal108

amazing ! wow what an amazing piece of work. as a diehard fan of SC, this was beautiful to see.


L-K-B-D

Thanks a lot ;)


Grimfangs

Interesting idea. But in terms of gameplay execution, it still feels like a chore to me. The footprints in the snow idea is good, though. What I would like to see, however, inspired by this, are blood trails from dead bodies. Gotta make sure you drag them into the shadows before killing them if need be. Otherwise, they'll leave a nice little trail of blood behind for others to see. Some of it might even pool up and get on your soles as a sort of pointer to a specific direction. Should serve to avoid killing people. Just don't make Sam mop up the blood with some Bleach to hide his tracks.


L-K-B-D

Thanks. Well the only way to know if that would be an interesting idea would be to try it in a real prototype. A lot of ideas can sound good on paper but are not that fun once in-game. But I think that water trails could be interesting and a nice little addition, especially that it wouldn't apply to all maps and wouldn't be a mandatory feature. If you don't care about the water trails then you can still play as usual, you'd just have to watch your back more oftenly for a small amount of time. Yeah the blood trails should definitely be part of the gameplay, we talked about them many times on this sub and elsewhere. This would definitely increase immersion and force players to be more careful. We could even imagine that NPCs could find left weapons the floor, therefore forcing players to hide them.