14 DAY TRIAL // Ubisoft has revealed the first details about the companion application designed for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, which can act both as a minimap as well as a device with which to supervise the metagame, in which protagonist Edward Kenway sends ships from his fleet on missions around the Caribbean.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a sort of prequel to Assassin's Creed 3, putting players in the shoes of pirate assassin Edward Kenway, who commands his own ship, the Jackdaw, around the Caribbean islands both for fame and glory as a pirate and for the ulterior purposes of the assassin brotherhood.
Besides controlling Kenway in the game, players can also interact with him through the special companion application, which can be accessed via a tablet or smartphone.
While the main player is experiencing the game, another one can use the app to act as a quartermaster, according to Lead Writer Darby McDevitt who talked with the UbiBlog.
The companion app will offer all the different data that's available when the game is paused, including maps and menus, instantly, without forcing players to pause their experience.
"You have your database, your world map that’s updating in real time, your fleet metagame, your status in the game and all the treasure maps you’ve acquired. It really acts as a second screen," according to McDevitt.
Once a companion app is linked to the game, it will display the position of the player in the game's world and the wielder of the application can set waypoints for new locations that can be explored.
What's more, the app can also be used to access the fleet metagame, in which Kenway commands his group of ships around the Caribbean.
Once a ship is boarded, players can choose to salvage it for parts that can be used to upgrade the Jackdaw, or to add the ship to the fleet, which can then be sent on missions to loot others.
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is out in October for PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U, and in November for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.