In AC:BF, why is Desmond's photo on the main screen in every security room?

[VondeVon]

I spent the entire game thinking I was either a brainwashed Desmond or a clone or something, having an eye kept on me... Now we never discover anything except that the 'tester' is male, but was any official reason given? The picture of Desmond actually has his name written under it.

Why, why why would there be a photo of a dead man on the main screen of every security office unless security was supposed to be keeping an eye out for him?

Was this explained away and I missed it?

 

[ajr209]

Spoiler

They don't need to keep an eye out for him. Abstergo found his corpse after AC III and is using it to fuel their VR entertainment and hunt down artifacts from the precursors. That's why the PC is able to explore Desmond's ancestry without being related to Desmond, they already have the DNA samples they just need some grunts to sift through the memories while earning them a profit if they don't find anything. The PR spin they use is that he was a generous and devoted employee IIRC.

 

[VondeVon]

Spoiler

They don't need to keep an eye out for him. Abstergo found his corpse after AC III and is using it to fuel their VR entertainment and hunt down artifacts from the precursors. That's why the PC is able to explore Desmond's ancestry without being related to Desmond, they already have the DNA samples they just need some grunts to sift through the memories while earning them a profit if they don't find anything. The PR spin they use is that he was a generous and devoted employee IIRC.

Yes, I know, thanks. But that doesn't change the fact that their security rooms have Desmond's picture front and centre - and we also know that although others can look through Desmond's DNA, they have to be related to him to manage it. (Edit: In-game, Aileen Bock was able to look at the genetic memories of her mother in law - a non relation - but she did so using the genetic material of her son. I don't think any more is ever said on the matter - I suppose whether genetic relation to the donor DNA is required or not is up for argument.)
I don't know how long after the previous game this one is set, but surely it's more than long enough for security to not be keeping an eye out, specifically, for Desmond Miles.

But they are.

Why?

 

[ajr209]

Spoiler

They don't need to keep an eye out for him. Abstergo found his corpse after AC III and is using it to fuel their VR entertainment and hunt down artifacts from the precursors. That's why the PC is able to explore Desmond's ancestry without being related to Desmond, they already have the DNA samples they just need some grunts to sift through the memories while earning them a profit if they don't find anything. The PR spin they use is that he was a generous and devoted employee IIRC.

Yes, I know, thanks. But that doesn't change the fact that their security rooms have Desmond's picture front and centre - and we also know that although others can look through Desmond's DNA, they have to be related to him to manage it. I don't know how long after the previous game this one is set, but surely it's more than long enough for security to not be keeping an eye out, specifically, for Desmond Miles.

But they are.

Why?

Hmm... Perhaps it's not so much they're keeping an eye out for him but rather they're going through the various security breeches to see what was looked at/taken. Since stuff related to precursor tech, the templar animus models and experiments, and what the ultimate fate of Desmond is what the Assassins are going after it's not unreasonable for said data to be front and center of the computers of the people trying to figure out just why the security breeches are happening.

I don't remember, was the pics on the screens of him alive or dead? If dead then it could be that they're not static pics but rather a live feed and they're keeping an eye out to make sure the Assassins don't try to steal or destroy his body.

 

[VondeVon]

Hmm... Perhaps it's not so much they're keeping an eye out for him but rather they're going through the various security breeches to see what was looked at/taken. Since stuff related to precursor tech, the templar animus models and experiments, and what the ultimate fate of Desmond is what the Assassins are going after it's not unreasonable for said data to be front and center of the computers of the people trying to figure out just why the security breeches are happening.

I don't remember, was the pics on the screens of him alive or dead? If dead then it could be that they're not static pics but rather a live feed and they're keeping an eye out to make sure the Assassins don't try to steal or destroy his body.

It was in the rooms dedicated to watching live camera feed so if there was any investigation of prior breaches, I don't imagine it would be done in those rooms - when people should be focusing on current security?

It was just a photo and name - I think I recognised it as the same image used by Desmond's friends when they put up wanted posters for him. http://youtu.be/yhNvpqiis1k?t=2m51s

From the setup, it looks like it's there for easy access, to be able to glance from it to the cameras and back again, instantly able to check if someone looks like him or not.

 

[ajr209]

Hmm... Perhaps it's not so much they're keeping an eye out for him but rather they're going through the various security breeches to see what was looked at/taken. Since stuff related to precursor tech, the templar animus models and experiments, and what the ultimate fate of Desmond is what the Assassins are going after it's not unreasonable for said data to be front and center of the computers of the people trying to figure out just why the security breeches are happening.

I don't remember, was the pics on the screens of him alive or dead? If dead then it could be that they're not static pics but rather a live feed and they're keeping an eye out to make sure the Assassins don't try to steal or destroy his body.

It was in the rooms dedicated to watching live camera feed so if there was any investigation of prior breaches, I don't imagine it would be done in those rooms - when people should be focusing on current security?

It was just a photo and name - I think I recognised it as the same image used by Desmond's friends when they put up wanted posters for him. http://youtu.be/yhNvpqiis1k?t=2m51s

From the setup, it looks like it's there for easy access, to be able to glance from it to the cameras and back again, instantly able to check if someone looks like him or not.

By the looks of things they're going over old data, which might support the looking at what was hacked theory. It's not just his pic but also what appears to be animus stats. It might be that the other screens are used for watching rooms and hallways while that one is used as a PC monitor.

 

[VondeVon]

By the looks of things they're going over old data, which might support the looking at what was hacked theory. It's not just his pic but also what appears to be animus stats. It might be that the other screens are used for watching rooms and hallways while that one is used as a PC monitor.

Could be.

But, why would they be doing that in the camera security rooms? Plural, even. All the camera security rooms have that image up.

I agree that the stats on the side are weird. Notifications on 'Economy' 'Database' 'Secondary Memories'? The first one in particular is like... what?

The 'SUBJECT --' bit is odd too. Why not just call him 'SUBJECT 17'? Why is the number removed?

It might just be lazy work on behalf of the developers who wanted (or didn't want) to hint something without giving the game away or it might not be. But, logically... why would such a thing be put together to be displayed, in this room, on this screen, of all the screens in the building? It's only ever on the camera security screens. Someone made that design decision.

I did consider the possibility that it only appears when 'you' hack it, because you're trying to hide 'your' movement through Abstergo (and thus possibly you were Desmond) but it is on screen already every time you enter the room.

 

[ajr209]

By the looks of things they're going over old data, which might support the looking at what was hacked theory. It's not just his pic but also what appears to be animus stats. It might be that the other screens are used for watching rooms and hallways while that one is used as a PC monitor.

Could be.

But, why would they be doing that in the camera security rooms? Plural, even. All the camera security rooms have that image up.

I agree that the stats on the side are weird. Notifications on 'Economy' 'Database' 'Secondary Memories'? The first one in particular is like... what?

The 'SUBJECT --' bit is odd too. Why not just call him 'SUBJECT 17'? Why is the number removed?

It might just be lazy work on behalf of the developers who wanted (or didn't want) to hint something without giving the game away or it might not be. But, logically... why would such a thing be put together to be displayed, in this room, on this screen, of all the screens in the building? It's only ever on the camera security screens. Someone made that design decision.

I did consider the possibility that it only appears when 'you' hack it, because you're trying to hide 'your' movement through Abstergo (and thus possibly you were Desmond) but it is on screen already every time you enter the room.

Well it just says restricted area so it might be a general purpose security rooms which might mean the people who work there might have to investigate hackings too and since it's the kind of stuff the assassins are after it might have been something that was hacked and they're trying to find out why or build a pattern. Alternatively they might think that bit of info will be next and they're keeping an eye on it to see if anyone will access or edit it.

 

[VondeVon]

Well it just says restricted area so it might be a general purpose security rooms which might mean the people who work there might have to investigate hackings too and since it's the kind of stuff the assassins are after it might have been something that was hacked and hey're trying to find out why or build a pattern. Alternatively they might think that bit of info will be next and they're keeping an eye on it to see if anyone will access of edit it.

Could be. But, considering the setup of the room (just a wall of screens showing active camera feeds and no other desks or computers) and the mass of other offices in the building... I personally think that just doesn't make sense. Hacker security would be in an area dedicated to such monitoring, with the hardware to support it. Research and investigations would take place in their own offices, not fight the dudes on camera watch for the sole chair and one single dinky monitor. Abstergo have the money to throw into giving everyone ipads to wirelessly operate the lifts and give little character models as progress rewards. It seems unlikely that they'd cut costs on security by installing multiple camera-watching rooms but then make them pull double shifts as hacker watching too - plus, obsessively watching over information on a corpse? Seems like they'd have way more important information to protect than that.

Yeah. To me, it seems it can only be one of two things. One: It's just a mistake, maybe built early on when they planned something else for Desmond that then got thrown out, or Two: it's actually a hint that there's more going on and Desmond - or something that looks like him - is considered a high priority person to watch out for.

This much time after the game was released, I guess I was just hoping that someone official had addressed this (error? easter egg?) at some point. Ah well!