Dev wrote on Mar 4, 2010, 08:00:
Prez:
Based on comments I think many people (including ubi execs) were assuming that since it saved on internet, there's no possible way it could save local if crack just skipped internet entirely since the code wasn't there. So people were assuming crack would have to emulate server, and hack together a disk IO workaround.
This was obviously incorrect from the start (I think I even mentioned it in a random thread). Why? Because in the pc gamer info, it said that if the internet connection was gone, AC2 saved at last savepoint (losing progress since then). That means the possability of saving local (not on internet) is already CODED IN. The hackers just had to find that part of the code and use that instead of screwing with the internet save portion.
So the ubi execs are just really clueless
Except, if the game constantly saved progress to the servers, then no local saving is required. Basically, if connection is lost, then the last synchronized savepoint is already on the server, and not locally.
Dev wrote on Mar 4, 2010, 08:00:
Prez:
edit: And the really funny part I just thought of. This patch will probably make it EASIER for hackers since it can save at any point without internet, so they just need to activate that part of the code to save anywhere and give the game better save flexibility than the retail release has (which I believe is based on checkpoints)
Not really, everyone is assuming this to be something it isn't. Before this patch if you lost connection then basically the game ended. You were forced to quit and had to start at last checkpoint. Reading what they're saying, it sounds like the new behavior is that it lets you keep the game running and retrying to connect rather than forcing you to quit. If it reconnects, then you resume right where you were. What I'm sure it does NOT do, is let you quit and later return to the same point. Basically, you have to leave the game running till your connection returns, or the servers come back. Otherwise, just like before you lose all progress since it last sent save data to the server.
This is an improvement over the prior behavior but still means with the official game, progress can be lost if their servers go down or your connection is lost and you can't leave the game running until they are working again. It's still overly draconian DRM.