Assassin´s Creed Message Board  

there is no unique port. whatever port is being used by internet explorer (or whatever your browser is) is the same used by the trainer.

it takes approximately a few milliseconds for the check to occur (unless you have no connection, in which it might give you the error message 'internet connection needed' after several seconds).

best,
Cal

My concern is this: How long would it take someone to re-engineer the trainer, remove the Internet check, and redistribute it? I am sure, as the creators of this system, you have a good idea how long that would take.

So, once they remove it, and redistribute it, you now have say 2000 non-members with Trainers that dont require the inconvenience of an internet check, and 100 members that have copies they cant use when their internet goes down for some reason. So this system is punishing the members, while rewarding the non-members who know of a good site to go to, where they can get access to a version where the protection has been removed.

Why not find some way to key it to a specific computer, or (if it is possible) to key it to the actual Game Key entered during installation? All that would require is information entered prior to the customization process. While I am sure this would still not completely stop the redistribution, there is NO method that will do that.

Just my suggestions, as someone who knows the pain of having my internet connection sometimes unavailable. Personally, while I play MMORPG's more frequently, I purchase games that DO NOT require an internet connection, specifically so that when my internet is down, I have something else to pass the time.

In short, while I agree that something needs to be done to stop the redistribution process, I do not believe that whatever method used should be more of an inconvenience on the actual paying members, than on the people who would seek to redistribute.

[Edited by Rdytogo, 4/9/2008 9:54:22 AM]

i have no idea how long it will take de-engineer our work. there's more to discovering who's trainer it is beyond the authenticity check.

we have way more than 100 members.

if we key it to specific computer, then that user cannot use it on the other three computers they own.

i have thought about this more than you can imagine.

just because every protection can eventually be killed by unsavory individuals doesn't mean that we shouldn't do something about it.

if a person defeats the online check, we still will be able to get ahold of the trainer and see who it originally belonged to. we have done this many times before.

now, imagine this! you are a paying member. the newest trainer for newest game comes out. you download it, knowing that you get it ahead of anyone else because you are a paying member of the site and cheathappens community. now imagine your anger when you see a torrent for it 1 hour later where user name CrazyLegs posted his copy of the trainer on the net for all to download. well that means that your paid subscription is useless because anyone with an internet connection can have what you paid for. of course we ban CrazyLegs and he loses his account. but his leaked trainer still works for the 2000 people who downloaded it. as it is now, HOWEVER, we can simply tag that account as banned and then suddenly the 2000 people playing with the leaked trainer realize that their copy of the leaked trainer doesn't work. and only the members have working copies of the trainer.

that's the purpose here of this. we have had far far more people leak trainers that were left intact than people who manipulated the trainers to try and hide who they were (and many many of those were unsuccessful as well!). we ban the accounts. but the damage was done. well no more! the members can feel good knowing that we are striving to keep their membership status and priviledges intact.

best,
Cal

I realize that you have many more than 100 members. I was just picking a low number to show how many more people will get the redistributed copy, rather than paying members.

Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate the work and thought that went into trying to find some way to put a stop to the redistribution of member only items. I did not mean to sound as if I didn't, if that's the way you took it.

Is there any way to key it to the actual game key? I am talking about the one you are asked to enter during the installation process. If that is possible, then you could just have Members enter it prior to downloading it, and the customization process could 'key it' to that specific key. That way, with the same copy installed on multiple computers, the trainer wouldb e valid for any and all of them.

Again, I truly do appreciate the fact that you are only looking out for your members, and trying to find a way to prevent the redistribution of your hard work. I am just trying to make intelligent suggestions, to possibly find a better solution.

While this is good in theory, I'm not sure it would work out so well. First of all, not all games have a cd-key. Second, I'm not quite sure that members would be comfortable in turning over their cd-keys to us, no matter how trustworthy we are. It might even violate the game's TOS.

There is an alternative to how youve done it. I recently started playing the game LOKI, and their security is stafforce based, the new version scans the disc inserted and then you can play the game for a few days without the disc, then you need to reactivate it to play without the disc. If you made it so that you had to reactivate the trainer once a week, that would make it more secure, without the need for a 24/7 internet connection. That or make trainers with an inbuilt timer, like shareware shoftware, so after 1 week of downloading a membership trainer, it stops fuctioning. Ohh one last way is to make it so each memebr has to enter a password to activate the trainer, that way only the members that know the password can use it. Either of these will be a great way of increasing security, without being a problem for those (myself NOT included) that dont have a permanet internet connection. P.S Sorry for the wall of text

As a member I agree that prevention against spreading is necessary, but I can tell that the previous method was working since I could not find most of the members-only trainers available. Besides, I pay for my membership not only to have instant access, but to have a quality trainer that will not screw my pc. Now this new verification is something that will actually restrict my use and I can't agree with it since I don't have a 24/7 internet connection when I travel and I do like to play my games on different computers.

Once we collect enough feedback from our members on this thread, we'll evaulate whether or not the scheme needs to be improved or changed. So far, we're getting very good feedback. Keep it coming! Our site is, after all, about our community and we value everyone's feedback and input.