Assassins Creed 2 - ending explained

[mandru]

I can only conclude that the fault lies at Ubisoft's end. I let Ubi know in my support request that I'm willing to pay for a new key to be provided (as long as it doesn't cost me more than the game did) but I haven't heard a peep out of them yet.

Keep poking at them fragger and hold their feet to the fire.  :-X

[PZ]

Indeed - you shouldn't have to pay anything extra.  Surely the same anti-piracy software they use keeps record of any number of the following: who used a key, the IP address of the computer, and the username.

[fragger]

Agree, I wouldn't have thought that it would be terribly difficult to ascertain stuff like that. Well, it would have been early Sunday afternoon in the US when I lodged the request so maybe it just hasn't been read yet (although it's Monday afternoon there now...)

[fragger]

Got a response from Ubi in which they asked me to send them digital images of the installation key, an image of the game's barcode and an image of a proof of purchase before they can render any assistance.

So I've sent them what they asked for and I'll see what happens next.

I'd really like to play this game sometime ::)

[JRD]

I'm really sorry that you are going through so many problems to play a game, mate!  :-(

But on the other hand, I'm glad to see that Ubi actually manifested an interest in solving the problem on their side. I hope you can have your key available asap to enjoy it!!  :-X

[PZ]

OMG!  you mean Ubi actually responded!

[mandru]

fragger, if it wasn't a primary concern to get the game up and running when UBI requested those images (how can they assume that everyone has a scanner or digital camera?  ??? ) you could have e-mailed them back saying...

Spoiler

"How about this, what if I just send you a picture of my really angry face!"

[Art Blade]

Proof of purchase?  ??? what if you got the game as a gift?  ????

I usually don't give my bill away with a present I want to surprise someone with (and no, not because I don't want them to see how bloody cheap the s#!t I gave them really was :-() ).

[PZ]

 

[fragger]

LOL you guys You raised a couple of good points there.

No further response as yet from Ubi. If they don't respond, the next digital image I send them will be a moon shot (and I'm not talking astrophotography) >:D

It wouldn't surprise me if the support guy at Ubi who received those images is now thinking, "Damn, he's ligit and he called my bluff, which means I might actually have to drop out of the office Wii Sports session and do some w@&k..."

[fragger]

Well, I think I've had enough of Ubisoft's "support". Here's the latest response from Ubi:

If you have purchased separate key for the game it means that the key for the game is from illegitimate source, as Ubisoft has never released separate keys for sale. In this situation please pursue this matter further with your retailer.

Hello - I did NOT purchase a separate key, I asked if that was possible seeing as how there is a button with "BUY A KEY ONLINE!" printed on it in the game's rego dialog. Obviously this dopey nong hasn't read my request properly. This is what I originally wrote:

----------------------------------------
I recently purchased Assassin's Creed 2 online from ebay Australia and it is a brand-new, previously unsold game from a commercial supplier. The game installed OK but when I tried to enter the registration key I received a message saying that the key had already been used. There was an option in the game's registration window to purchase a new key online but the page cannot be found (404).

Here is the registration key:

<registration key was shown here>

I have included the product bar code and a screen capture of the registration window.

I would appreciate any help you can provide with this. I am willing to purchase a new key if that will resolve the issue.
----------------------------------------

And here's the image of the rego window I sent them, with the key showing. Note the button:

[smg id=4040 width=604]

And remember, I later had to send them a picture of the inside of the case with the sticker clearly showing the same rego key, so that's three times I've given them that key - once in my original request (above), a second time in the accompanying image of the rego window, and a third time in the picture of the case interior. You would think that that would reinforce the fact that I did not buy a separate key. Maybe I should go over there and brand it into back of the guy's hand...

Since I paid a whole $14.00 for the game, maybe I'll just buy another one from a shop and put this down to costly experience, i.e. don't rely on Ubisoft for support. I can't rule out the possibility that whoever supplied the ebay seller has indeed pulled a swifty (there was no shrink-wrap around the case like there usually is) and if so a genuine brand new copy from a proper shop might resolve the prob. I hope... I don't want to spend even more money on another copy and have the same thing happen again.

There's one last thing I can try: opening a new account with Ubi using a different username with my other email address (I have two) and trying the rego thing again just in case my password reset mucked something up. I still don't see how though. But I will be sending one last message to Ubisoft support advising them that it might be in their interest to pay closer attention to their customers' correspondences.

I'll get into this game one way or another :D

[PZ]

Strange that your game was not shrink wrapped - that would cause me suspicion right away.  Have you tried contacting the seller with this issue?

I do hope you can get in because I think you'll enjoy it once you get past your anger and frustration with the system!

[fragger]

Yep, I've been on to the seller and they assure me that the game was brand new from their distributor. But I suspect that someone somewhere is doing a dirty. This was the same seller I got my Tomb Raider games from and had no probs with them - but they don't need any registration at all so I think I might have just lucked out there.

I'm going into town later today so I'll see about ordering a new copy of AC2 from the store and write the whole episode off as a costly lesson: don't buy games through ebay.

[PZ]

You could try sending the game back along with your correspondence with Ubi to see if they will give you a refund.  If they do not (even as a goodwill gesture), then I'd never buy from them again, and tell them so.  Of course, I am known to have a bad attitude.  :-()

[Art Blade]

 :-D

[fragger]

Good news and bad news.

Good is that I found a proper new copy of AC2 in the store discounted to AU$19.95 and it installed OK, no registration key issues.

Bad is that it runs like molasses on my PC. I had to turn all graphic options down to the lowest possible settings and knock the res right down to 800x600 and it's still only barely acceptable, and looks pretty horrible.

I don't get why some games run fine on this rig and some don't. I can run some games with at least medium graphic settings in 1980x1080 res widescreen mode and they're fine (FC2 is smooth as silk), while others won't play ball unless I drop everything down to the bare minimum and even then they don't run very well.

Looks like I may have to relegate the AC games to the growing pile of titles awaiting the day when priorities allow me to spring for new hardware. Curses :D

[PZ]

That's a real shame fragger - sorry to hear about your PC woes.  You might check the web site of your cards manufacturer to see if they have anything about the AC series - I didn't think the hardware requirements were that steep.

[mandru]

Yeah that is weird fragger.  ????

A glitch I have in my system causes FC2 to demand more from my graphics card than either the smooth running AC2 or AC:R which are the two Creed games I have from the series.

[fragger]

Yeah, it's odd. But who knows what kind of results can arise from all the various combos of games, graphics cards and motherboards out there. According to the game's recommended specs my machine's configuration should be well and truly up to the task. I may try updating my video driver and see if that helps. It's a pity because from what I did see of the game I'm sure I could really get into it.

[PZ]

I'd recommend investigating the driver update after reading the features of the update.  I'm using nVivia, and each update specifies what will be improved for games, listing the titles by name.  However it is always a risk on PC - I recall mandru having problems with a driver update, when the exact same update on my PC resulted in improved performance.

[fragger]

Good advice, cheers :-X :)