I happen to like your ideas McHub. The mechanism that now serves as a DRM could morph into something that instead adds a dimension.
Ubi's profit interests would be best served if they would meld their desire for an online license check with the desires of the customer. Why not make SH with a playable, but limited, offline mode for those traveling or temporarily without network? For example, continue a mission in progress or play from a selection of war patrols?
For much more, connect online. Advanced (probability generated) enemy AI, the possibility of player-controlled merchants, not to mention the things you dreamed up.
I'm sure that the cynics will now "set me straight" by re-emphasizing the greedy, shortsighted, uncaring and basically inept nature of Ubisoft management. Or lecture about the nuances of MMO-type technology. Still, I wonder what would happen if 5,000 or so registered SH5 owners voiced the same sort of positive "what ifs" that you did.
