Two major game changers were up next, with Meunier first explaining a new concept for AC multiplayer in “contested kills.” In so many words, rather than being stabbed by someone clearly running at you full speed, should you spot them in time and press the punch button, a “contested kill” will result in both players being stunned. Take that, game breaking perma-runners!

In the same vein, assassination animation times have been changed dramatically. In Brotherhood, all kills cost the same amount of time — everything from an obvious running murder to a stealth assassination. In Revelations, however, stealth is rewarded with shorter animations, incentivizing players further toward clandestine kills rather than open deathmatch.

– Joystiq

Sounds like they’re also doing away with the levelling system, hopefully they’ll introduce something with more reasonable limits, if I’m being successful in an online game I expect to have hit max level within 20 hours.  Any more and it’s just stretching out the progression for the sake of it in my opinion.

They’ve certainly addressed two of the most annoying aspects of what has been my favourite online multiplayer game in a long time.  Usually I’d just quit out when I ended up in games full of people charging around like agitated gibbons and search for a new game where hopefully people are playing “the right way”.