Half Life 2 Source/Leaked Beta

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 2:41 pm

I posted this in current events as it is more a topic on security and morality than gaming.

Valve's work on Half Life and Half Life 2 is outstanding. There is a difference between stealing source code and stealing an alpha/beta copy of a game.

I feel for Valve as it's one of the few companies that are cutting edge when it comes to game development and actually earn my money. The source wasn't the only thing taken. An entire beta copy of HL2 was taken as well. Half Life 1/2 are games that certainly deserve your $$. Valve doesn't clone other people's games.

That said. I downloaded the 1.5 gb leaked HL2 beta last night. Installed it this morning although I can't check it out till tonight. I think it takes up to 3gb space on your HD. It certainly won't stop be from buying HL2 when it's released and this beta has parts that are very polished and other portions that have rough edges and unfinished.

I finally got around to playing the Doom 3 alpha last night and it seriously gave me the creeps it's so good and eerie. Doom 3 will be a kick ass game as well if you like horror/fps.

Source code theft is low. I know the kyoukan's out there will say it's valve's fault just like it's a woman's fault that gets beat on the street because she is minding her own business but didnt carry as zapper. The bottom line is source code could have been lying there on a table in plain view but the blame goes to the person stealing it in every case. Valve needs to step up it's security but it's still a sad day for them. I have no problem with a compiled alpha or beta being leaked, it's more hype and publicity than anything, but the source is something altogether different.

In closing, I'm going to play HL2 sometime soon when there's not a raid going on and check out the engine. I know it's not the finished product and even if it sucks it won't stop me from looking forward to the final release.

The Doom 3 alpha leak won't hurt Doom 3's sales and neither will the HL2 leak. The source code is another matter.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » October 8, 2003, 2:51 pm

i wouldnt be surprised if the alpha leaks were intentional.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 2:59 pm

Voronwë wrote:i wouldnt be surprised if the alpha leaks were intentional.

Maybe for Doom 3 but HL2 had the source snatched as well. The HL2 alpha isn't polished like the Doom 3 alpha was for E3 demos.

I'd leak a beta for publicity as well if it was complete enough to look nice : )

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 8, 2003, 3:12 pm

It's not really stealing if you download it from the internet. Also, game companies charge too much for games and they should have a way for me to just buy the parts of the game I want to buy for like a dollar instead of having to pay for the whole thing. Until game companies conform to the standards I demand I will just steal all of their games because I feel it is my right to.

hay guyz this argument sounds familiar.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 3:15 pm

Cool. Kyoukan didn't get a single point! It's a shut out!

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » October 8, 2003, 3:20 pm

hey winnow, i agree about the source code part. i was just commenting on "guerilla marketing" =).

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 8, 2003, 3:23 pm

Yeah I totally missed the point. Downloading the source code and a beta version off their servers is bad and wrong and valve deserves to get paid for their hard work.

btw guyz i totally downloaded it all and it looks k-rad and i cant wait to play it and hi im winnow and i dont even wait for the next paragraph to fucking contradict myself

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 3:39 pm

Erm, I said downloading source code is lame not leaked betas bright eyes. I contradicted nothing! Wait for the next release of Auto-Flame before you generate your next response!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 4:37 pm

Here's a quote from "Anonymous Leaker" about the HL2 source/beta:

To all those saying HL2 was delayed because of the hacking action, ill just remind you that what was leaked is what Valve has, nothing more and nothing less, so its pretty good to understand it wasnt finished yet.
Also I'd like to point out the E3 [demo] was one big fake by Valve. Ever tried to kill that soldier in physicstown ? Notice the door will still get kicked ? No scripted sequences ?

To everyone saying this is no Beta: I'd like to point out that THIS is what you wanted Valve to release on 9/30/03, theres no such thing as a much better release in Valves network!

To Valve: I suggest you stop lying to your customers about how much was stolen/compromised, or I'll have to release everything just to prove my point. And you know what you got, as I do.

Zamtuk · Post by **Zamtuk** » October 8, 2003, 4:51 pm

anyone else think its funny that he is saying they are lying but then claiming he has the source code and beta. pretty ironic he has both the items they claim were stolen. but maybe then it was all staged...

Revs · Post by **Revs** » October 8, 2003, 5:24 pm

Now I hear it won't be released til March 31st

(possible rumor?)
I was hoping for a holiday release; a friend planned a LAN party for mid-December too...

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » October 8, 2003, 6:14 pm

The bad thing is that due to copyright laws etc, no company can reverse engineer another companies product to tell if they are using stolen code. So another game company could very well get their hands on the code and use it. Once that happens, Valve can't do jack shit about it.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 8, 2003, 7:24 pm

nah lots of companies have been sued for stealing code.. it's pretty obvious when it happens and you can get a court order to get them to take it apart.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » October 8, 2003, 7:33 pm

Kelshara wrote:The bad thing is that due to copyright laws etc, no company can reverse engineer another companies product to tell if they are using stolen code. So another game company could very well get their hands on the code and use it. Once that happens, Valve can't do jack shit about it.

You can't "reverse engineer" to the original C++ code anyway, what you write in C++ and what the compiler optimises it to are two different things. Even if you do have a good decompiler, you're not going to see the original structure, comments, etc.

It's far simpler to look at input/output and make a case to a judge for a search warrant and seize the offending companies source files.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 8, 2003, 9:24 pm

lol : ) some screens from the leaked beta:

***Toon NWS Warning***

http://koti.mbnet.fi/dredge/alyx/

Someone went nuts with a crowbar:

Sionistic · Post by **Sionistic** » October 8, 2003, 10:11 pm

To what kyou said about game prices, I think they are just fine at the moment. Good games stay at high prices and shitty ones go down in price.
50-60$ for HL2 would seem like a perfectly acceptable price for it. Now if I paid that much and it sucked, I can just return it and wait for the price drop. Oh and as for parts, it might work, but it would make pirating games OMGIAMRETARDEDCAUSEALOTISTWOWORDS easier.