What's Next for Valve and Half-Life2?

[rec]

Industry giant, GameSpy.com, has published an article eneitled "What's Next for Valve and Half-Life2?". The three-page story touches base on a wide range of points, talking to developers from Lionhead Studios (Black & White), id Software (Quake), Troika (Vampire The Masquerade) and others. Here's a snippet:

Whoever did this is an enemy not only of game developers, but of gamers. I can understand anti-globalization protestors picketing the G7. I can understand AIDS activists shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge. I can even understand people who pirate shipped games. But I can only imagine the person who did this was a gamer. To him I say, 'Congratulations: Thanks to you, developers are going to spend more time worrying about security and less time making fun games. Nice going, loser.'

While the article doesn't reveal any new information, it's an interesting read and well worth your time.

 

[garg]

good read..

that hacker really is indeed a loser.. There is nothing minutely noble about this act.. where did the computer geek honor go?

 

[Wesisapie]

There is plenty of nobility here. Take a look at what valve was telling us they were going to release in 11 days from when it was stolen! they were lying all along.
And when you kill the soldier who is "going to kick down the door with his leet AI".... the door swings open anyway! Very dynamic AI indeed... i didn't realise doors had intelligence.

Please don't treat us like idiots valve.

 

[SadE]

OK the leaker is a fuc...... "&é('"é('" .....
But sincerely , don't you think it's very unprofesionnal to have such an unsecure network for valve . :dozey:
ID software and other team devs must laugh at this time . Even at my work office we know we musn't have secure material connected to the net ...
Bahh , it's done so ...

It's seems so stupid to me , that I'm starting to be convinced that's its maybe the biggest marketing operation of the gaming industry ...

 

[gpepper]

ahahahahah !

I'm french and there's a chance that nobody understands me !
I can't believe one second that they are such idiot !
I've worked in video games and all the codes were secured, backed-up to another place more than one time !
How could they give us that excuse ?
They were in late, that's all !
The "bizarre" of this is How could they tell us that the game was released soon while they're still coding ?
When the game is finished, it would be sent to the editor to be "pressed" (don't think it's the good word!) and then distribued. It takes 2 month to do that !!!
I think we couldn't play with that game until may 2004 !!!!!

 

[SadE]

he !!! sympa de retrouver des petits frenchies sur le forum ;-)

 

[FOe]

Wesisapie: So a lie is a good enough reson to brake in at somebodys place and steel stuff. You are saying that if I break in at your place and steal your stuff just because you lied to me, is a nobel act???

 

[Sgt.Silencer]

I hate to sound like I agree with what has happened here, I strongly do not. I do not believe that there is ever a reason to steal from someone else, even if the intentions are good (which they arent). However, If so much code has been stolen, how can they release condition ZERO?

I support Valve, they will get my money! as temptomg as it is to download the new game I havent.

One more thing. Valve said help us catch these guys, I sent an email loaded with links to the sites offering the download, no thanks was replied, all the sites are still up.

Something stinks like fish at the pear.

Silencer

 

[Luxley]

I think everyone's missed one vital point. Lets say I'm working on a some stuff (1.3GB plus whatever CZ is worth... another 1GB?) how you going to get it out without me noticing eh? I mean I might be stupid enough to have the stuff on a machine connected to the net but wtf how can you not notice that all of asudden all your bandwidth has gone and everything is really slow?

Also is it possible to download something I'm working on? I mean it's changing all the time isn't it?

 

[Shurakai]

We can only assume what they did but my experience tells me that and upload is much more easily stealthed than a download. If the whole downloadbandwith is used every employee moans and cries. But if the upload stream is blocked noone remarks it because the little website request they send out don`t do much traffic and get through as fast as always. And besides that, they had how much time? 6 days or more? They may have used a quarter bandwith to get the files...

I assume they just got a Release Candidate or something. Those that are finally put together and stored on the code/release server. So they did not have to put the files together but were sure to download a product. And I am sure they just downloaded the newest, I dont think they got a newer one like all cry a pre-gold or something. No I think the threats that ANON is posting about "You know what I got from you" are referring to Steam.... I suppose he intends to give out the source for either HL 1 Network or Steam. Because a release of Steam code would really damage Valve and put all their plans off road for a very long time...

Shurakai

 

[bailliere]

I think the reason no-one noticed the upload can be found in Gabe's posting: He explains that the hackers were able to get a hold of his travel schedule...and that there was activity on his computer when they know he was out of town or otherwise busy. It stands to reason that if that were the case, (very smart) the hacker was trying to minimize the chance that his action would be noticed by Gabe, and working while Gabe was away.

I too think that 'ANON's reference (if he is indeed really the hacker, we have no proof of that) to "releasing everything - you know what I have" is a reference to different code (Steam or some other proprietary code) that would be damaging to Valve. Otherwise, he is contradicting himself (Sorry ladies, don't mean to imply hackers are always Male, but consider it a compliment in this case.)

 

[bailliere]

Re: ahahahahah !

Originally posted by gpepper
I'm french and there's a chance that nobody understands me !
I can't believe one second that they are such idiot !
I've worked in video games and all the codes were secured, backed-up to another place more than one time !
How could they give us that excuse ?
They were in late, that's all !
The "bizarre" of this is How could they tell us that the game was released soon while they're still coding ?
When the game is finished, it would be sent to the editor to be "pressed" (don't think it's the good word!) and then distribued. It takes 2 month to do that !!!

gpepper - we understand you, and 'pressed' is a good word. I would argue that it would probably take even longer than two months to press the cd's, have all the documentation printed and all the packaging & marketing set up.....anyone out there know more about this process? How long does it really take?

I am sure they did have a backup of the source code - that is not the issue. The hacker did not take it from them, he just copied it.

Does anyone know: How would Valve know how much of the source code had been compromised? I am curious about the whole '1/3rd' thing. Would the hacker have only taken a third of the spoils? Would Gabe only have had a third of it on his computer? They said that the hacker had copmpromised several computers at the studio, so what are the chances that he couldn't have taken more?

 

[TwwIX]

I also think that this game is far from finished and its a bit hard to believe that one of the best known(if not the best)game developers did not secure their systems and got so easily hacked by this so called"Anonymous Leaker".Like somebody mentioned before,every game now and then gets leaked by the company or one of their partners.cough*ATI cough*.Why?Well why do u think....to hype it up a notch. I got to be honest with u, i got the chance to check out this so called beta and if the finished game(well if its done) is anything close to this,than it would turn out to be quiet dissapointing in my opinion.(dont ask me for it cause i dont have it)This is just nothing compared to what we saw in the e3 trailer.Anyway,u know as i do that we'll never find out what the hell really is going on with valve and this games development.And i believe that this game will be delayed quite longer than we expect it to be.Well that's what happend with the first game and it still turned out to be the king of all fps games out.All i (we) are asking for is valve to stop this nonsense and come clean for change.Cause they know as we do even after all this crap and waiting we'll still line up at the next gaming store to get this baby into our hands.You could've at least been honest with us guys.:|