A few questions concerning HL2

[True_Eraser]

There are a few things I'd like cleared up for me.

1. I've read everywhere the sourcecode was stolen(who hasn't :cheese: ) What I haven't read is, is this stolen in the conventional sense(taken and what valve had was deleted and valve doesn't have it) or merely copied and valve still has it all?

2. Valve likely has everything still, Can't they just say "Screw you, we're going to continue working like we have been and get the game out as close as possible to when it should have" to these hacker S.O.B.s after upping security to an unnecessary level and verifying nothing has been modified or lost. Let others handle tracking these people down and shutting them down. Valve should just make sure there is no risk of this happening again and focus on getting the game finished and released.

3. If they were to do that, how long would that all take?

I've also heard a story about adobe having someone arrested by the fbi for violating a copyright law, and they sat in jail for 8 months without a trial. No matter how unconstitutional it is, have this done to the people who did this. In fact, when these people are found and arrested, invite me to see them so I can shoot them personally.

Of all the games to do this to why the hell did it have to be half life 2? why couldn't it have been max payne 2 instead, or doom?

 

[fez]

1. It was copied from their network

2. as far as i no this is what they are doing

3. we are all hoping for holiday release

hope that helps

 

[Saltpeter]

1. Copied.
2. They have continued work on HL2. With the security as a branch.
3. See 2.

 

[nw909]

It wasn't taken right off the system without a trace, you can't do that.

it was copied.

 

[EinsteinsBrain]

1. Someone hacked into Valve's network and downloaded the source source-code [say that 5 times fast]. It's a sw theaft as in copy.

2. That is probably what happened. Valve decided to make the theft ofiicial and I am sure that law enforcement is involved. The question is what they can do since this could likely be an international theft (the hacket could be from anywhere). The internet is the wild wild west; there are few law enforcers out there.

3. I have no idea how long it will take to finish. Valve seem to say that the game was finished but that they are adding multiple language support. The official relase date from VU is April, Valve has been a bit cryptic confirming that and many of us hope for a holliday release.

My personal opinion is that they are waiting for steam.... CS:CZ will be released by steam and the first game you can pay for through steam (I think). This could be the final "test" they are waiting for... At least we could hope so..

 

[True_Eraser]

This is good to hear. I just hope they can get this out for the holidays. it won't affect the hardcore gamers if it comes out later, but the mass market won't buy it as much. and thats where alot of profit comes from.

When they first confirmed a delay, was this the real reason why? Originally I had hoped it was nothing more than optimizing it to run better with nvidia cards(those benchmarks sucked)

Also, valve was going to release a benchmark on 9/30, but hl was delayed by this. do they have any plans to release that anytime soon?

 

[EinsteinsBrain]

I think they meant to say that the benchmark would be release at the same time as the game (i.e 9/30) at some time they started saying 9/30 instead of "at the same time as the game"

This and other boards then started to hope that they would release the benchmark even if they did delay the game. This doesn't seem to be the case.

My guess is that they will release the benchmark close to the release since it in many way is a 'hype machine' to get many sites to mention their game.