Interesting read: (release date)

[phantomdesign]

http://nextwish.org/
====================================

As you already know, the source code for Half-Life 2 was recently stolen from VALVE.

I've seen alot of sites concentrate on reporting the leak, but no-one has really looked into the 30/09 milestone.

If one is to loook carefully at console.cpp [Line 849]:

Q_snprintf(ver, sizeof( ver ), "Source Engine %i/%s (build %d - days until 9/30/03)", PROTOCOL_VERSION, gpszVersionString, build_number() );



30/09/03 was a very important milestone, keep in mind that the sourecode was stolen on the 19th of September and the delay was announced on the 24th.

Personaly, I believe 30/09 was the milestone for the HL2 code freeze and from then on the standard eight weeks of QA were to commence.

Everything makes sense now. The release was going fine up until the middle of September, then Valve started to go a bit quiet. Then the delay is announced with a comment relating to “email problems.” And Valve go even quieter. Everyone who has seen a Valve guy recently for interviews etc. has commented that they all looked like shite, and really stressed out. They could not announce that they had been hacked because they were probably hoping that he would try again, and that they could catch him.

The one to blame for HL2’s delay, isn't Valve, Steam, NVIDIA or vivendi. It is the bellend who hacked Valve and stole the source code 2 weeks before the milestone.

They were literally forced into delaying HL2, for all they know the gold source tree could now be tainted. It will take them weeks to go through it and make sure everything is sane.
============================

It is extra evidence in addition to other evidence I've stated. Can't be sure, but it is more reason none of you should support the hacker or say he did something good.


Here’s some more good informative threads (mostly the first post) if you are having a hard time finding them.

==============================
Resources for further reading: (generally you don’t need to read past the first post)

Information about the hacker, the delay, and the status of the beta.
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12627

The original request for help from Gabe.
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=10692

“THE REAL DEAL with the HL2 source” He obviously knows what he is talking about. As a programmer, I can verify all info in the first post.
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=12128

This one discusses differences between the E3 video & the Beta screenshots.
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=11691

Interesting read:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=12530

More stuff about why the beta is incomplete & valve in on schedule:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=12428

Some very well done research on technical graphics issues:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/sho...;threadid=12128

 

[Nightmare]

UNLEASH THE HEADCRABS!!!
on the hacker of corse

 

[phantomdesign]

I just had an idea: I should name my MOD "UNLEASH THE HEADCRABS!!!"

What do you think?

 

[Gavon]

I totally agree with u on this....

 

[Gavon]

Originally posted by SlipperyNipple
Sweet Jesus you're right!! You and the other 250 people who have posted the exact same thing!

Idiot.

Idoit.? Slippery u must be like 10? GG noob

 

[Tichio]

Reading that made this delay clear to me

Valve have had a security breach, and it is entirely possible that the sourse code at on their systems was changed!

This checking is likely to be the source of the delay.

Sorry to repeat the bleeding obvious but this is actualy the first time since the leak that I have heard anyone sugest this reason, and to me it sounds like the most likely. Opinions?

 

[ferd]

Makes sense, i was thinking the same actually untill Gabe said it was stolen on the 19th, dunno why i changed my mind. Maybe Gabe could comment on that?

 

[phantomdesign]

I think it is PART of the reason, but not the WHOLE reason.

 

[Wraithen]

Actually this is the first time I've heard this theory, and it actually makes a lot of sense. It would also explain the lack of confirmation from Valve... no one wants to admit that they may have been compromised in such a way, and no company at all would want to let people know that their product may have been tampered with by hackers. I guess that would even stop them from simply restoring the code from back-ups as they wouldn't know if they've been attacked before (?)

 

[genocide604]

I really hope it isnt because of the hacker... i am really looking forward to november as being the release date..

and ill stick with that until they announce another delay

 

[rec]

NextWish is a fellow Australian, he's a cheating bastard. Many down here have simply boycotted his worthless website.

I know this has almost nothing to do with the purpose of this thread, sorry.

 

[nbk-brando]

Good points - good post. Can a mod fix his links, though? Most of em I've seen - I'd like to check out the last one.

Thx.

 

[Parasite]

Originally posted by SlipperyNipple
Sweet Jesus you're right!! You and the other 250 people who have posted the exact same thing!

Idiot.

This is why people hate headcrabs.

 

[Headwires]

oh and i thought it was coz they ugly as shit ?!?

 

[Skammich]

Originally posted by rec
NextWish is a fellow Australian, he's a cheating bastard. Many down here have simply boycotted his worthless website.

I know this has almost nothing to do with the purpose of this thread, sorry.

he hacks?

i always thought his modifications were very useful.

 

[ferd]

Originally posted by Skammich
he hacks?

i always thought his modifications were very useful.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Originally posted by phantomdesign Everything makes sense now. The release was going fine up until the middle of September, then Valve started to go a bit quiet. Then the delay is announced with a comment relating to “email problems.” And Valve go even quieter. Everyone who has seen a Valve guy recently for interviews etc. has commented that they all looked like shite, and really stressed out. They could not announce that they had been hacked because they were probably hoping that he would try again, and that they could catch him.

The one to blame for HL2’s delay, isn't Valve, Steam, NVIDIA or vivendi. It is the bellend who hacked Valve and stole the source code 2 weeks before the milestone.

u have some points there that haven't been mentioned before.. im gonna go one step further and point u to my post in the Valve, Ati, and CZ gone gold thread

i didn't really go into the kinda detail u have given about the hacker and such, but the bit about Steam and its network being 1 reason amoung many that HL2 got a delay is very believable..

anyway ur post has offers more to ponder about than just a delay related to Steam and its network.

 

[GorgeousOrifice]

Originally posted by phantomdesign
They were literally forced into delaying HL2, for all they know the gold source tree could now be tainted. It will take them weeks to go through it and make sure everything is sane.

Um, do you really think Valve would be dumb enough not to use a full-scale source control system? Unless the hacker deleted their VSS server files, verifying that the source hasn't been tainted would take about five minutes. The Source source wasn't destroyed or damaged in any way that couldn't be easily fixed.

Source has already been licensed to other companies, so I imagine it was stable quite a bit of time ago. Somebody looking at it isn't going to delay HL2 any. Now depending on what they got in Steam, it may be a different story.

 

[Gavon]

Originally posted by nbk-brando
Good points - good post. Can a mod fix his links, though? Most of em I've seen - I'd like to check out the last one.

Thx.

Supp Bran down for some ut eh>?

 

[Kyle2]

it was fragmaster who stole the source code to make valve delay the game so he wouldn't have to dress up like freeman and pass out free copies.:flame:

 

[AcneBrain]

Originally posted by Kyle2
it was fragmaster who stole the source code to make valve delay the game so he wouldn't have to dress up like freeman and pass out free copies.:flame:

:cheers:

 

[GhostValkyrie]

Well, I'm sick of this thread and everyone in it. I'm goin' out for a drink, or two, or five...

-Ghost.

 

[weirdo]

1. I hope valve isnt that sad that they dont keep regular backups(its a must for programming that much shit)..
2. I beleive the source engine is done for licensing purposes..... but I also beleive that knowing valve they havent stopped to add new stuff into it/tweak a few things for this company i heard of, oh yeah nvidia
3. As they said in tokyo or where ever the delay was because of some language packs for hte game, but I think steam also delayed it...
4. Now some recoding is going to delay the game, who knows how much, possibly just a few things possibly half of the game.....

 

[Wildhound]

Umm... to believe that the hacker somehow damaged the code that Valve has is absurd. Even if he somehow tracked down every last copy of it on Valve's network (which we know he didn't, as he never even found the full, up to date version) it wouldn't matter.

Valve, and presumably every other software company, have regular backups sent off-site, away from their HQ and network, usually every week. Even if their offices burned down and every computer they own was destroyed, they'd still have several copies of the engine and the entire game stored off-site.

Despite this being fact, a little common sense should have made anyone realise it themselves...

Aside from which, they could just go ask Troika to give them a copy.

 

[Plague]

You know that this shit happens all the ****ing time. There are alpha leaks, beta leaks, and gold leaks all the mother ****ing time. So why should HL2 be any diffrent, hmm???? A alpha of Doom 3 got leaked but I didnt hear much about it, a Jedi Acadmey beta got leaked and again nothing about it, not to mention all the console games that are hacked and put up on the internet for everyone to d/l....hmm, what about them???

Iv never seen so many people bitch and wine about a game being delayed, or that a beta was leaked, or that the source was stolen(not including this fourm). Your's and everybody elses obsession with HL2 is so ****ing sick, it literaly makes me want to vomit.

 

[Cheetarah654]

good old nexty, notice how all the articles come from our kick ass forum?

 

[ImJacksAmygdala]

Valve would have backups stored ina safe location away from outside sources. I don't think the delay was based on Valve worryiing about a tainted source code.

The delay could very well be based on trying to catch the person that hacked them while they finished the QA process though.

 

[GhostValkyrie]

I doubt there's a delay. You'll all see come mid Nov., it'll be right there in your hands. You'll be so happy that you'll forget about life, and get in a car wreck on the way home.

-Ghost.

 

[alco]

Originally posted by Plague
You know that this shit happens all the ****ing time. There are alpha leaks, beta leaks, and gold leaks all the mother ****ing time. So why should HL2 be any diffrent, hmm???? A alpha of Doom 3 got leaked but I didnt hear much about it, a Jedi Acadmey beta got leaked and again nothing about it, not to mention all the console games that are hacked and put up on the internet for everyone to d/l....hmm, what about them???

Their source code didn't get leaked. :dozey:

 

[phantomdesign]

Originally posted by alco
Their source code didn't get leaked. :dozey:

What hole have you been living in?

 

[Mr. Redundant]

Originally posted by phantomdesign
What hole have you been living in?

the one in which there was no source
:dozey:

 

[phantomdesign]

Originally posted by Mr. Redundant
the one in which there was no source
:dozey:

That'd probably be a nice hole to live in....bunnies, flowers, little birds, & sunshine!

OK, maybe not.

 

[Azzy]

Originally posted by rec
NextWish is a fellow Australian, he's a cheating bastard. Many down here have simply boycotted his worthless website.

I know this has almost nothing to do with the purpose of this thread, sorry.

get ****ed
ive met nexty a bunch of times and hes a good bloke
look at all the stuff he does for the community, and what does he ask for in return? . not a damn thing.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

Originally posted by phantomdesign
What hole have you been living in?

Alco is pointing out to Plague that the examples he is giving (Jedi Academy, Doom 3) are not the same situation as HL2, because their source code wasn't leaked. So Alco understands quite well that HL2's has.

 

[alehm]

Good theory.. anyone remember the biggest HL2 news circulating right before the news of the hack emerged? Anyone?????? It was the news of a HL2.net mod posing as a Valve employee on Steam and getting some inside information from them. This obviously raised security concerns about Steam but the story disappeared inless than 24 hours because news of a playable version of HL2 had started to surface.

This may explain when Munro was posing as Doug L and talking to a Valve employee on Steam and Munro asked "So is Steam the reason HL2 was delayed?" and the employee immediatly knew it wasn't Doug.

Of course the employee would know it wasn't Doug at that point, but if the employee knew HL2 was delayed because the theft, and then "Doug" is asking if HL2 was delayed because of Steam... well, you could imagine tragic comedy.

Though I am sure Munro was kinda glad the heat was off him once the news of the theft started to snowball out of control...

 

[nbk-brando]

Originally posted by Gavon
Supp Bran down for some ut eh>?

Sup Mean, I guess you found my hiding place.

 

[alco]

Originally posted by DeusEx2
Alco is pointing out to Plague that the examples he is giving (Jedi Academy, Doom 3) are not the same situation as HL2, because their source code wasn't leaked. So Alco understands quite well that HL2's has.

Thank you.

I guess some people don't understand that a beta or an alpha is different than the actual source code. Morons.