:) Shuttin down Beta Sites - One at a time!

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by alco
??

You seriously think everyone has already downloaded the beta?

It is just the hardcore internet geeks that will go around the net looking for links/torrents to get the 'game.'

Valve's efforts aren't in vain. If they keep that many people from getting the beta, it's worth it.

The beta ain't worth a shit anyway. It's the code that matters and it's the code that you should be worried about.

As for the beta: Anyone who wants it and can use Google with any sort of skill can find it and DL it. And you're right, statistically there is probably a much larger demographic out there who doesn't know that it exists. So why is Valve desperately trying to squash it out? If it wasn't that big of a deal they wouldn't be sending out their attack lawyers. The hardcore gamers most likely know about the beta and most already have it. And that is why Valve is worried.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by deepcore
I know what we can do to cheer up Unnamed_Player: let's convince Valve to drop Half-Life 2 entirely and keep playing the barely functioning alpha/beta/pre-gold/pre-release/pre-shit****ingchrist for all eternity. Because it's pretty obvious that some people here, for reasons unknown to me, really seem to hate HL2...

I don't hate HL2. But unlike some people here I am not regularly cleaning hairs from Gabe's ass crack out of my teeth either.

Bottomline is that the beta is out there and no amount of legal wrangling is going to change that. Anyone who thinks it will is smoking some good stuff.

I await the shipping of HL2 eagerly. And as long as it ships at some point before Doom 3 I'll happily play the hell out of it when it does.

And if any of you have actually played the "beta" you'd know that there is no reason to worry about it. It sucks, it's buggy, and if that was the state of the game on the 19th of September I can fully understand why it was delayed. Hopefully they finish it and kick it out the door soon.

 

[Alphy]

I want more updates on your Half Life 2 Beta jihad. Do you have any heads on sticks yet?

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
I don't hate HL2. But unlike some people here I am not regularly cleaning hairs from Gabe's ass crack out of my teeth either.

Neither am I, but I am, however, concerned about the number of people who wholeheartedly think that the leak was a really brilliant event.

 

[sys202]

Let's shut down the Internet, that way NOBODY will ever share files online anymore, this also deters potential hl2 file sharers.

 

[azz0r]

It was to a degree, if it had just been the e3 maps then I think the community would have embraced it and really got a taste for what was coming, but the whole game was the complete opposite

 

[soman]

That only works for those in the US, the DMCA that is.

 

[KagePrototype]

Originally posted by sys202
Let's shut down the Internet, that way NOBODY will ever share files online anymore, this also deters potential hl2 file sharers.

You fool, what about physical file sharing?! The only way to stop it is to control everything that anyone can own, from CD-writers to floppy disk drives (don't think you can stick Hl2 on a floppy disk? Just buy a few hundred thousand floppies and you're set to go!)! And then, you have to make sureno one can make CD-writers and PCs and the internet! So then you control distribution of all natural resources!! This shows that the only real way to stop file sharing dead is hand complete and total control to the government!! Only then will Valve's misfortunes be avenged!!!

VOTE FOR A TOTALITARIAN STATE TODAY!!!!!!

 

[bilsmaks]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
Like I said, the beta isn't going anywhere, neither is the source. When Valve sends a letter to the site the link gets taken off of the page and the files get moved, then you go to the forum and ask for the links to be PMed to you and there you have it. Valve has accomplished exactly nothing.

I still know of at least 2 dozen sites hosted in Germany, Korea and a few in NZ that have the beta offered. Good luck shutting them down.

Drop onto IRC into any of half a dozen channels and you'll get torrents for it out the ass. I even know of one site that hosts a torrent but doesn't actually advertise it (and never has) and I pulled the beta down off of it at over 300K per second!

Valve will send these letters out for a few weeks, just like Id did when the E3 alpha of Doom 3 was leaked then they'll get bored of paying their lawyer too much money to do the shit and it'll all be over and all the sites will have the links back up.

To believe that you can get rid of anything once it's on the net is borderline retarded.

:: claps :: well said

 

[Subz]

shuttin down beta sites wont help. There are some networks that you just can't get into. This includes college networks. ALmost every1 who is into pc games at my bros college has halflife-2. ITs in their entire dorm network and they can dload in 2 minutes.

 

[sys202]

Originally posted by KagePrototype
You fool, what about physical file sharing?!

That's why I said "nobody will ever share files ONLIne anymore" if we shut down the internet

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by monster facial
Unnamed_sucker

The whole FILESOUP.COM site wasn't taken down, that's true. However, they were forced to take their HL2 links down.

HAHAHA, you loner

And btw, your stupid tactics of trying to convince everyone that resistance is futile cause the whole world has it by now is somehow all too translucent and simplistic. Currently, the situation is reversing and for every torrent link out there 5 sites will be taken down.

As I said before, sucker, I dare you to CREATE ANYTHING. Now piss off.

HAHAHA

The links are still on the site if you know where to look. They were moved, not removed.

You might want to check the mirror every so often and wipe that brown ring from around your mouth.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by Subz
shuttin down beta sites wont help. There are some networks that you just can't get into. This includes college networks. ALmost every1 who is into pc games at my bros college has halflife-2. ITs in their entire dorm network and they can dload in 2 minutes.

I know that a lot of college networks have a server dedicated to sharing files of all types setup by the network admins. At my school they call it the dot server. It has hundreds of CDs in MP3 format, DVD rips, TV series and tons of Apps and games all free for the taking for any student (I bet the BSA hate that kind of shit). Gotta love technology.

 

[BlackMesaDude]

they cant close them all.

 

[WARLORD]

Originally posted by KagePrototype
You fool, what about physical file sharing?! The only way to stop it is to control everything that anyone can own, from CD-writers to floppy disk drives (don't think you can stick Hl2 on a floppy disk? Just buy a few hundred thousand floppies and you're set to go!)! And then, you have to make sureno one can make CD-writers and PCs and the internet! So then you control distribution of all natural resources!! This shows that the only real way to stop file sharing dead is hand complete and total control to the government!! Only then will Valve's misfortunes be avenged!!!

VOTE FOR A TOTALITARIAN STATE TODAY!!!!!!

nah!
the only way is PALLADIUM
i hope it will never be released...

 

[Oakey]

Originally posted by monster facial
Unnamed_sucker

The whole FILESOUP.COM site wasn't taken down, that's true. However, they were forced to take their HL2 links down.

HAHAHA, you loner

And btw, your stupid tactics of trying to convince everyone that resistance is futile cause the whole world has it by now is somehow all too translucent and simplistic. Currently, the situation is reversing and for every torrent link out there 5 sites will be taken down.

As I said before, sucker, I dare you to CREATE ANYTHING. Now piss off.

HAHAHA

Eh? As someone said, DMCA is US specific, can you explain how torrent sites other than the US will be getting removed? You forget some countires are more relaxed about shit and don't all give a rats ass about the Global Hyper Mega Corps like Americans do. Piracy is a way of life in places like the far east, I'm sure they'll scoff at your DMCA letters.

 

[Necro]

Originally posted by monster facial
Wow, thanks for that, Netherscourge!

Excellent news.

It just shows that all the links we keep sending to Valve finally show some effect. And it proves all the ppl wrong who keep saying "Valve can't do anything" or "they're only interested in the source engine".

HAHAHA

amen.

 

[FAK3R]

Originally posted by Netherscourge
xxxxxxxx.com

That was formerly a link to a site loaded with bit torrents, FTPs and HTTP links to ALL of the stolen files that were taken from Valve's Offices.

A Valve attorney has contected that site's webmaster and ordered them to close shop. Hopefully more legal action is in store for them, because they had a TON of links to the HL2 beta, the beta patch and the Counter Zone Pre-Gold Beta.

The site now just has a message from Valve's attorney threatening legal action for Violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act.



Have a Nice Day!

(I blanked out phone numbers and e-mails with xxxxxx to protect attorneys)

oh my there are still a thousand other sources to get all this stuff from!!
This is such a great accomplishment

 

[KagePrototype]

Originally posted by sys202
That's why I said "nobody will ever share files ONLIne anymore" if we shut down the internet

my point still stands.

 

[Kadayi]

To be honest, the spread of the 'Beta' really isn't going to impact upon the sales of the game. Firstly it's not complete, secondly by the time the game is released whether that be next month or next year, the 'beta' code will invariably be incompatible with the shipped version with respect to multiplayer. So unless they are a complete live for Warez Whore (in which case they wouldn't plan on buying anyway) they will fork out their Dollars, Euros of Pounds whatever. Playing the 'beta' is akin to watching a handheld camcorder version of an unreleased blockbusters roughcuts. Sure you got to see it 'first' but it takes the gleam away from experiencing the real thing later on, because you've lost the focus of immersion that can only be experienced the first time you play a game.

Valves reasons for requesting sites to take it down is just SOP in such a situation as this (you can't be seen to do nothing in the industry), also it reduces the spread of spoilers by helping restrict the spread of the 'beta' into the mainstream (there are a large majority of computer users out there who don't know diddly about bitsteams or filesharing).

The more people that have something, the more they want to tell you about it sadly and spoil the surprise for you 'OMG OMG OMG!! there's this bit where the two headed shark pulls out a raygun and blasts them all into the blackhole!! It's gripping!!.......well it was till you told me the entire plot ****tard.

I'm neither for or against downloading the 'beta' but all I would say is don't expect it to be the polished experience that Valve wanted you to experience, contary to the loose talk, the Game code is very old (and buggy).

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by monster facial
woohoo "moved" but not "removed", eh?

You really seem to know how to get your stuff for free, eh?

Now, do us all a favour, go kill yourself.

HAHAHA

Man, if you aren't the absolute pinnacle of human intelligence. :dozey:

Feel free to live on in ignorance.

Whiners like you are why most people over 12 stopped playing HL ages ago, and I'm willing to bet you'll drive them away from HL2 as well. It's a shame.

 

[RyanJM]

Valve's effort accomplish next to nothing, but if they don't mind paying their attorney, I guess they can try...

 

[Hallucinogen]

Get over it already, HL2 beta will remain online till the full thing comes out and thats that, nothing you or anyone else can do about it.

 

[Sgt.Zen]

the beta sucks any ways theres barly any monsters in the game so u just walk around lvls doing nothing i dun think thats much fun

 

[Netherscourge]

What's with all this negativity? Valve is threatening sites that provide stolen property to people.

Why are some of you against this? You make it sound like your happy they will never stop it?

Yes - the internet is too big to permanently shut down these sites. But if they don't atleast try to stop it, they would be condoning it by their inaction.

Too many fatalysts in this community.

 

[Hallucinogen]

Originally posted by Netherscourge
What's with all this negativity? Valve is threatening sites that provide stolen property to people.

Why are some of you against this? You make it sound like your happy they will never stop it?

Im not against it, I'm all up for it, bust being realistic.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by Netherscourge
What's with all this negativity? Valve is threatening sites that provide stolen property to people.

Why are some of you against this? You make it sound like your happy they will never stop it?

The problem is not that Valve is doing something that will ultimately have absolutely no effect. The probelm is that they are wasting tons of time and resources on doing this kind of thing when they would be better spent finishing the game. Warez sites have been around forever. If Microsoft and the BSA can't shut them down then Valve doesn't even stand a ghost of a chance.

The only way they can cut the trade of the "beta" off at the knees is to finish the game and ship it. Once they do that interest in the leaked parts of the game falls to exactly nothing. The only reason a lot of people want the beta is because they can't buy the game. Once you remove that obstacle the whole problem goes away.

The source is another thing altogether. What you saw with the source was a whole lot of people who had no idea what to do with it downloading it to look at it. Once they figured out that it was basically unreadable to anyone who doesn't know C++ programming most of them probably deleted it. The one's who do know what to do with it already have it. So again it makes little sense to waste the money trying to stop it.

 

[LoneDeranger]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
The problem is not that Valve is doing something that will ultimately have absolutely no effect. The probelm is that they are wasting tons of time and resources on doing this kind of thing when they would be better spent finishing the game. Warez sites have been around forever. If Microsoft and the BSA can't shut them down then Valve doesn't even stand a ghost of a chance.

The only way they can cut the trade of the "beta" off at the knees is to finish the game and ship it. Once they do that interest in the leaked parts of the game falls to exactly nothing. The only reason a lot of people want the beta is because they can't buy the game. Once you remove that obstacle the whole problem goes away.

The source is another thing altogether. What you saw with the source was a whole lot of people who had no idea what to do with it downloading it to look at it. Once they figured out that it was basically unreadable to anyone who doesn't know C++ programming most of them probably deleted it. The one's who do know what to do with it already have it. So again it makes little sense to waste the money trying to stop it.

It's not like the whole Valve team is going around looking for the beta sites. They have a legal department and thats their job.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by LoneDeranger
It's not like the whole Valve team is going around looking for the beta sites. They have a legal department and thats their job.

Once again, that's money better spent finishing the game. Lawyers are not going to stop the distribution of the beta. Only when the game ships will the interest in the beta fall off enough that it will no longer be distributed.

 

[GhostValkyrie]

It's good to see sites getting shut down.(Seriously) Shows that some work is getting done.

-Ghost.

 

[inevident]

unless they have lawyers with access to private FTPs, whats going to stop it?

people that are serving the files are only receiving notices to delete all of it off their server. thats really owning people ain't it? I'd say its money being wasted. Then again if the game were to be released sooner rather than later, this wouldn't be necessary anywayz since the game would just be ripped soon enough. So in other words, expect a nice, long, long, delay.

 

[Bedwetting Type]

You guys need to look at this from more than one angle. It's true that Valve can't stop the files from spreading, but you think Valve shouldn't at least TRY? That's like saying cops shouldn't go after speeders on the road because they can't possibly catch them all. Do you know what driving would be like if we just let people break traffic laws?

This isn't just about making it harder for file sharers; going after warez sites is sending a message to people, and letting them know that what they are doing is wrong, and by doing it, they are risking legal action.

Copyright laws aren't a "suggestion;" they are rules, and they must be followed.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by Bedwetting Type
You guys need to look at this from more than one angle. It's true that Valve can't stop the files from spreading, but you think Valve shouldn't at least TRY? That's like saying cops shouldn't go after speeders on the road because they can't possibly catch them all. Do you know what driving would be like if we just let people break traffic laws?

This isn't just about making it harder for file sharers; going after warez sites is sending a message to people, and letting them know that what they are doing is wrong, and by doing it, they are risking legal action.

Copyright laws aren't a "suggestion;" they are rules, and they must be followed.

I'm not sure where you're from but where I live the "speed limit" sign is just a suggestion. If you ever drive the speed limit around here you'll end up getting rear ended. On the freeway the speed limit used to be 55 and they raised it to 65 just recently and one of the newspaper columnists made a joke about it, "what, so people are going to slow down now?" On the freeways out here I never see anyone doing less than 75. Do the cops pull over speeders? Yes they do, but only if you are "excessively exceeding the speed of traffic".

But I digress, CDs have the nice little copyright symbols on them too. Does any of the estimated 70 million p2p users pay attention to that while they scour the network for the latest Brittany Spears hit? No. They loudly exclaim "Screw the RIAA!" and go on happily downloading low quality music files. Were you on the RIAA's boards trying to tell people "this is wrong. Copyrights are rules and they must be followed." I doubt it. More likely that you were shouting "Screw the RIAA!" with the rest of them.

Like I said, everyone always thinks it's all ok until something happens that effects them or something they care about. Then suddenly they do some sort of moral backtrack and try to convince everyone that they were against it all along.

There is nothing more wrong with having the source code for HL2 or having the Beta for HL2 than there is with pulling CDs off the net. It's all the same thing. Once you ignore copyrights one place it's all to easy to ignore them everywhere, and believe it or not, that is the point that the RIAA has been trying to hammer home all along with all it's lawsuits and posturing.

Welcome to the Dark Side!

 

[Stormy151]

The source code was STOLEN from Valve. Anything derived from it (i.e. "The Beta") is also STOLEN.

Valve is well within their legal rights to pursue/shut down people distributing or possessing their STOLEN PROPERTY.

You possess Valve's (or the RIAA's, or Adobe's, or Microsoft's, etc) stolen property (mp3's, warez) at your own risk.

Valve or any other company's decision to pursue people possessing or distributing at property with lawyers or in court, is their prerogative. If they decide it's futile to go after someone, or whether it's worthwhile, is totally their decision to make.

It's their right, and if they decide to go after someone legally, I'd like to see them fight it.

So, roll the dice and take your chances. But don't cry foul when you're talking to a lawyer.

 

[manny_c44]

Originally posted by Stormy151
You possess Valve's (or the RIAA's, or Adobe's, or Microsoft's, etc) stolen property (mp3's, warez)

All of the above! :cheers:

Stick it to the man!

 

[LoneDeranger]

Originally posted by Bedwetting Type
You guys need to look at this from more than one angle. It's true that Valve can't stop the files from spreading, but you think Valve shouldn't at least TRY? That's like saying cops shouldn't go after speeders on the road because they can't possibly catch them all. Do you know what driving would be like if we just let people break traffic laws?

This isn't just about making it harder for file sharers; going after warez sites is sending a message to people, and letting them know that what they are doing is wrong, and by doing it, they are risking legal action.

Copyright laws aren't a "suggestion;" they are rules, and they must be followed.

This is not a copyright issue. I would have looked much more favoribly on the beta had it been obtained through legal means (like the D3 alpha).

 

[Bedwetting Type]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
I'm not sure where you're from but where I live the "speed limit" sign is just a suggestion. If you ever drive the speed limit around here you'll end up getting rear ended. On the freeway the speed limit used to be 55 and they raised it to 65 just recently and one of the newspaper columnists made a joke about it, "what, so people are going to slow down now?" On the freeways out here I never see anyone doing less than 75. Do the cops pull over speeders? Yes they do, but only if you are "excessively exceeding the speed of traffic".

Point taken. But speed limits ARE enforced, and it discourages people from doing, say, 45 in a 25 zone. Would YOU feel safe doing that?

Same thing with pirated MP3's. Ever since the RIAA started suing file swappers, they've created paranoia. People are taking steps to reduce their chances of getting caught, like disabling uploads. Can the RIAA stop music piracy completely? No. Are they seeing results? Yes.

Do you get what I'm saying now?

 

[manny_c44]

Originally posted by Bedwetting Type
Point taken. But speed limits ARE enforced, and it discourages people from doing, say, 45 in a 25 zone. Would YOU feel safe doing that?

I have done 100 in a 40 and regularly go 40-55 on 25-30. If I know the road. Accelerate into every turn, thats my rule!:cheers:

 

[Bedwetting Type]

Shut up. Nobody asked you. :E

 

[cloudstrife]

Originally posted by LoneDeranger
This is not a copyright issue. I would have looked much more favoribly on the beta had it been obtained through legal means (like the D3 alpha).

Wait wait wait. How was the doom III alpha legal? i mean sure i bet id leaked it, but they never acknowledged it, and always maintained that it was an illegal leak.