What if a warez group get their hands in HL2?

[^Thomas^]

Half-Life 2 is pretty much done since it is in Vivendi hands. Warez groups are probably hunting the game done as we speak, and if they are planning to release the game in 6 months what will happen if some hackers get hold if it?

Valve lose all their money and sales?

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Half-Life 2 is pretty much done since it is in Vivendi hands. Warez groups are probably hunting the game done as we speak, and if they are planning to release the game in 6 months what will happen if some hackers get hold if it?

Valve lose all their money and sales?

Well. Not quite. Believe it or not, but warez aren't even close to runining the game industry. There is more than a fair amount of people who actually buy games despite they can get them for free.

 

[[[LuCkY]]]

Half-Life 2 is pretty much done since it is in Vivendi hands. Warez groups are probably hunting the game done as we speak, and if they are planning to release the game in 6 months what will happen if some hackers get hold if it?

Valve lose all their money and sales?

First of all a couple threads are already discussing this. Secondly, they can't just break into the Valve building (physically that is) and steal the game you know. The warez kiddies can't get what isn't released yet to the manufactures.

 

[Rog]

...then they'd be breaking the law and I hope they get caught

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Half-Life 2 is pretty much done since it is in Vivendi hands. Warez groups are probably hunting the game done as we speak, and if they are planning to release the game in 6 months what will happen if some hackers get hold if it?

Valve lose all their money and sales?

Vivendi could set up a hacker up to distribute it, then sit on the gold copy for 6 months.

Plausible deniability "WE WERE HACKED!!"

Vivendi could then destroy Valve's chance of making money by sitting on the gold copy for another 6 months whilst many people keen for HL2 download it off the net.

When it's finally released 6 months later it's old news! Everyone's played it thoroughly, why buy it? It's an old game by then.

That would be an interesting chain of events!! That is also the absolute worst case scenario!

 

[lifebringer]

I doubt it's likely that any group get their hands on the RC1 VUG currently has (or had). For this to happen, someone with access to the RC1 (Valve employees, VUG employees/beta testers) would have to either rip it or give it to someone who could. These are people who have a financial (and maybe also personal) interest in the game, and are well aware of the legal ramifications of this happening under their watch.

For one of the many people who receive a screener of a movie from the studio to loan their copy to a friend who then rips/releases the movie is one thing. For one of the FEW people who have access to the HL2 RC1 to rip it or give it to someone who could is another thing alltogether. It's not likely -- they would quite literally be ****ed.

I also doubt it's likely that any group create executable/run files reliable enough to run the game well from the content we currently have preloaded (assuming they could crack the encryption). First off, I don't believe we have all the content (excluding exe/dlls..etc) preloaded. Secondly, IF a group used the executables from the hl2 leak, those files are old and may not run well with the newer content (versions might not match and give errors, structure/organization might be different, etc.).

But given enough time, who knows what will happen...

HOPEFULLY, VU/VUG realize this and it will be a fire under their asses to get moving... (I'm sure Valve employees are already concerned and aware about this possibility, considering they MADE the game and probably care about it at for at least a FEW reasons other than financial ones.)

 

[Mr-Fusion]

There's more to this issue than simply money. It's a power struggle of epic proportions. For the first time i can ever remember the creator is fighting back and devising ways to put the publisher out of business. The publisher who has had so much power and so much influence over the creative doings of developers are finally being threatened.

This is the first battle. If VUG loses it could mean other publishers will fall by the wayside as othe developers utilized steam-like technology to promote and distribute their products themselves.

Think about it! We may finally see an end to EA and their endless Medal of Honor :Shoot japs/germans line of games?? Can you imagine a world without medal of honor games? The complete lack of originality is enough to drive anyone insane!!

*dreams*

 

[^Thomas^]

After all this I actully hope some hackers could get their hands in the game . Im so tired now.. Both Valve and Vivendi have craploads of stupid people working for them.

 

[Maui]

Vivendi could set up a hacker up to distribute it, then sit on the gold copy for 6 months.

Plausible deniability "WE WERE HACKED!!"

Vivendi could then destroy Valve's chance of making money by sitting on the gold copy for another 6 months whilst many people keen for HL2 download it off the net.

When it's finally released 6 months later it's old news! Everyone's played it thoroughly, why buy it? It's an old game by then.

That would be an interesting chain of events!! That is also the absolute worst case scenario!

And VUG would get no money either. Considering the position they're in financially, that little fit of childish pique could be the brick that breaks the camel's back, so to speak.

 

[f|uke]

This would be very sad, as it would certainly do damage to Valve as a pirated copy of HL2 would be incredibly popular. People who dont normall pirate would have this, just because it is so amazing that it would be incredibly hard to resist.

I honestly dont know if I could.

I assume the preview copys all have embeded serial numbers, so whomever they were given to would be in serious trouble if their copy got out. It would have to be stolen to get into the wrong hands.

But if that happened, it would be available in a matter of hours. So one can safely assume that it has not happened yet.

Lets hope it stays that way. HL2 will still get released underground at around the same time as it goes on sale. But thats normal.

 

[|_HeLL_|]

You're mad if you think hl2 won't be leaked if Vivendi push back the game six months. How many times we've seen how hundreds of games get leaked just a day after gone gold? If I recall correctly CZ also was leaked months before Vivendi released it.

How many $ Doom 3 publisher (and ID) in Europe lost by releasing Doom3 just two weeks after the game was released in USA? Massive.

How many $ Vivendi (and Valve) lost by releasing CZ 6 months after the game gone gold? I-N-S-A-N-E. Did VUG care of this fact? I think not, the point there was to **** Valve.

How many $ Vivendi (and Valve) will lose if they release the game in 2005, and during this time the game got hacked? MOMOMOMOMOOOONSTER KILL KILL Kill kill....

 

[Mr-Fusion]

And VUG would get no money either. Considering the position they're in financially, that little fit of childish pique could be the brick that breaks the camel's back, so to speak.

I don't think Vivendi's gaming division (they have many other profit making divisions other than games) will collapse because of no Half-Life 2. Vivendi still own Blizzard and still have a lot of profitable developers under their belt. A bit of management reshuffling, re-organizing their market plans and they can turn that loss they made this year into a profit next year. Half-Life 2 is an easy way to make money but i think maintaining their power as a publisher is more important.

Publishers need to control the market with an iron fist. They can't have developers creating new and innovative titles off their own bat. Publishers have to manipulate and exploit things for all their worth. Like i mentioned the MOH series of games before. No matter how crap and unoriginal each successive game is, people buy them. One could argue they're giving people what they want i could argue their selling you the same thing each year with a slighty different name and you're a consumer whore for buying it . EA will continue to hire new developers to make their next MOH title for the $$$. I despise capitalism in creative environments with a passion.

Valve on other hand have the power and money to do as they please. No publisher tells them what to do and i think Vivendi hate this. STEAM is a big threat to them and all other game publishers.

In fact this situation reminds this line of dialogue

"....But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir of Numenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn..."
..

Vivendi=Sauron
Aragorn=Steam
Numenor=Valve!

Vivendi may just have the attitude of "If we're going down we're going to take them with us".

 

[geowa]

Imo valve and vivendi should make friends, release the game, share the earning from steam and they both make millions.

 

[John Romero]

are you saying that hl2 wont be warezed after hl2 is gold? i dont see the point of this thread other than you think valve will lose money to pirates. every game thats released is wared. without exception.

 

[Dead-Inside]

Well. Not quite. Believe it or not, but warez aren't even close to runining the game industry. There is more than a fair amount of people who actually buy games despite they can get them for free.

Mostly for MP. Even people who do download games often buy them if they like them (Ensuring good games DO get money). They can't play online, and even if they can, it's on private cracked servers with limited amounts of players and it's a hassle even getting there.

are you saying that hl2 wont be warezed after hl2 is gold? i dont see the point of this thread other than you think valve will lose money to pirates. every game thats released is wared. without exception.

1. Why do you have such a username?

2. Not *every* game is picked up by pirates. Games that people would actually buy are warez'd. Not the Japanese nobodies game for eg.

 

[InFeRnO]

You obviously don't understand the 'scene'.

There are rules to releases, and all groups follow them. A release would be nuked if it were PRE-Gold. Sure people might still download it, but it's not going to be widespread.

If ANYONE thinks that:
1) Valve will stop pirating somehow, they're wrong.
2) That it will hurt HL2's sales, of course it will, but they'll still make a ton of money, every game gets pirated, and they seem to make a profit somehow. Think about it.

 

[killahsin-[CE]]

After all this I actully hope some hackers could get their hands in the game . Im so tired now.. Both Valve and Vivendi have craploads of stupid people working for them.

Yes all those PHd's BA's and master degree's PROVE they are littered with stupid people at valve.....*yawn*

 

[Gray Fox]

I don't understand why so many people would think its a bad thing if HL2 gtes pirated if Vivendi holds it for another 6 months, I mean lets say they indeed decide to do that, what do you want to do,sit and wait like a good little boy, F*** you, if somebody warez it we don't have to wait for six months, and can play the singleplayer immidiatly and then after they finally release it, we buy it to be able to play online and to be able to play all the mods. In short, if they decide to sit on it for six months then I hope it gets warez, and not only that, if I get the chance i would warez it. This is offcourse only if they decide to be bitches and hold it unnecesairy for six months, otherwize: yeah warezing it would suck!!!

 

[daveodeth]

Yes all those PHd's BA's and master degree's PROVE they are littered with stupid people at valve.....*yawn*

some of the most idiotic people i've ever met have had Phd and Msc after thier name.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Some of the most idiotic people I've ever seen, post on these forums.

Some of them even try to justify downloading illegal copies of games.

 

[fluX]

Some of the most idiotic people I've ever seen, post on these forums.

Some of them even try to justify downloading illegal copies of games.

Here's a train of thought to jump onto for those who want a pirated Hl2:

HL2 = good game, want to have
HL2 pirated => less money for ppl who made good game =>
HL3 = won't even exist.

I buy it. Thomas, relax, everything will be fine.

 

[f|uke]

There are rules to releases, and all groups follow them. A release would be nuked if it were PRE-Gold. Sure people might still download it, but it's not going to be widespread.

Heh.
The the Anon Alpha and Russian release certainly got around well enough.
The release groups can't control something like this.

 

[Gorgon]

the number of people who knows P2P sites are less than the ones who buy their products.

estimation : 4 out of 10 know about P2P.

basically valve will loss money but not super big ammount

 

[evil^milk]

damn. if after all of this hl2 was released in 6 months, hell. sorry, i'd dl it. then, i'd buy a real copy. i'm tired of this...

 

[Daiceman9]

When you think about it, it will be near nothing lost, because allmost everyone who gets it will have downloaded it. So ofcourse they are going to want to play online, so when it finally comes out they will buy it to play on official servers.

 

[EVIL]

lets commit mass suicide, i'm sure VUG will release HL² then

but yeah.. peeps, chill, things arent yet confirmed etc..

 

[clarky003]

This is just one of those games that you dont download for free. I mean why bother... you know this game will be worth your money, and you get a sparkley clean box with artwork on it, that you can shelf at home .

 

[Stingey]

i'd report in sick for school and start searching the web :cheers:

1. Why do you have such a username?
QUOTE]

dude just ask if he's John Romero

 

[dream431ca]

It is inevetiable that warez groups WILL get HL2 (before or after) vivendi releases it.

 

[Inanimate]

If HL2 is out with help from hackers etc, I´d download and play it..
Im so f*cking disappointed in this process..
Vivendi are stupid for violating rules in the first place and this might take 6 more months.. It´s not worth waiting..

I think Vivendi should go sodomize with retractable batons..

/D

 

[SFLUFAN]

If HL2 is out with help from hackers etc, I´d download and play it..
Im so f*cking disappointed in this process..
Vivendi are stupid for violating rules in the first place and this might take 6 more months.. It´s not worth waiting..

I think Vivendi should go sodomize with retractable batons..

/D

And in the process you'd hurt Valve and jeopardize the chances for Half Life 3. Good thinking on your part man :hmph:

 

[laz]

Right now CounterStrike Source is cracked and can be played online without cracked servers so maybe if the same group cracked Half-Life 2 it would be a huge loss.

 

[john121]

honestly, this piece of news about the whole legal battle has gotten me pretty ticked. Here Valve tells us to wait till what, september, then november.. now 6 months? Why doesn't Valve hurry up the process by just releasing it on Steam, thereby practically forcing a publisher to release it? This is like if scientists who were creating the nuclear bomb said, "yes, we have the bomb all put together.. we're just waiting for the air force to give us a plane" and the air force to say, "we're not giving you a plane because you will be remembered for creating the bomb, we'll only be remembered for carrying it, so we'll make you wait 2 years before you can drop it". It makes no sense and both companies are hurting themselves, and the people who helped them catch the hackers who started this delay. Give us some slack, release it through Steam for those who can get it.

 

[Bob Bean]

Go ahead and DL a warez version of HL2 when it comes out. Finish the game as many times as you want on any difficulty. It'll probably be boring for you by the time it officially comes out. And because you didn't bite the bullet by spending a fraction of what your computer cost, you can't play CS:S or any of the cool looking mods that are coming out.

I guess you could wait for a hacked versions of the mods. But honestly, is going to a P2P for HL2 and CS:S and assorted mods worth your time and worth the risk (e.g. legal, viral)?

I know people are tense about the possible delay. People are calling for VUG's blood. Although this has been stated before: if you want to stick it to VUG, download HL2 off of Steam.

It's true VUG will make a profit, but at least it won't be through your pocket.

 

[f|uke]

Go ahead and DL a warez version of HL2 when it comes out. Finish the game as many times as you want on any difficulty. It'll probably be boring for you by the time it officially comes out. [...]

I'm an ATi voucher holder. I am still thinking of getting HL2 CE. Theres no chance I would not buy this game once it goes retail.

Still, if the underground version comes out considerably sooner then in stores, I must admit I will be very tempted to download it.

But thats not the issue at hand. If it gets released, people will download it. You can't convince anybody not to. So the crux of the situation is getting it out on shelves before that happens.

 

[<RJMC>]

ok after all this stuff I want to say something true
I buy pirated games
please dont flame me,here in m country the videogames are all pirated and well I buy it
I hav buy and played thousands of games in PC and consoles all pirated
but I trully prefer to buy a original game cuz you feel fine geting it
but here a original game cost a lot so is better option buy a pirated version that is really cheap
but I love videogames and infact I feel bad for not be able to buy a original copy
but I think the piracy is not so strong enough to take down the companyes cuz are many game companies and are many games plane to be released in the future and the companies get millions

and I dont know what the heck is warez?
for what I read here is games that can be downloaded free by internet and I hav see many sites like that,but I will not try to dowload a game in warez cuz I feel stealing
also that my internet conection suck and one time I tried to dowload the leaked beta of HL2 but it takes lie a year soo I forget it

please dont flame for the fact that I buy pirted games,I am someone whit few money and I buy pirated games cuz I cant buy originals

please dont flame me

 

[N0N1337H41]

I think there are two types of warez useres: those who DL and then buy if it's a good game, and those who just DL and never buy. I'm not saying that DLing warez is morally sound, but people who DL and buy aren't really hurting anyone's sales.

I've Dled games to test drive them, but if it's worth my HD space then it's worth buying. My most recent was The Sims 2, I DLed it and then bought it the same day. Before that it was Rome: Total War, which was not worth my HD space and was uninstalled within an hour. If companies put out lenghty demos for thier games, I would DL them. But this rarely happens. I'm rambling... goodnight.

 

[merc]

good then i can actually play the damn game... id stil buy it tho when it came out for multiplayer and mods...

-merc

 

[Homer]

Well. Not quite. Believe it or not, but warez aren't even close to runining the game industry. There is more than a fair amount of people who actually buy games despite they can get them for free.

Tell that to black isle, looking glass, origon, Microprose, Sir-Tech, Sierra, Synsoft, Llamasoft, beyond, Core Design, Gremlin, and al the companies forced to make inferior products to stay in buisness(ea, activision)

 

[Vassago]

In fact this situation reminds this line of dialogue

"....But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him. The heir of Numenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn..."
..

Vivendi=Sauron
Aragorn=Steam
Numenor=Valve!

Vivendi may just have the attitude of "If we're going down we're going to take them with us".

Sweet analogy.