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HL2 Source Code Leaked


Supreme Cmdr
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quote:

Originally posted by Jaguar:

... to have it on a machine that had access to the Internet was even more insane.

What about the "Virtual Office?" I've been away a while, but I thought that some development teams would be situated all over the globe and would collaborate via Internet. I thought the good doctor and the BCM team did that.

If I'm wrong and babbling, nail me to a cross, but, humbly, wouldn't this be a situation where one might have code sitting next to a huge door?

P.S.: The Graemlins/Smileys at this site are absolutely the best:

LOL!

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The whole time I thought this leak buisness was *gasp* yet another HL2 conspiracy/hoax. When the story cropped up on CNN (a far more reliable source than GameSpot, IGN, or the Weekly World News) I decided to check my sources.

Lo and behold, it's actually true! But Valve has been covering up exactly how serious the leak was. There are huge playable chunks of game in there. But this raises another issue, the ATI/NVidia debacle.

There's a special mode for Nvidia-based cards, and a generic DX9 mode (For 'everything else', see: ATI). Now here's the funny thing, I'm running on GeForce4 Ti4600 and some of missions I booted up with the 'special' Nvidia Shaders actually ran WORSE... significantly worse, and with dramatic loss of image quality than when I was running in 'normal' DX9 mode. I have a Radeon 9600 as well (generally a slightly slower card than the GFTi4600 - but according to Valve and ATI is supposed to perform about 20% better than the Ti4600) in a near identical computer (Same specs, different Mobo).

GF4Ti4600 AMDXP2000 1.5GBPC2100DDR

1280x1024 DX9 Nvidia Shader Mode = 19fps

1280x1024 Dx9 Standard Mode = 25fps

RADEON9600 AMDXP2000 1.5GBPC2100DDR

1280x1024 DX9 Standard Mode = 18fps

Now I don't have access to any GFFXs or RAD9800s so there could still be some other differences I can't address. But as it stands, Valve's special drivers really just slow down the faster card (Nvidia) to the level of their whore's card, but with lousier image quality.

Seems like that conspiracy theory, at least, was true. Or did Nvidia hide tweaks in their drivers for the HL2 leak?

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Amen!!

quote:

I believe that the SC has his source code around his neck, it does not leave his person, or go into a computer that is hooked up to the internet.

He has said that his code is on a USB memory drive of some sort.

I heard somewhere that it's gene-spliced into his DNA. He has to draw a vial of blood everytime he wants to work on it.

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I just pray no one trys to steal the UC scorce code... or BCO code

wait a minute... how hard would it really be to steal an online games scource code? compared to a NON online game? or are you guys not intitled to tell?

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My philosophy is that any computer that contains the source code for any program that hasn't been released should not be on a network connection anyways. Nor should beta copies of non-released programs.

Whoever this hacker is I hope the FBI tracks him down and slams it hard on him. He deserves it.

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Let me clarify something, if I met the leaker on the street, I'd beat his ass into a bloody pulp.

But simultaneously, I have very little sympathy for Valve. They whored themselves out to ATI and lied... blatantly LIED to the public. About their release date, about the ATI/Nvidia fiasco. And people knew they were full of it all along, that's *why* this happened. Valve should have been more honest and forthcoming with their fans.

Needless to say, I don't think SC as at much risk for those reasons.

Also - NEVER use Outlook, it's a liability. Eudora is infinately more secure and reliable.

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quote:


Originally posted by Scrivener:

But simultaneously, I have very little sympathy for Valve. They whored themselves out to ATI and lied... blatantly LIED to the public. About their release date, about the ATI/Nvidia fiasco. And people knew they were full of it all along, that's *why* this happened. Valve should have been more honest and forthcoming with their fans.


Regardless of the above, the theft of source code should not be the plausible punishment for such. In short, the crime does not fit the punishment.

quote:


Needless to say, I don't think SC as at much risk for those reasons.

Not unless someone physically breaks into my office. Then parks himself on my dev station. Then proceeds to spend the rest of his life cracking a military grade encryption algorithm to get into the dev folder. Assuming they can crack the password to the machine itself. And if he's heard of PGPDisk, I doubt that he'd even try. And since when not in my office for a lengthy period, the kernel code is around my neck on a USB and encrypted drive - along with my medical information. Not to mention that even my PDA (an HP5455) uses a fingerprint ID for access.

Then there's that little matter that my dev station is not connected to the Net without a firewall - which monitors any and everything going in/out and with NO auto-rules enabled (i.e. I manually say yes/no to ALL comms going in/out of that machine). And even at the slightest hint of a breach, my ass is parked at my comms station and staring at the the output from TCPview and ProcessView.

No, I'm not in the least bit paranoid. Good God, whatever gave anyone that idea?

quote:


Also - NEVER use Outlook, it's a liability. Eudora is infinately more secure and reliable.

Well, er, doh?

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I suppose when you don't have multimillion dollar contracts like Valve, you have to be paranoid because every release that you make is imperative to your financial success...

Valve could shake off the loss of Half-Life2 simply with the amount of expansions and mods they are still milking after the first half-life.

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Geez and people tell me im paranoid! everything on my computer is passworded (games,files, everything!)

God **** it would take years to crack that code, I guess its safe to say... NO ONE is getting SC's source code

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quote:


Originally posted by $iLk:

I suppose when you don't have multimillion dollar contracts like Valve, you have to be paranoid because every release that you make is imperative to your financial success...

Valve could shake off the loss of Half-Life2 simply with the amount of expansions and mods they are still milking after the first half-life.


Exactly

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quote:

Not unless someone physically breaks into my office. Then parks himself on my dev station. Then proceeds to spend the rest of his life cracking a military grade encryption algorithm to get into the dev folder. Assuming they can crack the password to the machine itself. And if he's heard of PGPDisk, I doubt that he'd even try. And since when not in my office for a lengthy period, the kernel code is around my neck on a USB and encrypted drive - along with my medical information. Not to mention that even my PDA (an HP5455) uses a fingerprint ID for access.

Then there's that little matter that my dev station is not connected to the Net without a firewall - which monitors any and everything going in/out and with NO auto-rules enabled (i.e. I manually say yes/no to ALL comms going in/out of that machine). And even at the slightest hint of a breach, my ass is parked at my comms station and staring at the the output from TCPview and ProcessView.

No, I'm not in the least bit paranoid. Good God, whatever gave anyone that idea?

Holy cow! I think our shadow government puppetmasters could learn a thing or two from you, SC.

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quote:

And since when not in my office for a lengthy period, the kernel code is around my neck on a USB and encrypted drive - along with my medical information.

I could see you accidently beating the crap out of an EMT grabbing for your medical tag.

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quote:

By the SC,

No, I'm not in the least bit paranoid. Good God, whatever gave anyone that idea?


LOL, that is too good, me, I just have a hardware firewall, and a software firewall, and a daily updated virus scanner.

Yours is the fort knox of computer systems.

Glad to see that, I really truly am...

Oh, and it's not paranoid if someone is really out to get you.

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Guest Hellbinder[CE]

quote:

Originally posted by Scrivener:

The whole time I thought this leak buisness was *gasp* yet another HL2 conspiracy/hoax. When the story cropped up on CNN (a far more reliable source than GameSpot, IGN, or the Weekly World News) I decided to check my sources.

Lo and behold, it's actually true! But Valve has been covering up exactly how serious the leak was. There are huge playable chunks of game in there. But this raises another issue, the ATI/NVidia debacle.

There's a special mode for Nvidia-based cards, and a generic DX9 mode (For 'everything else', see: ATI). Now here's the funny thing, I'm running on GeForce4 Ti4600 and some of missions I booted up with the 'special' Nvidia Shaders actually ran WORSE... significantly worse, and with dramatic loss of image quality than when I was running in 'normal' DX9 mode. I have a Radeon 9600 as well (generally a slightly slower card than the GFTi4600 - but according to Valve and ATI is supposed to perform about 20% better than the Ti4600) in a near identical computer (Same specs, different Mobo).

GF4Ti4600 AMDXP2000 1.5GBPC2100DDR

1280x1024 DX9 Nvidia Shader Mode = 19fps

1280x1024 Dx9 Standard Mode = 25fps

RADEON9600 AMDXP2000 1.5GBPC2100DDR

1280x1024 DX9 Standard Mode = 18fps

Now I don't have access to any GFFXs or RAD9800s so there could still be some other differences I can't address. But as it stands, Valve's special drivers really just slow down the faster card (Nvidia) to the level of their whore's card, but with lousier image quality.

Seems like that conspiracy theory, at least, was true. Or did Nvidia hide tweaks in their drivers for the HL2 leak?

Ok.. First of all What the Hell are you doing Downlaoding or taking part in this Thievery of Valves Source Code???

Secondly..

The Special Nvidia Path is for DX9 Compatability.. Specifically Pixel Shader 2.0. Your GF4 is not going to get anything but Reduced Quality and Headaches by Trying to run that code path. There is not a *Dx9 path for everything else*. You Dont even have a Dx9 compatable card..

You have a DX8 compatable card. The Game has DX7, Dx8, DX9 and Nvidia FX paths. You should be Running the Dx8 path. Which is probably being autodetected and enabled some how. Your GF4 can no more run the DX9 standard mode than Fly to the moon. Further the 9600pro is actually running the game in DX9 mode.

I seriously Question your Suppsed FPS results as well. What you have here is a completely unready for public release Source Code. Not likely even what they have used for the Limited Benchmarking seen on the intnernet.

You Clearly have no real knowledge of what DX9 or Pixel Shader 2.0 is all about. Or the differences between the GF4 series and the FX series. I'd Stop and Figure out what your dealing with before making statements about supposed *Debacles*..

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  • 3 weeks later...

The debacle was over Valve's claim that Nvidia cards were supposed to have serious performance issues as opposed to comparable ATI cards, which was an absolute lie. My argument had nothing to do with DX9 feature support. Nevertheless, the special 'Nvidia optimized' mode looks and runs much worse than the 'generic' DX9 mode (Both of which can be forced by adding switches to the shortcut target box). There is also a DX8 mode (default) which performs about the same as DX9 generic but without some of the more nifty graphical effects.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Not unless someone physically breaks into my office. Then parks himself on my dev station. Then proceeds to spend the rest of his life cracking a military grade encryption algorithm to get into the dev folder. Assuming they can crack the password to the machine itself. And if he's heard of PGPDisk, I doubt that he'd even try. And since when not in my office for a lengthy period, the kernel code is around my neck on a USB and encrypted drive - along with my medical information. Not to mention that even my PDA (an HP5455) uses a fingerprint ID for access.

Then there's that little matter that my dev station is not connected to the Net without a firewall - which monitors any and everything going in/out and with NO auto-rules enabled (i.e. I manually say yes/no to ALL comms going in/out of that machine). And even at the slightest hint of a breach, my ass is parked at my comms station and staring at the the output from
and ProcessView.

No, I'm not in the least bit paranoid. Good God, whatever gave anyone
that
idea?

Oh yeah, oh yeah, you wanna bet I can get that game from ya! I'll just wait for the release date and buy it that'll teach ya!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

great stuff SC! Pretty clever security setup! As I Linux/Unix security consultant (side job) and Debian developer I see so many companies un-aware of the power encryption offers!

If valve had encrypted the HL2 source code on their servers they wouldn't have had this problem!

btw...have you considered using a Linux machine as your firewall...it'll make your setup even tougher to crack!

Peter

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quote:


Originally posted by kneecaps:

btw...have you considered using a Linux machine as your firewall...it'll make your setup even tougher to crack!

Peter


heh, been there, done that, still up and running. In fact, its the first line of security into my VPN.

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Another reason for my blind jealousy of Derek, A thumbprint activated PDA? Please tell me your having us on? How much more does that cost than my trusty Zire 71?(retail 299.99)I have got to have one of those. BTW if something should happen to you who besides Bill gates and yourself would be able to access your medical info?

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