LOL, it all makes sense now!

I haven't seen the source code, but I assume the game was written in C/C++ (or some other standard programming language). There are many "working compilers" out there for any standard language. Sure, without the textures etc., one isn't going to be able to compile the actual Half Life 2 game. However, parts of the code can still be incorporated in other projects, modified, and easily compiled. This is a problem, especially when one considers that some of the leaked code isn't even Valve's but was licensed from other companies. There is a lot of people's hard work and potentially very innovative programming logic/techniques now open for anyone to use in their own projects.

Unless you have some programming background (and it appears that you do not), you really can't understand what this leak is all about.

I really don't mean to offend you, but I don't think you know what you're talking about. In terms of how it affects Valve's technological edge and the profibility of their engine, they are screwed. These aren't "the basics", this is giving away the entire engine. How to solve every problem and giving everyone access to their cutting edge techniques. From a technology standpoint, it's the whole shebang. It's gold.

And it would be very hard to link a game made with this technology back to Valve. The files on a game CD are NOT source code. You cannot open them like a document and look at the code. It has been compiled. Unless Valve gets a court order, I seriously doubt any company is going to reveal their source code. Even then, how would one prove that they didn't come up with it on their own? They won't cut and paste whole sections of code. They merely need to look at the algorithms and reproduce the solution "in their own words" so to speak. Multiply this by dozens of developers and there's little chance that Valve is going to go after anyone. It's possible this has screwed other developers hoping to license out their own engines as well. Why buy one when you can have a bleeding edge one for free?

It's a good thing for Valve that they focus on singleplayer gameplay and the overall gaming experience as much as anything else. They don't seem to rely purely on technical fireworks to sell their game (cough*id*cough). For the gamer, HL2 will still probably be an amazing, unique experience and that'll sell the game.

Yep, essentially five years of development down the tube. The game will sell like crazy, but the innovations are quickly going to become standards for a lot of competitors.

No offense taken. I'm sure I can learn a lot about the field But I do believe I have some grasp about it all. I might be over reacting in a sense because from all the forums I visit I keep on seeing a lot of chicken littles running around stating how the sky is falling.

Now, yes, the secrets are out about how it works with this. But really. if another game uses this engine to build upon there own game the roots can be seen. And if they create there own from it then try to sell the game or the engine then it's traces of hl2 engine will be noticed. Say I'm company A that wants to create a robot game that has a new engine. That engine will be offered up afterwards for the next gen games other companies want to do. It's not very common that new engines really are written opposed to just licensed out to other companies. HL2's engine is already getting passed around the table for future games. It's source was also given to the modding community so that they would be able to crank out modifications for HL2 as soon as the game hit the street. So the source was already out. I'm sure those communities who had it had to sign a pretty big gag order to. but in the long run I don’t see that this will be a problem. No one in their right mind would try to take the HL2 code and release a commercial game. You will get a lot more Mod's out and yes, it might lead to some companies who are on the fence of deciding on using the hl2 engine or another based on the knowledge that HL2's source is known to others. But the deals are already there for it. So JM, this just shows that it would be a very risky thing to do using HL2's engine or a slightly tweaked version. successful engines are licensed out to other companies.. if someone's game seems close, Valve wouldn't hesitate to file a lawsuit.


A lot of folks started rumors that this is going to scrap the game but that is no where near the case. HL2 has enough fan base that everyone will still be buying a copy come release date. The compiler was also linked to certain textures. if you have bittorrent, I'll put up a torrent file to a video of the source compiled in some fashion. it's really sketchy at best. You will notice how glitchy and unstable it is without the rest of the puzzle. either way, yes, you can compile it but it wont be to helpful and any future games will be pretty tough to sell without it being noticed. this is like


I would say it's five years down the tube astro. the engine is already sold to some for coming projects and the game will sell like crazy. people will still pay them for the source to create other games. Just like a film will still pay the rights to use a certain song even though it's easy to download the song on line. you still need to pay the piper. as for the innovations. I'm sure it was only a matter of time. it's not all that much of a bad thing for the consumers as you will get mods out and the such and other companies can come up with the idea of how to make it happen.


As for the real damage, it will be towards Valve's reputation. The failed security measures in safe guarding the other companies engines will be the factor here really. The companies can potentially sue them since I'm sure there is some grounds in the contracts they signed to use the engines that says they can't give it out or leak it anyhow. Will there be lawsuits? I'm not sure. considering they are old engines they might drop it and all that suffers is Valve's reputation which in the long run can be salvaged. in an ironic twist though, the gamer community will benefit the most out of all this. other companies might take examples and bits and pieces to create a better product. It was valves fault it leaked, but it doesn't mean it's the end of Valve and HL2 is doomed to rot in hell like some have really made it seem like in other post and so forth. right now we aren't sure what kind of hacks the users can create with the source code and what valve can do to counter it. only time will tell, but in truth, HL2 will still sell like wild and companies will still buy hl2's source engine for their products in the future.

in all, someone could not just make a game on the engine because it would be very easy to tell, even if they tried to modify it.

It's been rumored that valve is facing several lawsuits but there has been no creditable confirmation.

As far as cheats go, it will make things easier but the cheaters would find a way eventually. I don't think they will just be able to create a hacked client and compile it, hopefully valve will be able to protect against that by not only checking the client but changing enough of the code to make the old code not compliant with the new release without some serious reverse engineering on part of the cheaters.


might aswell use the quote I was going to hold out incase things got worse in this discussion:

As sad as it was to happen to a group of programmers and developers who have been working in secret on a great and innovative game for years this really could have been avoided. I think its simple security measures that tell you the safest computer is one that is not interconnected to the internet.

Anyhow I'm sure Valve's contracts with other software companies had clauses in it to cover themselves in cases like this even though I'm sure they may still get sued in the long run out of negligence.

I don't think any other company would want Valve out of the game. I figure they would rather strike a bargin. get a % of the profit or work later on.