Half-Life 2 Release Date Broken

That's great... by Japong · 2004-11-12 06:29 · Score: 4, Informative

... but with out Steam registration you're not going to get very far. He can't play single player, multiplayer, or anything else but look at the box and manual. You're waiting until the 16th, get used to it.

Re:That's great... by spikestabber · 2004-11-12 06:42 · Score: 2, Insightful

The crackers will have it opened up any minute now.
Re:That's great... by Farmer+Jimbo · 2004-11-12 07:28 · Score: 2, Insightful

This is a little different than just straight DRM. Whether you install from CD's or pre-order through steam, you can't play until Valve says so. Why? Becasue not only is the content encrypted (which could be cracked) but it's missing vital parts of the game that can only be downloaded from Steam/Valve.

Even if the gfc encryption is broken you wont be able to play until valve lets you download the rest of the game! How in the hell is a cracker/hacker gonna get around that?
Re:That's great... by Drakonite · 2004-11-13 07:23 · Score: 2, Insightful

Ok, lets take a moment and assume broadband internet is a reasonable assumption... What happens a couple years from now, when for whatever reason valve's servers are no longer online to active your copy, or worse yet when they decide to no longer active copies so you are forced to buy a new game.
Maybe I'm alone, maybe I'm completely different than anyone else, but I don't like the idea of buying a game and knowing I might not be able to install and play it in a couple years.
The same idea applies to games which have a large online appeal but are designed to prevent you from using unofficial servers.

--
Shoot Pixels, Not People!

Future Slashdot headline: Sierra/Value sue EB by bergeron76 · 2004-11-12 06:30 · Score: 4, Funny

I can just see it now: Valve to sue Electronics Boutique over HL2 sales

--
Don't think that a small group of dedicated individuals can't change the world. It's the only thing that ever has.

CDS?!? by rastachops · 2004-11-12 06:32 · Score: 3, Insightful

Why is it that many games are still released on CDs? I heard that it's because Americans would have trouble if they sold just DVDs.
[/troll]
But seriously, why do games manufacturers still produce CD's rather than DVDs when DVD drives are so cheap now!

Re:CDS?!? by djdanlib · 2004-11-12 07:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

DVD drives are too inexpensive for the tired (and increasingly expensive) old argument of "Oh, I don't need to upgrade, my 16X CD drive works just fine. Eight or nine CDs is fine". Seriously, you can get a 16X DVD-ROM drive at Staples (AT STAPLES FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD!) for $45. And that's not a sale price, folks. If your system is of high enough caliber to run these games, it should have either come with a DVD drive, or you should have bought one when you built it. A combo DVD-ROM/CDRW drive shouldn't run you over $60. (It will at Staples, though.) I paid that for one over a year ago.

It's time to upgrade now if you haven't yet. Just imagine. No more "Oh, I HAVE to buy the CD version because I was too cheap awhile back." Instead, you'll be saying: "Sweet, my first DVD is Half-Life 2!" And soon enough you'll be saying, "Whoa, my computer monitor is far better for watching DVDs than my 19 inch Walmart special television!"

As far as media longevity, I have this to say. Stop storing your media outside the proper cases! If you've got a problem with piles of discs lying around, then get cases, and a shelf or box for your cases to sit in, and keep that by/on/under your computer desk. Don't use those awful sleeves or books for storage, either, because they contact the disc surface. If you don't think it matters, why is there an ISO standard (18925) for disc storage? There is no difference between the media's protective surface in either technology, so they are equally easy to scratch, break and gouge. If your drive can't read a scratched disc, then your drive is bad. I have DVDs that are as old as purchasable DVDs can be, and they have not degraded one bit due to age.

Who wants to go to the store, and have to buy the CD version because the DVD version is sold out and nobody thus far has purchased the CD version? Not me. It's almost happened.

Remember floppies? Must we go through the same thing again? Please insert Disc 6 to continue!
Re:CDS?!? by MindStalker · 2004-11-12 08:08 · Score: 2, Interesting

Ok, but I'd love to see the breakdown of people with good enough graphics cards to play this, and yet don't have a DVD player. Even better what was Doom3's excuse?
Re:CDS?!? by HAKdragon · 2004-11-12 08:13 · Score: 2, Interesting

The original PS2 DVD laser crapped out pretty early on for many users. As did the laser on the original Playstations. It seems Sony refuses to put a decent laser in their system until after the systems have good market penetration. It makes me feel sorry about anybody who's buying a PSP at launch. For those who are wondering, this isn't an anti-Sony rant, I have both a Playstation and a PS2, both of which work fine, but there have bene large numbers of units who have had problems with their disc drives.

--
"Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs. We have a protractor."

Radeon, eh? by wizbit · 2004-11-12 06:35 · Score: 3, Insightful

He's sporting a "Radeon X800" from the looks of the pamphlet next to the keyboard in the second pic. Which reminds me: I heard somewhere that ATI's are relatively bad gamer cards and was wondering, what with D3 and HL2 around, what are the gamers using these days?

Either by Nomihn0 · 2004-11-12 06:42 · Score: 4, Insightful

Gamers are using both ATI and nVidia cards, in nearly equal numbers (if I recall the Valve survey correctly). To be honest, the two companies are competing to be the most powerful for brand recognition, not for use. As much as I want one for status, and I'll readily admit this, I do not need an nVidia 6800 sucking down electricity as fast as Homer eats donuts. I'm not running predictive weather simulations on my graphics card.

If you want to have a reasonably priced, competitive, computer system for gaming, you're going to have to do some research. You'll have to see whether the specific game you want to play runs better with nVidia or ATI drivers, you'll have to determine which midrange card is cheaper, and you'll have to decide between a cheap 256mb card or a speedy 128mb one (both bus and GPU speed). There are so many marketing ploys in effect right now, it's difficult to do a good job. Regardless of what you do, somebody will criticise you. I presonally use an nVidia card. [flames below]

Guy I know on IRC got an early copy ... by oldosadmin · 2004-11-12 06:50 · Score: 3, Interesting

http://forum.oldos.org/viewtopic.php?t=2318

Apparently someone he knew saw them on the shelf and called him, he bought it, the registration wouldn't work, and he got that email.

Yet another reason to hate activation.

--
Jay | http://oldos.org

Who cares... by JavaLord · 2004-11-12 06:50 · Score: 3, Interesting

Despite being clearly marked, numerous stores have begun selling HL2.

It says not to display them, not to avoid selling them to the people who pre-ordered. It makes no difference since they can't play anyway.

This guy even got a phone call from EB telling him to pickup his pre-order, so he did what any one would do - He picked it up.

It makes sense, why not sell them to the pre-order people now, then on the games release day you don't run into the issue of having the game on hand but not being able to sell x amount of copies to the people that didn't pre-order.

If they can't play the game anyway, what difference do the physical CD's make?

What's the big deal by Matt+Perry · 2004-11-12 07:13 · Score: 3, Insightful

Why the big deal over release dates? Why ship the product and then tell them to hold it until the 16th? What is that supposed to accomplish anyway?

This isn't a troll, I'm just wondering what the motivation is behind companies doing that.

--
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.

Re:What's the big deal by Zed2K · 2004-11-12 07:35 · Score: 2, Informative

From what I understand the main reason is that it gives all stores a fair chance to sell it on the same day. The big stores get way more copies than the small stores and usually send their own trucks to pick up the copies for bigger games. If the big stores started selling it as soon as they got it it would hurt the smaller stores.
Re:What's the big deal by Chyeld · 2004-11-12 08:24 · Score: 5, Informative

If you want your product to be carried in the big stores, they want something in return. If you are a big store, you might be able to bully your way into releasing the product in your stores earlier than other stores. Thus, driving sales to you. However, if you go and sign such a deal, you have a much harder time getting into the other stores, since obviously they can't release it earlier and since the people who really want the product will have gotten it from the one that released it early.

As a result, most of the time everyone has the same release date. Not only does this keep the smaller stores from just saying 'forget it, we won't be able to sell any' and still give the big stores a date to promote.

The reason these things are shipped so early, is that the date needs to be far enough ahead of the ship date to help clear up any shipping screwups. Otherwise, if something goes wrong and one store is left out on release date, they aren't going to be as willing to carry your games in the future.

The store agree to this for the same reason, if you don't agree to stick to the release date, then the product won't be shipped to you till the last minute. If something happens then, you've missed your best selling opportunity and probably lost a few customers to the stores that were carrying it.

This sort of scheme is used for pretty much any product that has a 'shelf-life' in terms of demand. You aren't going to ever see any release day parties for the newest version of the Swifter Jet Dry Rhomba Auto Mop, because it'll still be selling (or not) until the end of it's product life. But things like music, movies, games, and even (to a limited extent) books, all are considered to sell most of what they are going to sell in a short period right after they come out.

Seems fair by Klowner · 2004-11-12 07:16 · Score: 4, Funny

If you're keeping score, if anyone has broken a release date, it would be Valve (3 or 4 times at least now).

VALVe Responds, EBGame's employee's fired. by NextWish · 2004-11-12 07:17 · Score: 5, Informative

VALVe Responds http://img120.exs.cx/img120/4149/hl2receipt.jpg

Hello, We noticed that you just registered a Half-Life 2 key. Where did you come across a copy of the game? You're not in trouble or anything, but you're registered pretty early, and the game isn't activated just yet. Thanks, Erik Johnson Valve

EBGames Employee's Fired

In an E-Mail sent to all EBGames associates, the president of EBGames has stated that the persons who broke the street date at their stores have been terminated. As well, should anyone else break the street date the employee, manager, and district manager will all be held responsible. The e-mail was sent yesterday at aprox 5:30 PM EST.

Re:Would it be ethical to use a crack on this? by NextWish · 2004-11-12 07:22 · Score: 3, Funny

By the time one's out? Hell there's already three of them out!

Half.Life.2.NOCD.CRACK-RELOADED
Half_Life_2_Cra ck-VENGEANCE
Half.Life.2.CRACKFIX-LuZiFeR

The only question which remains unanswered is which one installs the best backdoor.

Another example as to why release dates are stupid by Mean_Nishka · 2004-11-12 07:43 · Score: 2, Insightful

Seriously, what's the point? They drive such a demand for the product that they pratically create a market for pirated and jumped release dates.

I think Valve's STEAM distribution system is going to revolutionize the industry much like iTunes is doing for music. It's a shame they couldn't let HL2 out quicker

Companies can release the day they go gold to pre-empt the pirates (you can pay to get it quicker), and it will ultimately allow smaller studios to regain their foothold in the industry.

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www.lonseidman.com

Mo Hype Mo Money! by blueZhift · 2004-11-12 07:45 · Score: 2, Interesting

All of this hype is just getting me high! Given that you can't play the game until the 16th because of the online activation, the broken date doesn't cost Valve anything. Now there will be yet another story in the mainstream media about Half Life 2, and if the story about the fired EB employee is true, then they may even get a little TV time. All of this marketing without spending a dime!

Now, I don't have any proof that this is all intentional, and it probably isn't. But the guys at Valve must be pretty happy with all of the attention. In our strange twisted world, I could see a class action lawsuit on behalf of HL2 pirates demanding a piece of the profits for all of the free publicity and promotion they've been doing!

--
To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started

Re:Mo Hype Mo Money! by Jherico · 2004-11-12 08:43 · Score: 2

the broken date doesn't cost Valve anything
It costs Valve goodwill and credibility. I'm sure there are numerous people going into a store and purchasing the game with no foreknowledge of the official release date or that they won't be able to take it home and start playing. When they discovered that they've just paid a chunk of change for nothing (at least nothing for this weekend) its going to piss them off. I know it would piss me off. When I bought the game on steam I was still working under the assumption that I'd be able to play it as soon as it was 'done'. Done to me means when they finish making it, not when Vivendi deigns to allow us to play. I've already purchased this game and there's no way I can undo the transaction, but this will be the last game I buy from Valve. Between this and the original Sep 30/03 release date they promised and then didn't comment on when it passed, they've used up all their goodwill.

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Jherico
What can the average user can do to ensure his security? "Nothing, you're screwed"

Re:Can't play without Valve authentication by rsmith-mac · 2004-11-12 08:13 · Score: 3, Insightful

I'm sort of torn on the whole issue. On the one hand, The Inq is spot-on that it's cool that Valve has found a way to make sure that everyone can be the first guy to play the game, and that it's not leaked ahead of time, but on the flip side, I'm not comfortable with this level of control. Who is Valve to say that I, a customer who shelled out $55+ for their game, can not play it until they say so, even though they already have my money and I have their software? When I put down that kind of money for a AAA title, I don't think it's unreasonable that I should be able to play it offline how I want, when I want, considering I've done nothing wrong unless buying a game is wrong.

Yea, Valve now has the ability to make sure everyone gets it together, but at what cost? Must I now always be a slave to them just to play an offline game that could run perfectly fine without their meddling? I'm not at all the least bit comfortable with where this is going - I should have more control over my computer and my games than this.

Re:What the bloody mother fucking fuckshit? by Deluxe_247 · 2004-11-12 08:16 · Score: 2, Interesting

It's people like you that are the problem.. Please learn to read. Problem 1) The VENDOR sold a game that was clearly marked not to be sold UNTIL 11/16/2004. (NOTICE THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CUSTOMER BUYING IT, BUT RATHER THE VENDOR SELLING.) Problem 2) Because the VENDOR made a mistake, that does not give the purchaser a right to "HACK" the software so he can play it. The rules still stands that the game has *NOT* been officially released, and therefore should not be played. Think of it like buying software over the internet.. say Windows.. You purchased a legit copy, and its 'in the mail'.. so instead of waiting 2 days, you just go ahead and download a copy of bittorrent and use a stolen CD key and your up and running.. you DID pay for the software right? -WRONG. That's unethical and against the user agreement of the software (in most cases).. (You probably have never read one, which goes to show why you responded the way you did.) You are licensed to use the software you purchased, with the KEY you purchased.. Not any version of the software with any key you can find. And FYI - Bypassing ANY copy protection is unethical unless you have been given permission by those that have put the copy protection on the system. It doesn't matter how you THINK it should be, it's still unethical.

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Its Deluxe, son. Deluxe!

Re:Would it be ethical to use a crack on this? by irc.goatse.cx+troll · 2004-11-12 08:22 · Score: 2, Informative

Oh, its already been cracked months ago. Valve even did it for us, really. The HL SDK comes with a local steam client/server for debugging your mods. Its how you could play cs:s, cz, or any of the other leaked copies of hl.

You could play online through a bug in steam, but its nothing valve couldnt fix. Basicly, you'd create a new steam account with no games attached, try to register for Condition Zero saying you already own the boxed game, give them a keygenned key, then kill steam.exe after it starts to auth but before it gets denied. then you use that steam cookie to get into cz servers or even CS:S.

Probably still works.

--
Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx

Re:Would it be ethical to use a crack on this? by Flunitrazepam · 2004-11-12 10:53 · Score: 2, Funny

I just wanted to respond to your post in order to finally mate our .sigs

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1) Your analysis is based on bad assumptions so your result is way off. 2) You're a sick bastard for fucking a horse.

Re:Arghhhh! by Marc_Hawke · 2004-11-12 11:05 · Score: 2, Insightful

Look at the number of people playing CounterStike. As of several months ago, EVERYONE playing CounterStrike had a Steam Account.

Valve was really sneaky with Steam. It started as some sort of throw-away download system. Make on account, make 10 accounts, forget a password..who cares, just make another account, etc It also appeared to be a ladder system, like gamespy stats or something. It wasn't that, but appeared to be.

But it changed to a hugely risky (for the consumers part) content management, DRM, product activation system. I recently installed it. It asked what Valve games I had and if I wanted to play them. I own HL1, so I said 'Sure, I'll play that." It then said, "This CD-Key is now inextricably tied to this account. Don't lose your password or you can never pay Halflife 1 again."

It's really scary. I hope it fails...but fails in a way that they still try online content delivery.

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--Welcome to the Realm of the Hawke--

What sucks you in? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-11-12 11:16 · Score: 3, Interesting

The mystery!

There is a lot of talk about why their marketing is so brilliant, but I think we are missing the real clincher by a long shot.

What is getting so many people talking and frustrated is they know they have the damned game loaded on their machine, yet the can't play it. How often have geeks had to change settings, updated drivers, tweaked this or that on their machine to get the newest game to work?

It's so counter-intuitive for gamers to patiently wait for anything. THAT is why it is brilliant marketing. The game is so close, yet so far away.

Kudos to Valve for figuring this out. It is now fair for everyone. Those that follow the rules, and those that break the rules, no matter you get the game at the same time.

Of course the gamers will thank the developers with their hard-earned money. I dont believe pirating has ever signficiantly hurt the gaming industry. I believe those who pirate generally can't afford the software anyway and those who priate AND could afford the software, is a very small percentage. No that is not truely what the lawful gamers appreciate, they don't really care if someone gets a free ride.

What we appreciate is for once our money and our patience and following the rules buys the same access as the thieves get. For once, following the rules pays off big. For once, I don't have to hear about some spoiled coddled 16 year old kid that spent $1800 on eBay for an early copy when $0 of his money went to those who deserve the credit for writing the game.

I still think the most brilliant part is having it so close yet... so far. It is loaded but it isin't working! Our normal instinct is to go to the forums and find the answer. What switch do you throw? What config file do we edit? Well there is no answer, but as time honored tradition dictates, we talk and talk and talk until one is found. In this case, I doubt there will be one until the 16th.

What if... by nicksthings · 2004-11-12 12:40 · Score: 2, Insightful

Great copy protection scheme they have, no doubt. But, what if someone who purchased Half Life 2 didn't have access to the internet and therefore couldn't activate the game via Steam? Maybe this is unlikely that someone who would own a PC capable of running the game wouldn't have an internet connection, but I'm sort of curious how that would be handled.

Re:No Internet? by Low2000 · 2004-11-12 13:34 · Score: 3, Funny

This was going to be a problem, but when they ran an on-line survey on current half-life players, they discoverd that 100% of their user base had an internet connection! Thank god for on-line surveys! (statistics are fun!)

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Half-Life 2 Release Date Broken

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