Lightning STRIKES TWICE! Half-Life 2 is out!

[flashbacck]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

No, it doesn't... because, unlike DiVX, we don't need any specific hardware. Software pirates will find a way around any road block that may occur now and in the future.

software piracy saves the day again!

 

[BlueWeasel]

Hip Hip Hooray for L33T Hax0rs! 🙂

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: arcas
But let's not be so extreme. Let's say something happens in Vivendi's network center that simply knocks them offline for a few days (say a construction crew cuts a fiber cable outside the building). You're screwed. Nevermind the fact that you paid for the game; you still can't play. You can forget about playing single-player HL2 anywhere where network connectivity might not exist (in an airport, on an airplane or bus, etc). Hell, once on a two-vehicle trip from Kentucky to North Carolina, we set up a WAN between vehicles and played games. I realize HL2 is single-player but in the broader sense, this sort of setup won't work with games that require some sort of authentication with a company server.

You raise a valid point, but at the same time, we've dealt with a common point of failure in most games for over half a decade now: GameSpy. Their master server network powers so many games it'll make your head spin, and yet when's the last time you can recall their network failing, and you couldn't play a game? With a properly designed system, this isn't an issue.

As for the "what if Valve disappears" thing, I fully expect them to release a patch to disable authentication before that should ever happen.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Hip Hip Hooray for L33T Hax0rs! 🙂

Don't you mean "1337"? 😛

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: arcas
But let's not be so extreme. Let's say something happens in Vivendi's network center that simply knocks them offline for a few days (say a construction crew cuts a fiber cable outside the building). You're screwed. Nevermind the fact that you paid for the game; you still can't play. You can forget about playing single-player HL2 anywhere where network connectivity might not exist (in an airport, on an airplane or bus, etc). Hell, once on a two-vehicle trip from Kentucky to North Carolina, we set up a WAN between vehicles and played games. I realize HL2 is single-player but in the broader sense, this sort of setup won't work with games that require some sort of authentication with a company server.

You raise a valid point, but at the same time, we've dealt with a common point of failure in most games for over half a decade now: GameSpy. Their master server network powers so many games it'll make your head spin, and yet when's the last time you can recall their network failing, and you couldn't play a game? With a properly designed system, this isn't an issue.

As for the "what if Valve disappears" thing, I fully expect them to release a patch to disable authentication before that should ever happen.

Stop making sense. The sky is falling and that's final! 😛 😉

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: arcas
The thing that kills me about steam-based authentication for single-player games is that now you're dependent upon the parent company not going bankrupt. If Vivendi were to go bankrupt 2 years from now and turn off the authentication servers, you're screwed. Will these authentication servers still be around 5-10 years from now? Just like I sometimes watch old movies, sometimes I go back and play old games. For instance, I still occasionally play Myst, Riven and Doom that I occasionally fire up.

But let's not be so extreme. Let's say something happens in Vivendi's network center that simply knocks them offline for a few days (say a construction crew cuts a fiber cable outside the building). You're screwed. Nevermind the fact that you paid for the game; you still can't play. You can forget about playing single-player HL2 anywhere where network connectivity might not exist (in an airport, on an airplane or bus, etc). Hell, once on a two-vehicle trip from Kentucky to North Carolina, we set up a WAN between vehicles and played games. I realize HL2 is single-player but in the broader sense, this sort of setup won't work with games that require some sort of authentication with a company server.

I have no problem with online games requiring a network connection since that's the point of the game. I'm more dubious of games that require a network connection only so that you can obtain permission to play it.

Don't worry. There will be a crack for the game in no time, so if Vivendi goes out of business and doesn't provide some sort of update to eliminate the authentication, software pirates will.

Also, the chances of something happening to Vivendi's network center is pretty small. Not only that, but I'm sure they have backup systems spread across the country (or world, even). They will never be down for days at a time. But, even if they are, who cares? It's a freaking game. You can wait 36 hours to play.

You think Vivendi is going to go out of business if they don't unlock the game early? Are you an idiot? They've already SOLD copies of the game. They have their money.

Why don't you read all the replys before you make another idiotic post.

We are talking about many years in the FUTURE.

So Vivendi's going to go out of business 5 years from now because they didn't unlock HL2 early? Even though they already have all the HL2 money? And it will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most successful games ever made, with literally millions of sales? Yeah, Vivendi is a sinking ship for sure, bucko. :roll:

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: Nebor
So Vivendi's going to go out of business 5 years from now because they didn't unlock HL2 early? Even though they already have all the HL2 money? And it will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most successful games ever made, with literally millions of sales? Yeah, Vivendi is a sinking ship for sure, bucko. :roll:

That's what arcas thinks, not me. Once again, please read all the replys before you make yet another idiotic post.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Hip Hip Hooray for L33T Hax0rs! 🙂

Don't you mean "1337"? 😛

Yes, and obviously I'm only a m3di0cR3 f4nb0i 🙂

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Nebor
So Vivendi's going to go out of business 5 years from now because they didn't unlock HL2 early? Even though they already have all the HL2 money? And it will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most successful games ever made, with literally millions of sales? Yeah, Vivendi is a sinking ship for sure, bucko. :roll:

That's what arcas thinks, not me. Once again, please read all the replys before you make yet another idiotic post.

That's why you defended the statement? "We are talking about many years in the FUTURE." I notice you said "we" instead of "arcas."

That wasn't a very good attempt to recover.

 

[Davegod]

aha, another completely silly thread vaguely pretending to be on the topic of half life 2😀

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Nebor
So Vivendi's going to go out of business 5 years from now because they didn't unlock HL2 early? Even though they already have all the HL2 money? And it will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most successful games ever made, with literally millions of sales? Yeah, Vivendi is a sinking ship for sure, bucko. :roll:

That's what arcas thinks, not me. Once again, please read all the replys before you make yet another idiotic post.

That's why you defended the statement? "We are talking about many years in the FUTURE." I notice you said "we" instead of "arcas."

That wasn't a very good attempt to recover.

Um... yeah... that's because my post was a response to his...

Defending? Did you even read my post? Of course not...

So far, you've made an asshat out of yourself three times... care to continue?

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: Nebor
So Vivendi's going to go out of business 5 years from now because they didn't unlock HL2 early? Even though they already have all the HL2 money? And it will undoubtedly go on to be one of the most successful games ever made, with literally millions of sales? Yeah, Vivendi is a sinking ship for sure, bucko. :roll:

That's what arcas thinks, not me. Once again, please read all the replys before you make yet another idiotic post.

That's why you defended the statement? "We are talking about many years in the FUTURE." I notice you said "we" instead of "arcas."

That wasn't a very good attempt to recover.

Um... yeah... that's because my post was a response to his...

Defending? Did you even read my post? Of course not...

So far, you've made an asshat out of yourself three times... care to continue?

Woah, I'm a crackhead. I swear I remember reading something in your post that said that Vivendi would go bankrupt. In fact, even Arcas was saying "what if" Vivendi went bankrupt. So I guess I just imagined like, everything. The funny thing is, before I actually went back and read through the whole thread again, I had a whole other flaming post typed.

My apologies, I must be insane, and imagining things.