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Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

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Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#151

Post by laughingman2 »

jakebasile wrote: post #52
jpgvm wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not normal source code. It's not like you found the source to the latest Halo game or something. This is like finding the source to the original Halo game, of little to no commercial value but of immense cultural value. Where possible these artefacts are archived so they will be around long after the companies have folded. Unfortunately it's just not possible most of the time as companies end up taking their sof…

But in this case, that's Blizzard's right. They own it whether you like it or not. Just because something is important doesn't mean they should lose property rights to it. Abandonware is a thing and I remember there being some legal headway made recently in that respect, but Starcraft isn't abandoned. They just released a compatibility patch and made it free to download.

corporate shill

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#152

Post by nspattak »

gottam wrote: post #72
spike021 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's still their property. IMO non-Blizzard individuals have no right to post it.

Like I said, from a black and white legal standpoint it was the right move. But so much was lost from not simply uploading it somewhere from an internet cafe. It enters the same ethical flexibility as things like wikileaks in my opinion

As much as I would love to see blizzard's code, it is their intellectual property. This is nothing similar to wikileaks. Wikileaks publishes information that should have been public because it is of public interest and relates to the public yet it is not available to the public.

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#153

Post by IsmaOlvey »

oblio wrote: post #144
saboot wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, this is a very overlooked comment. I had no idea about Starcraft: Remastered. They're releasing the original game in HD. Pretty much nulls all of the 'no commercial value' arguments I see here.

It doesn't. Want to bet that "Starcraft: Remastered" has a major code overhaul? Just read their release announcement. Even if the code was still similar to the original one, the non-HD version is given away for free...

No. They're using the same gameplay code as the original Starcraft:

    Q: How did you go about replicating all the unexpected “bugs” that made BW micro
    so special? Did you simply reuse code from the original game, or did you find a
    solution to replicate the nuances of BW’s gameplay?

    A: StarCraft: Remastered is able to achieve this effect as it uses all the same
    gameplay code as Brood War. This means that Dragoons and Goliaths are still a
    bit derpy in how they react to movement commands. The Reaver’s shot doesn’t
    always find a target. Mutas stack.

    The fact is that the gameplay is identical enough that old replays from 1.16
    will play and work just fine under StarCraft: Remastered.
from http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/brood-war/520464-an-intervie...

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#154

Post by Pica_soO »

jakebasile wrote: post #56
scrollaway wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you? :) Starcraft influenced the culture and politics of an entire nation and became a national sport. It pioneered "e-sports". It's a piece of history, and this disc is standalone a piece of history as well. I think I know right from wrong, but I would still have absolutely no idea what to do if that disc landed on my doorstep. Edit: I cannot believe this is such a controversial thing to say. Shame on the people…

But it's still owned by Blizzard. It doesn't matter how important it was, they still own it. I am 100% sure the guy did the right thing in returning it, not only legally but morally as well. If Blizzard were to MIT license it that'd be amazing but they're the only ones with the power to do so, no matter who finds a copy in a box.

You seem to hold the right to property higher then anything else. It might shock you but the society has the right to disown you, if your property is needed elsewhere - for example to build a interstate.

Now everyone's free to be the gremlin sitting on the sack, but if that sack literally is a masterpiece that shaped the whole of civilization, one day people will gently hoist you aside and replace the sack beneath you with a sack of similar monetary value, to put your original sack in museum.

Sorry if that's inconceivable in a black and white worldview. And no - its not communism, that is civilization. A right to destroy art does not exist.

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#155

Post by nomercy400 »

justicezyx wrote: post #4
devwastaken wrote: post #3

In other news, Blizzard pays less than $1000 to make sure modders can't make starcraft better than they can.

I am particularly confused by Blz's rationale. Valve basically own a significant fraction of its success to community: CS (based on modder produce) Dota2 (bought from a modder); these 2 are their big revenue sources. While Blz seems always intended to disallow any modder involvement at all. Most Tower Defense games own their popularity to the early days of SC and warcrfatIII. And Dota is basically just a warcraft III…

The source code shows all details of one of their most popular products. If it got out you can guarantee there will be new exploits, new ways of breaking the game, which in order to keep the game 'fun', will have to patch.

Also, don't forget they re-released Starcraft with better textures recently, so having your sources out there isn't going to improve that game.

Plus, it's their stuff, they decide what to do with it. You can ask all you want about the source code of a piece of software of 1995, but I bet you won't get it from any company just because it is part of history. I don't see the source of Windows 95 lying around on the internet either.

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#156

Post by fredoliveira »

seanp2k2 wrote: post #146
test1235 wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd still get in trouble for making that copy and distributing it.

you're not distributing it and I'd trust the people at the Internet Archive to keep it anonymous and Do the Right Thing.

Distributing to one entity is still distributing.

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#157

Post by IsmaOlvey »

jpgvm wrote: post #54
huehehue wrote: post #46

Damn people are tearing this guy apart, the reddit threads are particularly brutal. It's a video game. The finder has no obligation to risk legal trouble so that a game can be modified, played, or even preserved. I'm all for archiving these sorts of things, and agree there's probably no great reason to keep the source private. But if I have the (likely) stolen property of a large company and they ask for its return,…

It's actually pretty simple. If you find yourself in the same situation: 1. Rip disk 2. Send to archive.org 3. Mail disk to Blizzard. Blizzard will destroy this copy or at least make sure it never circulates again, by sending it to archive.org you have relieved yourself of the burden of releasing it. They may or may not choose to release it but they will at least keep it archived so that if Blizzard is to be lost the…

And, importantly, never tell anyone about #2 (at least until you can be completely certain Blizzard won't take action against you).

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#158

Post by slackingoff2017 »

Wtf? Who make a "gold disc" for source code?? Wouldn't the gold master be compiled code? And who the fuck makes a "gold source" disc that's also "professionally printed"? That implies they gave the source to somebody to have the CD made. Yeah right. Also, the game takes up most of a CD, the assets would use far more space than that.

There's so many holes in this story, it's obvious bullshit and everyone is soaking it up. 100% chance this is a lame viral marketing stunt to drum up interest in StarCraft remastered. It's clearly paid placement, and frankly a bit sensational to even be possible.

Blizzard is known for quietly paying people for product placement and bullshit stories like this. Don't be sheeple.

Edit: I did some reading and other sources actually name the person and mention he's a game collector (with pictures of some of his collection). Surprisingly, this looks to be legit.

http://www.dualshockers.com/2017/05/03/long-lost-starcraft-g...

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#159

Post by chii »

nspattak wrote: post #152
gottam wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like I said, from a black and white legal standpoint it was the right move. But so much was lost from not simply uploading it somewhere from an internet cafe. It enters the same ethical flexibility as things like wikileaks in my opinion

As much as I would love to see blizzard's code, it is their intellectual property. This is nothing similar to wikileaks. Wikileaks publishes information that should have been public because it is of public interest and relates to the public yet it is not available to the public.

Why isnt a culturally significant game's source not considered public interest? Especially when the game is no longer being sold?

Re: Guy Finds StarCraft Source Code and Returns It to Blizzard

#160

Post by croon »

ajmurmann wrote: post #34
taurath wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not so sure. Skin sales are the entire business model of Dota2 and LoL - the difference is who develops the skins. Valve has shown they rarely want to be involved in dlc and skin creation, they've always been community first in that sense. An RTS or an RPG lends itself to modding tools better than an FPS in general.

> An RTS or an RPG lends itself to modding tools better than an FPS in general. We got some awesome FPS mods in the past though. Team Fortress and Counter Strike stick out as the most prominent examples.

Left 4 Dead too. I see a pattern.

But other stuff like modes in games: Capture the flag, Gun Game, etc would probably not be a thing without mods for Quake and original Counter-Strike.

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