The ethics of decompiling maps

fraggard said:

I wonder how many people posting here are
actually just making up excuses to release it because they can't wait
to steal some prefabs or take an entity setup that someone took days to
make and stick it in their own s**thole map.

Keep wondering. It'll do you good.

Edit: Quoted you... I get the feeling you might "change" your views. You fit the profile.

Is that a threat? Because I really don't care.

sigh

I'm not trying to pick a fight, even though you sound like you want to.

I'm trying to make a point. A decompiler has valid uses. Just because
it has some unethical uses does not mean that it should be scrapped. My
previous Dihydrogen Monoxide joke was meant to illustrate just that.
Dihydrogen Monoxide is water. H20.

i am the last person to talk, but i suggest caution stickfig.

fraggard is quiet most times, but when he talks people listen. if you want your stay here to be as pleasant as possible, don't be so abrasive.

/ 2 cents

if you want your stay here to be as pleasant as possible, don't be so abrasive.

/ 2 cents

points up He the man.

when he talks people listen.

People actually listen to me?

fraggard.ego += 1000;

fraggard.egoReset();

fraggard.~fraggard(); :sad:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting fraggard</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

People actually listen to me?

</DIV></DIV>
i do. more than you know apparently.

If you don't release it chances are there will only be one other decompiler released.

I've only ever found 2 for HL1 and they work completely differently.

I wonder how many people posting here are actually just making up
excuses to release it because they can't wait to steal some prefabs or
take an entity setup that someone took days to make and stick it in
their own s**thole map.

And to whoever posted this thread, quit acting like you care what
people think, you're going to release it anyways and you know it. The
most you could have hoped to achieve with this thread is having people
ready to go steal someone's hard work kiss your ass.

ALERT ALERT! THIS IS NOT STEAMPOWERED. CALLING OUR USERS NOOBS AND THIEVES WILL MAKE EVERYONE HATE YOU!

ALERT ALERT! GET CLUE!

As pointed out, decompiles never get played/finished because they come
out like a technicolour yawn, and server admins will happily install
killboxes ang LEGGO maps as opposed to a recompiled hack up of say,
lockdown.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Gwil</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>If you don't release it chances are there will only be one other decompiler released.
I've only ever found 2 for HL1 and they work completely differently.

I wonder how many people posting here are actually just making up excuses to release it because they can't wait to steal some prefabs or take an entity setup that someone took days to make and stick it in their own s**thole map.

And to whoever posted this thread, quit acting like you care what people think, you're going to release it anyways and you know it. The most you could have hoped to achieve with this thread is having people ready to go steal someone's hard work kiss your ass.

</DIV></DIV>

ALERT ALERT! THIS IS NOT STEAMPOWERED. CALLING OUR USERS NOOBS AND THIEVES WILL MAKE EVERYONE HATE YOU!

ALERT ALERT! GET CLUE!

As pointed out, decompiles never get played/finished because they come out like a technicolour yawn, and server admins will happily install killboxes ang LEGGO maps as opposed to a recompiled hack up of say, lockdown.
</DIV></DIV>
I never even thought about comparing this place to Steampowered forums before you made this post. Way to represent.

so much for my heart felt attempt at peace keeping.

you're on your own stickfig :/

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting StickFigs</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>If you don't release it chances are there will only be one other decompiler released.

I've only ever found 2 for HL1 and they work completely differently.

I wonder how many people posting here are actually just making up excuses to release it because they can't wait to steal some prefabs or take an entity setup that someone took days to make and stick it in their own s**thole map.

And to whoever posted this thread, quit acting like you care what people think, you're going to release it anyways and you know it. The most you could have hoped to achieve with this thread is having people ready to go steal someone's hard work kiss your ass.

</DIV></DIV>
Release the decompiler quick so I can rip one of StickFig's maps! Oh... Wait. That's right. He doesn't have any...

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Tracer Bullet</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>
Release the decompiler quick so I can rip one of StickFig's maps! Oh... Wait. That's right. He doesn't have any...

</DIV></DIV>

It's because I'm too busy making them not suck before I release them. Just because I'm not one of the fags who releases 15 beta versions of their map doesn't mean I don't have a project going.

You hold onto your asshat If you're expecting me not to create something that will change the maps people make. Because me and another mapper have already started a new maptype that will spawn dozens of spinoffs.

With all the entity work this certain project involves I'd kill anyone who stole the smallest amount of work from me.
So now you have no other reason not to agree with me, other than if you're just being malicious by saying the exact opposite of what I say.

Nothin wrong with releasing 15 betas.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting mazemaster</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Nothin wrong with releasing 15 betas. </DIV></DIV>
I'm talking about people who release uncompleted maps and just want an excuse to release SOMETHING.

StickFigs, did you make your avatar? I recognize it from the SA forums. A guy made it for his own avatar, as I recall.

Stop beating up on him, fellows, even if he is being rude.

Tis a nice Avatar...

Hollow words my friend. I will be happy to see anything as novel as you suggest, however.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Cassius</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>StickFigs, did you make your avatar? I recognize it from the SA forums. A guy made it for his own avatar, as I recall.

Stop beating up on him, fellows, even if he is being rude.

</DIV></DIV>
Yes I did make it and you saw it on SA because I am a goon.

I don't release betas just so people won't have the wrong version of my map. also, a lot of my ideas are pretty novel and... good, so i don't want aynone to see them until It's all said and done and released.

yes he has a big mouth... doesnt mean he's wrong, time will tell. Big-mouths are everywhere, even here. And "being here longer" isnt a valid excuse.

You made that animated gif? I see that thing EVERYWHERE!

mazemaster said:
Nothin wrong with releasing 15 betas.

I'm talking about people who release uncompleted maps and just want an excuse to release SOMETHING.

More like they want to make their own map better, or if they're
discontinuing, think others should be able to see. And why shouldn't
they able to?

I've now released the decompiler using the new method (link in sig). It works on anything I throw at it so far, anyway.

It's not perfect (it does occasionally get brush entities a bit wrong,
or loses a brush or two), but it's much nicer than the old one.
Certainly seeing all the clip and hint brushes in the official levels
is very instructive.

Currently there's no support for displacement surfaces or areaportals, though I should be on to them soon.

There's a sufficient level of rounding error in the produced maps that
it's a bit of a chore to try to recompile one of them (for non-trival
maps). I couldn't find a programatic way of deliberately breaking an
arbitrary brush without Hammer refusing to load half of the brushes,
unfortunately. I also added a few ways that a map author could flag a
map as non-decompilable, some more secure than others.

this could be a bit of a late post, but release it, please. there is so
much undocumented stuff in HL2 that mappers could really use... and if
there is a moron who decides to release a Dust decompile, it's his
fault when Valve catches him for copyright infirngement.

[edit] yup, this IS a late post...[/edit]

Back with DooM 1 and Duke3d, stealing the original maps was as easy as loading it into the editor. But nobody's ever done that, so I don't think there'll be a problem with a HL2 decompiler.