S.T.A.L.K.E.R. contains Doom 3 and HL2 assets

[Zips]

(repost from SUF)
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/46449

Not sure why I didn't post this here earlier when I posted about it at CSN.

This week, threads have started showing up on various forums containing what appears to be evidence that GSC Game World's recently released shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl makes use of a number of graphical assets taken directly from commercially released games such as Valve's Half-Life 2 and id Software's Doom 3. Many forum posters are speculating that the assets were used without authorization.

One of the first threads to be made regarding the matter was posted to the MapCore forums; the thread creator, user michi.be, posted screen captures allegedly comparing the light image folders from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to those of Doom 3 (all screen captures locally mirrored). Tellingly, though some of the images had been modified in various ways, such as having hue or saturation adjustments, the original filenames from the Doom 3 folders remained the same--for example, a file with the Doom-esque name "lights_impflash.dds," referring to one of the game's enemies, was visually modified in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. folder but retained the filename.

Later in the same thread, user Johnny posted an image allegedly comparing a water texture from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to a water texture from Half-Life 2. As in the Doom 3 case, the images were nearly identical and the filename was unchanged with the exception of its extension.

HL2 Water Texture to STALKER comparison:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...ter_hl2_01.jpg

Doom 3 Textures and names:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...ts_doom_01.jpg

STALKER textures and names:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...stalker_01.jpg

[Quietus]

Yeah while I was browsing the Stalker official forums I saw the thread there about it. One of the user comments at shacknews mentioned something about maybe they are commonly avaliable for sale commercial textures used by many game co's.......because if not; that's a major **** up and at best Stalker makers will at least have to pay DOOM & Half-life guys a given amount for every texture of theirs they used. Or remove them from the game. I'll reserve my judgment till the situation gets clearer.

[EvilHobo]

Whoops?

[Xendance]

Well they already use sounds from CS so what's the big deal?

[Jokerman]

Originally Posted by Zips

(repost from SUF)
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/46449

Not sure why I didn't post this here earlier when I posted about it at CSN.
HL2 Water Texture to STALKER comparison:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...ter_hl2_01.jpg

Doom 3 Textures and names:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...ts_doom_01.jpg

STALKER textures and names:
http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/s...stalker_01.jpg

meh x 4
The game looks different, feels different and smells differnt, if the multi-millioner companies want to make a fuss about it- let them do it on their own- dont see why gamers have to act as their watch dogs.

[Murphy]

Because many games are modders too and stealing content is a huge insult and earns you nothing but scorn, even if it has nothing to do with the out-come, be it in the shape of a mod you didn't create, a map you stole the textures from or the prize you have to pay for it.

Seen from the outside it makes no difference whatsoever if you asked for permission or not, but nevertheless people should care about these things because only if we do care, and only if we do ***** and moan as soon someone breaks this unwritten law (in this case, maybe even written law) this law will continue to exist and continue to save our material, even if its not officially copyrighted.

In this case though I think the most plausible explanation is that all of these games had a common resource they baught from somewhere and unless someone can prove something else I'll stick with "in dubio pro res".

[fiftyone]

I thought it was an April fools joke thingy that kicked of on the"1st of April".

[Ralfst3r]

If it's true, it would be a pretty serious problem for the Stalker devs. Isn't it protected IP like anything.

[Dillinger]

The "evidence" so far is not very well presented. Same names for files and similar textures are not proof. Nor are screenshots from users end PC, as we all know how well Photoshop works. You just can't trust pictures anymore.

I'd wait for the facts to come in on this, but this could be a huge problem for GSC if it turns out to be true.

[Werner]

Originally Posted by Dillinger

I'd wait for the facts to come in on this, but this could be a huge problem for GSC if it turns out to be true.

Yeah, Internet communities have a knack for medieval masshysteria. Blockheads start taking sides before the facts are even out, I bet someone's already putting up a site like "boycott S.T.A.L.K.E.R." or something as stupid as that. I could just open PS and rename a HL2 texture, put a convincing folder tree on the left and voilà, get my own 15 minutes of fame.

If this is true, I think it's outrageous. Stealing content is maybe the worst thing you can do in the gaming business.

But as I said, let's just wait and see.

[Dillinger]

Being the inquisitive type, here's my research on the subject:



In this picture, I've opened five textures. Four are from STALKER, one from HL2. In the bottom left, we have HL2's Water texture normal map. Beside it, is a water texture normal map from STALKER, the file is called water_normal_dudv0.dds beside that is the STALKER water_dudv0.dds file (which looks like a frame from an animated bump map, as there are 28 of these dudv files in the textures\water directory and they play out as an animation). These dudv textures are the same as the HL2 water texture. There are also tons of other water textures in the Stalker textures\water directory.

In the top left of the image, is a texture from STALKER and another on the top right. These two images are the water I've seen in-game. They also have their own normal and bump maps, and animations. Replacing the water_dudv files from the directory with completely red images did not affect my game.

EDIT: Also while digging through the script and config files, so far I have found no place that references the water_dudv files anywhere, only the other original water textures. So it would appear that I am correct.

The STALKER game directories are very cluttered. There is leftover stuff, old stuff, stuff that's not used, etc. It's very possible they were using HL2 water textures to test shaders out, and some Doom 3 textures to test certain things, but they forgot to remove them before the game went Gold, which is what my conclusion would be. For each "stolen" texture, there is another that is the same thing, but obviously an original work. At least as far as I can tell. So while textures from other games may reside on the disc, I do not believe they are actually being used in-game.

I guess the other possibility/conspiracy theory would be that HL2 and DOOM 3 stole STALKER's stuff, since STALKER was being created before either HL2 or DOOM 3, but I think the first conclusion makes more sense.

[Oldih]

Aren't these things usually copied 24h\7?

I guess STALKER devs just forgot to cover up their tracks.

[Dillinger]

Also while digging through the script and config files, so far I have found no place that references the water_dudv files anywhere, only the other original water textures. So it would appear that I am correct...hopefully! I will keep looking.

[PNV]

There's also that Gordon Freeman PDA you can find in the game that mentions Black Mesa. Maybe they like Half Life alot?

I'd also like to mention that STALKER was in development while HL2 was as well, as Dillinger said. I remember people were anticipating HL2 while waiting for this game. Some debated which game was going to be better, that STALKER was going to have better physics, etc. etc., but HL2 beat them out the gate.

[DingBat]

I have to admit I find a lot of the reaction to this news to be alarming and dissapointing. Quite a number of people seem to be "what's the big deal?", that this sort of thing goes on all the time.

Have we taken our easy going file sharing attitudes a bit too far? Remember that this is people's time we're talking about here. I don't know about you, but my time is worth a LOT.

Sure, the developers of Stalker should have the chance to defend themselves, but if it's true, this is NOT a "meh" situation.

[Dillinger]

Originally Posted by DingBat

I have to admit I find a lot of the reaction to this news to be alarming and dissapointing. Quite a number of people seem to be "what's the big deal?", that this sort of thing goes on all the time.

Have we taken our easy going file sharing attitudes a bit too far? Remember that this is people's time we're talking about here. I don't know about you, but my time is worth a LOT.

Sure, the developers of Stalker should have the chance to defend themselves, but if it's true, this is NOT a "meh" situation.

I don't think many say it's a "meh" situation IF it is true. But there is no reason to jump to conclusions based on very limited facts. It's a huge deal if it's true, but from what I have found those textures are not even used in the game, and if that remains true, the point is moot.

[fiftyone]

Well I would like to say that Stalker is a very good game, whatever.

I believe the original was posted somewhere on April fools day.

The word placeholder, for sounds as well as textures has been used often.

That J D Carmak/ ID has said that they don't have time to look into it, (hmmm).

Pretty sure it will all come out in the wash.

I would be quite surprised if all these net-rumors are true, after all, we do trust the Allies, do we not ?

[2ltben]

It was sloppily packaged, so what? They used the textures and render maps from other games as placeholders while their own were being made. Nothing illegal about that, and its done all the time.

[DingBat]

Originally Posted by 2ltben

It was sloppily packaged, so what? They used the textures and render maps from other games as placeholders while their own were being made. Nothing illegal about that, and its done all the time.

It is? On what do you base that statement? How do you know they were using those artifacts are placeholders?

You may be right. Sloppily packaged is a huge understatement, however. Incredibly stupid is closer to the truth.

[fiftyone]

No self conscious professional would use another professionals work as a placeholder !

Something like a "no-draw" or the equivalent will do the same job.
Me, don't know chite all !

We trust the Allies, do we not ?

Net-rumor !