[ProgrammingAce]

Ok, well i can't download the file to look and the xcult site is loading like a bag of dicks, so there's something i still don't understand...

SatoT is saying that anyone with half a brain would know some midi file is from pokemon gold (I don't even know wtf pokemon gold is) and that someone named Keitaro put it there.

This should lead everyone (with half a brain) to know that SatoT and his 5 friends are the sole owners of this prototype. Since SatoT's friends signed some sort of blood pact, none of them could have given it out, so booda must have.... what, hacked into their machines and stole it?

There are a few steps missing from SatoT's logical conclusion.

My best guess? One of SatoT's 5 best buddies gave it to a friend, who gave it to a friend, who gave it to a friend... you get the picture. If there are only 5 people who are supposed to have a file, and a 6th person magically ends up with it, anyone (with half a brain) can see that one of the 5 must have given it out.

Personally? I don't really care about the roms, and booda just asked to get himself banned so whatever. But the rest of the story doesn't make sense.

[SatoT]

The point is that yes, obviously one of the people who it was given to gave it out, and that obviously my trust was broken, but that does not mean that because it was given out that it was still meant to be released. The problem I have with code and engines being released as opposed to protos (to those who don't know, I -DID- release the protos I did have, so people who are assuming I'm some kind of hoarding bitch can suck it ) is that they are always still used in one way or another (and yes even accross new platforms, they can still reuse parts of old code and resources), whereas with protos they were never making money off of them in the first place.

As the code was neither mine to release in the first place, nor was the means it was obtained from legal (yes, it was obtained by Keitaro from the FTP but the fact is, doing so was probably not legal, even if he did not realize that it was not MEANT to be public), and the very fact remains that had I not given it to ANYONE for the sole purpose of research (which ironically, Keitaro and myself were the only people who have actually done ANYTHING productive with any of these materials in the way of reverse engineering and applying these concepts towards rom hacking and homebrew), none of you would even know it existed. So yes, my trust was broken, I desired it not be released until we had examined everything, determined what probably could and should be released, and the like.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that had it not been for us this wouldn't even be in anyone's hands at all, the hole in the ftp wouldn't have even known to be in existance. And it disgusts me that ever since I so much as mentioned its existance and the fact that its now closed to public access that people have even come to me expressing desire to BREAK IN TO IT and steal the remaining code that is there. Honestly, if this is what being a "HARDCOER SCENE MEMBARR" is about, then I will graciously remain a hoarding bitch and decline releasing any future information on any little goodies I come accross

I have shown myself to be more than capable of researching things on my own and no longer desire to be involved with anyone from these sorts of communities. I'm done, have your fun, because this is the last thing the "scene" is ever getting out of me (and any future protos of mine are being released under my only trusted source in an appropriate manner). The rest of the stuff that was given to others for archival purposes (and you know who you are), I trust they will remain in your care and not released now. You can thank booda and his mystery leaker for that I guess...or really, everyone who's ever given me crap or pressured me in to releasing my own personal findings and collections, some of which were given to me through inside sources for my own personal use and research, when I did not feel comfortable doing so.

And I'm female, in case you feel like correcting your future use of pronouns

[Dais]

[SatoT]

Well honestly, I'm at my witt's end here. Perhaps I'm just being tired of pressured in to releasing stuff I regret even opening my mouth about in the first place. It's not so much that I will be hoarding so much as just not opening my mouth about things anymore. It's not like I'd lie if directly questioned, but just don't expect me to be coming out of the woodwork or anything....

[Evan]

I personally have no problem if someone wants to "hoard" something. It is their thing, and if they want to keep it to themselves, I guess that is their choice. I do appreciate it when anyone who has rare stuff when they share their information to the public, even if it is in the form of screenshots and reviews. The truth is that many of the "anti-hoarders" are as bad as the hoarders at sharing information.

[PACHUKA]

[ProgrammingAce]

like i said before, i don' really care about the files...

but it's nice of you to come to a public forum and admit to multiple felonys. i'm not going to pretend this hobby is remotely legal, but there is a line that you've crossed.

breaking into a company's ftp (secured or not) and stealing their source code is a felony. by sharing the code with "a few trusted friends" you are directly responsible for the leak. i'm glad you're leaving because frankly you are an irresponsible asshole.

If you're so concerned about protecting the developers, maybe you shouldn't have stolen their source code and distributed it. I hope you're aware that intelligent systems is the company nintendo uses to develop it's dev tools and that by leaking them, you've caused considerable harm.

[SatoT]

I hope you realize that I personally never accessed the server, that I personally never touched the files, and that Keitaro personally never touched a single file from the server, nor do I know who is responsible for providing him with the materials found within (Keitaro himself was actually incredibly hesitant about the site as he was not the one who came about it), even if I did know who is responsible for providing him with the materials I would never say because of protection. The fact remains that he wanted no part in stealing anything from there and the fact that someone else provided him with something from there that he himself did not obtain washes his and my hands of that. He only accepted the files under the circumstances that we would use them for RESEARCH ONLY. I only gave the file to those 5 people because I was highly pressured in to doing so, not necessarily by them but also by people from the scene. He and I personally committed no felony, and had you read, I noted how I was personally disgusted at people's attempts to actually break security and steal the remaining things from their NOW PRIVATE FTP. The fact that the FTP was public to begin with was obviously a mistake and a hindsight on their part, they obviously know what went on because immediately after it happened the FTP became protected and the IPs which had accessed it were noticed to have been pinged.

This was back in 2006. I think if they were really upset they would have tracked the downloading IP address by now, they aren't exactly stupid despite this hindsight. I dont deny that it was wrong to have taken it, and perhaps you can see why I VERY MUCH DID NOT WANT THIS TO BE CIRCULATED, but this is my fault for letting some greedy people pressure me. I wash my hands of this whole thing as of right now. Whatever you people do with it is your business, seriously, but I really don't recommend further widespread circulation. Not for my own protection but for yours as well. Just saying =\

[PACHUKA]

Leak more stuff plz.

[RVWinkle]

The only thing remotely interesting that comes out of this so-called 'scene' is the amazingly retarded drama. Keep up the good work guys!

[Smeg]

[PACHUKA]

[TheRedEye]

I'm mostly siding with the argument that source code from active developers is a big no-no, even some of the old legacy source code I have in my little personal archive is a little too hot for me to want to distribute.

I'm keeping this thread open because it can be an interesting discussion if people aren't dicks, keep things civil guys.

[ProgrammingAce]

well, in that case let me try to be helpful.

if you don' want something to leak, don't make a copy of it. i'm not trying to be a smart ass here, but if it's that important to you don't create the opertunity.

as for standing up to peer pressure, if you're going to brag about owning something rare, people are going to ask you to share it. you really need to be able to say no.

i've found the easiest way to deal with the issue is not to talk about it. nobody really has any idea what i own. if anyone asks, i tell them i'm the assistant fry cook at burger king. in reality, i basically own a museum's worth of video game development history.

there is a certain thrill in telling people about all the cool one of a kind stuff you own, but in reality everyone forgets about it after a month anyway. the source code here? i'd guess less then 50 people are even going to download it. maybe 5 people will look at it, and maybe 2 will remember they have it in 5 years. the stuff usually just isn't worth leaking

[Wonderbutt]

[Smeg]

[ProgrammingAce]

[BMF54123]

I just wish restaurants would clean out their trays more often, because I'm sick of finding day-old fries and breaded mystery chunks at the bottom of my fry box.

[nixon]

I appreciate your approach ProgrammingAce. We all know you've got a ton of stuff, but you are good about keeping it close to your chest, and when the time is right presenting it in a way that is respectful and puts it into context.

Lost Levels was/is all about that mentality. We wanted hoarded things to be free, and placed in a context of something that deserves to have it's story told and shared. But I know most all of us have no problem respecting the rights holders, and the wishes of those who actually worked on the projects.

Didn't Lost Levels have a "leak" long ago from our trusted circle of friends, where TSR or someone, but up quick reviews of a couple of games that we were working on with articles here? It's all so fuzzy.

[Kiddo]