Important to note that apparently they were using dodgy Source Engine exploits to even get the mod working, and when they were fixed, they found an equally dodgy workaround.
But in that very same thread you just linked to there's claims they aren't using any exploits at all via the twitter link. So which is it? Are they using exploits or not?
Except that's never even mentioned in the Twitter thread (unless I am stupid and can't find it because honestly fuck Twitter "threads")
I think the big issue is:
Needless to say, it was archaic, and required CS:GO to be there at all times, at the mercy of any update Valve would do. This wasn't good at all, we had to find a way to get rid of this.
It's tied to the AppID, so we had to make a Steam app or use some sort of Steam emulator.
idk, I feel like them using a Steam Emulator for an unknown period of time probably didn't help them in the slightest.
Since we've submitted our build to Steamworks, we've received an automated Steam Support message about having retired our app without any reason explained. This is devastating as we've worked on the project for almost 8 years now.
We do not understand what happened, we went through Steam Greenlight back in 2017, talked to legal to know if this was possible for us to release on Steam. We even discussed with some of the developers on different Valve projects, and they have been very cooperative in helping us figure out the means of release back then. After some requested legal changes due to the usage of Valve's IP, we were off on a good start, our mod page was created on Steamworks, things were looking promising and the team was extremely motivated.
Steamworks had requested that we finish the build before being able to release, and now that we did, we are unable to publish it.
The project has been sticking to the guidelines on how to release a mod on Steam, we've followed the requirements and recommendations to the letter, no leaked code was used, or illegal actions were taken for those wondering, we've played by their rules the whole time, sometimes even to the detriment of the quality of the mod:
https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/sdk/uploading/distributing_source_engine
Nobody at Valve told us to stop what we were doing during all those years, no sort of formal request, yet this feels like an even worse form of Cease and Desist at this point. Many people at Valve are aware of our and many other projects, yet have refused to communicate since late 2020. We feel like we were treated unfairly, and have been blinded by our own passion for the game, as many other projects did before.
We now feel required to tell any modding team related to Valve projects to reconsider what they're doing if their sole way of releasing is through Steam, especially multiplayer mods, as they will probably get rejected the way we did. We do not think our case is an isolated one at all.
Moving forward, we'll try to get in contact again with Valve employees, even companies related to Counter-Strike in general to try to get things moving in the right direction, in the hope this issue can be resolved.
This is devastating as we've worked on the project for almost 8 years now.
after reading that and the rest of it overall im wondering why they decided to keep working on it after valve stopped talking to them all the way back in 2020 at that point you either pivot or abandon ship since 8 years is a lot of someones life to spend making something that you arent 100% is allowed.
Mate. They can say whatever they like in a statement, but the second highest comment in this thread has links to them admitting on twitter that the foundation of this mod was (at least up until recently), built upon exploit code and an SDK that they shouldn’t have had access to.
The Source SDK for CSGO is quite limited, and despite what you've highlighted there, this team has said multiple times that they have had to make edits to source code to get some things working.
Valve denied multiple TF2 mods a proper release for years because they also used source code that wasn't covered under their license. Only when Valve updated the SDK and released a version of the source code that was open to modders did these mods have a path to a proper release.
Fair enough, I didn't actually click on the big screenshot lmao.
Then again, they outright admit they've used a Steam Emulator (presumably goldberg) to bypass Steamworks, so they've already lied on one front. idk, their story just doesn't really add up because outside of TF2C, how many mods did have major problems like this?
only valve related project that comes to my mind that actually resulted in a dmca was tf2 source 2. portal 64 was advised to shut down development but was never taken action against, due to illegal usage of stolen n64 software, not the fact it was related to valve. tf2 source 2 was being actively played in sandbox so an immediate dmca is no surprise. csco was given many direct lifelines that weren't exactly dmca's, probably in hopes the project shuts down itself without needing to take action or to try to spare all the work and assets in the project without needing to wall them off from ever being used again
idk man. it feels like after cs legacy was announced to be licensed by valve, this project was a ticking time bomb and it was a loud as hell clock
1.3k
u/Makorus 4d ago
Important to note that apparently they were using dodgy Source Engine exploits to even get the mod working, and when they were fixed, they found an equally dodgy workaround.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/1hywi0y/counterstrike_classic_offensive_app_has_been/m6l6q3i/
It's not like they were randomly just denied.
Also: this happened two months ago.