Valve's Filmmaker Code Hints at Source 2

[Karloff]

Valve's Filmmaker Code Hints at Source 2

Valvetime sleuths uncover evidence for a next-gen engine, hidden in Filmmaker system files.

"We don't like to brag," says Valve's official website [http://valvesoftware.com/company/], "but Source is considered the most flexible, comprehensive, and powerful game development environment out there. And it's about to get even better." How much better, you ask? A next-gen upgrade would seem to be the answer, as a bit of errant code hidden away within Filmmaker - released last month on Steam - refers to a mysterious beast known only as Source 2.

"Return an str with the current engine version," says the code, "if key doesn't doesn't exist, assume 'Source', otherwise invalid -- assume next-gen 'Source 2'," According to posters on the Valvetime forum, there are upwards of 60 other references to the Source 2 engine hidden in Filmmaker's code, including a hint that something called Hybrid is somehow involved. There's no way to know what Hybrid is or does; the Valvetime posters speculate that this is the base for Source 2, but without anything official from Valve it's impossible to be certain.

Source has been Valve's game engine for donkey's years. It powers everything from Half-Life to Gabe Newell admitted that this was a problem [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118882-Valves-Source-Engine-Runs-Better-on-Linux-Than-Windows]. "So, our current tools are... very painful, so we probably are spending more time on tools development now than anything else and when we're ready to ship those I think everybody's life will get a lot better." The code lines in Filmmaker may hint that they're a lot closer to ship now than ever before.

Source: Valvetime [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-08-06-valve-files-name-next-gen-source-2-engine]


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[yuval152]

Half life 3 with Source 2 YAY!.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

(Insert valve time joke for Source 2 release)

 

[Th37thTrump3t]

If this means I get Half Life 3 soon, then I'm excited. If not then I will continue to not give a shit.

 

[Brendan Stepladder]

Maybe one of the reasons Half-Life 3 is taking so long is because the engine it's probably using is also subject to Valve-time.

 

[Blazing Steel]

That sounds good I guess. It's hard to tell how good untill we start to see pics and specs. At least valve can see their engine could use a tune up, unlike some other devs...

 

[synobal]

Half life 3 with Source 2 YAY!.

pretty much this. I'd love to see Half Life 3 on a new engine. Lets face it the Source Engine is awesome, I'd love to see what the next iteration of it would be.

 

[bafrali]

Pics or didn't happen Valve.

I do hope it will look decent even in the low setings like Half Life 2. I am not sure if i can afford a new rig for HL3

 

[royohz]

HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF WORKING LIKE A NORMAL ENGINE, IT REPLACES ALL ANIMAL AND HUMAN MODELS IN EVERY GAME WITH TRAFFIC CONES?!

No. I'm really looking forward to the new engine and the games to come. I don't think it'll be more than two years now, but that's just an unfounded prediction.

 

[Tharwen]

So that would explain why Episode 3 is taking so long...

 

[joeman098]

IVe said it before and Ill say it again i predict no episode 3 but half life 3 build on the new source engine. just like half life 1 was built on what ever the fuck half life 2 on source and now half life 3 on source 2..... now just hurry up valve I must have half life 3!!!!!!!

 

[cornmancer]

I've always said I'll be okay waiting for Half-Life 3 if it turns out it's been developed along with Source 2. here's to hoping.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Half life 3 with Source 2 YAY!.

Was there ever any doubt?

I remember hearing about Half-Life 3 being a first Source 2 game 2 years ago, maybe more.

 

[UNHchabo]

Source has been Valve's game engine for donkey's years. It powers everything from Half-Life to Left 4 Dead

Small correction: the "Source engine" refers to the one Valve used starting with Half-Life 2. Half-Life used the engine now known as "GoldSrc". The Source engine was made using the GoldSrc codebase, but they are considered different engines.

 

[Flizzick]

HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF WORKING LIKE A NORMAL ENGINE, IT REPLACES ALL ANIMAL AND HUMAN MODELS IN EVERY GAME WITH TRAFFIC CONES?!

Please for the love of God let this happen.

 

[Jormala]

Small correction: the "Source engine" refers to the one Valve used starting with Half-Life 2. Half-Life used the engine now known as "GoldSrc". The Source engine was made using the GoldSrc codebase, but they are considered different engines.

And both of them are derivatives of Quake 1 engine.

But I've known for a long time that Valve was going to make HL3 with a new engine, no other way it would've taken this long otherwise.

 

[saintdane05]

As much as I like Source, I totally understand to hate it's tools.
Here's a comparision:
While you can do MUCH more with Hammer (Source) as mapper, than with Sandbox (CryEngine 3), it's incredibly hard to make something beautiful.
Let me explain that. In Hammer the maps are made out of "brushes". Brushes are primitive forms (default is a block). Your entire level is made out of those. Then you add props (3d models) for more detail. In the CryEngine those "props" play a much bigger role. They can be much more detailed and flexible. However, you have to be proficient with a 3d modeling program like Blender, 3ds Max, etc. too. As "just a mapper", you can't do as much as in Source.
This is why Source is easy to learn.
On the other hand, Hammer and the complete Source SDK are a pain in the arse to use.
Try to make some natural environment in Source. You'll most likely spend hours and hours of it and it still won't look as good as in the CryEngine, which paints beautiful landscapes as comfortable as with MS Paint.

I can live with it's graphics, but I'd love new tools.
I'd love some real real-time editing too.

In addition, Hammer's errors are obtuse and vague. I spent nearly an hour before I realized that my map had a leaking skybox. In addition, lighting can be difficult to pull off at first, and spawning mechanics can sometimes be described as "Broken". Moving placed objects is just stupid, seeing as you can't do it in camera mode.

It is, overall, quite a good program though.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I'm betting a next year release for the new engine.

The Half Life 3 release will still be con-current with Rapture.