It’s really hard for Bioware to keep the lid on anything once they start preparing their website for a reveal. Once someone finds a hidden link on the website, even if it only existed for 3 seconds, they post a screen capture of it and start a thread about it. By the time the thread is shut down and evidence of the restricted information deleted, most of it is copied over to Darth Hater where it can’t be touched by Bioware. This was the case with their accidental reveal of beta testing, and it has been again revealed with their accidental reveal of certain Jedi Knight concept art, icons, and even the Jedi’s animations.
Did we already know that Jedi will be in the game? Of course, but until it’s out, trying to hack screen shots out of their system is a game in-and-of-itself. Discussing why Bioware has hidden stubs like “http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/space-combat” is likely to garner more information for the reader than a “No comment about space at this time” response from a developer. And you know what? Trying to find hidden and secret information is more fun than just being given the information to begin with.
I _love_ Darth Hater’s stuff. His dissection of the videos is masterful.
Darth Hater is actually a conglomerate Borg-like collective of writers, of which I am currently a part. Yeah, it’s crazy obsessive, but Bioware is quickly seeing that if it’s up there it can be found.
But I wouldn’t say Bioware can’t necessarily touch something. They may not have direct ability to remove something but they can certainly solicit fansites like Darth Hater to remove something that isn’t kosher. In this respect, it’s a give-and-take relationship sometimes between fansites and devs, something I have experience with, with WAR/Mythic.
Of course hacking it is more fun. We have to work for it, so we tend to value it more. Also, who knows how many Bothan Slicers are out there, seeking information about the game? :)
Shocking News! http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/classes/jedi-knight
Hey, sweet, in that case, good work, Frank. Love your site.
And yes, as a CoH and Champions and… well, lot of other games alumni, I know how the ‘pulling things out’ process works. Diving into the game’s files, investigating the fansite package for clues… there were a lot of things in the Champs fansite that I don’t think they knew they put in there, f’r example.