HD Textures for Hellgate London/Global (Steam Version)

[Dirk]

Hi Hellgators,

I just found this thread for HD Textures and better Visual Effects for the Steam version of the game:
HD Textures

Does anybody know where to get those nice visual mods for the original version of Hellgate London or did I already give myself the answer and the mods from my first link should also work with the original version of HG:L?

The download link in the description of the video is dead unfortunately.

EDIT:
Here is the whole Steam thread for HD Textures and HD Cinematics:
HD Textures and HD Movies
Download links for the HD Cinematics only.

Another download source for HD Textures and HD Cinematics (from archive.org - slow download, try to download only one file at a time):
Hellgate London HD Pack (Steam)
Direct link to the files. (Use right click and "Save target as...").

[Bryan]

I'm not up to date with Global/Steam mods, or visual mods in general, but texture-minded mods for Steam typically restored the original game's textures. At a glance, this seems to be the case with this one too. There are also manual tweaks in there, but some seem to be along these lines too. Eg "change <fGammaPower>1.00</fGammaPower> in settings to 1.00" is suggested because "[the] original game used 1.00 by default, but in this game it was changed some reason 1.15".
If so, you shouldn't be able to use such texture packs for the original game, since they're the original game's files to begin with. Eg see here and a couple other threads on this use case. Still, you may look around for mods of this nature like ReShade (which I hear sees use in 2038 too), or see if such files have any effect on the original (eg if they're modified in any way).
There's a link to a texture pack in this thread, and probably a few others. This one also reads like it just inserts the original files into Steam ("I replaced all available HG:G .dds low resolution texture files with the HD counterpart from HG:L."), but perhaps there's more to it.

[Dirk]

Hellgate "Global" looks so nice now, those textures from the original HG:L are so much better.
HD Texture Image

BTW have you checked the download links in this thread that you have posted? Not a single link is working / the files have been removed plus it's full of malware/badware/trojans etc..

[Bryan]

I hadn't, no. Since the post has been up for ~2 years now, and no issues have been reported that I know of, I assumed it was safe. So thank you for the heads up, I'll forward this.

I ran some scans now though, and they're not returning much; 2 found it entirely clean, 1 only dubbed it "suspicious" for "potentially malicious activity" but still found it clean, and 1 had a single flag. (See attachments.) What tool are you using that found it "full of malware/badware/trojans etc"? If it's accurate and more robust than those it'd be useful to have in hand.

[Dirk]

Dude, filecrypt is not the problem, the hosters where filecrypt leads you are a real threat. Filecrypt is just a "link provider", nothing more. You should have scanned the hosters . You have to turn off your adblocker to see the download link and then you are screwed at doodrive.com or mirrorace.org for example ("Disable Adblock & Tracking Protection!"). If you click on that "fake" download button that appears after you have turned your adblocker off, it won't start to download the zip-file. It wants you to download a freaking exe-file that is 100 % hostile. You don't need a scanner to know what is coming to your PC. You just need Brain v2.0. I did that in a VM hopefully. Those hosters Multiup, Mirrorace, Mirrored, doodrive.com, upload.ac, userscloud.com, turbobit.net etc. are full of badware and worse.

Did you even manage to download one of the zip files without getting something unwanted on your computer? You could test it yourself, just follow one link that leads you to mirrorace.org and turn off your adblocker, reload the site and you will see what will happened in millieseconds. Just don't click at the fake download button that will appear after that. It will download the mentioned exe-file.

I had uploaded it to google drive, mediafire.com etc. for example and not to such sh*tty malware hosters.

[Bryan]

So the hosters have ads with fake download buttons that can include malware. I had no such experience, since I had an active AdBlocker and wasn't asked to deactivate it. Still, that's to be noted, and a note within that thread is likely in order. And yes, I too would have preferred better hosters for such files.

That said, that's not quite the same as the link/linked file itself having these issues, which is what I initially got out of your comment. The file itself seems to be a proper 7z, and at least Mirrorace seems fine at a glance. (See attachments.)   

[Dirk]

Tons of hostile ads yes. Of course you will not have any ads with an active adblocker...I have one too ofc. But why are you still downplaying the threat? And you still haven't answered my question - were you able to download one single 7zip-file without deactivating your adblocker? Where is the direct and proper download link at Mirrorace? And is it working? I think I know the answer. I already came that far and beyond that what you were posting in your images...There is only one mirror host that pretends to be working and hosting this file and this is doodrive.com. If you are trying to download the files from there it will tell you this: "Disable Adblock & Tracking Protection!" to be able to download it, but guess what, they are not hosting it anymore. Even the tab window says it: "File not found - DooDrive".
Later after the "Verification Required" message you will get the "Disable Adblock & Tracking Protection!" popup.

Edit:

Says it all, right? You have to use one of the hosters below as i already knew. No direct link at Mirrorace as I already found out myself. I won't post, what's gonna happen if you disable your adblocker because it's not allowed here in the forum i guess.

[Bryan]

For a member whose second post was objecting to a perceived "condescending attitude", your own attitude toward someone who's trying to help you and evaluate your claims to act on them isn't exactly stellar.

Now,

You are still posting that this site is not a threat, really man?

I didn't say that this site is not a threat. I made a distinction that the seeming issue here is not the link or file itself but the hoster, and that this issue emerges when one has an inactive AdBlocker. I still conceded that "that's to be noted, and a note within that thread is likely in order". But making these kinds of distinctions is necessary to take appropriate action.

And you didn't answer my question - were you able to download one single zip-file without deactivating your adblocker?

I didn't answer your question because I happened to be busy, and because disabling AdBlocker on ad-rich websites is a nightmare I didn't have time for.
Now that I do have time, I did reach Doodrive with an active AdBlocker and it seems the file is indeed gone. So, if the link leads to deleted files *and* sketchy hosters, there's no point in keeping it around. It will be deleted from the thread and noted as such.

With all that out of the way,

I already came that far and beyond what you were posting in your images...

And that's great. You seemingly had the time and/or experience on the issue to do so where I didn't. But, to echo my note above, there are far better ways to communicate your findings and suggestions, especially when you're being engaged in earnest and in good faith. A friendly suggestion there since, tone aside, I do appreciate that you engaged and reported this issue.

[Bryan]

I have not a single clue what your problem is. I have been nice, posting all the things, wasting my time with this to warn others to not to try to download anything from the link that you have posted. You had all the time to make screenshots, doing website scans, upload all the stuff that there is no problem by downloading the file with ads etc. but you didn't do the most important thing, going through the entire download process to see with your own eyes that it doesn't work like I wrote in my very early post. And you kinda have a problem with my attitude now? Come on. Just sad

Wrong thread, first of all.

Now, bit by bit.

I have not a single clue what your problem is. I have been nice, posting all the things, wasting my time with this to warn others to not to try to download anything from the link that you have posted.

My "problem" is your tone. You have not been "nice", but condescending and confrontational. If you look back on our discussion, you'll find that I initially engaged to help you with your question, and then kept engaging to evaluate the exact issue. I conceded points, looked into it on my end as time allowed, noted possible appropriate actions, and eventually removed the link when it was confirmed that it led to a dead file. What I got in return was "dude"s, accusations that I'm "downplaying the threat" (when I only sought to make distinctions to determine what needs to be done), notes that I "haven't answered your question" (as if to imply I have any reason to), and now inquiries about my time and doubts about it.

Speaking of,

You had all the time to make screenshots, doing website scans, upload all the stuff that there is no problem by downloading the file with ads etc. but you didn't do the most important thing, going through the entire download process to see with your own eyes that it doesn't work like I wrote in my very early post.

You do not know my line of work, or my schedule, or what/whose PC I'm working on. It shouldn't take much good faith to assume I could indeed only steal time and/or be able/allowed to do what I did at the time, and not what I did not, especially since I did follow up and acted accordingly when there was a solid and proven conclusion.

And you kinda have a problem with my attitude now? Come on. Just sad

Yes, for the reasons outlined above. I also found it ironic, coming from a person who had very recently objected to the perceived attitude of another.
However, I made a very clear distinction between your tone and your conduct. I noted that "I do appreciate that you engaged and reported this issue", which I hope is evident from my continued engagement *despite* your tone. And yes, I am indeed grateful, because that's helped me in my duties. I could just do with a friendlier tone, as I believe mine did not match or warrant yours.
So if we're to be constructive adults we can simply drop the tension and be happy something productive was done - unless you want this convo to remain as confrontational as it's needlessly been so far.

[Dirk]

It would have been enough to simply carry out the entire download process to check that my findings were correct, instead of making several posts so that everything actually seems to be fine. That's what I was asking for. That would have been much more constructive. Your posts with images and website scans probably took longer than the complete download process. That's what I was saying.

I'm sorry if I sometimes use the wrong words. English is not my first language. People also say that I'm sometimes too direct. Please don't take it personally. Thank you.

PS: Is my "tone" still offending you? I hope not, it was just a bit annoying to post the same over and over again. Let's drop this sh*t, life is to short. I also want to post something very nice, that I manage to achieve in Hellgate: London (Steam) in a different thread. Be excited. It could solve the 1 fps issue.

Regards man

[Bryan]

It would have been enough to simply carry out the entire download process to check that my findings were correct, instead of making several posts so that everything actually seems to be in order. That's what i was asking for. That would have been much more constructive. Your posts with images and website scans probably took longer than the complete download process. That's what I was saying.

I just addressed this above, and I do not believe I can phrase this in any other way. I did what I could at the time, and continued to do what I could in every given moment. That should be far easier to believe than that I went against my duties here for no apparent reason.

I'm sorry if I sometimes use the wrong words. English is not my first language. People say that I'm sometimes too direct. Please don't take it personally. Thank you.

Noted, so here I can in good faith assume some degree of a language barrier getting in the way. (For the record, it isn't mine either.)

PS: Is my "tone" still offending you? I hope not, it was just a bit annoying to post the same over and over again. Let's drop this sh't, life is to short.

No, it isn't. So yes, let's. We had some needless tension, and possibly some misunderstandings over each other's intent. You may have perceived my inquiries and distinctions as ones defending the link/file, and I may have perceived some of your words as closer to personal attacks/accusations than you intended. Among others, probably.
Still, we got to the bottom of the issue, and something good came of it. So yes, let's leave it at that and be happy it did.

I also want to post something very nice, that I manage to achieve in Hellgate: London (Steam) in a different thread. Be excited. It could solve the 1FPs issue.

Looking forward to it!
(You may want to look into the Augmentrex project if you haven't, since it also tried to address that issue. It might not be the same direction as the one you're taking, but it might be informative or otherwise useful.)

[Dirk]

Thank you. It was never my intention to be condescending towards you, arrogant, to show you off or to offend you in any way. I'll try to choose my words more carefully.

Yes, I have read about the Augmentrex Project and that there was a problem with saving the game progress unfortunately. I have a completely different approach.

[Bryan]

Ah, excellent. Very glad to hear. The more opportunities for players to benefit the better.
If you happen to need any help with that, whatever approach you take, 2038's Discord is there. It's not Steam/SP-centered, of course, but anything that can benefit Hellgate is welcome.

[Dirk]

..but anything that can benefit Hellgate is welcome.

Hi Bryan, I have found more download sources (without ads, hehe) for the HD Textures and HD Cinematics and have updated my first post under EDIT.