HL3 theory

Paste by thebigmaxx
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Please keep in mind, this is only a theory. Mods, I ask you to not delete this, I just want to speak my mind. So after the leak that occurred a few days ago it raised a few ideas in my head. Upon further research there was a point where all the leaked content was removed from the performance test, the furthest back known depot on SteamDB is July 2015. Me and a friend on the Game Detectives discord discovered that the depot that removed all the hidden content was actually updated on February 20, 2015. Here is a list of the depot updates explaining further in detail. Imgur The leak of the dog model can be confirmed as actually something related to Half-Life 3. The content from July 2015 that we experimented with had this dog model as well as a texture file. This was the texture for d0g's head. http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/402e/gb0okt501tyajopzg.jpg The original theory of there being a HL3 toy is still probable because they could have used this model as a reference, however this model is most likely also going to be used in HL3. There is already a head texture in the leaked content, and since this leaked content was from July 2015, it could mean that they have developed the rest of the textures. The reason this has correlation with the leak is due to the fact that in September 2015, the well known 4chan leak of d0g's new model turned out to be real. Here's why the person who leaked it could be from valve.
This part of the theory may be false, it's not truly confirmed to be. http://i.imgur.com/bGPnx9i.jpg In this image, there is clearly a ground and a wall with a developer texture, aswell as the model of D0g shown. The reason I point this out is because the current release of Dota 2's hammer editor/model viewer does not open any models in the vr content, it gives out an error message. The only real idea behind this is that someone at valve had access to the content at the time, put the model and brushes into a .vmap file and compiled the map and took that picture. There is no map in the July 2015 content with a upgraded D0g model and the ground and wall. Somebody either actually worked at valve or had access to the hammer editor being used for hl3 and all the resources including the model to create that image.
What all of this could mean is that HL3, or the assets required to develop it, could have been in development for longer than we thought. The incredible possibility of HL3 being VR is immense because of two things: There is a map known as strider_canyon_02, which when opened properly and fixed up, can be seen that there is missing assets and a platform in the middle moving back and forth, as shown here: https://steamdb.info/static/img/blog/72/stridercanyon2.jpg (SteamDB)
https://steamdb.info/static/img/blog/72/vr_platform_shooter1.jpg There is a map where as described by SteamDB "was at one stage set to feature as a gameplay-focused experience which challenges a player stood atop a tower to shoot 150 headcrabs as they roam around on the ground below. While missing many assets, including foliage and clutter, the map still features ground textures, a skybox, basic lighting, and some telephone pole cables, with a road and a small river visible below." The reason I think this relates to HL3 is because of headcrabs. This could have been meant to showcase some elements in which performance has been increased for Source 2 or something of the matter. It also sounds HL3 themed as "you were meant to shoot /headcrabs/".
This all points to the high possibility that something related to HL3 or HL3 itself was meant to be showcased at some sort of VR conference. There isn't a doubt in my mind that the two maps that I've just listed are not related to HL3. The map listed as "strider_canyon_02" makes me think that there could be something where you would hold a rocket launcher and shoot striders. And the "vr_platform_shooter1" map would be showcased for fending off headcrabs in some area that relates to Half-Life as a whole. We are closer than we ever have been and the amount of leaks in the past year is immense. Something seems like its going to happen.
The whole conclusion to this theory is immense. The dog model leaked on 4chan is actually real and can either be a Valve developer or a really good hacker. The latter sounds the unlikely case after what Valve learned from the leak of Half Life 2 in 2003. It isn't meant for a toy as there is infact a head texture and that Dog could've been improved on as the build we had found the leaked files from was from July of 2015. The toy would not need to have the textures that Valve created.
In short, I believe that some elements of HL3 were meant to be showcased during a conference for VR sometime last year.
HL3 could indeed contain some sort of VR elements. (which of course the user could turn off if they did not have VR.)
The dog model is infact real & confirmed by its presence in the VR test and could be used for HL3 in the future. The texture created for the head of Dog is 4096x4096, which is astounding. Half-Life 3 could be indeed closer than we thought. Remember, though. This is just a theory with well supported claims. I believe that we are closer than we ever have been to Half Life 3. The files found within the VR demo have been as old as July 2015, as I've said. This could mean that (again as I've already said) that the game is further in development, evidenced by the texture for Dog. At this time since they have not updated anything in the files and all of the test content was made BEFORE July 2015, as evidenced in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKK74Wh-J10 Which was infact created in March of 2015. This could mean that around now, they've gone further into development with Half-Life 3 and L4D3.
This could also point to that something HL3 related was going to be announced, as you see in the video, the entire Robot Repair section is completed, Valve at this time must have had all of the test content within the program already and were possibly working on something related to HL3. The strider_canyon_02 map and vr_platform_shooter1 demos were possibly completed at this time. HL3 was most likely meant to be presented in some form at the VR conference.
EDIT: There is further credibility to the dog model, as the same modeler had created a render of a high quality gravity gun in 2011. (info courtesy of /u/GreenGreenMan) Seen here: http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6045/6330871106_c5bab1da8d_z.jpg The same modeler is referenced within the leak files under "vr\models\personal\tristan". The same modeler who made the gravity gun also made the dog model. This may be unrelated.
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UPDATE: This part is only a theory as it's possible to import models into dota sdk The 4chan leaker having access to HL3's hammer editor is more credible by the fact that the same wireframe patters are shown while in game. Credit to reddit user /u/zagony for the image. He replaced the name of the longbow with the dog_model name. http://i.imgur.com/35anvV1.jpg It may look sideways but thats because the longbow is placed sideways. This clarifies that the picture that was posted on the 4chan leak is real. The same bone wireframe is seen in the earlier picture, CLARIFYING that whoever posted the 4chan leak back in September did indeed have access to Hammer Editor for Half Life 3. OR they had access to the leaked files relating to Half Life 3. Valve News Network claims to have had these files "since December" but I still think this part of the theory has some probability knowing that at the time the person on 4chan leaking the dog image either had the leaked files or had worked at valve.
4chan leak image: http://i.imgur.com/bGPnx9i.jpg
/u/zagony's image: http://i.imgur.com/35anvV1.jpg
The reason I am pointing out the wireframe is that because when rendered in Hammer, the wireframe of the neck of Dog is present, evidently pointing out that whoever had access to the model at the time did indeed have access to HL3's hammer, giving more evidence that HL3 is closer than we may see and is being worked on.
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Anyway, in short. HL3 may be in further development than we think and evidenced by the leak and how all the data I have covered is from July 2015, the dog model having a texture is evident that it is probably further in development right around now. Aswell as the HL3 VR demos seen within the leak. (strider_canyon_02, vr_platform_shooter1). These are clear evidence that Valve was intending for something to be shown relating to Half-Life 3 at a VR conference.