PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Fake prototypes alert

[TigerTheGreat]

Over the course of Unreal community's lifetime, we've been blessed with several major prototype findings concerning the entire series. Every game starting from Unreal all the way to Unreal Tournament 3 has had SOMETHING from the cutting floor that has been found, released and examined in detail.

However, twice already have we been exposed to completely fake builds of Unreal (1998), dubbed "November 1997" and "April/May 1998" betas, courtesy of frauds going by the names: nwfalcon and FaiyaDG. How these fake prototypes have been exposed is another matter, threads on BetaArchive and OldUnreal concerning these forgeries list plenty evidence in the form of specialistic analysis so this thread is not here to regurgitate that. Entertain yourselves at your leisure, dear readers, meanwhile I'll get to the gist of it.

Nowadays, prototypes are shared either through purchases of console devkits/testkits, disc lots or individual discs most often listed on eBay, or if they are shared free of charge, they are shared on AlphaArchive, BetaArchive, Archive.org or other related communities.


HOWEVER


In the case of purchases via eBay, there is a deterrent: if someone sells you a fraudulent frankenbuild that isn't a piece of gaming history, but an attempt to falsify said history, there are various methods of action: shaming via negative feedback, chargebacks, PayPal disputes, eBay disputes and so on. The seller is out in the open and if they turn out to have been looking for suckers, they're essentially done.

That is why FaiyaDG tried to pass off the second forgery as true by sharing it through a private, unmoderated transaction.

NEVER ACCEPT A SALE OFFER THROUGH UNMODERATED MEANS. It is a guaranteed fake. Just tell the fraud that you know that they are a fraud and block all further communication. Out them for it as well.

That was my warning for potential prototype buyers. If the seller is legit and the product is a genuine prototype, they won't be afraid to share it on eBay. Plenty protos were shared online after such purchases. I repeat, NEVER accept a sale offer through unmoderated channels!





To further frauds:


You know how the saying goes? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me again, shame on us both.

Yeah... right now consider the community warned. There won't be a "shame on us both". We know how to spot fakes once we get them. And we know how they are delivered. Through shady, untrustworthy means. If you try to scam us again... no matter how desperate you are, no matter how good you think you are, you will not be believed. Go somewhere else. But stay away from us.