http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/67016
Um, wow. This can only lead to good things.
Arg, you beat me to it: https://forums.elementalgame.com/403448/get;2859792
guys, you realize that's not really Jon Shafer, right?
There's quite a few franchises that say you're wrong http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_PC_video_games
EDIT:
[quote who="charon2112" reply="26" id="2860295"]guys, you realize that's not really Jon Shafer, right?
I can't tell if you're being serious or not
Sorry guys but i agree with Fistalis views.
This guy maybe not totally responsible, but he has partially a big part in ruining the best TBS game series that was around for the last decade.
I am sorry but I also see it as a bad omen, someone ruining a game like Civ would probably have a bad effect in a promising game like Elemental.
He just goes against the basic rules that make elemental successful. Well just look what i mean, players respect Stardock because he cares about its player basis, interact with them and hear their suggestions and adjuct to them.
This guy is the totally opposite, doing whatever he cares about, not caring about player comments if they are hard to achieve, even if they are logical and right and additionally it doesnt get down to talk to them.
I am with you Fistalis, I would have taken up with Frogboy a thousand times rather than this game destroyer.
Please Elemental dont let him ruin this game too.
Yours sincerely,
Shinon
WELL at least he ISN'T a lead designer on elemental eh? eh? eh?
I hope you realize that some of us have been playing Civ longer than you have been alive! Success is not only measured by $$$. Harry Potter makes more money than Hamlet, but that doesn't make it better literature. I started playing Civ 1 on the Amiga. Then there was 2,3,4, and the misguided 5. Colonization 1 and 2. SMAC. (Not to mention, Call to Power 1 and 2) That's 10 iterations off the top of my head. And that doesn't count Pirates, MOM, MOO, and XCOM. Sid Meier and Microprose on the label used to mean something great. Sid Meier and Firaxis were not able to come close to that level of success. Sid, Firaxis, 2K, Steam, Jon Shafer, and Civ 5 have managed to destroy whatever remaining credibility there was in Sid's brand.
And asking for a guy who just got a new job to apologize that you didn't like the last thing he worked on is both unreasonable and rude.
tl;dr: Lighten up.
I hope you realise that doesn't mean anything . And strictly speaking, that list was games that sold the most copies, not made the most money (although I expect the two would be similar). Claiming that a franchise is the most successful "in the history of computer gaming this side of WoW" is, I'm sorry, a bit arrogant (especially when there are things like Half-Life and Starcraft). And the fact that you compare it to WoW implies, to me anyway, that you are speaking in terms of money/copies sold.
Personally, I was extremely disappointed with Civiilization 5 but that's no reason to be rude to Jon Shafer.
The lion's share of the blame with Civilization 5 has to go to 2K Games and Firaxis in my opinion for
trying to appeal to the mass market and dumbing down the game. I'd wager that that certainly wasn't
Jon Shafer's vision.
I for one, am happy Jon Shafer is joining Stardock. I am positive he will make Elemental very mod friendly and will
also be able to work well in a non poisonous environment where suits aren't breathing down your neck worrying
about year end financial reports.
So, welcome Jon Shafer. I'm sure you'll do an excellent job.
Who the heck signed in as John Shafer?
Priceless.
If it is the real Shafer, get an avatar dude
If it was the real Shafer, it would say "Stardock" under his name.
I love it all the same.
But seriously, can't wait to hear from the real JS ("Would the real John Shafer please stand up?")
However I honestly think he will be inundated by posts asking "What happened with Civ V and between you and Firaxis?". That will be dull.
Like this post said, forget 2010, bring in 2011!
I'd just like to share my 2 cents. One thing we know Shafer is personally responsible for is one of the best (IMO) changes to the Civ franchise since it began: Hex map with one unit per tile and real ranged units. I remember when they first announced it that they were saying the hex format and 1 unit per tile thing were the things he specifically wanted to bring to the table.
To say that one guy is responsible for all of the bad things in a game is simply simple minded and wrong. He didn't make Civ steam only, that was 2K. He probably had nothing to do with the streamlining of the game either. That was probably pressured by 2K, stock holders, and execs, to try and "reach a broader audience". We don't know what was really going on behind the scenes with Civ 5. However, I do know John brought one of the biggest changes Civ needed.
You guys need to understand how developers who have to deal with big publishers like 2K have their hands tied and are told what to do by execs who aren't game developers. You don't have this problem with Stardock and Valve. Maybe John left Firaxis for Stardock because they offered him more freedom in his field of expertise, and the fact he'll be working with game developers from the top down.
Being the lead game designer doesn't mean everything in the game is your idea, often you have to juggle a bunch of stuff and decide how to best please your big wigs as well as your customers. Let's give the guy a chance, and judge him based on what we can define with evidence and fact, rather than speculation and outrage.
Jon, if it really is you, then I honestly don't think mocking Civilization 5 is appropriate.
EDIT: Ahhh..... looking in the user profile you find posts such as this: https://forums.elementalgame.com/376237/get;2545536 It appears to be the REAL Jon Shafer. Which just disappoints me that you would mock Civ 5 like that.
wow, it seems he is really Jon.
Well, please do not mind some people who are rather emotional, and I hope good luck with you and Stardock (because Elemental really needs luck now.)
Guys, stop being a dick to Jon. Vent your frustration about Civ 5 stuff at a Civ 5 forum. Or at least not in his welcome thread. Manners people! Yes, I understand the irony of me talking about etiquette and manners, but that doesn't mean it's not true.
That's nnot a very widespread opinion. Most people I know, hardocre Civ IV lovers and usually Civ V haters, do at least recognize this was a *good* decision. There are many other things that can be criticized about Civ V, 1UPT is generally celebrated as a *good* change.
Ok, I was going to keep an open mind until I read that sentence. If this is a joke, he has a very disturbing sense of humor. If he is serious, Stardock made a huge mistake in hiring him.
I just love the term 'streamlined' . Streamlined is what Gas Powered Games did to the Supreme Commander series. It was also the term used repeatedly to justify the removal of content from the Civilization games. "No, we didn't take stuff out, we just streamlined it."
Keep his streamlining away from "Sins of the Solar Empire" or "Galactic Civilization" series
We do not need any more dumbed down or simplified strategy games.
After reading his post, I am beginning to fear that the only thing that will remain recognizable as a Stardock game will be the logo.
Get a sense of humor, what the fuck, people, really? Joke! And a damn good one. Seriously. Everyone put on your big girl panties and stop your crazy hyperbole bitching.
mriguy, the whole post was a joke.
Jon will work on expanding the modability of the game. He's the "mod-czar" Brad was talking about. Derek Paxton (Kael) is the project manager.
To clarify for those that are confused, I think the button comment was a joke...
Every joke has an element of truth. Why mention 'streamlining' unless he knew that is what has disappointed so many with the Civilization series. I am sorry, I do not find anything amusing about the statement.
Second, you live in a country where the most poor man can become multimillionarie (ñamd of opportunities plus frontier spirit) so stop complaining about its quirks. It's the perfect country! ("America", right? Like Canada? Brazil? Mexico? Chile? Cuba?)
Third, he has the right to post what he wants as answers to insults. You should thank ihm for doing it in an humorous way that people with a brain not in rage-mode can appreciate. Maybe you would have prefered he to insult you all (very deserved, paying customers or not). Surely, apoligizing to people who insults is something I would only do under death menace.
Now, where do I have those pacifiers for ye? They will help ye to deal with real life's "I don't like this" moments.
The guy who wrote the post about the button...is not Jon Shafer, repeat not Jon Shafer.
Yes he is, repeat, yes he is, Island Dog said so.
https://forums.elementalgame.com/403448/page/5/#2860404
The guy who wrote this post is not Island Dog, I repeat, not Island Dog.
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