Stardock hires Civ 5 lead designer Jon Shafer » Forum Post by HallowedBMyName

Don't say bad things about Soren, boo!

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AlLanMandragoran

Join Date 09/2010

+63

Truth be told it wasn't an iceberg that sank the Titanic; it was Jon Shafer.

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And don't forget about the dinosaur's extinction....

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Quoting Lord Xia,

reply 98

Quoting rebelito,
reply 97

Quoting Lord Xia,
reply 96

Quoting rebelito,
reply 95

Quoting Jon Shafer,
reply 16

Greetings all! Proud to be joining the Stardock team, and expect to work on a lot of great projects here in the future.

There's been some assumptions here about what my joining Stardock will mean for the games the studio will be putting out from now on. Fear not all - they'll be clearly recognizable as Stardock games. One thing that I will say though, is that Stardock's games are awfully complex, and probably need to be streamlined some so as to not confuse new players. I can't talk about too many details on what our detailed plans are yet, but a little tease can’t hurt.

Right now I'm thinking we'll trim the interface down to one big button in the middle of the screen, 1024 pixels wide by 768 pixels tall (approximately - will vary based on the resolution of the user’s monitor). The text on this button will say "Win the Game." I've had some discussions with Brad and the marketing team about this, and everyone is really excited by the possibilities. We've seen it work well in products from other publishers, and I really feel that this new direction will result in Stardock's games appealing to a much larger audience. We'll do some focus testing and see how things go. If people are still having some trouble grasping the gameplay concepts we may have to simplify things a bit more. I'll keep you guys posted!

Jon

That is something... making fun of your own design decisions for Civ 5... why didn't you tell that to your former bosses before launching the disaster?

Please shut up.

because you say so, fool? If you like to be fooled all the time, be my guest. If you wanna try to shut other people's voices up, go live to where you belong: the Third World. Or perhaps you are there already?

[removed]

Thank you very much for showing what you really are.

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Quoting scratchthepitch,

reply 101

I don't understand why people are so down of Shafer. Didn't he take that turkey Johnson created with Civ4 and improve it with the extensions? Civ4 vanilla was nothing but garbage, the only thing that saved this disaster was the later extensions to the game.

Having Shafer aboard is a positive thing. Stop being so negative, you whining ninnies.

So very true!

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Quoting rebelito,

reply 97

[removed]

....I officially love this forum. Must purchase the game and be more active here....

And Rebelito... Why assume that he didn't do just that?

+1

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Quoting Jon Shafer,

reply 90

Quoting Lord Xia, reply 89Mustafa Thamer is the coolest name ever. Why couldn't I have been given a name like that?

You could, if you were of Iraqi descent.

Jon

I would like to mention that reading this post, I have noticed how our John has digievolved from gray siloutte with life jacket, to Sauron wannabe with Stardock logo.

Also, Sauron is overated. Go Morgoroth, go!

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Hey Valk! Grab me a copy too

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Thormodr

Join Date 09/2009

+11

All the cool guys/gals are coming to Stardock/Elemental.

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Quoting Hanokh1967,

reply 25

Quoting Jon Shafer,
reply 16

Greetings all! Proud to be joining the Stardock team, and expect to work on a lot of great projects here in the future.

There's been some assumptions here about what my joining Stardock will mean for the games the studio will be putting out from now on. Fear not all - they'll be clearly recognizable as Stardock games. One thing that I will say though, is that Stardock's games are awfully complex, and probably need to be streamlined some so as to not confuse new players. I can't talk about too many details on what our detailed plans are yet, but a little tease can’t hurt.

Right now I'm thinking we'll trim the interface down to one big button in the middle of the screen, 1024 pixels wide by 768 pixels tall (approximately - will vary based on the resolution of the user’s monitor). The text on this button will say "Win the Game." I've had some discussions with Brad and the marketing team about this, and everyone is really excited by the possibilities. We've seen it work well in product from other publishers, and I really feel that this new direction will result in Stardock's games appealing to a much larger audience. We'll do some focus testing and see how things go. If people are still having some trouble grasping the gameplay concepts we may have to simplify things a bit more. I'll keep you guys posted!

Jon

I have never once complained about Elemental despite its many problems, but this announcement has to be an April Fools joke.

Civ 5 is an unplayable mess. Jon Shafer is primarily responsible for its failure.

He and all those involved with Civ 5 have not even had the balls to admit that there might be problems with the game.

Then he comes here and his first post is definitely asinine and borderline insulting to everyone who has wasted at least $100 on Elemental and Civ 5.

I don't find it funny in the least.

Perhaps a better first post would have been a heartfelt apology for ruining the greatest, most successful franchise in the history of computer gaming this side of WoW, along with an assurance from everyone here at Stardock that he will definitely not be allowed to make any decisions about the future of Elemental.

All I have seen from him is some moderately successful features in an add-on to an add-on to a rock solid game.

Perhaps it is hard for a 25 year old to appreciate just how lucky he is to even have a job in the current economy.

There are plenty of out of work people in America that have lost their jobs even though performing that job well.

Jon failed miserably at his last job. Most people that fail that badly don't get a second chance so soon, if at all.

huh? he was just in the right place at the right time to be co-lead on bts, right? then, he was somehow incredibly lucky again and was the only person on the planet who could code and be a lead at the same time for civ 5. really? are you nuts? you guys are lucky to have him over here.

besides, his post was hilarious.

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Quoting Werewindlefr,

reply 41

the BIG DESIGN DECISIONS HE MADE RUINED THE GAME FOR ME HOW IS THAT MOOT? Are you claiming that 1UPT wasn't his idea.. seriously??.

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.

yeah, a recent poll on civ fanatics with over 1000 votes was 76% + in favor of 1upt. it's probably the most popular change in the game.

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Quoting rebelito,

reply 105

Thank you very much for showing what you really are.

Yea, hello, I'm Xia, everyone already knows this is who I am. I'm a vocal asshole, but you're a fucking idiot. I prefer me.

+1

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I asked John to get an avatar and he did. I did not ask John for the life-vest, he did that himself.

John responds to the masses.

Vote 1 John for President.

No actually demote Brad to postcard reader and make John the CEO of Stardock.

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Quoting scratchthepitch,

reply 104

And don't forget about the dinosaur's extinction....

yes, the dinosaur extinction has now been renamed the "jon shafer event".

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This story made Ars Technica

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/01/civ-v-designer-shafer-jumps-ship-to-stardock.ars

Also, Shacknews posted this update

[Update - 4:40 CST] Stardock has also hired science fiction and fantasy author Dave Stern to "oversee heavy lore implementation into all Stardock game projects." Stern previously worked with Stardock on the Hiergamenon lore book created for Elemental: War of Magic, which was included in the game's special edition.

"Although Stardock is known for delivering incredibly detailed strategy gameplay, one of the things we felt was weak in Elemental: War of Magic was how little the world's fantasy lore came through in the game," said Brad Wardell, president & CEO of Stardock. "Going forward, we look to make sure that our games deliver both solid game mechanics as well as a consistent and interesting world to play in."

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I think that stardock is on a roll. kael, the sci-fi writer, shafer...frogboy has been a very busy ceo.

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Thormodr

Join Date 09/2009

+11

Quoting MichaelCook,

reply 113

I asked John to get an avatar and he did. I did not ask John for the life-vest, he did that himself.

John responds to the masses.

Vote 1 John for President.

No actually demote Brad to postcard reader and make John the CEO of Stardock.

Just so you know, his name is Jon, not John.

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kryo

Join Date 05/2003

+458

Yea, hello, I'm Xia, everyone already knows this is who I am.

And if you can't respond to other users rationally (even if they're wrong), you know what you will be.

As to those objecting to this announcement, Brad has commented about it:

At the end of the day, my job is to make sure we produce incredibly good games.

We don't make decisions based on Internet politics. Good games sell. Jon is a key ingredient in our ongoing strategy. Without Jon, there's no realistic way we can take our game engine and make it extensible via Python and such. I would challenge any Internet person to name someone more qualified to make a game extensible than Jon Shafer. Anyone.

Having Jon aboard can only be a good thing for the game and for Stardock.

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Quoting Thormodr,

reply 117

Just so you know, his name is Jon, not John.

I paid for the game so I'll call him whatever I like!

*joke*

Go Jon!

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Frogboy

Join Date 03/2001

+2419

Quoting bryanw1995,

reply 116

I think that stardock is on a roll. kael, the sci-fi writer, shafer...frogboy has been a very busy ceo.

Last Fall I said we were committed to making sure Elemental became the defacto fantasy strategy game of its age. But words are easy. So hopefully people are seeing that we're backing those words with deeds.

We never abandon our customers. While it is true that our non-games are the main source of our profit, we make games because of you guys. People who hang out here know that our communities are different than most. There are no PR bots hanging out here. You talk directly with us, warts and all (I hope those are warts anyway).

We take the Gamers Bill of Rights very seriously here.

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Sorry Kryo, I tried to be good, I think I did a little better than I have in the past.

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Quoting bryanw1995,

reply 116

I think that stardock is on a roll. kael, the sci-fi writer, shafer...frogboy has been a very busy ceo.

you are forgetting the most handsome new member of the team, ahem.

and modest to boot!

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Hey Jon. Ignore the idiots as best you can. I'm relieved you'll finally be able to interact with fans and actually have a voice which appears to be something Firaxis and/or 2KGames didn't allow you to do post-release. That was a massive Fail on their part and is a big reason for much of the inititial and continued negative PR.

I hope Firaxis/2K fixes this, and not through the silly "community manager" thing they're doing. I know Greg & Liz do all they can, but it comes up waaaaay short. With the way 2KGames handles Bioshock I'm thinking the suits there made up the stupid "rules of engagement" that are followed.

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Quoting Kestral2040,

reply 122

Quoting bryanw1995,
reply 116
I think that stardock is on a roll. kael, the sci-fi writer, shafer...frogboy has been a very busy ceo.
you are forgetting the most handsome new member of the team, ahem.
and modest to boot!

Your dog? ouch! hehe

(nice pic)

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Quoting Frogboy,

reply 120

Last Fall I said we were committed to making sure Elemental became the defacto fantasy strategy game of its age. But words are easy. So hopefully people are seeing that we're backing those words with deeds.

Well, you're on the right track, I'll give you that. To be honest, I could NOT see you guys going out and bringing MORE people into the fold, I would assume it would less people working on Elemental over time.

Just put the "fantasy" back into this game (and I've said this before, don't be afraid to take a page from the popular fantasy strategy games that exist) along with a bit more polish, and you'll have a killer game.

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