Based on what he's been posting, I think it's the latter. Also, as far as I've noticed he has a fairly decent perception of reality, so the former seems unlikely.

Maybe the wife has been frisky?  Heh?  Wink, wink, nod, nod? 

Hey, it means lots of fun little sneak peaks, so I'm not complaining. Don't jinx it!

I would guess because he's doing what he loves for a living and Fallen Enchantress is starting to look like the game he had envisioned for EWoM. In other words, a game truly worthy of being considered a successor game to MoM. (Not that I think EWoM isn't too bad right now.)

Keep on smiling Brad.

 

You should. Seriously. You've a unique perspective and experience.  You've worn all the hats. From design to distribution. Programmer to publisher. You've managed all the aspects. And done many of the jobs. You've had a whole picture view as seen from the bottom up; and from the top down. You've learned stuff that people might want to know. Heck, you've already written one book. Write another, but do it in your own style (sans the coach). Speak it true as you feel it. Share the trials and tribulations. The joys and the successes. The shame, the pride; the method, the madness. And talk about the people of Stardock and the atmosphere of your shop. There's lots of material here.   

Share some of what you've learned over the years. Talk about what Dereks brought. The spreadsheets, Team empowerment, structured schedule and refined organization etc. With all your postings about what happens in the sausage factory, you seem minded to share. The insider posts get alot of views. Seems that many of us are curious and might like to know more... in greater depth. I'd buy the book out of curiosity. Curious to learn more about Stardock and the people behind it. And curious as always, to learn more about project management and all that it entails. Though I don't make software, I see the potential to learn useful things that apply beyond your industry.

 

I'd like to read that book! As might many of those who are already bonafied Stardock fans... as might those who would like to learn something from your unique perspective etc. I don't really know squat about what other people want, but I do think that you'd find a surprising amount of readers Brad. I think it worthy of consideration from my humble point of view. Personally I'd like to read something of it now!  But perhaps the time for publishing comes after E:FE is recognized as success. Then contrast the two as a case study, while spending a little time allowing fans and spectators alike, to get to know your shop a little better. Publicity works even if the book never makes a bestseller.  Use the time now to recollect, document, and pre-draft the past.  Then complete/strike once E:FE is judged a success!?

I'm banking that Brads excitement is due to Fallen Enchantress being quite good.

 

Though I suppose if Brad is a red dyed Republican, perhaps he rejoices in the thought that the capital gains cap at 15% will likely stay that way until other fat is trimmed.  We do have enormous issues ahead of us. There is ALOT of fat to trim!!! Though the shrinking of the capital gains tax is at the heart of my nations underfunding.  The working man, he pays 25% and more of his income.  But the fatcats they are capped at 15%...  for capital gains... which is everything they can fit into that definition. And that is beyond their loopholed cornholing of the American tax system. If those record profit breaking, cornholing fuckers just reverted back to tax of old, whe'd be in a far better state. Record profits... yet we are in decline such that our first responders and teachers must be laid off!?! It's not about raising the corn holing vampires taxes higher, it's about getting them to once AGAIN pay a share equal to what the rest of us 90+%'rs pay.  It's life an death for many of us.  For them it's imported cheesecake.  Why the hell do they resist so?  (Though many are on record saying that they should be taxed more in accord of the rest of the nation).  Its only the cornholers who resist.  Do you really want our nation to be cornholed by the few per-centers??? Are you content to take it up the ass!? You must be, seeing as how you use the RNC's attack termonology.  The RNC homesite is a .com site that focuses on Obama attacks.  The DNC is a .org site that focuses on the issues at hand.  .com is for business; .org is for community. Fitting really. Check them out.  See for yourself.  The RNC homesite amounts to nothing more than internet trolling.  And the leadership of the RNC are rapists!... as relates to their policy.  And they prey on those who listen to the party propaganda, to then spread the disinformation that the RNC porpagates. Whats worse, is they are treasonous for shutting down government for their purpose of discrediting the opposition.  People suffer at the RNC's whim. They create circumstance for people to suffer in the hope that this might keep their people voted in. The leadership of the DNC however are speaking about actionable progresse. I never counted myself one party or the other until the RNC drew it's battle line. A line of taking from the many to service the few. I am ANYTHING BUT Republican at this point! Populists defines me best, but our broken two party system puts me firmly within the DNC progress.  

 

I'd bank a paycheck that Brad is happy that E:FE is being managed so well. A paycheck for me is huge. I am confident that this is all about E:FE being on the right track!

 

If I had a hammer....

I would purchase said book in an instant if it was written honestly and didn't avoid all the gritty technical and industry details.

 

I was half drunk. Not full drunk or I wouldn'ta been able to see the keys to type. Thats how I gauge the buzz ;~p.

But enough buzzed to have taken the bait. I am frustrated by internet trolls who drop one liners while adding nothing to a conversation. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about... Tin foil hat, whiners, haters, fan boyz, and all that other nonsense. The trolls just drop bait. They never elaborate. They probably can't.

I go to the RNC website and see these Obummer, Campaigner in Chief, Obamonics, Obama Care and all the rest.  It starts with them.  You'll hear them on fox news and friends... then you'll hear sheeple bleating it out across the net like good little faithful mindless sheep. This is nothing but propaganda. No facts are presented. So yeah, I get frustrated hearing mindless repeats of a propaganda which has destructful result. Your use of Obummer set me off. WTF was your point of using that term? People hear bullshit enough, they begin to believe it. There are those in government who bank on that truth. Enough of that shit. Get real or go home!

Lol, so from O"bummer back to E:Wamp ;~p

It's all relative right?!

 

Or did we diverge from the wide open OP of why Brad has been so happy lately? He has said, as I'm sure many of us had guessed, that Brad is stocked because E:FE is shaping up to be more like he'd hoped E:WOM would be. Must be nice to be looking on brilliant management from the top down. It's gotta invoke all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings to see brilliance in action. And it takes a big man to admit that someone else has done it better.

 

 

I still want to read the book!!!

Re Derek and such, the #1 lesson is not to treat project management as a side thing.

War of Magic was in development for 3 years. I was on the project a total of 4 man-months during that time (about 650 engineering hours), nearly all of which was in the last couple months.  Without a single "vision owner" and the corresponding enforcement, there's no good end.

I no longer have the opportunity to spend all my time on one project and there is some point where the splinter of available time to dedicate is simply insufficient to keep a project cohesive (this isn't just a game related issue but any project).

Derek has brought that onto FE.  He is able to dedicate himself to the project and Myself and Jon Shafer can contribute our ideas and suggestions and feedback to Derek but ultimately it's Derek's call and he can enforce it because he's watching the daily check-ins.

 

What is Stardock's revision control tool of choice?   Mercurial?

I imagine Jon, Derek, and Brad are sitting in the Stardock drawing room right now...  (cue dreamy fog)

Jon: I say old boy, I could do with a bit of tea. Derek would you mind, terribly much, to fetch some? 

Derek: But sir, the beta is almost ready. Should I not make sure it is available for the peasants?

Brad: Hahahaha, do go on. The beta can wait a few more weeks. I like my tea fresh from the orient. (Begins to light a cigar with a hundred pounds.)

Jon: Yes, quite right. Mmm... quite. Here is the money we set aside to add bear cavalry. Those cockney gits will never miss it! Muahaha! 

But I was right about the drawing room wasn't I?