Welcome aboard Mr. Jon Shafer. Ignore those who oppose you. I know that Civ 5 is better than Civilization 4, as honestly, I thought that civilization 4 was the worst civilization series. But, yes I know, Civilization 5 is lack of a lot of things, but it can be added by the expansion set. So, don't be upset.

So I know that your presence here will give positive improvement to our beloved Elemental EWOM, and maybe the next Galciv 3 (who know)

Well, at least it's still called civ 5

For civilization 3 and 4, I prefer civilization 3 to 4. Why? Because a lot of early units are useless in 4, as you can get better units before you can even make these units useful in combat. Civilization 5 is still better than 4 and comparable to civ 3. You don't agree? Up to you, not my concern

So welcome aboard Mr. Jon Shafer, may force be with you; I mean good luck for it

You do not recall the generals that won battles for Julius Caesar. You recall Julius Caesar.

I am bitterly disappointed by Civilization 5, and the obvious and official name associated to it is: Jon Shafer. It is then perfectly logical that some like me are very unsure about Mr Shafer being hired as an asset for Stardock.

The problem is that bad feelings from a game are difficult to reverse. Feelings are not logical, they are feelings. It is often an epidermic issue. Games are for fun, if there is no fun, it is like discovering that your companion cheats on you... Unpleasant for saying the least: difficult to stay neutral.

* If you like Civ V, so then it is good news.

* If you do not appreciate Civ V, it is bad news.

* If you never played Civilization, so then Jon Shafer must be judged on his acts.

Actually, it is also obvious that Shafer has ideas. Civ4/BTS was a success. Some ideas in Civ 5 are courageous, and needed to be experimented. I would not mind to see Jon Shafer working on a NEW project, where he can develop his vision without carrying a rather heavy back pack (continuing Civ, extending Elemental).

There is also the factor "Kael". And by experience, I know that the best missions done by my teams are when 2 or more individuals are complementing each other, and not when only 1 is leading and others are followers/minion.

At the end of the day, it is dangerous to associate a name with so many "black & white" perceptions as it brings instant and illogical reactions: we are human beings, not Asimov's robots...

However, it is also interresting to see what the chemistry will produce.

Shaun Seckman.

Civ 5 modding is only possible due to Shaun.

Wow, good thing no one here every did something some people didn't like! I don't get the hate and angst going on. It isn't like the guy ran death camps or invaded countries. Personally I didn't like Civ IV UNTIL BTS came out. So for me, that expansion saved CIV IV.

CIV V changed some things up. Some good, some not so good and some, meh. There are some improvements I would like to see, but overall it is a pretty good game. Something that is getting harder to find on the PC every year. I find it ironic that people complain when a sequel comes out with new gameplay, folks complain they don't like the new feature and want features from the old game. If the company released one like the old game, then people complain that all they did was add some more units, maps, etc and it was nothing more than an expansion and they are ripping off the user! We don't know what he was or wasn't allowed to do. Look at the CIV forums complaining about what CIVs are in and are not and the flame wars over just that!

I work for a software company that makes business software and I get into arguments all the time with our owner over features I want to add or make more robust or features he wants me to add that I don't think we have enough information on or are not robust enough. I am not alone in wanting the "suits" to let me do my job at work. However, sometimes the owner is right that I want to "over do" a feature that only a few people will want, sometimes I am right and we have to redo/expand something he scaled back or wanted in. I like to thing I am correct more often, but that could be my perception.

The part that really sucks is having something go out that you were told to do a certain way and you didn't agree with it.  Then having it not getting received well and hearing from the end-users that it sucks and asking who wrote that? What were they thinking? This is especially true when you get to demonstrate it in front of a few hundred users and get that directly stated in front of everyone at you! Personally, I like what Brad is doing. He is bringing in a designer and a fine uber-modder to do things he couldn't do himself as they have skills he doesn't and he has other things to do as well. By assembling top talent, you can make top quality products. Additionally, he is the "suit" and he wants to make fun games more than make a killing on profit. I call that a win-win for us.

Well, gotta go. I have a feature to finish by Friday (God help me if someone else needs more last second things to distract me)

Cheers

@ Valkrionn

Bad games have to do with everyone who had any kind of decision-making power surrounding a game before, during and after it's release. 

If a "game designer" has any of that power at all and then fails to exercise it to his responsibility to the project and by extension the people who bought the result of the project then the "failure" is partly his.  It doesn't matter how large or small the percentage of said failure attributed to the designer it still exists.  If the designer knows he cannot fulfill his responsibilty toward a project then the designer should leave before the product launches.  That is unless the designer doesn't really have a problem with the higher-ups or the rest of the team..........in which case he-most-certainly-is-to-blame.

Of course people can change......and everyone always deserves a second chance......so have at it.  My only point was in support of Fistalis's post where he states his frustration at knowing the game he went to because he disliked the Civ 5 design choices is now going to be influenced (even if on a different level) by the lead on what he deems to have been a "failed project".

?? Why adding insult to injury ?

Good move I would say. More ppl and more focus on Elemental can only be good. Maybe I have to learn Python after all

And another thing. Saying that CIV IV was worse than CIV III is so wrong that I dont know how to retort. Its just off the charts. 

Never cared for Civ much, can't stand the historical setting and lack of TC.

The more experienced people working on elemental the better. There's nothing to ruin either, the game can only be improved from here.

Wasn't Civ 5 a critical and commercial success?  I fucking hope one day I fail like that. 

Brad, be careful, this Jon guy might cause your future games to fail by being a critical and commercial success!  The end of Stardock is nigh!  /end fucking stupid nerd-rage rant.

While i feel Civ 5 was a step backwards I am still am very happy with this addition to the stardock team. If you ask me I suspect the simplification of civ was really due to pressure from the top, it seems to be the current trend with the larger gaming companies... just look at mass effect 2. 

Well, I'm just going to see what happens.    It just may be good.

Best regards,
Steven.