Frogboy - My real life hero.

http://www.edge-online.com/features/nominate-your-game-industry-hero-2008
from Elemental Forums

All hail the frog! :frogboy:

Hey all,

   As I was writing my entry to Edge Mags nominate your game industry hero thing I realized just how much I do look up to Brad.   Everything I have ever read about him has showed him in a good light.   He is a leader and a guy that doesn't seem to mind letting people know whats on his mind.  That said, here is what I wrote to Edge;

 

   My nomination would be for Brad Wardell, chief executive of Stardock.  I believe he should be included for many reasons;
1)  His stance against DRM.  In a time when publishers are increasingly forgetting that we are their customers and instituting draconian DRM that is quickly circumvented by pirates, but left to annoy and harm legitimate customers, Brad Wardell and Stardock are working for their customers.  Rather than blame piracy for the sales slump, they have embraced a policy of rewards (meaningful content patches) for their customers and avoided the DRM pitfall while showing impressive sales numbers. 
2)  His commitment to quality games.  How many PC games ship in a playable state?  Stardock game ship in a playable state.  How many months of free content additions do most games give?  Brad's view is that free content additions for registered users are a form of DRM the customer doesn't mind and also serve to feep interest in the game high.
3)  The treatment of his employees.  Turnover in the industry is high, layoffs at the end of a project are the norm not the exception.  What is the turnover and layoff rate for Stardock?  It is one of the few places in the industry I want to work (I'm a DB programer, not in the industry). 

There are other reasons why Brad Wardell is one of my real life heroes but in an effort to keep this from becoming a book I will end it here.

Thanks,
Dan

137,050 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Everything I have ever read about him has showed him in a good light.

Then you need to read more.  ;)

I'm kidding...mostly.  But as good as Brad is at what he does, he's no god.  (Praying to him won't help in non-SD matters.)

Note: I'm not disagreeing.  Just throwing a dash of reality in.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Praying to him won't help in non-SD matters.

That applies as well to every other religion, so that argument is quite weak ;)

+1 Loading…
WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

But as good as Brad is at what he does, he's no god. (Praying to him won't help in non-SD matters.)
Being a hero and being a God (or Demigod) are very different.  No one here claimed to be praying to him.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

https://forums.elementalgame.com/331879

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

It is getting a little scary though, Zubaz, you gotta admit. I mean, I have nothing but respect for Frogboy for his stance on DRM, vision for Impulse, and many other things.. but there are other people involved in all of that, too. Now there's people posting and adding "All hail the frog!" as a signature thing. It's almost like the beginning of a little online cult following and that's the scary part. I really don't mean to sound like an ass (which I apparently did in the other thread), but for everything that people like him for, there are others up there with him. He's not the only one who takes that stance on DRM. The rest of Stardock does, GPG does, IC does, CD Projekt does (no copy protection on The Witcher: EE on Impulse), the list goes on.

That's sort of why I don't like the "All hail the frog!" movement. Like I said, I have the utmost respect for Brad and what he does and is known for, and especially his no-BS attitude, but it feels wrong that people who aren't always in that much public light but do work no less important get little similar recognition.

So I'll leave it that.. he does many great things, but so do others ;)

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah, I have to agree.  I have utmost respect and I trust Stardock to make quality products, but no one's perfect.

 

BTW The Witcher does have copy protection on other services.  (Pretty sure it does on Gamersgate)

 

 

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

There are no heroes, only role models. Having heroes is quite an excuse not to work on yourself. Think about it.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Until Brad starts wearing black turtlenecks and jeans we're OK.

But yeah . . the hail the frog thing is very, very odd.  I do recall that CariElf has had the same . . ."Oddness" . . . over the years.  Less odd really.  Since she's a woman game developer it has to be almost expected.  :)

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Sole, reply 1

Everything I have ever read about him has showed him in a good light.


Then you need to read more. 

I'm kidding...mostly.  But as good as Brad is at what he does, he's no god.  (Praying to him won't help in non-SD matters.)

Note: I'm not disagreeing.  Just throwing a dash of reality in.

I'm with George Carlin on this one.

Substitute 'Frogboy' for 'Joe Pesci' (It's long so you can start at 4:02 to get to the part I am talking about)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8evsSNdXcs

 Sammual

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting di55ec7ion, reply 7
There are no heroes, only role models. Having heroes is quite an excuse not to work on yourself. Think about it.

There are Heroes, you just can't sit on your ass and wait for them to do what needs done.  They should inspire you to go out and do it.

 

Sammual

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

I agree on all accounts.    kudos to you Samual

Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I wonder what Frogboy's would be if he saw this post?

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

@Annatar - for what it is worth brother, I think you are reading into this far more then what is intended. Fame, celebrity and dare I say cult of personality, do not inherently marginalize nor discount the efforts of others which have contributed said status. I think it is all in good fun and intended as such.

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

 

Quoting Spartan, reply 13
@Annatar - for what it is worth brother, I think you are into this far more then what is intended. Fame, celebrity and dare I say cult of personality, do not inherently marginalize nor discount the efforts of others which have contributed said status. I think it is all in good fun and intended as such.

For most any way. there will always those few....

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GeneralEtrius, reply 12
I wonder what Frogboy's would be if he saw this post?
I think he'd be Frogboy. What else would he be?

:p

And seriously, I'd be suprised if he haven't seen it already.

Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Spartan, reply 13
@Annatar - for what it is worth brother, I think you are into this far more then what is intended. Fame, celebrity and dare I say cult of personality, do not inherently marginalize nor discount the efforts of others which have contributed said status. I think it is all in good fun and intended as such.

I totally disagree.  The Celebrity is the one who receives all the positives of the team effort, the rest of the team's effort is marganalized in the eyes of the majority as they only see the Frogboy posts and believe all that is good springs from this one guy.

It's nice to see people being positive on forums, a medium which is used 99% of the time to be negative about something, but really creating a hero out of 1 person for the things Stardock have done is becomming as silly as criminalising half the games industry as they are part of the 'evil empire' that is EA.

PS. Sorry Brad, I think you are a great asset to the gaming industry, I really do, don't get me wrong.

Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Sammual, reply 10

Quoting di55ec7ion, reply 7There are no heroes, only role models. Having heroes is quite an excuse not to work on yourself. Think about it.

There are Heroes, you just can't sit on your ass and wait for them to do what needs done.  They should inspire you to go out and do it.

 

Sammual

 

That is what i meant. The word "hero" just implies what he has done is quite "inhuman", therefore not accomplishable for yourself as a human. I just think it is a bit exaggerated, i appreciate Brads work but hey he didnt save the world, so why call him hero?

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Haree78, reply 16

The Celebrity is the one who receives all the positives of the team effort, the rest of the team's effort is marganalized in the eyes of the majority as they only see the Frogboy posts and believe all that is good springs from this one guy.

It's nice to see people being positive on forums, a medium which is used 99% of the time to be negative about something, but really creating a hero out of 1 person for the things Stardock have done is becomming as silly as criminalising half the games industry as they are part of the 'evil empire' that is EA.

I can agree, to a point.

Brad and Stardock are a bit of a different matter.  To my understanding Brad is Stardock.  He owns and heads the company.  While the work is done by the employees of the company (Brad included), the drive and direction comes from Brad.

Do you really believe that if Brad didn't agree with Stardocks current DRM policy it would exist?  Who would force him to use it and champion it?  Same for SDs stance on Quality and free enhancements after release.  Same for SDs layoffs (We don't need no stinkin layoffs). 

I don't believe that all good springs from Frogboy, I just believe that he is worthy of respect. 

That said, Hail the Frog!  :frogboy:

Sammual

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting di55ec7ion, reply 17

Quoting Sammual,
reply 10

There are Heroes, you just can't sit on your ass and wait for them to do what needs done.  They should inspire you to go out and do it.

Sammual

That is what i meant. The word "hero" just implies what he has done is quite "inhuman", therefore not accomplishable for yourself as a human. I just think it is a bit exaggerated, i appreciate Brads work but hey he didnt save the world, so why call him hero?

What we have here is a problem with the definition of the work 'hero'.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition I am useing is - "a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities". http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero

I would classify your use of the work 'hero' to be closer to the definitionof Demi-God.  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demi%20god

Sammual - Self proclaimed leader of the Cult of the Frog.  :frogboy:

Reply #20 from Demigod Forums Top

That's sort of why I don't like the "All hail the frog!" movement. Like I said, I have the utmost respect for Brad and what he does and is known for, and especially his no-BS attitude, but it feels wrong that people who aren't always in that much public light but do work no less important get little similar recognition.

Whaaat!?!?!  The Unbeliever must be purged!!!  Purge the Unbeliever!!!  He wants to :banhammer:   the Children of the  :frogboy:

:P

Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

My hero used to be this guy who donated all he had to World Hunger and ran into a burning building to save an old lady, 2 Mexican orphans, and several little puppies, but Brad has since displaced him. 

O:)   :frogboy:

 

Reply #22 from Demigod Forums Top

Send the :frogboy: -Inquisiton! Heretics must not be tolerated!

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Ke5trel, reply 20

That's sort of why I don't like the "All hail the frog!" movement. Like I said, I have the utmost respect for Brad and what he does and is known for, and especially his no-BS attitude, but it feels wrong that people who aren't always in that much public light but do work no less important get little similar recognition.


Whaaat!?!?!  The Unbeliever must be purged!!!  Purge the Unbeliever!!!  He wants to   the Children of the 

My son,

   Unbelievers are like children, they are to be guided into the light, not purged like the bad mexican you had last night.

Quoting tesb, reply 22
Send the -Inquisiton! Heretics must not be tolerated!

   They are all busy testing Demigod right now.

Sammual - Self proclaimed leader of the cult of the frog

Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top

You had me at

My son

Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top

i say we should organize a great fight, to see wich is the most worthy of praise between our Beloved Brad ( :frogboy:   All Hail the Frog) and the All Powerful Chuck Norris, lord of the Earth and the Heavens (Amen)

:grin:  :grin: :grin:

+1 Loading…