Jeffrey Bard (lead dev) has left Intrepid Studios

Kumapon

Apparently he left for a job opportunity in the realm of VR . Still doesn't make me feel easy that the main guy in charge has left the company. 


https://ashesofcreation.com/news/2021-05-27-a-message-to-the-community

Albatroes

I can hear the knights in white suiting up in the distance.

BruceYee

Ex-SOE devs know what sinking ships look/feel like?

Kumapon

All Creativity is lost when you lose a Bard in a party.

Champie

I'm done caring about this project or any of the people involved. 

Slapshot1188

I can see the videos from Jahlon and the others already: This is a GOOD thing because Stephen, who has no prior experience, is stepping into the role of Lead Designer.   By the way have you seen the new “leaked” cosmetics  yet?

All is well!!

PS: Did he put his referral code in his departure note?

Prescience

Albatroes said:

I can hear the knights in white suiting up in the distance.

Prescience

I'm honestly eager to read the damage control over the next few months. 

Kyleran

Albatroes said:

I can hear the knights in white suiting up in the distance.

KnightFalz

Oops. At least their community staff will get some practice in quelling concerns.

Albatroes

Slapshot1188 said:

I can see the videos from Jahlon and the others already: This is a GOOD thing because Stephen, who has no prior experience, is stepping into the role of Lead Designer.   By the way have you seen the new “leaked” cosmetics  yet?

All is well!!

PS: Did he put his referral code in his departure note?

I think the saddest thing is that living in reality when it comes to crowdfunding is being seen as "negative" by some of these smurf accounts that like to dance around on this site. Lets not forget how in 'good hands' Anthem was when the lead dev there left during the 'reform.' All this 'sunken cost' is just warping people's minds coupled with the desperation of wanting something new.

Wizardry

I do not think he was the right guy to be the lead guy but idk maybe he came at a good price.

EQ2 frustrated me at times with it's design layout as it was very cumbersome to navigate.I also found that having actually played many of the design ideas were just bad.I also found they were LAZY,just using the same systems to repeat new content over and over and never realizing that much of the systems were just bad.

So imo i doubt Jeffrey Bard brought over anything creative or even good.I think maybe he might be good at creating the story but that is about it.I actually never thought much about story after the first couple expansions,then the game content just felt like junk added on just for the sake of being content.

IMO the VR realm is pure garbage,the TYPE of design i currently see with VR is like moving backwards in game design.Having some ugly looking hand in the air is NOT what VR is about yet that is about 90% of the industry designs.

I think he was stressed working at Intrepid and wanted a better paying job.I have no idea what studio he went to but likely a quiet one where he can assume an easier non public role.I am not surprised that he leaves because every single time i watched the Intrepid videos i could see in his facial expressions that he seemed stressed.

Wizardry

I am having a Sebastion Maniscalco flashback lol

You know what bothers me ....PEOPLE  !!

So it appears to me that Intrepid has been on a mission of late to add stuff,ok that seems fine....NO.

They appear to now be putting any new creations into the CASH SHOP....grrrrr

So what does some forum guy say.....i asked for a chariot ...THANK YOU<<<<<idiot !!!

You don't ask for an item that maybe fits into the game ideas but put it into the cash shop,geesus Murphy are people that stupid?

This is a game that wants to keep reminding us it is in Alpha and may continue to change ,well change doesn't mean taking game assets and putting them into the cash shop.

This just further angers me on the topic of cash shops,i cannot stand them them whatsoever,like i'd rather get 10 teeth pulled by a fake dentist than see a cash shop.

Ponzini

Man you all are toxic. What is the opposite of a white knight? There is a difference between being cautious and hoping a project will fail. 

One man left for a better opportunity on good terms. Its not like there is some mass exodus. It is a bummer but its not the sign you all have been hoping for that the game is a scam.

GrindcoreTHRALL

Sad to hear. With not many new games in the last year, I am discouraged by this. AOC was looking good. I have not pre-ordered but I was hoping for the sake of Crowdfunding, this game would show the community success is still possible.

Kyleran

GrindcoreTHRALL said:

Sad to hear. With not many new games in the last year, I am discouraged by this. AOC was looking good. I have not pre-ordered but I was hoping for the sake of Crowdfunding, this game would show the community success is still possible.

It still might deliver, one person leaving, not even this guy should cause the game to fail, well unless of course its Steven, then you should worry.

Kyleran

tzervo said:

Kyleran said:

It still might deliver, one person leaving, not even this guy should cause the game to fail, well unless of course its Steven, then you should worry.

So we should be worried about Saga of Lucimia after all. 

Oh yeah, that was always a huge longshot anyways.

Slapshot1188

tzervo said:

Kyleran said:

It still might deliver, one person leaving, not even this guy should cause the game to fail, well unless of course its Steven, then you should worry.

So we should be worried about Saga of Lucimia after all. 

Well you should be worried about any Crowdfunded project anyway.   With SoL I think the most troubling thing is their Community Manager came on here and asked for questions and then never came back to answer them. 

But Jeff leaving is quite more impactful than Renfail leaving SoL.  Jeff was the lead designer AKA the most important person.   Renfail was the story guy and the front man.

But sure not a good sign where ANY Sr team member leave a project.

Gigabear

They'll tell you this isn't a big deal and that Jeff is "following his passion"

Anyone who watched the development knew he was super passionate about AoC.

They would also know about all the sideeyes he gave Sandals McGrift every time the dude would say something he knew was never going to happen.

Jeff was given an impossible task. Asked to design a game for a fruitjuice salesman who refused to get the hell out of the way and let the people who actually knew what they were doing do the work.

I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

kitarad

Wonder what impact it will have on the game. I am not being sarcastic.

Kyleran

kitarad said:

Wonder what impact it will have on the game. I am not being sarcastic.

A very long time ago, very early in my work career I resigned from one job to take another.

An older co-worker told me while I might think the company would struggle without me there, the reality would be more like putting my hand in a bucket of water and pulling it out again.

No real difference, the company would go on.



Almost 40 years  later having seen countless good people come and go I can confirm for the most part, his observation wasn't wrong.

Slapshot1188

Kyleran said:

kitarad said:

Wonder what impact it will have on the game. I am not being sarcastic.

A very long time ago, very early in my work career I resigned from one job to take another.

An older co-worker told me while I might think the company would struggle without me there, the reality would be more like putting my hand in a bucket of water and pulling it out again.

No real difference, the company would go on.



Almost 40 years  later having seen countless good people come and go I can confirm for the most part, his observation wasn't wrong.

I actually just got a pretty hefty retention bonus (1 year base salary) to insure I do not leave my company in the next 18 months, because doing so would absolutely hurt as we are expanding at an insane pace.

190100

KnightFalz said:

Oops. At least their community staff will get some practice in quelling concerns.

no joke, they dish the permbans fast for any negativity or external posts