Mr. Smart is the Best Forum Poster [INTERNET HISTORY ITT]

[kildorn]

That long post was worth it. He pretty much turns his company into a reality tv show. Complete with convoluted dumbass obvious drama, betrayal, and petty revenge.

[Mrbloodworth]

Because of a linked in recommendation, that talked nothing about the incident, or anything internal other than "This guy is great to work for and is a task master".

[tmp]

Tell you what, I'm just going to write a Post Mortem blog about it from start to finish since thats the industry norm.

on a more serious note if even half of what he says in that long post is true... wow, just wow.

[Sir T]

To be honest I'm starting to honestly think that Mr Agent99 was brought in as a marketing ploy. Its brilliant. were all chattering about a game I'd never heard of till last week.

The problem is that it seems to have been like bringing dynamite to light a candle. 

[Pezzle]

Only true if the chatter turns into more money.  I am guessing this goes the opposite direction.

[sam, an eggplant]

on a more serious note if even half of what he says in that long post is true... wow, just wow.

If they're crooks and team derek can prove it in court, he'll probably get away with those crazy posts. If they can't build a court case, David Allen and crew is going to put quest online out of business. Easiest case ever, he literally told other studios not to hire them. The only way I could see it being an easier case is if he accused them of diddling then roasting and eating white babies in a full-page advertisement in the new york times.

[Pezzle]

If the claims are true and you have the proof you get your litigation going.  You also shut up about it outside those who absolutely need to know.  What you should not do is go ranting and raving in very public places.  Doing that can only damage your case.  Nothing good for the company can come from what he is doing.  There is no upside, no benefit.

[Mrbloodworth]

Its also a dick move.

[sam, an eggplant]

There is no upside, no benefit.

Umm, I don't think anyone disputes that he's acting childishly. He's a world-class crazy person, widely known for his pathological behavior since the early 90s. He's a true internet legend.

Why is this week's wrinkle so special? Well, it's the first time he was placed in a position to harm anyone other than himself. This is truly a historic moment, an actual evolution in the flame war to end all flame wars, something to make those of us that have followed him for twenty years look up and go "hey, that's new". Thus the title of this thread.

[KallDrexx]

Its also a dick move.

Not only the fact that he posted it, but the fact that he posted that on Gamasutra brings it to a whole new level.

[Signe]

I don't really care what this lot say to each other from any standpoint other than amusement.  It's just kind of funny to watch them bicker from the comfort of my own comfy chair.  I can't seem to care if it's not classy or unethical or whatever.  They all seem like nutters to me.  Who do I root for?

[tgr]

Who do I root for?

The lawyers.

[sam, an eggplant]

The only good guys are the nameless faceless employees furtively reading the embarrassing laundry their boss is airing from the depths of their cubes while posting their CVs to monster.com with their fingers primed to alt-tab back to maya if anyone happens to walk by their cube.

I feel bad for those dudes. Everybody else is scum.

[kildorn]

The only good guys are the nameless faceless employees furtively reading the embarrassing laundry their boss is airing from the depths of their cubes while posting their CVs to monster.com with their fingers primed to alt-tab back to maya if anyone happens to walk by their cube.

I feel bad for those dudes. Everybody else is scum.

At this point I don't think anyone's alt tabbing back unless the good doctor walks around. I'm pretty sure the team leads are looking, too.

[Comstar]

Smart uses forum posts like WMD's and he's crossing the Fulda Gap in 1985.  I can't imagine enjoying a workplace he's located at.

Though I think if he made a MMOG where the players have to complete in building a MMOG it might just work.

[Soln]

There is ***NO TECHNOLOGY***.

well I've read all of the Gamasutra feedback, almost.

It brings back uncomfortable memories of my first software job in a small company that was partially paid-for with government grants and partially by a university, and was run by profs.  Nothing "illega"l happened, but certainly several lies to get more money by the management.  They secured their salaries and what was left was stuff for the staff and expenses like hardware.  If some of these anecdoates are true than I can see why DS is raging.  They used him well before he came on board and set him up to take on a shell with several legal complications pending.  If true I can sympathesize.  We can argue about the sheer impropriety of revealing this on a public forum, but the collection of insanities he mentions seem plausible to me.  It's just that there are so many, and he's DS that it seems unreal.  But I can see this all happening.

[HaemishM]

That long post was worth it. He pretty much turns his company into a reality tv show. Complete with convoluted dumbass obvious drama, betrayal, and petty revenge.

Yes. I sat there eating my lunch, enraptured by his trainwreck epic post. That post was by itself, a billion times more and engrossing than the game.

Come on, Mr. PhD, there has to be some nude photos floating around that you can post, or at least a cybersex chat transcript! I demand to be entertained!

[Nebu]

I like the thread title.  All I keep hearing in my head while reading it is "I didn't go to six years of evil computer science graduate school to be called Mr. Smart, thank you very much". 

[Sheepherder]

Though I think if he made a MMOG where the players have to complete in building a MMOG it might just work.

That's so meta.  They'd be in beta before he is.

[Musashi]

It's almost like I want to believe he can't be that stupid.  Almost.

[Polysorbate80]

He's experienced like he's a PhD?</rimshot>

Well, they do give those out to anyone with $15.

[Vodos]

More posts in the gamasutra thread, amazing. Now he's quoting termination notices.

[Cheddar]

More posts in the gamasutra thread, amazing. Now he's quoting termination notices.

When you going to fix Neocron?

[Vodos]

We are kind of busy at the moment. Unfortunately our dream candidate for the "Fix NC" project just took another job.  

[Comstar]

And just so you know, we had already decided to fire you right off the bat. You just made it happen quicker when you ...The plan all along was to fire you after the April launch. So don't kid yourself.

This should be made into a television show. D-Smart: CONTROLling your game, fighting the forces of chaotic game scheduling, traitors and scapegoats.  

[Sjofn]

This drama is filling the hole in my heart I've had since all the Vanguard stuff. 

[Ard]

I was really hoping Schilling was going to go up to bat for this level of drama, but really, this is going to turn out more entertaining in the long run.

[LK]

I'm seeing a lot of self-described winners trying to write history.

[Khaldun]

Maybe Schilling can hire Serek Dmart when he's done over there.

[tgr]

Oh dear, we just got mentioned in the comments.

Hastur
Hastur
Hastur

[LK]

Superstitions are stupid.

I admire what Derek is trying to do (up until it started going into legally ambiguous areas given what was described) but I view it as a futile effort given what limited knowledge I have about people.

Can we at least give the guy credit that he's able to produce games, get investors to give millions of dollars to people, and still do this despite having what appears to be a negative reputation by gamers? He's like a Renegade Shepard.

[Lantyssa]

Uh, no.

[tmp]

He's like a Renegade Shepard.

Wouldn't Renegade Conrad be a closer fit?

[Ingmar]

The thing that kind of amazes me is that even if all of these accusations are true, and the three guys he fired/quit/whatever really are evil embezzlers or real life versions of the Soda Poppers or whatever the latest accusation is, with the way he's managed the entire situation they will still come out of it looking better than him. Masterful, really.

[Musashi]

His last post is unbelievable.  We need to get this whole thing transcribed to the wiki somewhere before it gets evaporated.