Letter from the Game Director – Passing on the torch

**rustinel** · Sep 17th, 2008, 20:43:01

A big double grats to both Sil and Means!

I always felt with Sil as director he at least understood the game and the players and really turned some things around, AoC are lucky to get him.

Means has had some great input to our game too and as director will have even more...you will won't you?!

I propose that both Sil and Means attend the Pirate celebrations this weekend to celebrate.

YARR!

**filijokkus** · Sep 17th, 2008, 21:35:53

Thanks for years of great content in every aspect of the game, even though there will always be specifics that can be solved by different viewpoints.

Bottom line, the process from developers out the playerbase is more transparent than with any other MMO, and I thank you for that.

Means as predecessor? No worries then.

**Esqi** · Sep 17th, 2008, 21:38:45

As regrettable it is to see you moving on, you have done simply a fantastic job with AO and with the help of your team, made great inroads into a previously fading avenue.

Good luck mate and i wish you the best in your ventures with the AoC development.

Bring it on Means, youve been a stable mate in the dev team for quite a while and i personally believe you will fill those massive size 17 US shoes Craig is leaving behind.

/hats off

**Wakizaka** · Sep 17th, 2008, 21:40:55

Sad to see you go. Enjoy your future endeavours.

**Effrit** · Sep 17th, 2008, 21:55:41

was great to have you with us for so long Sil, doing so much for AO and the community. Good luck with AOC, and damn those lucky sons of conan!
Im sorry to see you go.

Means firstly grats on the promotion.

Secondly,

IS it possible for us, the players to open the chest in Crypt of Home?

grats to both!

**randomdent** · Sep 17th, 2008, 22:29:53

Sil, oh Sil,
Please hurry over to Conan, and Please Fix the Stupid!!!!!!!!! It huuuurts, it burrrrns! And grats on your dubious promotion, hehe. Out of the frying pan, into the fire!!!

**Psyloche** · Sep 17th, 2008, 23:38:47

good luck, Sil with the new job, and Means with the promotion

And xaun: Not completely shure if i agree or disagree. Currently the setup caters to experienced games as it IS, it should be simplified to get total rookies more into the game, not be made worse. Since i dont know the setup you tell of from playing, i dont know how good it was, but its probably too late to change now :/

I do feel sorry for Gaute though. Im still not agree in the hype it was an unexpected "bad" launch, the game did well, any further "success" than AOC got now, depend on gamers, word of mouth, time and happy gamers who continue to play, and incease the playermass.
The game is fine, pre combo change probably fine too(dont know if it was BETTER though), as a game, AOC probably is one of the better games ive tried, i think

**Joey** · Sep 17th, 2008, 23:50:42

Well I've complained in the past that FC was too scared to do drastic changes before you were in charge. You sure changed that when you arrived, I give yuo props for that. Of course there is many decisions you've done that I and others didn't like, but you can't please everyone.

I wish you good luck on this new job. It doesn't look like it's gonna be an easy one.

**deFronsaac01** · Sep 18th, 2008, 00:55:35

I don't post often, though I have been part of AO, off and on for a while. This is to wish you good luck and to welcome in the new AO game director. I have had a lot of fun times here at AO and some not so fun times too, but overall the good outweighs the bad.. sort of like life. I really look forward to the graphic engine update, and to continuing to be able to stop by and spend some time on Rubi-Ka.

One parting request since you are going to AoC... Please get them to fix the memory leak in that game. AO does not have it, AoC should not either.

**Gunfytr** · Sep 18th, 2008, 01:16:41

Sil, u headed up the movement that saved AO, without a doubt. I'm sorry to see u go, but good luck with AoC (heard ur gonna need it).

Mr Means...Sir.....congrats on the new position, u have my utmost confidence, and I'd really like to sit down with u some time and talk about that TMHH thing that got nerfed so unnecessarily.

lol, srly, gz to both, and u both will do fine.

**gergiskoo** · Sep 18th, 2008, 01:23:30

Good luck, Sil! Hope you can do with AoC what you did with AO.

And of course, congratulations Means! If anyone can keep AO going in the right direction, it's you.

**Malosar** · Sep 18th, 2008, 01:48:27

Whilst it is quite sad to not have you as our Game Director, it is good to know you'll still be around at Funcom, even if your focus will now be on AoC. Your dedication and input into Anarchy has helped shape this wonderful game to what it is today.

I sincerely hope you can do wonders for Age of Conan, at least as much as you have done with AO. If AoC does well, Funcom does well, and hopefully as a result, Anarchy will then continue to operate and be the amazing game it is for all of us. Never forget that this game shines in the pool of depravity that is the modern MMO market.

I would also like to give a warm welcome to Means as the new Game Director. I don't think anyone here could argue that he isn't the right one for the position. Each of us whom have come to know his dedication to both the game and community, as well as his wit and humor, know that we are in good hands.

**Theonora** · Sep 18th, 2008, 03:45:17

Good luck and God bless, Sil, hope things go well.

Means....You know, to be honest, considering this rowdy group, I should probably say the exact same thing to you.

*grin*

Theo

**Skankman** · Sep 18th, 2008, 03:50:16

Complete ass that Fc feels the need to **** the few decent employees from another game to try and bail out the sorry ass job the former game director did for AoC.

You'll be missed Sil, you're one of the VERY few good ones.

To the former pos Game director of AoC. ESAD, imo.

Skankman out.

**Adacta** · Sep 18th, 2008, 06:08:20

The King is dead, long live the King !

Grats you two, although I hate to see Sil leave. And also grats to FC, I´ll skip the details ...

**Hacre** · Sep 18th, 2008, 06:36:12

deleted

**Zeephonz** · Sep 18th, 2008, 07:32:16

Originally Posted by Means

The now "signed" broken PSP from Sil's old desk is being shipped to your home address as soon as I can confirm your address and get it to a post office.

That's awesome! Does it come complete with "I got pwn3d dribble on it too?"

I can't wait to get it, thanks Means... hope you got my PM with confirmed details.

**Zeephonz** · Sep 18th, 2008, 07:38:22

Originally Posted by Lupusceleri

Hahaha, I'm sure Zeephonz' girlfriend Bââââhbara will simply LOVE it!

Who's that chick?... she's such a skank! I prefer more sophisticated ladies

I'll post piccies of the PSP when it arrives.... too awesome.

**Falkvinge** · Sep 18th, 2008, 07:48:33

Originally Posted by Means

3. The new graphics engine initiative. I am looking forward to this upgrade more than anyone else. This is going to get done if it kills me or preferably someone else.

Noooooo, you have to see it the other way around.
A lot of people are always looking twice as much forward to the graphic engine update than you do, and those people are going to kill you if you don't get done

hm.. how about new pix pwetty plox?

Originally Posted by Means

4. Pushing new boundaries. Just because it doesn't exist in AO right now does not mean it will not be coming soon. The highly anticipated raid interface should be live September 22nd. I look forward to introducing player based fear and knockback in the near future.

Uh, you know that you made the worst mistake a game director can do, right ?.. You mentioned a date instead of "soon"...

GL on your new position tho, and good look to Sil as well

**Amosco** · Sep 18th, 2008, 08:20:44

Originally Posted by Hacre

About f**kin time Gaute got the shove, tbh. FC is far better off.

Yeah, I hate to say bad things about Gaute, but let's face it, from a player perspective the AO community (and possibly the AoC community, although I never went over there to check) was the LEAST happy under Gaute's leadership. I can't even remember the names of the one or two GDs who came after him because they weren't hugely better.

Sil really turned this game around, and finally showed us that we didn't have to settle for the same crap we'd been dealing with in the past, and all the "working as intended" responses to our requests for game fixes. Sil really acted in a way that convinced us he actually played the game and understood the wants and needs of the community.

So, good luck, Sil. It looks like once again FC has tasked you with cleaning up Gaute's mistakes. I have no doubt you'll succeed. I just feel sad that, even though I haven't logged into the game in two years and am waiting patiently for the engine upgrade, we have to lose you as GD.

I hope Means will be able to continue the fantastic work that Sil began, but Means should be aware that he has a HUGE shadow in which to fill.

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