Based on Jon Shafer's Tweet:

"On the other hand, you'll find out what I'll be up to very soon."

I'm starting to wonder if it could actually be true that he's joining SD. It all fits so conveniently together.

I'm joining Stardock.  Nobody has asked me yet, and Brad doesn't seem to like me much, but other than those minor issue, along with barely being able to operate a computer, I'm sure any day now I will be asked to join the Stardock team.  I'll probably be Kael's boss by the end of the week.

Well, I've got to get out of lurk-mode to link to this: http://news.bigdownload.com/2011/01/04/exclusive-civilization-vs-lead-designer-hired-by-stardock/

So yup, we got Shafer. I, for one, am very pleased.

Wow, I have to admit, Brad wasn't shitting us when he said he was dedicated to making Elemental a great game and franchise.  Who the hell else would put together an all-star team to work on a game that has already been released and trashed by critics?  Pretty impressive Brad.

I don't know anything about the guy. But it's an interesting team he's putting together here.

What he said!

This is a very good hire.   Also glad to see Jon free from 2K.  now Brad needs to go get Sid. 

Some people blame Shafer for 'dumbing down' Civilization, but to me it's pretty clear he's an excellent programmer and developer. Civ V has loads of really ingenious features and solutions to things Elemental could learn from. Paired with Brad & Derek & the rest of the team, I'm very confident they'll be able to create something awesome.

Welcome to the community!

I think streamlined is a better way of putting it than dumb-downed.  Elemental needs some of that, we want all these features in this game, but the features need to be fun, fast, impactful and the UI easy to understand.  He seems like a good choice to me.

I hope everyone gets along... Sometimes big name people come with big heads.

Nah, dumbed down is a very fair assessment in my opinion. But it also had some great qualities like an immense amount of polish.

Yea, but these guys are all geeks, and geeks tend to be friends with anyone willing to be friendswith them.  Or that's pretty much how I am...why I have a menagerie of friends of varying race, creed, and sexual orientation, when you are a full-blooded geek, you are willing to judge people by what's on the inside and their ability to make jokes using the words: Flux capacitor, Wookie, and C.H.U.D.

Xia, as nice of a generalization that is to geeks worldwide, I have to disagree. Geeks can be quite selfish and unfriendly as well. I suggest you study a bit about the history of inventions and science and see the amount of backstabbing and feuds going on in the academic community.

My impression that the "streamlining" of Civ5 was not a Schafer-level decision, but a deliberate attempt by more senior members to appeal to a wider audience. Didn't he also work on Civ4?

No thanks, studying sucks, I will just continue to make broad generalizations based on my narrow anecdotal evidence.

Wow, I think this is a great move for both Jon and SD. SD makes games for the love of the game, and if they keep doing that, they can't but be succesful... eventually.

You are, of course, free to do so.

Personally I think "geeks" tend to be antisocial and often arrogant. Or am I just describing myself now?

Why are we even talking about this? Beneath me, this awful thread is.

I'm not antisocial or arrogant, I just lack impulse control and the ability to filter what I think from what I say/type...poop.  I like saying poop...

It was obvious when he left Firaxis. He tried something with Civ V. Something that many seem to dislike  (apparently? I "enjoy" reading the 2K forums and there seems to be a lot of angst there) and others seem to like. In any case, I can respect what he tried to do and welcome him with loaded open arms.

Does Shafer like RPGs? Man, I want Stardock's next game to be one. (Brad letting someone else to take care of Gal Civ III? Nope? )

I think the article just don't know about galciv 3. John Schafer was on IRC a few days ago under the nick Galciv3Designer (unless someone played a very pointless prank), and Brad has consistently said that the new mod czar will work on galciv3 when the time comes.

It's alright, everyone generalizes from a single example. At least, I do.

When do we get the official announcement?

I nailed the Jon Shafer hiring earlier in this thread... now we just need Heavenfall to fess up.  When do you start Heavenfall?

Octagons are more feng shui than squares.

I'm glad to see some great obvious talent on board. What we need in this game is some depth, and some meat. Civ 5 was smooth smooth spoonfuls of pudding. Elemental right now is like, a leg of a cow that's just been hacked off, and it still has the hide on it.

Regarding Hex vs Square - Take some cans of beans and push them together. They naturally make a hex. It works with cans of soda too. A hex is the true way of breaking down a round world to make sense of it. The bees understood this a long time ago. Squares are just a lie.