Noktan
2008-10-03, 04:49
Some of you know who Jeff Freeman was; he was the lead designer at Sony when the major changes were made to SWG that left so many upset. Although it was not his fault he took the brunt of the criticisms, attacks, and even death threats.
Some of you may have even known him back in the UO days as Dundee, Guild Master of the Nameless Ones on Lake Superior and later the administrator of the private UO server World of Dreams.
I am not sure why I have chosen this forum to share this news; it may be that I would have loved to see Jeff build the game that he really wanted to, if he was running a private server. You see I am his brother. On September 24th Jeff took his own life. I am not angry at him or anyone else, sad yes, like so many others I feel a bit of guilt but I love my brother and I am thankful that he is no longer suffering.
I hope all of you will join me and our family as we celebrate his life.
From http://www.swgemu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15566
This has been confirmed all over the web. Jeff Freeman was the lead gameplay developer at the time of the NGE (New Game Enhancements, and update many people disliked) for SW:G, which made a lot of people angry at him, even if he wasn't responsible for it. He became the public image of the update, a fact that his colleagues saw as both unfair and silly. He received complaints, and even death threats, but his brother stresses out that this had nothing to do with his suicide.
It is very important that everyone understand this did not have anything to do with NGE. There should be no guilt; it is time to celebrate who he was and what he meant to each of us. God gave me a great gift when my brother was born.
Of course I, as a former SW:G fan, can't help but think "what if", even if it may seem kind of silly in situation like this. Oh well. Jeff was a major contributor to the MMO world, and he will be missed. My next beer will be for you, Jeff. May the force be with you.
Some of you may have even known him back in the UO days as Dundee, Guild Master of the Nameless Ones on Lake Superior and later the administrator of the private UO server World of Dreams.
I am not sure why I have chosen this forum to share this news; it may be that I would have loved to see Jeff build the game that he really wanted to, if he was running a private server. You see I am his brother. On September 24th Jeff took his own life. I am not angry at him or anyone else, sad yes, like so many others I feel a bit of guilt but I love my brother and I am thankful that he is no longer suffering.
I hope all of you will join me and our family as we celebrate his life.
From http://www.swgemu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15566
This has been confirmed all over the web. Jeff Freeman was the lead gameplay developer at the time of the NGE (New Game Enhancements, and update many people disliked) for SW:G, which made a lot of people angry at him, even if he wasn't responsible for it. He became the public image of the update, a fact that his colleagues saw as both unfair and silly. He received complaints, and even death threats, but his brother stresses out that this had nothing to do with his suicide.
It is very important that everyone understand this did not have anything to do with NGE. There should be no guilt; it is time to celebrate who he was and what he meant to each of us. God gave me a great gift when my brother was born.
Of course I, as a former SW:G fan, can't help but think "what if", even if it may seem kind of silly in situation like this. Oh well. Jeff was a major contributor to the MMO world, and he will be missed. My next beer will be for you, Jeff. May the force be with you.