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Reader Comments (39)

Posted: Sep 20th 2011 9:34PM NeoWolfen said

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DStahl has been one of the most positive things to happen to Star Trek Online and he has always been very enthusiastic and proactive about the game and its development.

To now suddenly be leaving and washing his hands of the game and its community with whom he has struck up such a strong rapport just after the announcement for the F2P conversion with Perfect Worlds takeover..

I don't know... the word FISHY..springs to mind.

Posted: Sep 20th 2011 10:23PM Lucidus said

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@NeoWolfen To borrow a phrase from another franchise: "I got a bad feeling about this."
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 10:35PM Faith said

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@NeoWolfen

I see it as being one of two things, and of course they're only my opinions. 1. He didn't agree or like the plans Perfect World has in store for STO's future. 2. And probably the more likely, he got offered a really good job with long term stability with a real company.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 5:32AM pcgneurotic said

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@NeoWolfen

"...washing his hands of the game and its community"

You know, this phrase 'to wash one's hands' has the sense of something being done deliberately or in bad grace, but I think it's far too early to suggest anything like that. His exit could be for many reasons - mostly mundane, boring ones. Sure, as an STO fan I'm hurt to see him go, but I don't think we should start the mud slinging just yet!
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 5:33AM Renko said

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@NeoWolfen I'm surprised Dan Stahl stayed so long after the return of Craig Zinkievich to Cryptic. I expected him to leave much sooner. Dan did a great good of turning around the mess he inherited.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 7:51PM Solar Jetman said

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@Faith The more reliable/believable posts I have read say he's going to Zynga. Working closer to his family in San Francisco. Sounds like a good move, and I think he's departing at a fairly good time now that the transition is over and the road ahead is a bit smoother. He's weathered these storms before, I'd say he was right place right time.

If we had a dollar for every Cryptic dev that has left and come back in the last five years, we could buy a Cstore ship. ;)
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 9:38PM (Unverified) said

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I disagree. All the old Cryptic hierarchy had to go. Stahl was a anchor. The game a disaster since launch. See ya Stahl and don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Posted: Sep 20th 2011 9:58PM sortius said

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@(Unverified) I'm quite happy to see him go. He had his finger in both the CO & STO pies, destroying both games before they were even released.

This is positive news in my opinion.
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 11:30PM sortius said

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@(Unverified) I'm sane, that's all. Stahl made huge mistakes with both games, even screwed up things that were fine in the beta.

When Cryptic was bought out I was hoping they'd get rid of Stahl.
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 11:53PM Saker said

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@sortius "When Cryptic was bought out I was hoping they'd get rid of Stahl."

They may have done! Just because it's being portrayed as his decision doesn't mean it really is. They may be letting him save face and portray it as his decision but he may well have been invited to leave.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 12:16AM NeoWolfen said

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@sortius Except Stahl was not in charge of the project from beta. craig zinkievich was who left and passed reigns to Dstahl and then later returned in another capacity.

Dstahl is nto to blame for any "percieved" issues with STO indeed he has been the individual hellbent on improving and fixing things.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 5:34AM pcgneurotic said

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@Saker

And invited to do so not because PWE are unhappy with him, but for any number of other political, internal reasons. Again, let's not make all the hasty judgements.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2011 6:19PM sortius said

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@NeoWolfen I quite clearly said he ruined parts of the game that were working fine in the beta. I can see the STO fanboys will just vote me down for being honest.

Having played both since CBT, CO & STO were much less of games post launch.
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 10:11PM BubleFett said

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The burn out rate is high in the gaming industry.
This normal for Cryptic. I wish Dan the best of luck,
and a good job for Dan and the team for the changes that are
happening in STO.

Posted: Sep 20th 2011 10:39PM tepster said

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Did the acquisition by Perfect World involve some kind of pay cut? Maybe that's why he's leaving..

Posted: Sep 20th 2011 10:50PM Lateris said

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Well, I am leaving as well. Without him at the captains seat this game has no chance but to become a shopping mall.

Posted: Sep 21st 2011 11:12AM raxtrax said

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@Lateris I think you are right about this. nothing is less Star Trek than mirco transactions.
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Posted: Sep 20th 2011 11:15PM Verus said

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Dangerous working for Cryptic..

What kind of signal does this send to those who still play the game ?

Posted: Sep 21st 2011 12:06AM (Unverified) said

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I'm not happy about this.

Posted: Sep 21st 2011 12:21AM Space Cobra said

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For those who actually stuck around a few months after launch, Stahl was a good man for STO. Things have been better with him there.

Not sure if the PWI aquisition had anything to do with it, since it seems to have happened rather suddenly, but I will agree with BubleFett and say he's probably burnt out because he seemed to take alot on his shoulders. Without any facts, it is easy to say one thing or another; he could have been relieved about the change going into "good hands" and wanting to do something else just as much as he could be bailing before any changes he doesn't like/agree to. I will say he message/statement seems sincere.

Of course, it is worrisome to have a "new" or returning person, even one who is working on CO: Will he be juggling the two or will he concentrate on just one (as he should)? So far, we haven't heard much about PWI and any hard changes, so that's still the "other shoe that has yet to drop".

But Stahl's been a pleasure. Good luck to him. He's been the bright spot for STO these last few years of operation.

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