Brad Wardell
Encyclopedia
Bradley R. Wardell commonly known as Brad Wardell, is an American
businessman, programmer and author residing in Michigan
. He is the founder, President, and CEO of Stardock
, a software development and computer games company.
Wardell's specialty is the design and programming of artificial intelligence
and game mechanics for turn-based strategy game
s.
. He graduated in 1994 with a degree in Electronic Engineering
, specializing in Computer Engineering
.
Wardell's first notable achievement was the design
and implementation of Galactic Civilizations
for OS/2
, one of the platform's few games. He led development of OS/2 Essentials, followed by Object Desktop
, a package of utilities
and desktop
enhancements.
Wardell remained an OS/2 advocate for years; in 1996 he won OS/2 Professionals "Corporate Commitment" award. When the OS/2 market collapsed, he guided Stardock to Windows
, heading development of PC game Entrepreneur (now The Corporate Machine
) while coordinating the creation of WindowBlinds
and other Object Desktop components.
Wardell designed Galactic Civilizations for Windows and its sequel
, which became GameSpy
's Game of the Year. He subsequently designed The Political Machine
and Elemental
, as well as two
expansions
to Galactic Civilizations II.
, magazines
and forums
since his days running Commodore 64
BBS
es in the late 1980s. He made over 10,000 posts to Usenet
during 1992–2006, being particularly active in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic and subgroups of comp.os.os2.
Wardell is a regular poster on Stardock's forums,Wardell usually uses the screen name name Frogboy for corporate matters, while going by Draginol from home. and is actively involved in public debates, including those relating to Stardock. Sometimes criticized for this, he says the risk of alienating potential customers – especially those who feel they have "a license to behave terribly" – is "a price I'm willing to pay to be able to do what I want."
, a site specializing in the distribution of skins
and themes
for computer software. He is also an administrator and – through Stardock – the largest single shareholder of technology news site Neowin
. He was a regular on the PowerUser.TV podcast
, run by WinCustomize and Neowin, and organized the GUI Olympics (later GUI Championships), a semi-annual skinning competition starting in 2002.
. In 2009, he was chosen as a judge for Intel's "Level Up" game demo contest. He was also a columnist for game websites The Adrenaline Vault and Quarter to Three.
Wardell takes an open approach to game development, allowing users to view and influence the process of making games. However, he can also aggressively defend his positions, particularly when it comes to his specialties.
to accompany Elemental: War of Magic
. The book is set a thousand years after the Cataclysm, after the time of the game itself, and involves the quest of a former messenger to save mankind from the Fallen. The book came with a coupon to download
an exclusive campaign
for the game.
, despite the potential for piracy. He believes that while copyright infringement is an issue, blaming it for poor sales – and insisting on "stupid" forms of digital rights management
– "hides other underlying causes." Indeed, he argues that extreme anti-piracy measures result in poor sales:
Wardell says any system of protection "should be completely invisible to the user," and that it is not enough to make a good product while disrespecting your customers:
To this end, Wardell created a "Gamers Bill of Rights
," released at PAX
2008. Gas Powered Games
' Chris Taylor
– who was working with Stardock on Demigod
at the time – called the bill "an awesome framework for the industry to aspire to."
or freeware
when it is equal in quality to commercial software
, or when it is all that can be afforded; the first OS/2 version of Galactic Civilizations was created using the GNU toolchain
. He even funded hosting for competing freeware utility Samurize
. However, he believes that freeware users often drive their developers away, and that – on average – commercial developers have greater incentives to improve quality
, resulting in better products:
comment to friends that Stardock would ship future titles via FedEx
. The comment was reported as a boycott in support of Glenn Beck. Wardell claimed his intent was to criticize the practice of companies imposing their ideology on others, saying that his comment "was taken considerably out of context", and that he didn't "watch Glenn Beck or care one bit about his show," and that "as a conservative, it is nice that there's one station where my values aren't ridiculed. I don't have some 'thing' for Fox. But Fox makes an easy target and it irritated me to see UPS playing such games."
's Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002-4 and 2007.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman, programmer and author residing in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He is the founder, President, and CEO of Stardock
Stardock
Stardock Corporation is a software development company founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1993 as Stardock Systems. Stardock initially developed for the OS/2 platform, but was forced to switch to Windows due to the collapse of the OS/2 software market between 1997 and 1998...
, a software development and computer games company.
Wardell's specialty is the design and programming of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
and game mechanics for turn-based strategy game
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
s.
Software developer and CEO
Wardell built PCs and worked as a check proofer to fund his education at Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. He graduated in 1994 with a degree in Electronic Engineering
Electronic engineering
Electronics engineering, also referred to as electronic engineering, is an engineering discipline where non-linear and active electrical components such as electron tubes, and semiconductor devices, especially transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, are utilized to design electronic...
, specializing in Computer Engineering
Computer engineering
Computer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
.
Wardell's first notable achievement was the design
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
and implementation of Galactic Civilizations
Galactic Civilizations
Galactic Civilizations is a turn-based strategy computer game developed by Stardock and released in March 2003. The game is a remake of a vintage OS/2 series of the same name. An expansion pack entitled Altarian Prophecy was released in July 2004...
for OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
, one of the platform's few games. He led development of OS/2 Essentials, followed by Object Desktop
Object Desktop
Object Desktop is a software subscription service created by Stardock for OS/2 and relaunched for Windows in 1997....
, a package of utilities
Utility software
Utility software is system software designed to help analyze, configure, optimize or maintain a computer. A single piece of utility software is usually called a utility or tool....
and desktop
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
enhancements.
Wardell remained an OS/2 advocate for years; in 1996 he won OS/2 Professionals "Corporate Commitment" award. When the OS/2 market collapsed, he guided Stardock to Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, heading development of PC game Entrepreneur (now The Corporate Machine
The Corporate Machine
The Corporate Machine is a strategy computer game from Stardock in which the goal is to create a corporation in one of four industries and eventually dominate your rival companies...
) while coordinating the creation of WindowBlinds
WindowBlinds
WindowBlinds is a computer program that allows users to skin the Windows graphical user interface. It has been developed by Stardock since 1998, and is the most popular component of their flagship software suite, Object Desktop. It is also available separately, and as an ActiveX/COM component...
and other Object Desktop components.
Wardell designed Galactic Civilizations for Windows and its sequel
Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords
Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords is a 4X turn-based strategy computer game by Stardock...
, which became GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
's Game of the Year. He subsequently designed The Political Machine
The Political Machine
The Political Machine is a government simulation game from Stardock, in which the player leads a campaign to elect the President of the United States...
and Elemental
Elemental: War of Magic
Elemental: War of Magic is a fantasy 4X turn-based strategy game developed and published by Stardock, released August 24, 2010.Stardock calls Elemental "a strategy game in an RPG world." The game revolves around exploration, city-building, resource management and conquest, but also incorporates...
, as well as two
Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar
Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar is the first expansion pack to the turn-based strategy game Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords...
expansions
Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor
Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor, released April 30, 2008, is the second expansion pack to the turn-based strategy video game Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords, following the first expansion pack Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar, released February 2007...
to Galactic Civilizations II.
Online personality
Wardell has participated in online newsOnline newspaper
An online newspaper, also known as a web newspaper, is a newspaper that exists on the World Wide Web or Internet, either separately or as an online version of a printed periodical....
, magazines
Online magazine
An online magazine shares some features with a blog and also with online newspapers, but can usually be distinguished by its approach to editorial control...
and forums
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
since his days running Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
BBS
BBS
-Technologies:* Bulletin Board System, a computer that allows users to dial into the system over a phone line or telnet connection* BIOS Boot Specification, a system firmware specification related initial program load...
es in the late 1980s. He made over 10,000 posts to Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
during 1992–2006, being particularly active in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic and subgroups of comp.os.os2.
Wardell is a regular poster on Stardock's forums,Wardell usually uses the screen name name Frogboy for corporate matters, while going by Draginol from home. and is actively involved in public debates, including those relating to Stardock. Sometimes criticized for this, he says the risk of alienating potential customers – especially those who feel they have "a license to behave terribly" – is "a price I'm willing to pay to be able to do what I want."
Computer customization
Wardell is co-founder and webmaster of WinCustomizeWinCustomize
WinCustomize is a website that provides content for users to customize Microsoft Windows. The site hosts thousands of skins, themes, icons, wallpapers, and other graphical content to modify the Windows graphical user interface...
, a site specializing in the distribution of skins
Skin (computing)
In computing, a skin is a custom graphical appearance achieved by the use of a graphical user interface that can be applied to specific software and websites to suit the purpose, topic, or tastes of different users....
and themes
Theme (computing)
In computing, a theme is a preset package containing graphical appearance details, used to customize the look and feel of an operating system, widget set or window manager....
for computer software. He is also an administrator and – through Stardock – the largest single shareholder of technology news site Neowin
Neowin
Neowin.net is a Microsoft enthusiast technology news website that actively focuses on Windows, Mac and Linux. Neowin runs under the slogan, "Where unprofessional journalism looks better."-History:...
. He was a regular on the PowerUser.TV podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, run by WinCustomize and Neowin, and organized the GUI Olympics (later GUI Championships), a semi-annual skinning competition starting in 2002.
Video games
Wardell is regularly interviewed by game industry magazine GamasutraGamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
. In 2009, he was chosen as a judge for Intel's "Level Up" game demo contest. He was also a columnist for game websites The Adrenaline Vault and Quarter to Three.
Wardell takes an open approach to game development, allowing users to view and influence the process of making games. However, he can also aggressively defend his positions, particularly when it comes to his specialties.
Fantasy author
Wardell wrote the fantasy novel Elemental: Destiny's Embers (ISBN 0345517865; August 24, 2010), published by Del ReyDel Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
to accompany Elemental: War of Magic
Elemental: War of Magic
Elemental: War of Magic is a fantasy 4X turn-based strategy game developed and published by Stardock, released August 24, 2010.Stardock calls Elemental "a strategy game in an RPG world." The game revolves around exploration, city-building, resource management and conquest, but also incorporates...
. The book is set a thousand years after the Cataclysm, after the time of the game itself, and involves the quest of a former messenger to save mankind from the Fallen. The book came with a coupon to download
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
an exclusive campaign
Campaign (role-playing games)
In role-playing games, a campaign is a continuing storyline or set of adventures, typically involving the same characters. The purpose of the continuing storyline is to introduce a further aspect into the game: that of development, improvement, and growth of the characters. In a campaign, a...
for the game.
Philosophy
Wardell believes that "nice guys finish first," and that customers are "part of the team."Digital rights management
Wardell endorses digital distributionDigital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
, despite the potential for piracy. He believes that while copyright infringement is an issue, blaming it for poor sales – and insisting on "stupid" forms of digital rights management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
– "hides other underlying causes." Indeed, he argues that extreme anti-piracy measures result in poor sales:
The reason why we don't put copy protectionCopy protectionCopy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
on our games isn't because we're nice guys. We do it because the people who actually buy games don't like to mess with it. Our customers make the rules, not the pirates.
Wardell says any system of protection "should be completely invisible to the user," and that it is not enough to make a good product while disrespecting your customers:
Stardock is consumer friendly because we're a bunch of greedy capitalists who have recognized what should be an obvious truth: If you treat people as potential customers and not potential criminals you are likely to get more sales.
To this end, Wardell created a "Gamers Bill of Rights
Gamers Bill of Rights
-About the Bill:The Gamer's Bill of Rights is the brainchild of Stardock CEO Brad Wardell and lists a set of rights gamers should have. The rights are designed to improve the relationship between gamers and game companies by making games easier to use, likely to increase sales...
," released at PAX
Penny Arcade Expo
The Penny Arcade Expo is a semi-annual gamer festival held in Seattle and Boston. PAX was created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, the authors of the Penny Arcade webcomic, because they wanted to attend a show that gave equal attention to console gamers, computer gamers, and tabletop...
2008. Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
' Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (game designer)
Chris Taylor is a computer game designer and entrepreneur most famous for developing Total Annihilation and the Dungeon Siege series and for founding Gas Powered Games...
– who was working with Stardock on Demigod
Demigod (video game)
Demigod is a Dota based game developed by Gas Powered Games for the PC platform. The game was significantly influenced by the popular Warcraft III custom map Defense of the Ancients and is widely considered as the first stand-alone game title in the "DotA subgenre". The game's title refers to the...
at the time – called the bill "an awesome framework for the industry to aspire to."
Software and economics
Wardell is willing to use free softwareFree software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
or freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
when it is equal in quality to commercial software
Commercial software
Commercial software, or less commonly, payware, is computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes.Commercial software is most often proprietary software, but free software packages may also be commercial software....
, or when it is all that can be afforded; the first OS/2 version of Galactic Civilizations was created using the GNU toolchain
GNU toolchain
The GNU toolchain is a blanket term for a collection of programming tools produced by the GNU Project. These tools form a toolchain used for developing applications and operating systems....
. He even funded hosting for competing freeware utility Samurize
Samurize
Serious Samurize is a freeware system monitoring and desktop enhancement engine for Microsoft Windows.The core of Samurize is the desktop client that displays a "config" anywhere on the screen. There is also a taskbar client, a clock client, a server, and a screensaver...
. However, he believes that freeware users often drive their developers away, and that – on average – commercial developers have greater incentives to improve quality
Software quality
In the context of software engineering, software quality refers to two related but distinct notions that exist wherever quality is defined in a business context:...
, resulting in better products:
Commercial software is almost always better than freeware. Not because commercial developers are better programmers but because the commercial developer has a stronger incentive to keep enhancing, fixing, tweaking, polishing the program than the freeware developer. [...] There are countless examples of freeware that is better than commercial offerings (Look how good FirefoxMozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
is). But that's not the norm.
UPS controversy
In response to a UPS advertising boycott which he thought included Fox News, Wardell stated in a FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
comment to friends that Stardock would ship future titles via FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
. The comment was reported as a boycott in support of Glenn Beck. Wardell claimed his intent was to criticize the practice of companies imposing their ideology on others, saying that his comment "was taken considerably out of context", and that he didn't "watch Glenn Beck or care one bit about his show," and that "as a conservative, it is nice that there's one station where my values aren't ridiculed. I don't have some 'thing' for Fox. But Fox makes an easy target and it irritated me to see UPS playing such games."
Awards
Wardell was a member of Crain's Detroit's 40 under 40 in 2003, and has been a finalist for Ernst & YoungErnst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
's Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002-4 and 2007.
Personal life
Wardell is married to Deborah (Debbie) Wardell, whom he met at college; they have three children: Alex, Ryan and Ashley. His hobbies include beekeepingBeekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
.
External links
- Master Of The Galaxy: Stardock's Brad Wardell - Jason McMaster, Gamasutra (November 15, 2006)
- Q&A: Stardock's Wardell Talks GalCiv, Indie Power - Alistair Wallis, Gamasutra (July 26, 2007)
- Stardock CEO Wardell Eyes Star Control, Orion, And More - Chris Remo, Gamasutra (November 17, 2008)
- Interview: Stardock's Wardell On Elemental: War of Magic - Chris Remo, Gamasutra (November 4, 2008)
- The Top 25 Game Industry Heroes for 2008 - Edge (magazine)Edge (magazine)Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
(December 22, 2008) - Brad Wardell On The Future Of Impulse - Jim Rossignol, Rock, Paper, Shotgun (March 22, 2010)
- Acting on Impulse - Phil Elliott , GamesIndustry.biz (April 22, 2010)
- Q&A: Stardock CEO Wardell On Writing A Novel, Creating Elemental With Random House - Chris Remo, Gamasutra (June 4, 2010)