Derek Smart

	“	That all backfired because he severely underestimated me and the fact that I've done this for so long, I can see right through my eyelids. Blindfolded. In the dark.	„
	—IN THE DARK

He will find this site, and he will die once more for our "sins"

Derek Smart is a game creator and Internets personality, who thought he was perfect. He has done so for 17 years.

Epic Rage

Derek Smart's name is a classic case of irony. Derek Smart made a game at least 100 years ago, called Battlecruiser 3000AD. The game sucked badly and was delayed over and over again. To make up for his shortcomings as a game creator and generally, Derek decided to search the internets for any mentions of his name. Once he found any discussion about how crappy his game was he would start flaming everybody, lie about his credentials (claiming to be A DOCTOR WITH A PHD AND THE TITLE OF DOCTOR THAT ONE GETS FOR HAVING A PHD LIKE HE DOES), and generally act like a fucktard. At one point it became a sort of pseudo-meme on usenet: Mention Derek's name anywhere in any connection, and he would show up shortly thereafter, and much drama would be generated.

Crimes against Vending Machines

Since Derek kept bullshitting his publisher Take Two, saying that if they would just give him a little more time he would take the suck out of his game, Take Two eventually decided to cut their losses and release it as it was. Derek got mad, decided that this was an innocent bystanding Coca Cola machine's fault, and trashed it. He then went on to release the game as freeware, hoping that someone, somewhere, would play it and tell him that it was great, so that his already huge ego could become even more inflated. A few people did tell him he was great out of pity, and he started a cult with them on the forums on his "company's" site, 3000ad.com.

Alganon Fuckfest

Since 2010, he now works for a game developing company called Quest Online, who has absolutely nothing to do with EverQuest. They developed Alganon, which almost looks exactly like World of Warcraft. While "WoW-clone" is a term that WoWfags give to almost every single game out there, even ones that came before it, Alganon actually deserves the title. It actually looks and feels like WoW - if less than 50 people played on either of the two servers. Less than two months after its January 2010 release, the developers decided to relaunch their piece-of-shit game with a free-to-play model.

Essentially, he was picked up from Quest Online after they fired Dave Allen for "insubordination." But on the official forums, Smart said, "Dave Allen didn't 'depart'. I fired* him back in February for insurbordination [sic] and for acting against the best interests of the company, the LLC investors (who I represent), the game, and the team." Gamasutra reported this over here.

The interesting, drama-filled part is the comments section. Smart opened his probably-Cheeto-encrusted trap to say this:

“	I just wanted to add that my missive on the community board was directed at the community and was designed to stave off any sort of "Artifact Entertainment" vibe that I'm sure would be forthcoming given the circumstances. It was nothing personal nor was it designed to embarass anyone. As my opening statement indicated, it was designed to a) cut off any such speculative vibe at the pass b) send a clear message about what it is I was going to do - and how I planned on doing it. The fact is that in our industry, the less you say, the more people will fill in the blanks for you - and I personally know all too well how that goes. People get fired all the time and it doesn't make the news (unless of course you're Activision), so this shouldn't be any different. I wanted to stress the "fired" aspect because, as a contractor (not an employee), I did'nt want any sort of wanton speculation as to how or why David exited and how I came to replace him when it could have been anyone else. I wasn't out looking for a job (I have one, thank you very much) and so what I'm doing is basically one big "all expenses paid" favor to a group of people (investors) I consider to be friends who had no idea what they were getting into almost four years ago. The fact of the matter is that it wasn't even supposed to be this way. It just happened. It wasn't planned. It wasn't scripted. There were no back room discussions. We had to do it in order to save the game and company from any further damage. Tip: If you take money from investors, at the very least, TELL THEM what you're doing with their money and the asset they've burned millions on. Going behind their back, lying to them - because they don't know any better and have NO experience in our biz - is only going to get you ousted and fired when someone decides to start ASKING the tough questions like, oh, I dunno, where'd four years and our money go and where's the darn game?	„
—Smart; on being a faggot;

He then called out some former Alganon developers, Hue Henry and Jason Blood, who decided to get into some flame war with him. Smart remarked, "I'm already a magnet for controversy and I don't particularly want to take the focus off the task at hand to put it on "Derek Smart" because that would be unfair and distracting. Apart from the fact that many will try to make this "A Derek Smart thing" because that's as much fun as poking a bear with a cattle prod and running into your mother-in-law's bedroom."

The Flame Wars

Smart got on his high horse and went on and on about how he was the greatest, how he developed and shipped so many games, and how nobody could fool him! So two former developers of Alganon decided to chime in.

To be fair, they both produced a shitty game, but this is not Alganon we are speaking of, it's Derek Smart.

Hue Henry

Hue Henry, a former developer, was calm and reasonable with his posts, mentioning to Smart, "I'm very sorry if this next comment makes things rough on Alganon's players. They are the one's we built the game for, so I've avoided statements like this is the past, but: Yes. The game Alganon failed. It failed because despite being fun and all original work, it appeared and played too similar to World of Warcraft. I failed because I did not realize that was a "deal breaker" for so many people."

Smart snapped. He retorted with shit like "The three of you, as long time friends, started this and screwed it all up in more ways than one. Meanwhile, there are lots of talented folks out in the industry who can't find work or money, while you three just blow through someone else's money with inpunity. In David's case, for the second time in a row." He told off anonymous posters with "Nice try" and brought out the ALL CAPS to Henry. "Then less than a mointh later, David was demoted. Yet, you guys KEPT ADDING STUFF TO THE GAME INSTEAD OF FINISHING IT. I was asked to take over - in a contract that David signed with the investors to make it happen. Behind my back and against my authority, instead of FINISHING and FIXING the game, you guys kept ADDING to it. As I type this, the team are still working their way through UNFINISHED stuff that YOU left behind."

Derek Smart kept saying how they wasted millions of dollars from investors' money, and Henry replied, "Unfortunately, putting the hornet's nest back on the tree doesn't help anyone, so I'm also going to say my peace and walk away.I anxiously await the day when the actual numbers for those "millions" are revealed. It will be the icing on the cake. (Maybe F13 will start a third thread! I've gotten a lot of joy from reading their forums over the years. It makes me feel a little better to think we are, in some sick way, giving some of that joy back.) I would love to see what the "big boys" like EA or Sony or NCSoft or Activision thinks about the technological assets QOL created (see my previous post - and ask Derek for a tour of the Alganon Editor - the video online doesn't do it justice) for how little was spent."

Henry had enough of Smart's USI and got out.

Jason Blood

Jason Blood (what a surname) is the other dude that butted heads with Smart. He, like Henry, was a former employee of Quest Online. He has been a programmer for over 26 years, and entered the game industry due to Dave Allen, and knew him before he was hired. He quit his job because he was sick of Smart. Smart told him, "At the end of the day, it all boils down to what you produce" - and some anonymous commenter asked Smart, "what have YOU produced?"

Smart's Closing Comment

	“	In five months, come back and see how it's done, m'kay? The team is going to FINISH the game and we're going to help them do just that. And best thing is, they don't have to go lying to investors to get the money to do it.	„
	—MMMKAYYY

Reactions to the Alganon Fuckfest

“   I can't see any way Bill Roper would get involved with Derek Smart, it's a struggle to fit both those giant egos on the same planet let alone anywhere smaller scale.   „     —Skuz, on Massively     “   <MC> the USI is powerful <MC> he sees in the dark   „     —MC in #wiki     “   Hey Smart - I thought we (the internet) told you to GTFO years ago? I'll tell you one thing; you've just done 100x more damage to the game than any of your previous employees did. Carrying on like a spoiled brat in public makes you untrustworthy and unreliable. If I had anything to do with you I'd feel like I had to be watching my back all the time, fearful of what the hell you might say or do next. This feeling translates to customers as well. There's absolutely no way in hell I'd go anywhere near Alganon now that you're around. I simply don't believe you're stable enough, and therefore I wouldn't want to invest any time in your game for fear of what 'radical' action you could take at any time. You're clearly (still) a disturbed individual with some serious anger management and ego issues. Whomever you are responsible to should insist you stay out of the public limelight permanently. You're simply an embarrassment to your brand, let alone yourself. Here's some advice for you: Call up Bill Roper and organise some quality time. You two would get along like a house on fire as you exchange bouts of "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"   „     —Amana on Massively     “   It's strange to see such unprofessional behavior (kind of ironic coming from Smart, given the context) but if you read it, you'll see why Smart is so upset. Mindblowingly incompetent game design is just the beginning... The fact that he was paying himself and his buds way above industry standards, hired his unqualified cousin and paid him more, oh and the whole bit about him getting caught trying to abandon ship before the (defunct) March relaunch... So satisfying. Shadenfreude is human nature, can't help but enjoy this drama.   „     —breezer on Massively     “   Oh and Derek Smart, the moment you opened your big fat ugly mouth and the words "I fired David Allen, he didn't leave" came out, you made it entirely about you. Because you wouldn't let the QoL press release hold you back from being yourself. You needed the world to know what you are about. Again, tell us how you did you try to stop David Allen and Co. from releasing the game in November? Since you weren't with the company as a programmer or manager of any sort -- how did you suddenly get chosen as the new President, entirely out of the blue? How is it you knew, as an employee that there was vote of no confidence in David Allen? Oh, you weren't an employee, just an investor who backstabbed his way into a leadership position so you could get your grubby hands on the one thing you could never program yourself, a working network code.   „     —Prof. Derek Notsosmart Ph.Dumb. on Gamasutra     “   You guys need to knock it off with the walls of text. If the guy has a problem tell him to send you a private message. Work on the game. How much time / productivity was lost to this forum drama?   „     —Phil Roman on Gamasutra     “   And so we enter once again into an era in which no game developer with any talent whatsoever will work with or for Derek Smart. Congratulations "Dr" Smart, after flying under the radar long enough to allow people the hope that you may have matured with age, you have managed with one single act of unparalleled unprofessionalism to reinforce and amplify all the negative perceptions that people have of you. Bravo, sir. Bravo.   „     —Dingus Anon on Gamasutra Previous Quote | Next Quote

The "Redemption" Of Derek Smart

Since 2012, Derek Smart launched a campaign to redeem his reputation called "The Redemption of Derek Shart" with his new game 'Line of Defense' . Derek wanted to get his own back at the gaming community for 'saying his games were bad' (Which, as we know, they were.) He charged $100 for pre orders and he had the audacity to defend it.

Now let's talk about LoD. It's basically a shitty PlanetSide2 clone but 1000x times worse. Buggy as hell to the extent it's unplayable, Poor Graphics (c. 2000), Poor optimisation (I7 4770k, 32GB RAM, 970 GTX = 20fps. Mkay.), System Specs are a lie (DX11 doesn't work), Polygons (ofc), Poor Design and, of course, Derek Smart. Plus, Derek Smart boasted that his game had "Thousands of players fighting over a planet on land, in space stations, in vehicles and in spaceships. But none of that is true. Here's why:

1. The game is buggier than BC3KAD so it's impossible to go into vehicles
2. Only 2 of 7 maps work
3. no one goes on the servers (No, really.)

Ok his game is bad. But had he learned from his mistakes? Nope. he started calling everyone who gave it a Negative review on Steam 'N00BS'. He blamed the negative reviewers of having 'Inadequate System Specs' and started silencing criticism. No change there then.

So, Derek smart dove for cover of the public limelight. Until 2015. When he found out about an ambitious game that would top all of his 'perfect games' combined: Star Citizen. Enter the Star Citizen Flame war...

VIDYOS

GOTY EVERY YEAR FIGHT!!! Previous Video | Next Video

E-Celebrity Rating 5.6 Infamous

• Why I Love Derek Smart
  • "The fact of the matter is, most of you are just jealous. Pure and simple. In the past when I would sink down to your levels, engage you in the pits, return insult for insult etc, some of you got this [false] impression that we were of the same calibre; let alone the same caste. I make no excuses for who I am or what I am. What I DO know - and that which is proven and consistent - is that I have progressed over the years, improved on that which I created etc. While, well, all of you are just the same crochety, stagnant, inconsequential people you always were." --Derek Smart
• Slashdot Forums
  • "Derek Smart is an asshole. That is a well documented fact. Further more he is a liar, a braggart, a bully and an all round crazy person. May I present the evidence for the prosecution: Derek Smart's Flame War Follies. At the site above are many instances of Mr Smart lying, bullying people then lying about the lies etc etc.

See Also

• Aeralik
• Brad McQuaid
• USI
• Disgraced
• Attention whore
• Intellectual Checkmate
• Liar Srsly, do a background check (hint hint)

External links

• Something Awful's tribute to Smart
• Flame War Follies
• The Massively article on the Alganon shitfest
• The Gamasutra comment thread on same drama
• Derek Smart's Gamasutra profile
• Derek Smart's official site
• LinkedIn
• His Twatter
• Massively interviews the Smartass

Derek Smart is part of a series on MMORPGs.

[Gratz!Ding!]

Forerunners: Angband• Diablo• Dungeons & Dragons• FATAL• Ragnarok• Rogue• Warhammer 40,000 MMORPGs: Age of Conan • Anarchy Online • City of Heroes • Conquer Online • Dark Age of Camelot • Darkfall • Earth Eternal • EVE Online • EverQuest • EverQuest II • Final Fantasy XI • Final Fantasy XIV • Free Realms • Hero Online • Life • MapleStory • Minecraft • Pangya • Ragnarok Online • RuneScape • Ruby Dragon Entertainment • Silkroad Online • Star Wars: The Old Republic • Tabula Rasa • Toontown • Ultima Online • Wikipedia • World of Warcraft • WWII Online Semi-MMORPGs: Diablo II • Diablo III • Endless Online • Furcadia • Gaia Online • Graal • Guild Wars • Kingdom of Loathing • Progress Quest • Second Life • Space Station 13 • Tibia • War Thunder Developers: Blizzard Entertainment • Jagex • Sony Online Entertainment Related Drama: Athene • Baby Grace • Battle.net Forums • Bloodraptor • Cloudsong • Darknest • Durthas • EQ2Flames • Goon Squad • Helm • Jammno • Jennichelle • JRanger • Leeroy Jenkins • Maarten • Murloc • Owlsamantha • Poopsock • Rick Astley Forum • Shawn Woolley • Silver Circle • Zezima

Derek Smart is part of a series on Usenet.

[CollapseExpand]

Basics: Flamewar • Followup • Sock puppets • Spam • Godwin's Law • NO BINARIES • Newsgroups: alt.fan.karl-malden.nose • alt.religion.scientology • alt.suicide.holiday • alt.syntax.tactical • alt.tasteless Lore: Eternal September • Guy Macon's original post • Meow Wars • Raping Little Suzy • Susie Q's Party Game Denizens: B1FF • Darkfalz • David Gerard • Derek Smart • Jai Maharaj • Kelly Martin • Kerry Keane • Kevin L. O'Brien • Kibo • Magoo • Nicholas Morency • Onideus Mad Hatter • Raksha • Ray Gordon • Richard Bullis • Ryan Hawe • Schattie • Sine Nomine • Terryeo • Tom Galloway • Tony Sidaway • Wil Sinclair

Derek Smart is part of a series on Gaming Visit the Gaming Portal for complete coverage.

Featured article June 1, 2010
Preceded by Andrew Brunell	Derek Smart	Succeeded by Freedom Flotilla