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Stardock sues former employee for $1,000,000 over the failure of Elemental
- Thread starter ruuk
- Start date
http://www.scribd.com/doc/105042009/Complaint-and-Summons-12-30-10
Non-Kotaku link direct to the complaint. Wow.
Non-Kotaku link direct to the complaint. Wow.
ElectricThunder
Member
Wardell is a damned fool several times over:
http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?p=3211297#post3211297
It just keeps getting more outlandish as it goes in the thread there.
http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?p=3211297#post3211297
Ok, I'm going to respond here since I'm being directly accused of something.
The incident that started this happened back in 2010. Myself, Alexandra, and a few others were at a pub while waiting to go to the Qt3 dinner that Lloyd case had set up.
While there, Alexandra got teased and got mad. At the time, i didn't realize she was so upset about it. So we went to the Qt3 get together (that some here may have even been at) and that.
She later emailed me telling me she was mad about the incident - to which I apologized for hurting her feeligs but also insisted that I watch what jokes I tell around the office. (To understand the context, we're a relaxed software company, lots of Family guy jokes, Simpsons references, Robot Chicken references, etc.). To which I responded, admittedly, very very harshly to.
Now, you can argue that I was a jerk in how I responded to her. But it does not justify her getting pissed off, quitting without notice and using her network access to wipe out our marketing assets 3 weeks before the ship of the game forcing me and a few other key team members to scramble at the last second to deal with it.
In addition, I would ask those who are so quick to condemn me personally to ask themselves this - what impact do you think it would have on your team if a key person quit, wiped out a bunch of stuff and made a bunch of legal theats? Think of the effect it would have around the office.
NO one has suggested that if she hadn't done this that Elemental would have been a great game. But there is a huge gulf between having a "great game" and a "total disaster". The ultimate blame for the game's failure lies with me for reasons I've stated countless times. But that doesn't excuse someone from maliciously and intentionally wiping out years worth of marketing data, assets, etc.
And the charge that this is "retaliatory" is ridiculous and, frankly, offensive to not just me but virtually everyone here at Stardock - who I can assure you are at least as pissed off as I was about what she did.
The only thing that has recently changed is that our case against her got moved to federal court and that we have continued our position of not settling her frivolous case.
It just keeps getting more outlandish as it goes in the thread there.
antiquegamer
Member
I wonder was the "purity test" sent to her or just one of those stupid "questionaires" that gets sent around in work for a laugh
Still doesn't make it appropriate especially he is the "boss". He should put a stop to that instead of sending it off to his female employee himself. His email response to her really shows what a egotistic and vain person he is. He is definitely abusing his position as an "employer" and I hope she suit him for all he got if allegations are true.
edit: ^ I lol at the above comment by him that this was not retaliatory lawsuit. The guy is a dick. I first saw Elemental at PAX and the game was so rough (like pre-alpha, basically it was just conceptual stage), I was shock that it got ship so quickly and was glad I waited for all the review.
SteveWinwood
Member
Damn Brad why you gotta be a terrible person?
That genuinely made me laugh and spit out my sandwich.
Brad would have preferred that you put it down.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Both are at fault. He is at fault for being an arrogant harassing asshole (to which he admits), and she is at fault for deleting the marketing data (if she did so).
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
#3, however is not acceptable to me. I am an inappropriate, sexist, vulgar and embarrassing person and I'm not inclined to change my behavior. If this is a problem, you need to find another job.
#4, Again, I am not willing to adapt my behavior to suit others. If you find my behavior problematic, I recommend finding another job.
I'm not some manager or coworker of yours. I own the company. It, and your job there, exist to suit my purposes, not vice versa. The company is not an end unto itself, it is a means to an end which is to further the objectives of its shareholders (in this case, me).
I can't believe anyone who even aspires to be a professional would be dumb enough say this to an employee, muchtheless put it in writing.
That said, holy crap on a stick, what a POS this guy is.
In addition, I would ask those who are so quick to condemn me personally to ask themselves this - what impact do you think it would have on your team if a key person quit, wiped out a bunch of stuff and made a bunch of legal theats? Think of the effect it would have around the office.
Sans all of these problems being the result of one person, this sounds like a typical month for any large Engineering firm. Firms that survive have good lawyers, good insurance, good IT people, and have management who can handle adversity without dumping on their employees like children.
Brad said:The only thing that has recently changed is that our case against her got moved to federal court and that we have continued our position of not settling her frivolous case.
Now I see why he was such a fan of tort reform.
That email says a lot about a person, when they'd sent something that offensive, and without considering its implications in a sexual harassment suit.
"Yeah, she's not going to Ctrl+C this whole thing..." *clicks Send*
He's both unbelievably disgusting and completely stupid.
edit: oh didn't see new thread
"Yeah, she's not going to Ctrl+C this whole thing..." *clicks Send*
He's both unbelievably disgusting and completely stupid.
edit: oh didn't see new thread
PataHikari
Banned
Both are at fault. He is at fault for being an arrogant harassing asshole (to which he admits), and she is at fault for deleting the marketing data (if she did so).
Which she didn't.
Why should we believe him?
That email says a lot about a person, when they'd sent something that offensive, and without considering its implications in a sexual harassment suit.
"Yeah, she's not going to Ctrl+C this whole thing..." *clicks Send*
He's both unbelievably disgusting and completely stupid.
edit: oh didn't see new thread
It's much worse than that. He seemed to think it showed him in a good light. He forwarded it to HR and said it should be "documented in her file for future reference in the event that she has further dissatisfaction."
Why does he even keep talking at this point? Stunning lack of self-awareness (among other things).
What the hell is he on? Does he know what sexist even means and that it's not exactly something you (proudly?) proclaim as you're being accused of sexual harassment? And then following it up with this:
Wha...?
#3, however is not acceptable to me. I am an inappropriate, sexist, vulgar and embarrassing person and I'm not inclined to change my behavior. If this is a problem, you need to find another job.
What the hell is he on? Does he know what sexist even means and that it's not exactly something you (proudly?) proclaim as you're being accused of sexual harassment? And then following it up with this:
#4, Again, I am not willing to adapt my behavior to suit others. If you find my behavior problematic, I recommend finding another job.
Wha...?
Reading the Kotaku article, I'm completely amazed that someone in the 21st century would even suggest to a female "hey, my behavior is my behavior and it's not my problem, but yours."
I have a friend on LinkedIn who is linked to Miseta and Miseta was at Stardock for over THREE YEARS. So I think she just said 'enough's enough' and got tired of Wardell's antics and his behavior. She may have just ignored it at first, biding her time, preparing her resume, and waiting out this economy like a lot of us before she found the right opportunity to leave. The fact that Wardell told her "if you don't like how I act, find another job" pretty much throws anything in court out.
I don't care that Stardock is Brad Wardell's company but if you have professionals working for you or you want to be regarded as a professional company, you act better than however you want.
I have a friend on LinkedIn who is linked to Miseta and Miseta was at Stardock for over THREE YEARS. So I think she just said 'enough's enough' and got tired of Wardell's antics and his behavior. She may have just ignored it at first, biding her time, preparing her resume, and waiting out this economy like a lot of us before she found the right opportunity to leave. The fact that Wardell told her "if you don't like how I act, find another job" pretty much throws anything in court out.
I don't care that Stardock is Brad Wardell's company but if you have professionals working for you or you want to be regarded as a professional company, you act better than however you want.
VibratingDonkey
Member
Oh geez at everything about this.