It's gone public today, Martyn Brown is parting ways with Team17. Says he's leaving the company in great shape, but that it's time for his own adventure now.

There's nothing much to go by in terms of what this means for T17, their current games and future projects yet, just the Facebook post and a lot of industry websites and blogs quoting each other. I'll wait for him to hopefully put something more concrete onto his blog (http://spadget17.blogspot.com/) before I start forming an opinion, but I think it's safe to say that we wish him all the best in whatever he decides to pursue. :p

So long and thanks for all the Worms!

That's kinda sad. The names "Spadge" and "MattB" will still be found in the list of random names in Worms, I hope? :D Dr Awesome and Bjorn are still there, too.

Just saw this news on Eurogamer


Martyn Brown has left Team 17 after 20 years at the helm.

In a post on Facebook, Brown thanked his colleagues.

"OK, I can finally announce that I left Team17. I had an amazing 20-year ride and whilst it's the end of a truly enjoyable period of my life, it equally signals the start of a really exciting new one.

"My sincere, heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped, in any way, shape or form over those two glorious decades. I leave Team17 in great shape, but now is time for my own adventure. See you at DICE and/or GDC..."

Brown now lists himself on Facebook as an "Independent Video Game Consultant (Positions TBA) February 2011 to present".

West Yorkshire developer Team17 is best known for the Worms series, but games Superfrog and Alien Breed continue to command a loyal following.

Brown co-founded the developer, which made its name on the Amiga. In recent years released multiple Worms games and downloadable Alien Breed titles.


:eek:

Why was this moved to Online Orgy? Is Spadge a website, clan, newbie, or nerd?

Why was this moved to Online Orgy? Is Spadge a website, clan, newbie, or nerd?
I've always seen Online Orgy as the general random community discussion forum. And Spadge has a website :p If there are any better suggestions on where this can go, please let me know! It was originally in speculation & discussion, but that's more for talk about upcoming games.


Anyway, good luck with everything, Spadge! Team17 and therefore Worms probably wouldn't have been what it was without you.

It was originally in speculation & discussion, but that's more for talk about upcoming games.

Yeah, I guess that's the direction I anticipated any discussion/speculation would go into eventually; what this will mean for Team17's future projects as well as what Martyn will take on himself now. I doubt he'll last very long without something new to spend his energy on, given the enthusiasm he's always been known for. Anyhow, doesn't really matter what forum it's in, but it's a shame nothing further has been published that could fuel the discussion.

Was he the one in favour or against the company releasing smaller and smaller titles? I'm referring to the PC > consoles > digital distribution > portables/phones > Facebook progression we've witnessed in recent years. Will we see a shift in mentality as a result of his departure in this regard? Was he really the one taking the important decisions or did his position as the creative director end with those perpetual business trips and we simply assumed he was at the helm because he was the only big bad boss man that a member of the community had any sort of access to?

I'd certainly be interested in knowing the answers to this, even if my primary motivation is figuring out what, if anything, the WA development has to gain or lose from all of this. :o

I'd certainly be interested in knowing the answers to this, even if my primary motivation is figuring out what, if anything, the WA development has to gain or lose from all of this. :o

MB Bomb?

Good luck to Spadge, here's to him doing well after his departure.

Wh--b... Spadge! :(

Well, good luck to you, man.

Wonder how this will affect the update schedule for W:R.

Wonder how this will affect the update schedule for W:A.Fixed that for you.

Also, moving this to this forum is terrible because no Team17 member ever visits this forum. I know Spadge used to look at the Speculation forum at least every once in a while. Moving this thread here is outrageous because it's like sweeping the whole idea of a Team17 response under the rug. Thomasp, you surely knew that when you did it, didn't you? Anyway, I'm still in favor of moving it back where it belongs for that reason and the reasons KRD discussed.

Was Spadge behind the shovelware? If so, will we be seeing more ballsy games and Team17 going in a really good direction? I know Spadge was the great person behind the decisions to outsource WA to Deadcode and later, CyberShadow (great decisions), so it's unnerving to see him go and even more unnerving to be left without a response regarding things like this from the new Head Doer Of Actually-Useful/Exciting Things at Team17.

Also, moving this to this forum is terrible because no Team17 member ever visits this forum.

Its still on the other forum as the only active thread, so it's not like it will lose any traffic for that reason. If anything it will get more for being in two places rather than one.

Fair point. I just generally consider this forum the garbage heap, which is why it's disconcerting to see a potentially-high-quality thread here.

http://wormopedia.worms2d.info/images/screenshots/Wormopedia-38.png

We salute you!!!

I know Lex says that nobody from T17 looks on here, but that is not true and it certainly will not be true in the near future as I have plans for the forum that I will outline soon, but that will entail me commenting a lot more and sharing a lot more stuff with you as I respect what we have here.

So long Spadge and good luck. I noticed he got a special thanks in the credits for Limbo on 360 (it didn't say what they thanked him for). I loved that game. If that's the kind of independent projects he wants to be involved with, I'm all for it.

Cheerio, Spadge, and thanks for the memories. Sure hope there's decent beer wherever you're going ;).

Good luck wherever you're going next Spadge, it was a wild ride while you were around. :)

I know Lex says that nobody from T17 looks on here, but that is not true and it certainly will not be true in the near future as I have plans for the forum that I will outline soon, but that will entail me commenting a lot more and sharing a lot more stuff with you as I respect what we have here.
Dun-dun-dun!

LOL, Don't hold your breath, it will take a while for the dust to settle and for things to move forward, but it will.

Did Spadge take the galleon of beer with him? :D

Did Spadge take the galleon of beer with him? :D

I'm not sure he took a boat full of beer, we don't really have it lying around the place and if we did it would have been drunk a long time ago :)

I'm not sure he took a boat full of beer, we don't really have it lying around the place and if we did it would have been drunk a long time ago :)
Indeed.
http://forum.team17.co.uk/showpost.php?p=510566&postcount=10

Indeed.
http://forum.team17.co.uk/showpost.php?p=510566&postcount=10
Bonz, do you have a list of every single beer reference ever made on this forum? :p

Bonz, do you have a list of every single beer reference ever made on this forum? :pOf course he does, here it is (http://forum.team17.co.uk/search.php?do=finduser&u=14139).

So long and thanks for all the worms!



In other matters, congratulations... whoever took his place? Who is that anyway? And perchance can I interest them in some complementary Anything?

...completely unrelated to that I'll be entering the game programming industry in a year or two. I swear!

It really is the end of an era. Happy trails.

I know Lex says that nobody from T17 looks on here, but that is not true and it certainly will not be true in the near future as I have plans for the forum that I will outline soon, but that will entail me commenting a lot more and sharing a lot more stuff with you as I respect what we have here.

Oh no does this mean more change I don't like change

I can still feel his warmth all over my face

take care!

Good luck out there!!

It really is the end of an era. Happy trails.



Oh no does this mean more change I don't like change

You need to learn to embrace change and not to fear it. :)

You need to learn to embrace change and not to fear it. :)
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5024/spadgechange.png
Please don't sue me for copyright infringement, Spadge!

I lol'd Bonz :D

BLimey, I'm behind the times if this is the first I'm hearing about Spadge's departure.

So, uh... are Team17 hiring?

So, uh... are Team17 hiring?
Are you good at guzzling beer?

BLimey, I'm behind the times if this is the first I'm hearing about Spadge's departure.

So, uh... are Team17 hiring?

Team17 are not looking to replace Spadge.

Of course they aren't - they can clearly see I'm the perfect candidate.

Of course they aren't - they can clearly see I'm the perfect candidate.
I want Worms Battle Rally, please, Ben!

Consider it greenlit. Bill, I want a playable alpha build on my desk first thing tomorrow morning.

Worms Battle Rally was ok for... whenever it was originally being developed. But I don't think it would really compete on todays market.

So I propose the name is changed to Worms Warfare Duty: Racing Ops Storm Front 2. It will sell more if it's a sequel, just throw up a fake wikipedia page about the original.

After much deliberation I have decided to rename Worms Battle Rally to "New! Worms Turismo Reach 4 Dead Episode II: Modern Galaxy".

Also, announce that there will be exclusive promo hats for TF2 if you pre-order now.

Not just hats but weapons.

You guys are masters of the marketing.

I've already preordered it

O wow...
I'm kinda speachless (and very late).
Who am-I going to criticise now? :(
I raise my belgium monks beer's glass in your honor, good sir.

You need to learn to embrace change and not to fear it. :)
I, for one, am eagerly waiting for any real change in the franchise. Bring it on!

I'm very late as well D:

Good luck to you Spadge!



Oh, and i remember that galleon of beer thread :D

I just found this thread and I just have to wonder if Spadge leaving is the reason Worms Revolution is such a horrendous game? Whoever was the creative lead on that game needs to be fired or put in a different position.

I just found this thread and I just have to wonder if Spadge leaving is the reason Worms Revolution is such a horrendous game? Whoever was the creative lead on that game needs to be fired or put in a different position.
I don't understand why people have views like this.

If you don't like it, why play it? Why even look at it? Nobody owes you a favour, and certainly not Team 17. I was really saddened when I found out Team 17 stopped developing Worms shortly after Worms 2, the website had closed and everything, and imagine if they made an exact replica of Worms 2 but just with better graphics, people would complain at that surely?

They have spent lots of time making something new, and yes it has a few funny bugs and glitches but so what. If you can do better I would love to see, and if not then I would kindly suggest you at least, say something nice or nothing at all, because right now you are just making yourself look like a cry baby.

You might be a really cool guy in real life, and you might be a real great gamer too, but them comments don't reflect any of that and it's not nice. Personally I love the game, it's different and it's fun.

Peace.

I know Lex says that nobody from T17 looks on here, but that is not true and it certainly will not be true in the near future as I have plans for the forum that I will outline soon, but that will entail me commenting a lot more and sharing a lot more stuff with you as I respect what we have here.

So we finally know now don't we?

Plans.