Jeff Freeman -- RIP.

**Fishermagi**

I'm posting this here because he was the Lead Gameplay Designer of SWG back in the day.

It appears Jeff is no longer with us. This is being discussed on a forum we may not mention here, but also at MMOFRINGE.com and MMORPG.com.

He will be missed by the MMO community. He was a good man, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family.

**Elias** · 09/30/2008 09:27:46

Moving this topic to General Any Topic. Please keep all posts relating to this topic in General Any Topic and not in the GPD.

Thanks.

MKDAWUSS

What'd he die of?

Leiowyn

I didn't know him personally but my thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and SOE staff.

**Fishermagi** · 09/30/2008 09:27:16

MKDAWUSS wrote:

What'd he die of?

here's a statement from his brother, reprinted at the MMOFringe.com site:

""Some of you know who Jeff Freeman was; he was the lead designer at Sony when the major changes were made to SWG that left so many upset. Although it was not his fault he took the brunt of the criticisms, attacks, and even death threats.

Some of you may have even known him back in the UO days as Dundee, Guild Master of the Nameless Ones on Lake Superior and later the administrator of the private UO server World of Dreams.

I am not sure why I have chosen this forum to share this news; it may be that I would have loved to see Jeff build the game that he really wanted to, if he was running a private server. You see I am his brother. On September 24th Jeff took his own life. I am not angry at him or anyone else, sad yes, like so many others I feel a bit of guilt but I love my brother and I am thankful that he is no longer suffering.

Below is part of the obituary that will run in the Longview News Journal on Wednesday, October 1, 2008.

LONGVIEW - Memorial services for Jeff Freeman, 39, of Austin, will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2008 at Triumphant Christian Center, 1308 Reel Road, 903-xxx-xxxx.

Born October 8, 1968, he was a computer programmer who worked on many popular programs including Star Wars Galaxies and had served this country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.

"Because Christ suffered so much for us, we can receive so much comfort from Him." 2 Cor 1:5

I hope all of you will join me and our family as we celebrate his life.""

Here's a follow-up:

"Yes, I do plan on posting on his blog but I do not have any of his login information. That is something I am working on today. When I do get access to his blog I will post some pics etc... to show what a great person he was.

I am sure it seemed strange that I posted here, but this is the only contact I have the SWG community. I was a fan of pre-cu and have played on the test server. I have even considered running a server when is released. I am not the programmer my brother was but I am excited about the project.

Also, I want everyone to know that it was not SWG that lead him to take his life. He has been troubled for sometime. There were alot of personal issues that tore at him. I did not post here because this is a community of pre-cu fans. As I stated before this is just the SWG community I have a connection to.

Regardless of how SWG turned out we must admit that many of the great things we enjoyed about pre-cu was because of his work.

Kylrathin I to wish it was a joke. I miss him so much.... I need him back..."

**Fishermagi**

Let me say I have known Jeff since the NGE; and have always found him to be a good man. We started out semi-adversaries, and I'd like to think we ended up on very good terms. We had corresponded several times and had commented on each other's blogs and such. I am terribly saddened by this news.

This is being discussed here:

http://www.mmofringe.com/modules.ph...viewtopic&t=111

That can lead you to another conversation he had with the "disgruntled vet community" where he showed what a good guy he really was.

It breaks my heart to share this news. Just so you know, he was also largely responsible for Creature Handler AND the Jump to Lightspeed. He was a good man and a good game designer and he will be missed.

Esquire

I'm posting a link to where Jeff Freeman discussed his incites on the NGE, it's effect, and CHANGES to games in general.

http://mmofringe.com/modules.php?na...=viewtopic&t=18

Really sad to think that his incites are no longer with us. I will, personally, miss the next game he would have developed.

**Chu-ee**

Oh man, 39 is no age to go. My heart felt condolensces to all his family and friends. Peace man.

jim1971

Anybody got a link to a newspaper article or an Obit? I did a google search and could not find anything.

**Fishermagi**

jim1971 wrote:

Anybody got a link to a newspaper article or an Obit? I did a google search and could not find anything.

Evidently the obit will run tomorrow.

**Giamai**

this is very sad...what's even sadder is that little sidenote.

he got death threats over the CU/NGE????

unbelievable SMILEY

my thoughts are with his family SMILEY

**SyphusDeacon**

Sad indeed.

Especially as Gia says. Hopefully this will hit those who take the game that seriously and hopefully appreciate the good things the developers do to the games we play.

RIP

**Vikra_Klish**

I thought Julio Torres and John Smedley took the criticism...

Either way, very sad to die young

jim1971

Fishermagi wrote:

jim1971 wrote:
Anybody got a link to a newspaper article or an Obit? I did a google search and could not find anything.
Evidently the obit will run tomorrow.

Reguardless there should have been a newspaper article as usualy suicides make the press especialy when it is someone well known like Freeman.

**Crooker**

I just want to know..

How the heck do you guys get your post count so high SMILEY