I've gotten permission from Joe at GG to share his response to my email asking about their plans for the future of TT. I even made some suggestions that could help generate more income that could help with the development of new versions and updates. One of the suggestions was to start charging a monthly or annual fee to play TT. It would give these "premium" members special access to new higher powered servers (Max will love that).

Here is Joe's reply:

Paisano,

The future of TT on the PC is unclear. Since we joined GG, we have so
many things going on that we just don't have a bunch of time to devote
to TT. We know we want to come back around at some point, and it has
not been totally abandoned.. Many of the things we want to do (and or on
the list you sent) are things that eventually we want to address in a
more comprehensive manner.

I bookmarked the list, and sent it to the rest of the team, and we have
been talking about it.. Most of the server side mamangement stuff is the
stuff we want too.. And unfortunately is a big job.. Most of this is
core level tech that we want to create for multiple games.. But at this
point in time there is no definite time frame for any technology
initiative on this front.

Hope this helps.. Sorry if it is incredibly non commital and non
specific. Sorry for the slow respondse BTW, been working hard getting
ready for the Game Developers Conference.

We have talked about subscription based services so we can have fast
servers there for subscribers to launch.. Clan hosting.. Etc..

Not sure if that will happen, but that is how we would justify some of
the expense of producing it and keeping it supported well (and cover
server hosting)

We actually have a huge and comprehensive list of features for team/clan
management that we came up with for boomball.. Things like team colors
and logos being incorporated into the website/game.. So a team logo
would show up in the shell if you join an army on a web site.. Things in
the game that would allow you to sort servers by people (team members)
etc...

Again, don't want to promise anything.. Just letting you know that we
are thinking about this kind of stuff..

Joe

TT Poll
***Updated Total***
Yes (10) 42%
No (14) 58%

Official TT Wishlist
ThinkTanks City®

Last edited: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 7:10:28 PM

The only thing coming next for you is a coronary. Lay off the tater chips Lumpy.

@ Joe- Ok, my thought is that we are so thankful that your team made this. We should all be. Im not seeing any of it. TT has changed my life (hasnt it?) and I have made many friends. The community is great. I would agree that making an update to add some expansion packs and the ignorescript. Glad to see you guys still around. Keep up the good work B)

I would have no objection to "micropayments" for additional maps or features. My only concern is that the playing field remain even for all players. I wouldn't want some people to have a competitive advantage because they are willing to spend more money than someone else.

Btw how was the GDC? Anything there that inspired or shaped your vision of gaming in the future?

Lumpy?, I prefer your wifes nick name for me more, "snickers".

Wishlist version.2
I. Gameplay
a. Additional multiplayer game modes
1. Time-based scrum
2. Soccer
3. Ctf
4. Survivor
5. Koth

B. Terrain additions
1. Expansion of MM's sand set
2. Urban environment
3. Additional lush and frantic maps

C. Tanks
1. A fourth howitzer-style class
2. An added damage state (sparks)
3. Radar size increase
4. Ability to pass

D. Physics.
1. Tighten up object clipping
2. Visual weather effects; affect on driving (?)

E. Weapons
1. Mines
2. Concussion weapon
3. Shotgun-style multishot rockets
4. Fisheye-style zoom for the speedy powerup.

II. Pregame Lobby GUI
a secondary or augmented pre-game component allowing for:
1. Queueing up
2. Messaging
3. A gameday-style overview of the action occurring inside the active game.
4. Game sorting by type, ping etc.
5. Buddy list

III. Misc.
requests for a gui to access the server control and have them take effect without restarting the server.
gui to change hotkeys
integrated team messaging. `

Last edited: Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 12:05:54 AM

http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/6452/3730

Is that a different(read 'new') terrain I see? Knowing how well your other terrains and missions play... Any chance we can have it?

Grovel grovel

Tally add a lobby to chat before going to the servers.

[quote[Is that a different(read 'new') terrain I see? Knowing how well your other terrains and missions play... Any chance we can have it?[/quote]

That was actually the original 'test' terrain.. Other wise known as 'the rock garden'

I will see if I can find it somewhere on my hard-drive. It was an older version, before we optimized things, so if I do find it, it will be 'as-is' with no guarentee of performance.

Thank you

In case you missed it, I stumbled onto another feature idea. Basically a subscription based auto-update feature. I can turn on a TT downloader that will automatically install new maps, skins whatever onto my computer while I'm not playing, then when it is gametime I'll be ready to go. With that it would be nice to have a customization menu that would allow me to select which tank skins I'd like to use at any particular time without leaving the pregame gui.

So, I looked on my machine. And I could not find the maps.. I will have to look at my old machines to see if I archived them somewhere there.. It will take a while to dig it up.. Note, don't get your hopes up on the rock garden map.. It was everything + the kitchen sink.. A worse case scenario test map. If you are having performance problems on some maps.. You will definitely get bad performance in the rock garden.

Looking for this map will take some time to search through my old stuff..

Joe

You've got to checkout Worlds of Warcraft and how they've become so successful. They've just reached 6 million fans that subscribe for $15 per month! Here's a news article on their success. Here is a new article on the $11 million backing given to that other multi-player online world I mentioned before called SecondLife .

TT can do the same thing. Perhaps $5 a month. As long as there is something new added in regards to features, objects, etc. Allow us players to build and sell things to each other too.
Even if just in TT Bucks (fake currency worth points online).

Last edited: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at 1:43:36 PM

Found this article interesting, may help a bit http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/3/1/43756/73616

Really disagree with No. 5

@Nuts
lol...excellent stuff! Ouch for #5....
Some would probably say that Pai would use number 7 (or I have already, kind of)???
;)

You would.

ROFL, nice suggestions...
I particularly like:

Is there any way possible to use this in TT? GG has a new Jet Bike content pack . Wouldn't it be cool to see this in the game?

The Girl Pack would be nice too (right, GQ and Monica?)

The Solider pack is neato too.

For more realism there is the Tank Pack .

I think the problem is that when you buy ^ you buy the licenses, and to be able to use them in mods, EVERYONE who wanted to play would have to buy licenses to them... Which just aint gonna happen.

Im unsure, but the server operator MAY be able to use the scripts in his servers if he has the license and uses his own objects. But im NOT the person to ask...

...infact why am I answering?

-wanders off looking confused-

You would need the source, open that is