I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that this year's holiday event will be a much smaller affair than in the past. Also I am not planning for a large anniversary event this coming February either. But I think that you might be happy when you hear the reason.
With this post I am officially announcing the start of development on TBG Two, or perhaps it will be TBG 2, or maybe even TBG II. TBG "one" is a fun game and I think the concept has the potential to be a lot more popular and better. The reality is that I was still learning how to write code for webpages when I developed the game and the thousands of upgrades and changes over the years has created a code base that is just too complex and difficult to modify. The existing code cannot take this game to where it needs to grow.
I am a better coder now and with the new inflow of money since I returned to work I am able to hire more professional help than I have in the past to create a new and better game. The basic concept behind TBG will be carried forward in that players will create labels, open virtual breweries and sell virtual beer. I also intend to keep the philosophy that this game is for serious brewers and the brewing engine will be made more realistic and closer to real life rather than dumbed down. Of course I may introduce short cuts or tutorials that help players learn how to brew also but that will not cheapen the core game play. Of paramount importance to me and to many of you will be that the new game will be developed for mobile devices and tablets first and desktop computers second. Playing from your phone or tablet will no longer be a chore. I will also expand and improve in-game opportunities to interact with other brewers and share your experiences.
I have been assembling a wish list from all of your comments over the years and many that I recognize myself are 'must-have's in the new game. I probably won't start commenting on specific features until the development process is further down the road though because I want to "under promise and over deliver" on the final product. The slate is still wide open for new ideas too, just post em here. I will probably not respond to individual ideas or make commitments for the reasons mentioned above but I hope my past track record on incorporating player suggestions will assure you that I am listening and I want to make the game as good for you as I possibly can.
Whether or not your current labels will transfer over directly into the new game is as of now undecided, but I will not forget to reward all of the players who have supported the original game with bonuses and whatever other goodies that I can arrange when the new game launches. The concept of label credits will probably be retired altogether in favor of a one-time and relatively small 'ap fee' for players who want to rise to the top of the player list. Much of the new game will be free-to-play as before simply because its a great way to let players try before they buy.
TBG "one" will stay online until nobody wants to play it anymore. And that could be well after the new release if it stays popular. But TBG "one" will not be getting much attention with regard to bug fixes, special events, etc. As of today the price for label credits drops to 5000 brew bucks and all Holiday labels have been converted to regular labels that you can brew any time of year. The opportunity to buy label credits with real money will be eliminated on March 1, 2015 and TBG "one" will become completely free to play from that point forward. Thank you to the hundred or so players that bought credits over the years and supported the game. I hope that I can entice the thousands of players who tried the game and left to return and perhaps become regular players of the of the new experience.
The tentative schedule for the launch of TBG "two" is to begin beta testing in late 2015 with release on or near TBG's anniversary date the following February. Stay tuned to these forums for updates.
