#1 Interesting read. Since you didn't dispute it, let me be the first on the forum to congradulate you on your pregnancy Michael. :-D

From reading all the blogs on Torque 3D, I'm amazed by it. It looks like it's turning into an awesome engine.
One thing I would have stated had I been able to attend, (it was lightly touched upon) is that with each major price increase, the forums get slower. Fewer posts as there are fewer people online. Could it be they aren't upgrading and are moving on to a different engine?
I state this out of concern for torque and it's community. I want torque to succeed. it doesn't matter how much the upgrade price is going to be, I won't be able to afford it at this time. I'm going to have to stick with tgea. (which is fine. It's a great engine.) Please remember, not everyone can afford a major price increase. Binary only? Can't sell unless you pay more? Not a chance. I'd pass. Both would be useless to me.
Just wanted to get my 1/4 cents worth in here on that topic.
What was the major announcement you never made?
Edit: Heh, just noticed those minutes were from last month. Oh well. Better late than never.

#2 Ok, I've managed to stay out of the pricing debate, publicly at least, but I feel its time I join it publicly.

The idea of tiered pricing with a binary only version didn't seem all that bad when I first heard it, but the more I think on it the more I don't like it. I thought to myself it's worked fairly well with TGB, but then I realize that I tend to overlook the fact that I have Pro and that there have been a few times where I had to fix bugs in the source.

Historically, across every GG engine, there have been numerous occasions where there are some simple bugs, though extremely important, that got overlooked and were easily fixable by the community. I can't count the number of times where I've read the release notes to an update and exclaimed "Awesome, I don't have to keep fixing that bug!" Now, that shouldn't be interpreted as dig at GG, which Mich knows since he was often sitting next to me when I said it, but its important for my next point.

With a binary only solution, for the flagship product, this can't be allowed to happen at all. Not to mention the fact that being inexpensive with source access has been the key selling point, and half the reason for GG's success, for years.

I know, I'm starting rabble rabble a bit, but here's my pricing suggestions.

Indie: Upgrade price $50 - 150 = new user price ~$350 - 450
Full source, license stays exactly the same, though personally I would like to see a provision added to allow contract work with this license. The no contracting with it made sense when paying $100 for an engine, but we're edging closer and closer toward a starting price of $400 - $500 here and it just doesn't make sense anymore. Considering that the Indie license is tied to a single person it never really made much sense anyway.

Commercial: Upgrade price $200 - 300 = new user price ~$1500 - 1600
Full source, as before terms stay the same.

Pro: Upgrade price $500 - 1000 = new user price ~$1800 - $2300
This would be the new tier. Full source access, perhaps limited support tickets (10ish?), for licensees with revenue over $500k.

Non-Game/Educational:
Pricing and licensing for this remains the same as it is with having to discuss it directly with GG.

Basically this creates pseudo royalty licensing.

#3 2/19/09 IRC Hour Log Is Up...recap coming shortly

#4

Quote:<[GG]MichP> lord...we *are* going to need 2 IRC hours a month

Without a doubt.

For IA discussion, I'm not interested at the moment, so no comments there.

tgea 1.8.1 --> I have to say you've done a great job with it. It's easier to get objects into it without the hitches I had with 1.7.1. I haven't completed porting my game to it yet, so can't say anything about the frame rates. I will say that my little video card handles 1.8.1 awesomely. :-)

#5 Personally Michael.. I think you should be required to be in IRC Daily for 8 hours a day. You should be able to handle that and all your other various duties?!? I'll supply the oranges.

;)

#6 The next two IRC Hours will be March 12th and March 19th.

I'm still in a bind about the actual time to host them. It is too late for some users, whereas others are unable to join during their work hours. Neither really affect me, so let's go ahead and start polling:

Below is a four hour window:

2:00pm PST
3:00pm PST
4:00pm PST
5:00pm PST

My appearance is guaranteed, but the later the event the more GG employees might be able to make it.

Survey time. Majority rules but flexibility is appreciated. Out of the above times, what is most feasible for you all.

#7 My vote is for either 3 or 4.

#8 Have 1 at 2, the other at 5.
Those who can't make the 2pm time, can attend the 5pm time.

#9 @Mike - Can't really take 2 hours out of the day for it. That's why we are having 2 separate sessions in March.

#10 Yes. One sesson at 2, the other session (on the second day) at 5.

Eather time is difficult for me to attend, but there is still a slim chance for both.

#11 Roll some dice, see what number you come up with.

#12 The 3/12/09 transcript is now available. Check the original blog post.

#13 Any chances of getting a recordatory mail the day of the IRC hour?

#14 3/19/09 transcript is now available. Check the original blog post.

@Novack - Per your suggestion, we will be setting up a optional notification e-mail for IRC Hour with links and recaps. Good idea =)

#15 Well I think GG is going to lose out on a great many customers, after reading the 3/19/09 irc log. An indie game engine for $1000+, get real. Not only the high price, but now artists will need a license also? For an indie team of 5+ people you mine as well shell out the money for BigWorld AAA or HeroEngine.

#16 @Jeramy

In another thread we've made the assumption that what Matt meant when saying that artists would need a license was that he was referring to artists actually testing assets out in the engine themselves. All an artist needs is their program of choice and exporter if needed. It is a point that needs clarification though.

As I mentioned in the other thread, my artists have always just handed off their stuff to me and I test it out. The modeler may occasionally check a model in STP, but that's it.

#17 The only reason GG is offering such a huge discount to TGEA owners is because they know that those TGEA owners are going to be the only ones to purchase this. You're defintely not going to bring new customers in with such a high price while claiming your all about the INDIE.

#18 @Jeramy: Unity has a $1500 price point and it still doesn't include source code. So I'm not convinced.

Indies use Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, and various other professional grade tools that all cost in combination well over $1000.

On top of that we are going to offer a Basic version at $250.

#19 Matthew, a lot of indies use Gimp and Blender and you should know that. And who cares about your BASIC package? If anyone buys that package they really didn't do their homework. You mine as well buy a $9.99 Unreal Tournament game and create your own levels with that and host your game that way.

#20 this is a copy and paste of my question thats in the blog. :P

is the editor for the Wetness & Precipitation blog you posted is it fairly easy to use and what will that look like or is there no editor or it and its just a 1 click add on to your game. could we also add that in for a weather system so its not on all the time and it comes on ether a certain time of the day or even month for your game time or random. also could we make it come on after a game scene or even make it part of the scene.

basically how flexible is it a picture of the editor would be nice now that you guys have posted some pictures of the editors. you try to get us a videos of all the editors would be better. :P i just want to get that question out be for the pre order as i really want to have a good editor or something for that rain or what ever you want to call it. :P