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Update 1.0.2 December 14th

Improved

Added a version switcher under the settings menu.
Made proximity indicators more intuitive.

Fixed

Resolved a bug where Etorps interfered with the active transporter-special.
Corrected two typos in the UI.

[ 2024-12-14 20:38:33 CET ]

[ Original post ]

Roadmap to version 1.1

Howdy everybody, Today, I wanted to take some time to let you all know what to expect in the near future.

Version 1.0.2: Bugfixes and Version Switch

The next version will primarily feature smaller bug fixes. Im currently still trying to figure out a reported bug in 4-player matches. Unfortunately, I havent been able to reproduce this bug, which makes it hard to fix. Therefore, I want to ask all of you again: If you encounter bugs, please let me know so I can do my best to fix them. Another change in this update is the introduction of a version switch. The default will be the current stable build. If this causes you any new problems, you can switch back to the previous stable version. Again, if you do so, please let me know! You will also be able to switch to the beta branch, which will offer a less-tested but (hopefully) playable preview of whats coming in the next version. Use this option if youd like to help me find bugs early. This might be even more helpful, as the next bigger update is, well, big More bugfix patches will come out if needed before we will be celebrating:

Version 1.1.0: Tutorial Messages, Solo/Co-op Gamemode

From watching more and more matches with newcomers, its become apparent that some players struggle with the controls at the start. To address this, Ill be adding tutorial-style messages to the game. Players will be introduced to the basic controls and concepts during their first rounds. Each player can complete the tutorial at their own pace. Seasoned players will, of course, have the option to disable this in the settings. Additionally, Ive been working on a survival style mode where the players goal is to survive with a single life for as long as possible while also keeping the clock from running out. Players can do this by searching for collectibles on the map while being attacked by an increasing number of drones and turrets. Since this mode does not include PvP gameplay, it will be the first mode youll be able to play not only solo but also cooperatively. Players will be able to revive each other to prolong the game. When will this come out? Glad you asked. Dont expect this to arrive before February. If you want to try it out earlier, check the beta branch mentioned above. Ill keep you posted on socials and also on the Discord. So long, Chris

[ 2024-12-12 19:14:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update 1.0.1 (Dec. 8th 24): First update after launch

I've been watching your streams and reviews looking for things to fix and improve.

Improved

Made sentry placement more intuitive
Friends can now also be invited from the lobby screen
Using Steam's Remote Play Together dialog instead of the normal invite dialog
Changed pause UI to make control settings easier to find
Slightly lowered default cannon damage to reduce one-shot eliminations
Coins, Challenges, and Air-support crates will now only appear on grass

Fixed

Friend's avatar, if invited for the first time, didn't update
Drone kills were wrongly displayed as sentry kills
Unlocked tanks were available in quickplay
Opponent's name showed up after elimination
In longer matches, decals could cause memory fragmentation issues

[ 2024-12-08 18:45:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

Thumb Tanks released!

I cant believe this day is finally hereThumb Tanks is officially live on Steam! After two years of learning gamedev, long nights and countless rounds of tweaking and testing, my dream of publishing my own game is now a reality. It feels surreal, and Im beyond excited to share it with all of you! This game is all about pure funlocal multiplayer madness with friends and the magic of Steam Remote Play Together, so you can battle anyone, anywhere. Its fast, explosive, and full of those hilarious, nail-biting moments Ive always wanted in a party game. I couldnt have done this alone. A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who believed in this project, from the testers who tore it apart (and helped me rebuild it better!) to the friends and supporters who cheered me on every step of the way. This game exists because of your passion and support. And a special big thank you to my girlfriend for her support, feedback and countless testing matches. So grab your friends, fire up those tanks, and lets see whos got what it takes to be the best. This is just the beginning, and Im so excited to hear your feedback and see the chaos unfold! Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. Lets roll!

[ 2024-12-05 00:18:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

Release date: Thumb Tanks is coming on December 5th

What's more to say? The game will come out on late Dec 5th. Also, there will of course be a seven day launch sale, where you will get 33% discount. The game will come out in two versions: [olist]

The regular game priced at 9.99USD(before discount)

The "Supporter bundle", which will feature exclusive content like a ninth tank and a new special weapon with corresponding challenges and talents. This will be priced at 14.99 USD. [/olist] Looking forward to the release. Tell your friends and family. If you like to support the game by promoting/streaming it on or around the launchday, let me know. I'll hapilly provide some keys for giveaways etc. - Chris

[ 2024-11-03 15:00:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

October update out now

Howdy folks, this months update comes without any real new features but with a lot of minor tweaks to existing mechanics, optimizations, and bugfixes to sum up for almost thirty changes. I'd like to point out to changes here: 1. The "how to play" section, which can be called from the pause menu, has been updated to reflect the changes introduced since it was written almost a year ago. 2. Exclusive for supporters there has been added a new special weapon, which can be bought during rounds, the "Inferno" shots. Hitting you opponents with one of them, will light them on fire and force them to put the fire out in the nearest river or sea. Like all special weapons, this beauty can be combined with all other special weapons. So we are talking igniting, system failure causing, contaminating cluster-shots if you like them. Next stop: December update. Don't expect any fancy changes but more fine tuning and optimizations, since the plan is to put the game out this year or January 2025 at latest.

[ 2024-10-05 13:20:22 CET ] [ Original post ]

The final* update is here.

August update out now

I am excited to bring you a major update for our game! This update includes over 50 changes with the goal to enhance the game pace and make the game more starter-friendly.

More base damage: To increase the importance of eliminations in scoring, the base damage of missiles has been increased by 50%. This should result in approximately 25% more eliminations per round.
Faster gameloop: The time between rounds is now shortened. Players can now use the A / X button to cancel or speed up all masks between rounds. This allows you to move on to the next round more quickly.
Change of coins impact on scores: Scoring has been adjusted to encourage players to spend their coins more. Hoarding coins is therefore less advantageous.
Highscores: High scores of individual statistics are now recorded. New high scores are rewarded with a gold medal.
Better use of Steam Services: Statistics and achievements are now saved via Steam Cloud Save and are thus retained. The game now also supports tagging in Steam Game Recording. Finally, inviting friends via Steam Remote Play together has been simplified.
No more spawning on mines: It was a small thing that could be very annoying. This is now finally a thing of the past.
Better handling of in-game menus: In game UIs like the pause menu can now be controlled by all players, not just by the first player.
New in-game messages: Yes, again. Messages with a timer should now be easier to identify and understand.
Contamination now timed: Contamination now only lasts for a certain amount of time, but is stronger.
Sentry now timed: The Sentry now behaves like the drone and despawns by itself after a while. However, its shooting power and the owner's healing have been increased during this time.

On top of that I added dozens of minor changes and bugfixes.

What's next?

Apart from bug fixes, there will be no updates for the next eight to twelve weeks. The game is now relatively close to the state in which I would like to release it. Major changes will therefore only be made if they turn out to be necessary during playtesting. In the near future, I will primarily focus on promo material and things like how-to-play videos.

Become a Tester and get exclusive stuff

If you want to help test the game and provide feedback, you can join the Discord to do so: https://discord.com/invite/mt7dBDn7un Testers and Discord members will receive some exclusive content once the game launches.

[ 2024-08-17 11:29:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Skipping early access

Hey, just a quick update. I'm still working on the July update and fixing a few tricky bugs. I've decided not to release the game through Early Access, but as the real thing for two reasons: [olist]

I want the game to be as bug-free as possible at launch, so players aren't buying a beta full of issues.

Early Access often means an incomplete game. Thumb Tanks is nearly complete, with about 90% of the final content ready. I want players to experience a mostly finished game, not an early version. [/olist] That being said, Im still planing on fixing bugs that come to light after the release and add some new ideas from players feedback. In summary, I want clearer expectations. At release, you'll get a stable game to enjoy with friends, not a buggy first version. I hope to release it in 2024, but it might push to 2025 to meet these goals. Want to help? Join the discord for regular game test sessions. All testers get a free key on release day!

[ 2024-07-09 11:23:40 CET ] [ Original post ]

May update has finally arrived

May update out now

I am excited to bring you a major update for our game! This update includes over 50 changes designed to enhance your gaming experience. Here's a quick overview of what's new:

Lobby and Keyboard Support: I've listened to your feedback and have added support for keyboard inputs and a new lobby system for an even more streamlined experience. The lobby will automatically detect the type of gamepad connected and adjust each players input accordingly.
Achievements and Unlocks: Your skills will now be rewarded with a variety of achievements that unlock new content in the game. I can't wait for you to discover them!
Change of Input Modes Ingame: You can now switch gamepad input modes during gameplay using the d-pad. This feature allows for more flexibility and customization of your controls.
Centralized Shops: I've moved the shops to the center of the map to create more action and excitement.
Streamlined and Optimized UI: I've revamped our user interface to be more intuitive and visually appealing. Navigation is now smoother than ever.
Improved Statistics and Medals: You'll notice modifications in the way I track statistics and award medals. These changes aim to recognize your accomplishments more accurately.
FPS Capped: I've capped the FPS to ensure better performance and a smoother game experience across all devices. The game will automatically cap the fps to your monitors refresh rate at the start of the game.
Vulkan as Daytime: In a twist to our environment settings, we now have "Vulkan" as a new daytime setting. Enjoy the game from a fresh perspective!
Balancing Changes: Ive made some key changes to the game's balance to make it even more fun and competitive.
Better resolutions support The UI should now work better on resolutions other than 16:9 and 16:10

On top of that I added dozens of minor changes and bugfixes.

What's next?

The next update is due in July. Until then I'll focus on more testing and marketing the game. There are still some little bugs, that need to be fixed. Also I'm very excited to what ideas the testers come up. The majority of this updates changes were inspired by your feedback. Thank you for that.

Become a Tester and get exclusive stuff

[ 2024-05-28 20:26:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

April update out now!

Finally, what was supposed to be the March update is now out. And boy oh boy, it has a lot. My list of changes and bug fixes is more than 60 items long. While I'd love to write about all the changes, I'll try to respect your time and stick to the most important bits.

Quickplay vs custom game

Quickplay, as the name suggests, is the quickest way to set up a game. Simply select the number of players and rounds to start a deathmatch with the most commonly used settings. In Quickplay, special weapons and talents are assigned randomly at the start of each round, making it the ultimate challenge. Custom games, on the other hand, give you full control over every aspect of the game. Choose the game mode, set the amount of friendly fire, change the time of day and weather, select whether medals should impact the ranks or not, and even more. Just give it a shot.

Overtime added

The latest update reduced the duration of each round to four minutes (by the way, in a custom game, you can set different times). To compensate for this, game modes with an objective can now go into overtime if a player still has an objective.

E-Torp changes

E-Torps were always less popular than nukes among testers. Their faster velocity put many players off, as it was hard to get into the groove with them. Also, they were less powerful than nukes. Two changes were made to address this. First, E-Torps now fly at a speed closer to that of the other rockets. They also now cause system failures on tanks that they pass in close proximity. So, even those shots that you narrowly miss can distract and harm your opponents.

Less, but more impactful talents

Sometimes less is more. Out of 20+ talents, most players gravitated towards fewer than 10 of them. After testing the possibility of having two talents at once (which failed miserably in testing), I decided to go the other way around and reduce the number of talents. There is one new talent Nemesis in this update and more to come. But the plan is to keep the number of talents rather low and concentrate on those for which players do not have to adapt the way they play the game.

Different input schemes (for each player)

Now, there are two ways to control your tank and your tank's turret. Give them a try. Also, every player can select their own input scheme (and button layout), making it easier to mix different gamepads.

New UI All Around - Again

Yes, I did it again. To address the changes with Quickplay and custom games, a full overhaul of the menu was overdue. Changes were also made to the in-game messaging system, as testers sometimes overlooked them.

And More

Usually, this is the place where I list all changes to show off. But not this time. I would have to translate them into English first, and I'd rather continue working on the game.

What's next

I've decided to switch to a bi-monthly release cycle. The primary reason for this is that I'd like to test future updates more thoroughly. I also need to catch up with all the marketing stuff. For instance, the trailer hasn't been updated in more than half a year, so I'm planning to spend more time on it. As for what to expect from the next update? I don't know. However, I do have a list of 100+ smaller tweaks and features I'm considering. But I'd like to see what comes from testing this version before deciding where to go next.

Become a Tester and Get Exclusive Stuff

If you want to help test the game and provide feedback, you can join the Discord to do so: https://discord.gg/mt7dBDn7un. Testers and Discord members will receive some exclusive content once the game launches.

[ 2024-04-06 15:47:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

January Update brings new features and 30+ updates

There's a pretty big update this month. Since there won't be a February update, I've tried to pack as much as possible into this update. With the new features, balancing changes and the brand new challenges, the core gameplay is now in a form I can imagine for the launch. There will probably be some new challenges added, maybe a few new characters. But if you don't like the game as it is in the current state of deathmatch, it probably won't change. Further changes will probably centre on the interface, the start of a game and improvements to details. And maybe, just maybe, an online multiplayer is waiting on the horizon. But that depends on what feedback I get from you.

Here are the big new features:

Challenges, ReRolls and BuffBuffs (stupid name, I know)

ReRolls in the draft are no longer bought with coins. Instead, there is a separate currency for this. You can now also upgrade buffs in the draft before using them. There is also a new currency for this. How do you get these new currencies? Through challenges. These small side missions give those who successfully complete them either a re-roll or a buff-buff.

Boost for tanks

All tanks now have an inbuilt boost. Pressing the right trigger makes the tank faster for a while. This skill must be recharged after use - which takes some time. So use it carefully.

Changes to the rate of fire and friendly fire

To increase the pace of the game a little, the standard fire rate of the cannon has been increased by 20%. Since beginners in particular have a lot of trouble with damage from friendly fire, cannons now only cause 60% friendly fire. But beware: mines and contamination still cause full damage. All these changes together lead to a significantly faster game.

Round duration now only 4 minutes

In return, the duration of a round has been reduced from 5 to 4 minutes. This increases the importance of tank buffs, re-rolls and buff buffs. Due to the changes mentioned above, the number of eliminations per round should remain the same.

Here are some other changes in loose order:

- Tank turrets now turn faster - The speed when reversing is now just as fast as the normal speed - New in-game message system (yes, again) - Revisions to the enemy radar - Changes to the drone (more damage, but shorter lifespan) - Serwa can now dismantle her Turret - Overtime is now possible in some game modes. - Changes to the Capitalist and Mindful Medals - Blocked buildings are now unlocked faster if you stay close to them.

Plus more than twenty bugfixes!

I'm on holiday in February. See you again in March. All the best until then!

[ 2024-01-27 15:09:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

December update is here

Due to the holidays, this month's update comes with fewer, but significant, changes. Besides some bug fixes, the changes address suggestions provided by the game's playtesters. So, here they are:

Menus can now be navigated by using the d-pad
The tank selection has been reworked and now features way less text and a preview video of the character's special skill instead
The game over screen has also been completely reworked
Picking up coins now triggers a short animation to provide better feedback
Gamepad-specific button names (like menu, share, etc.) are now displayed instead of generic names
Shots from the normal cannon, nukes, and e-torps are now easier to distinguish
The stun duration caused by Jani's emp blast is now half a second longer, and the blast range has been slightly increased
The tank's radar range has been slightly increased as well

Whats next?

In January I'll concentrate on performance optimizations and bugfixes before being on vacation in February. So don't expect many new features before march.

[ 2023-12-28 18:29:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

November update out now

The November update got bigger than expected. Let's dive into it.

New UI

A last-second addition. Almost every piece of UI has been changed. After watching a couple of game testers, I added a bunch of hints to make the game more intuitive. And while at it, I also added new icons, reworked the messages, and many more.

Two new (beta) game modes

The new game mode "Deathmatch Plus" adds buildings to the map, which you can conquer. In return, they offer their owner advantages on the battlefield. Be aware, enemies can set them on fire, so you may have to come back to them again. The game mode "Domination" is all about the buildings. Conquer and control as many of them as long as you can to get points.

Santiago's Special redone

Santiago's special has now become more offensive. While his special is active, he will shove other tanks around the map like nothing, while dealing substantial damage to them. But be aware: Like every flame, Santiago's special gets put out by water as well. So you might reconsider chasing your opponents you just shoved into the sea.

Any many more

Besides that, I made more than 20 smaller changes. I spare you the details. Its mix of balancing adjustments, bugfixes and performance optimizations.

[ 2023-11-23 18:34:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

October Update out now

Coins, Upgrades, Power ups

A new month, a new update. The biggest change is the introduction of coins. Power-ups no longer fall from the sky, but coins do. From now on, you can use them to buy power-ups in the four shops on the map. With each life, each player receives a voucher for the shops to buy a free power-up. Coins can also be used to reshuffle the upgrades in the upgrade draft. But beware: The player with the most coins in his possession at the end of the game receives a gold medal.

UI changes

A handful of changes to the interface should make the game easier to understand. Before each round, you can now browse through all the tips. The irradiated area on the map is now more clearly visible. And especially the interface of the upgrade draft has been adapted: The upgrades and coins of all players are now permanently visible there. This allows you to better adjust your choice to your opponents. Finally, instead of the link to the poll, there is now a link to Discord. I look forward to your feedback there.

Balancing

Some specials have been adjusted to balance them better against the others. Burt's shield now absorbs all damage for the first three seconds before the shield slowly loses its energy and can be penetrated. Serwa's Turret now has its own life energy - similar to Theodore's Drone - and also heals Serwa when she is within the Turret's range. If the Turret takes damage, this healing is reduced as well as its firing frequency. To compensate, your damage and normal firing rate has been reduced. Finally, Kim's cloaking device has been adjusted. Shots, mines and hits no longer override the cloaking device. However, Kim appears briefly in this case.

Scoring for intercepted Canonballs

To avoid misunderstandings, when two cannonballs meet, the ball that has been in the air for less time is attributed to the other player. This should eliminate some confusing self-eliminations. In return, the "Intercepted" medal has been removed. This was very random and had little to do with skill.

Medals

Some bronze medals were upgraded to silver medals. There is now a gold medal for the player with the most coins at the end of the round. The Medal for the most power-ups picked up in each round has been removed with the change to coins. There is no comparable medal for the most coins in a round, as this medal was also too random. Players who do not lose one health point in a round due to friendly fire will receive a medal for this. Finally, the animations during the award ceremony have been reworked again.

All changes

* Added coins and shops to the game * Reworked UI animations * Contamination is now more visible * Firerate during "Final Frenzy" is now quicker * Added coupons for shops * Added Re-Roll on upgrade draft * Clouds are now more dense * During draft, other players upgrades and coins stay visible * Updated pre-round tips * Reworked pre-round tips and map UI * Burts' shield updated * Serwas' turret updated * Kims cloak updated * Adjust some bronze medals * Removed medals, that involved almost no skill from the player to achieve * Added discord link to start screen * Added medal for most coins at match end * added medal for no self damage in a round * Fixed bug in graphics settings * Fixed but with tank trails spawning behind tank

[ 2023-10-14 12:29:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

September Update

With another month almost over, it is finally time for the monthly update. As announced, this one is a bit smaller, but still comes with a total of 17 noteworthy (and some smaller) changes. A friendly reminder: I am still looking for playtesters who would like to test the full version. The details can still be found here: https://thumbtanks.com/playtesters-wanted.

Crit Damage, Crit Showdown and the mood system

Tanks can now do critical damage with a low probability. The mood system ensures that this probability of critical damage improves when things are going badly for a player. Although critical damage and the mood system should slightly favour weaker players, no major changes to the balancing are expected. To make the end of rounds more exciting, in the Deathmatch game mode all rounds will end in "Final Frenzy", a phase of 15 seconds in which every shot will do critical damage.

Adjustments to the user interface

During the game, each player is now shown when his talent is currently active and what effect it has. In order to free up the necessary space in the interface, the display of the currently available special weapons has been combined and simplified.

Settings now available from the pause menu

From now on, settings such as the display of the buttons and the volume can be changed from the pause menu during a round. The pause menu has also been adapted so that it is now hardly possible to end the game by mistake.

Various changes to the balancing

A number of adjustments were made based on tester feedback. For one thing, the camera is now zoomed out a little further during the round so that you can see more of the playing field. The award boxes have been removed completely (and will be replaced with something hopefully better in one of the next updates). Contamination now does a little less damage, some talents have been adjusted. In addition, the number of mountains on the map has been slightly reduced. It is also worth mentioning that the behaviour of Theodore's Drone has been adjusted. It can now be shot down, has its own health and becomes less efficient the more damage it takes.

What comes next?

At the moment, I would like to wait and see how the situation around Unity develops. That's why I expect a somewhat smaller update in October. The big to-dos, apart from some rare but annoying bugs, are still a new special for Serwa. More orders (and adjustments to the existing ones) and changes to the draft are also planned. The biggest change, insofar as it makes it into the October update, will be an adjustment to the draft. New pick-ups will give players more options in the future.

[ 2023-09-22 16:06:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

August update out now

Howdy everyone. The August update (in the beta as well as in the demo) is now live. This month's update comes with a bunch of changes, some adjustments to the balancing, and also some bug fixes.

Join the playtesters panel!

I'd like to get more people involved in the testing of the game. If you'd like to provide some feedback (and get a game-key in exchange), feel free to message me. More details about this can be found on the official website.

Changes to the Island Map and Weather

Now there is a chance of light or dense clouds over the map, which can partially block the view on the map. Finally, before each round, a bird's eye view of the entire map is shown.

Modular Weapons

The weapon pick-ups have been changed to be modular. Instead of having to choose between E-Torps, Nukes, or Clusterbombs, you can now combine these pick-ups. This led to some changes in regard to the balancing of these pick-ups and the corresponding UI.

Proximity Indicators

Indicators next to your tank will now indicate nearby tanks to avoid situations where players are missing each other.

UI Changes

When taking damage or repairing the tank, numbers will indicate the amount of repair/damage to provide a better feel for the impact of weapons, specials, buffs, etc. A changelog has been added to the start screen showing the latest updates, changes, and what to expect from the next one.

Balancing

Almost all talents and buffs are now stronger. Mines and rockets dealt a bit more damage. Natasha's special was upgraded: Natasha can now select two pick-ups, which will be in her air support box.

What's Next?

Since I'll be on vacation between August and September, the September update will probably be rather small. The plan is to concentrate on performance optimizations. On the mid-term roadmap is still the base-defender game-mode, the possibility to change settings from the pause-menu, two new talents, and a bunch of new medals. Those and some other changes will probably come in the October update.

Full List of Changes

[NEW] Weapon pick-ups can now be combined. [NEW] Proximity indicators show tanks nearby. [NEW] Added possibility of cloudy weather. [IMPROVED] Burt's shield was changed, so it does not make the tank wider. [IMPROVED] Nurse and witchdoctor talents are back. [IMPROVED] Rewrote Natasha's special to be more versatile and powerful. [IMPROVED] Respawn animation now fades earlier. [IMPROVED] Code optimization to reduce stutter on object-spawn and higher fps in general. [UI] The map (+ weather and time of day) is shown before each round. [UI] Added changelog to start screen. [UI] Health changes are now displayed as numbers in-game. [UI] Changed animation for gold and silver medals. [BALANCING] Buffs are now stronger, but limited to four levels each. [BALANCING] Talents are now stronger. [BALANCING] Thresholds for e-torp minigame related awards are now higher. [FIXED] A bug due to which Natasha could not call her air support. [FIXED] A bug in which E-Torp minigame wasn't reset when been eliminated while in minigame. [FIXED] A bug which caused spawn points to be on rocks. [FIXED] A bug due to which two players could spawn at the same spawn point. [FIXED] A bug that caused tanks to be burning before the start of the first round. [FIXED] A rare bug that caused the game to crash at the start of the first round. [FIXED] Flickering of the UI in "Time's up"-state. [FIXED] A bug, which caused e-torp minigame related awards to be given out wrong.

[ 2023-08-06 10:29:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

July update out now

What's New?

The July update has been published today (for the demo as well). The main changes are the introduction of team modes in the deathmatch, elimination, and sudden death game modes, the new cluster rockets, which replace the old quickfire power-up, and a bunch of changes to the game map.

What's Coming in August?

Currently, I'm planning a bunch of improvements for the August update. A highlight should be the new base-defender mode, which is a king of the hill type game mode in which players have to conquer and defend an airbase. The rockets will be modular, so you can have contaminating cluster-bombs that also cause system failures on their target. Besides that, I'm planning a dozen smaller changes regarding balancing and fixing a handful of minor and one major bug.

Launch Postponed

Surprise, surprise. The launch has been postponed. Instead of giving a new date, which probably wouldn't be the real one, I've adopted a "when it's done" approach. The game will come out, it will come out as early access, but please don't ask me when exactly. In case you are disappointed with that, I hear you. Send me a friend request, and I'll hook you up with a free pre-release key if you have been subscribed to the group as of today.

Full Changes List

[NEW] Added Team Deathmatch, Team Elimination, and Team Sudden Death Game modes [NEW] Replaced quickfire pickup with cluster pickup. This new pickup will now grant a player multiple shots with a cluster cannon. Each shot will send out 5 small rockets, which in total deal double the normal rocket's damage. Therefore, it does great harm when used at short distances and can cover more space over long distances. [IMPROVED] Replaced destructible wood crates with indestructible rocks. [IMPROVED] Changed design for bushes. Also, the new bushes can get destroyed by explosions. [IMPROVED] Drone now follows its target but shoots less frequently. [IMPROVED] Completely revamped E-Torps now trigger a mini-game that affects target systems and health. [IMPROVED] Elimination messages will now be displayed big and bold for involved tanks. [IMPROVED] Game will now pause if a gamepad is disconnected. [IMPROVED] New animations to better indicate that a collectible was picked up. [BALANCING] Kim's tank is not decloaking when taking damage. [BALANCING] When picking up a repair pickup while already having an empty health chunk, the pickup will heal like a health pickup instead of restoring another health chunk. [FIXED] A bug in which rockets sometimes were rotated incorrectly. [FIXED] A bug where players eliminated by an e-torp were not correctly reset. [FIXED] A bug where drone and turret didn't shoot due to wrong collision detection. [FIXED] A bug that caused total scores to be miscalculated.

[ 2023-07-11 19:45:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Livestream and Q&A on June 25th

Why you should watch this one? Let's face it. I never did a livestream. Therefore the first one might not go as planned. This one however will be smooth as silk - kinda. Over 25 years ago, a buddy showed me my first lines of QuickBASIC. Immediately enthusiastic I knew that I wanted to use this magic power to create games. Since then I have programmed almost continuously. Heck, I even have a small company that does full-stack web development. Almost the only thing I havent programmed since then is a lousy finished game. Now beeing an somewhat old fart and a handful of demos started, it was time to finally get one finished. Keep it small, keep it simple, but finish it. That was my motto behind Thumb Tanks. Is it the best game ever? Probably not. Is it fun? I mean yes, some agree with me. In the stream, I'll shortly talk about the game, show a complete 4 player match to explain all the mechanics and then answer all the questions you might have. See you there! Chris

[ 2023-06-15 20:42:52 CET ] [ Original post ]

June Update

This month's update focuses on polishing rather than adding new features. The most obvious changes are the reduced sizes of in-game messages and the new Steam guide to the game, which can be opened from inside the game (either from the start or pause menu). Three changes address the balancing of some characters' special skills. Thanks to the testers for their feedback. There have also been a couple of bug fixes. The most important one addressed a bug in which the game halted after the first round of a match when the previous match had been ended via the pause menu.

Whats next?

Right now, I'm preparing the livestream for the nextfest. So don't expect too much this month. I still want to incorporate the achievements until then, but it's not sure if I'll have the time to do so.

Here is the full list of changes:

[IMPROVED] Reduced in-game message sizes. [IMPROVED] Game has now a guide on steam, which also can be opened from inside the game [BALANCING] EMP does now deactivate an opponents shield, but not the shielded tank itself. [BALANCING] CJs special skill does now ahot one more canon and the shot frequenzy is now higher as well. [BALANCING] Adjusted balancing for Serwas turret. [FIXED] The most annoying all bugs I knew of, which caused the grame to keep old scores, when starting a new match and cause the game to completly halt at the end of the next matchs first round. [FIXED] A bug, where spawnpoints were not correctly cleared for new spawns. [FIXED] A bug in the radiator talent. [FIXED] A bug in the raider talent. [FIXED] A bug in the Medical urgency buff. [FIXED] A bug with the players processing on critical damage. [FIXED] A bug where Natasha could have two special collectibles at once.

[ 2023-06-03 19:30:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

May update out now

I am excited to announce our latest update to the game, which includes several improvements to enhance your gaming experience. Some of the significant improvements include:

Complete revamp of the buff system and UI for a better experience.
New UI for in-game events like eliminations, pickups, etc., to give you better feedback about what is happening during the action.
Improved support for 4:3 and 16:10 aspect ratios, which means you can now enjoy the game on a wider range of devices.
Improved performance on lower resolutions to ensure that the game runs more smoothly on less powerful devices.
A handful of minor, but annpying bugs were fixed.

I hope you enjoy this update and look forward to your feedback!

What's next

Still there are some minor bugs to fix. Also I'm waiting for more playtesting feedback in regard to the balancing. If you want to support me by testing the game, just send me a quick message and I'll hook you up with a key. Also I still want to get the achievements into the first release.

Full changes list

[IMPROVED] Completeley revamped buff system and UI [IMPROVED] New UI for in-game events like eliminations, pickups etc. [IMPROVED] Improved support for 4:3 and 16:10 aspect ratios [IMPROVED] Improved performance on lower resolutione [IMPROVED] Multiple changes to Serwas turret. [IMPROVED] The main menu can now be navigated using the keyboard. [IMPROVED] The splash screen shows a hint when not enough gamepads are connected. [IMPROVED] Updated pre-round tips to reflect recent changes to the game. [FIX] Fixed a bug that caused Serwas Touret to not be removed at the end of a round. [FIX] Fixed a bug where the special timer on the tank UI was not reset at the end of a round. [FIX] Fixed a bug where direction inputs were not reset at the end of a round. [FIX] Fixed a bug with the Minesweeper and Masochist talents that made them too powerful. [FIX] Friendly fire now causes damage in Goliath mode. [FIX] Fixed a bug where medals were displayed in the wrong position on the score table. [FIX] Fixed a bug where accelerated game time was not reset after the medal ceremony.

[ 2023-05-21 14:54:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

April update out now

Alright, alright. The April update is out now. Bad news first: This will be the last bigger updates for the upcoming weeks. For the next weeks, Ill be fixing bugs and preparing the demo for NextFest in June. This also means that in mid-June the demo will finally be released. Stay tuned for more information regarding NextFest and the live stream.

So, what's new this time?

Power Rockets are now nuclear

To make the former power rockets more fun for the user (and more hassle for its recipient) they were redesigned to become nuclear projectiles. While they now fly even a bit slower than before, they now deal even more damage in an even higher perimeter. More so, they now deal contamination damage over time. A player can stop the contamination by healing. No way for healing at your disposal? Well, better find some quick.

Scifi-torpedoes

Also, a new special pickup has been added. The torpedoes dont deal more damage than conventional rockets. Yet they fly amazingly fast and also cause a glitch in the tank they hit. This glitch will set the cooldown of one of the tanks' systems back by 50%. Thought you could heal? After a torpedo hit maybe not anymore.

More pleasant explosions and other effects

Lighting effects have been introduced. My personal favorite is the new, bigger, shinier explosions. Keep your sunglasses nearby, you might need them.

Fight at night

Now you can select between the time of day. Fights during the night make pickups and mines way harder to see. Yet you can notice incoming tanks earlier by their headlights. Wann sneak up on an opponent? Just turn them off. But dont complain about the mines you so can only barely see.

Less self-damage

During playtesting, it became evident, that the range and timeframe for taking damage from own explosions were too large - especially for new players. Therefore they have been substantially reduced. Still, it is not recommended to fire while being really close to your targets. Remember the nuclear projectiles from above? These boys have an even higher range and timeframe for damage than the old rockets. So handle them with care.

New Medals

New medals have been added to accompany the changes. You can now kill two tanks with a single shot? If this is not worth a medal, what is? But thats not the only new one.

New Talent

First off, the former traits are now called talents. Just sounded better to me. Also, there has been added a new one in association with the potential contamination damage.

Removed pickups

The speed-up and slowdown pickups have been removed. They just didnt add enough fun to the game and became an afterthought.

More speed

The tanks have been made a bit faster again, to give the game a bit more juice.

Achievements are on hold

Bummer, but thats how it is. They will probably not make it into the initial release. The plan is still, to get them in there. Yet there are more urgent things to get done before the demo release, NextFest, and the initial release of the game. Until the next time! Chris

[ 2023-04-24 18:59:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

Livestream and Q&A on June 20th

Over 25 years ago, a buddy showed me my first lines of QuickBASIC. Immediately enthusiastic I knew that I wanted to use this magic power to create games. Since then I have programmed almost continuously. Heck, I even have a small company that does full-stack web development. Almost the only thing I havent programmed since then is a lousy finished game. Now beeing an somewhat old fart and a handful of demos started, it was time to finally get one finished. Keep it small, keep it simple, but finish it. That was my motto behind Thumb Tanks. Is it the best game ever? Probably not. Is it fun? I mean yes, some agree with me. In the stream, I'll shortly talk about the game, show a complete 4 player match to explain all the mechanics and then answer all the questions you might have. See you there! Chris

[ 2023-04-21 16:00:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

March update now live

Things drastically changed. For the better? You decide!

Shoutouts to the handful of people and testers reading this. You know, who you are. So there is some news again. Let's see: First: From now on until launch, there will be one game update per month on steam. I stopped updating the steam built for every minor change. So expect less, but bigger updates in the next few months. If an update contains braking changes, there will probably be a fix. But besides that, don't expect too many changes in the next weeks.

That being said, what is new in the march update?

Concentrated gameplay

A lot of tiny changes were made, to make the whole experience more exciting. Faster canon reloads, faster tanks and smaller maps make shying away from a fight less feasible and force you to return to the battlefield quickly.

Segmented health

In this context, the new segmented health bar is of high significance. Instead of one health bar, players now have three tiny bars. Once one of them is empty, you lose it altogether. Players can not heal those bars, but there is a new item to pick up, that restores one health bar. After you get eliminated, you of course respawn with all three bars again. This drastically changes the role of health packs in the game and disincentivizes avoiding opponents to wait for the next heal.

New pickups

There are a bunch of new pickups. 1) The power rocket pickup, which makes your next 3 rockets slower, but way more deadly. 2) The fast reload pickups cuts the reload time of your next 4 rockets in half. 3) The health-bar restore pickup, which restores one health bar if your tank is missing one. 4) The speed pickup, which enhances your tank's speed for a while, and lastly 5) the slowdown pickup, which slowers all other player's tanks.

Traits

Traits (the name is subject to change) are like mini advantages you can select for your tank, which will be automatically triggered in some situations or under some conditions. Right now, there are 16 of them, ranging from a speed boost, while in critical damage to one trait, that restores one health bar for every opponent you eliminate.

Drone instead of bomb shower

The bomb shower secret weapon fell flat during testing. Therefore Theodore now has a defensive drone, that automatically attacks enemies in its proximity.

Revamped color style

The style of the pickups has been changed completely. Also, the color palette has been changed, to give the game a warmer, more vintage-ish look.

New UI for the character- and update selection

Both screens have been redone to reflect the new mechanics and (on the update selection screen) show more statistics about the updates' impacts on your tank.

Mod-Support (kinda)

You can now change dozens the game variables (like tank speed, canon damage, cooldown times, and many, many more) by writing your own custom XML-Config. Don't like how the game is right now? Try your own variation! Did you find settings, which make the game way better? Don't forget to let me know!

Changes in medals and a new medal

Nothing fancy here, but some of the changes required modifications for some medals. Also, since pickups are now more than ever and drop way more frequently, it seemed appropriate, to give a medal to the player, who collects the most pickups in any round.

What's next?

Balancing

The main goal for the next month(s) is to balance all those new (and older) things to get more evened-out gameplay. Some special weapons (and traits) are yet a bit too strong (or weak) compared to others. Also, the game modes besides deathmatch will need some more work on the balancing side.

Achievements

Yes, there will be achievements. The primary reason for this is, that the amount of tanks, traits, pickup items, and game modes, has become a bit too much for starters to the game. Therefore the game will start with less of them and players will have to unlock more features by achieving different easy (or hard) goals. This will hopefully help new players learn the different aspects of the game without being confused by the different opportunities. But for now (and probably in a while to come) all features, tanks, etc. are available right from the start. So that's it. More coming sometime in April. Till then, have fun! Chris

Still free keys available - for testers only

P.S.: The invitation for free keys for testing still stands. Do you want to provide feedback? Just let me know, and I'll send you a key. Please be aware, that this is for testing purposes. While I obviously can not force you to test the game, I'll revoke the keys of people who are just collecting games and do not provide any feedback at all. If you provide feedback, the key will be yours forever - even after the launch.

[ 2023-03-23 17:57:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

Delayed release, but there will be a demo!

So there is mixed news. First of all, I've pushed back the release by almost three months! Why is that? A number of reasons: [olist]

A couple of the latest ideas didn't go over well in playtesting, and some need to be reworked, and some need to be replaced entirely. The plan is still to start with eight different characters and all of them should be fun to play. But the last two need some more time for this.

I'm on vacation and the airline lost my suitcase! That means no gamepad for me for the time being and thus no serious further development. I guess I will have to enjoy the sun. Don't feel too sorry for me, I'll get over it.

More problematic is that after my return, my day job will keep me very busy. With this in mind, I didn't think it would be possible to publish in a reasonable condition at the original time.

Lastly, some ideas came back in the tests that I want to work in until the launch. But this also means more work in the now tighter time. [/olist] So now the new plan is to release in early July. On the one hand I wanted to have a time buffer for unforeseen things. For another, I want the game to participate in the next Next Fest in mid to late June. But that also means that there has to be a playable, free demo for this. Which, again, isn't bad news for anyone who wants to try the game. More news hopefully here soon. Until then all the best! Chris

[ 2023-02-13 10:41:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

Thumb Tanks

thumbcramp Developer

thumbcramp Publisher

2024-12-04 Release

Action Indie Strategy Casual RPG Adventure Simulation F2P Sports MMO Racing Singleplayer Multiplayer Coop EA Tags

Game News Posts: 24

🎹🖱️Keyboard + Mouse
🕹️ Partial Controller Support
🎮 Full Controller Support

https://thumbtanks.com/

Steam Store

Public Linux Depots:

[0 B]

Prepare for thumb-fueled hilarity with Thumb Tanks, a splitscreen bash for two to four players! Dive into the mayhem where fun, chaos, and one-upping your buddies take center stage. Thanks to easy controls, everyone's invited—grab your gamepad, gather those coins, and let the thumb-battle festivities kick off!

Choose from eight tanks, each with a unique special skill.
Including an afterburner, EMP blast, shield, cloaking device, self-shooting sentry, burst fire, air support, and an attack drone.
Use your special skill wisely to outsmart your opponents.

Collect coins to buy power-ups in designated shops on the map.
Repair your tank and reload its systems.
Switch to offense with nukes, cluster bombs, and electronic torpedoes.
Combine special weapons for even greater mayhem!

Upgrade your tanks after each round. Enhance your attack, buff your health, make your tank faster and more options available.
Choose from a random selection out of 20+ upgrade with different strengths.
Lagging behind? No worries—those at the bottom of the standings pick first.

Get medals for showing your skills. Your sweat will be rewarded!
Get different amounts of points for bronze, silver and gold medals.
Medals do influence the scores. Kills are not everything!

Challenges are mini side tasks that you find on the map and must complete within a short time.
If you succeed, you will receive additional benefits to improve your tank between rounds.

Start with deathmatch and team-deathmatch.
You can unlock Sudden Death, Domination, Goliath, and even more game modes by completing achievements.

Embark on battles suited to your skill level with the simple rank system.
Experienced players can select a handicap, while newcomers can enjoy advantages.
Players of different skill level can play together!

Ready to conquer? Wishlist Thumb Tanks now and be the first to dive into the fun chaos when the game launches!

MINIMAL SETUPProcessor: 2 GHz dual core processorMemory: 2 GB RAM
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia 435M/620M or AMD Radeon R5 or Intel HD 4000
Storage: 700 MB available space

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