http://vinoisnotouzo.com/Digitanks-1.2.1.torrent

I’m not asking you to buy the game if you like it. Hell I’m not even asking you to play it. Just download it, and pass the word on to your friends. There is no DRM on the original version of Digitanks, so this is really just the install files from the game, same as you would get if you bought it.

“But wait Vino,” I hear you say. “It’s not really pirating if you pirate your own game, is it?” My response to you is, “Shut up you nut fucker and pirate my damn game.” Or do you like SOPA?

Also, I am inviting all creators of indie games to join me today. Offer your games free for today. It’s a good way to gain attention to the cause of keeping the internet a good place. If we all do it, people will take notice.

(Of course, I use the term “good” loosely. I’m looking at you, 4chan.)

A lot of you will be pleased to hear that the Linux port of the game is finally done. Now I know what you’re saying. “Vino, Vino, but you said that you wouldn’t release any more version of Digitanks!” You’re right, I lied. What I should have said is that I won’t release any more versions of Digitanks on Windows. I’m also extending the pay what you want sale until the end of the year to celebrate. You can get the Linux version through the same email download link that you originally purchased the game with. The Linux version does have the camera-guided missile unavailable due to problems with a supporting library that Digitanks uses (not my fault, honestly!) I’m a bit disappointed about that, but my options were either to spend a long time debugging code I’ve never seen before or remove it until the author of that library manages a fix of their own. If I hear about a fix, I’ll be sure to make it forthcoming.

Also for those Linux grognards who are about to say, “I can’t run Digitanks because I never run anything on my computer if the source code is not freely available to anybody!” You can hold your tongue because the source code for both platforms of Digitanks is now available on Github. It’s under a BSD license, meaning that you can use it for whatever purpose you want as long as you give credit to the original author (me!) If you want to hack into Digitanks, I caution you, the code contained therein is not for the faint of heart. I am sometimes somewhat of a brute in my programming methods – whatever gets the job done, right? As a result there are some places with ugly or outdated code, and I don’t recommend that anybody use the engine for building a project of their own. But I think it can be extremely useful as a learning tool, as I’ve solved a lot of problems (raytracing, networking, pathfinding, etc) that other people may also need to solve.

By the way, here’s a little something I’ve been playing with on the topic of rendering infinite spaces.

The first morsel is that today I’ve released the Campaign Update for Digitanks. It features two campaign missions that I’m quite proud of and a bunch of other odds and ends as far as improvements and bug fixes. If you want to try your hand at saving your computer from an infestation of Bugs and Hackers, these two missions should keep you occupied.

The second tidbit is that I’ve decided to give a whack at that Pay What You Want thing that seems to work so well. You can set any price you want as long as it’s above $1 and below $100. Just click the “Buy Digitanks” button. Why above 1 and below 100? Because the company that processes payments for me says so. If you want to spend less than $1 on it then really, why do you want to play it? A free game obviously isn’t worth your time. And if you want to spend above $100 then I thank you but let’s face it, you probably don’t exist.

This will almost certainly be the last version of Digitanks that I release. If the planets happen to align then I may change my mind (say, because I make a million dollars tomorrow) but most probably I won’t be returning to Digitanks other than for minor bug fixes and so on. But that’s not so bad, because what I will be doing is making other, cooler games. Cooler than Digitanks? I know, the concept is boggling. But my friend it’s true, there are cooler games than Digitanks and I intend to go make them, starting tomorrow.

Say you want to learn about such games as they are being developed? Well I may post about them here, but possibly not. You are probably better off subscribing to the Lunar Workshop mailing list (see the front page of digitanks.com for the signup form) or following me on Twitter. If neither of those things strike your fancy, you could always put your head under a rock and learn about them only once I blow the cap off the game industry with the next great amazing game. That’s not a bad plan. After all, it might happen.

See you then.

If you purchased the 5 for 5 bundle and you want to play the demo, contact me and I’ll set you up with a BMT Micro download link that will unlock all future versions of Digitanks for you.

I’ve been working on this campaign for a while and I’d love to hear your feedback. I always enjoy hearing what people like and dislike about the game so that I can improve it. At Lunar Workshop, the name of the game is incorporating player feedback into subsequent releases of the game. And if you really really like it, do the right thing and post it on Twitter or Facebook.

Here’s a quick and mostly incomplete list of changes:

* New campaign missions.
* Introduced multiplayer lobbies and vastly improved multiplayer networking.
* One new structure, the Firewall, a base defense structure
* One new artillery map, Volcano
* Lots of performance improvements
* Lots of usability improvements

On the Digitanks front, there is good news in two areas. First is that I’m drawing near to the release of the beta for the new version that features the first two campaign levels. We’re also closing in on a Linux port of the game. You can get the most up-to-date information on each of these and on the bundle as well by following my Twitter.

With this in mind I endeavored to resort to what I call “alternative” means of persuasion to get Digitanks into the public spotlight.  You know, perfectly legitimate and convincing marketing counter-measures – bribery, blackmail, extortion. (Fact: these are legal in 48 states.) I’m not above certain methods if it makes me a hojillion dollars. Think indie game developers are only in it for the art? Not this one. I’m in it for the cold hard cash. Show me the money baby. I can go to confession when I’m famous.

I just needed to find a good target. Joystiq? No, they’re too nice. Destructoid? No… I don’t want to think what would happen to me if I crossed them. The Escapist! They will do nicely. They’re usually pretty well-humored. I was at a game developer meetup a while back and I remembered one of the editors from The Escapist speaking at a panel session; she mentioned that she could be bribed with cookies. With this information, I began to formulate my dastardly plan. It would be called The Cookie Caper.

I needed to form a team. A super-team that could pull off this most dangerous heist. But where could I find reliable, trustworthy experts willing to commit to my entirely legal schemings? Every good team starts with “The Informant.” Adam, also known as the artist who created the models for Digitanks, lives close to The Escapist’s main offices. He could provide me with valuable clues about their infrastructure. Perhaps he could furnish a map of their ventilation systems. Next I needed someone capable of creating “The Goods.” I would need the best cookie cooker in the world, someone whose cookie recipes make grown men foam at the mouth. I knew just the person: my mom. Finally I needed the proverbial “Inside Man.”

Or, perhaps, Inside Girl? What about that girl who was working at The Escapist’s booth at that conference that one time? She was gorgeous. What was her name? I think it was Claire. Yes, she’d do nicely. I dove into my stack of old business cards, and sifted through the people I didn’t remember until I found hers. Yes! Time to send her an email.

Subject: Hello Claire

No, that’s creepy. She doesn’t know me that well.

Subject: Take My Cookies

No, that’s even creepier.

Subject: Re: Inside Girl

Okay clearly this email was not going to work out. Forget about her, I could be the Inside Girl and deliver the cookies on my own.

To do that I would need more intelligence about the target area. I had Adam make a reconnaissance sweep of the area around the Escapist’s headquarters. The intel came in as a text message:

High security. Cameras. Armed guards. Only one entrance, through the lobby. Address follows…

Adam’s a good man to risk himself for a covert mission like this. The intel was solid, and I now had the geographical location of the target. Now for the Goods.

The plan was contingent on delivering the highest quality home-made-from-scratch cookies that money could buy, and the world expert at cookies is my mom.

Mom’s a tough cookie: She can sell sand to an African; She can bargain a catch away from a wild leopard. She was a lead negotiator for the police during the 1997 Chatanooga Hostage Crisis. After she was through with them, the terrorists ended up surrendering for fear of upsetting their mothers. I would need a rock solid plan if I wanted to get her on my team, so I prepared my position and confronted her.

“Mom, I need you for a secret, covert mission. You need to bake a batch of cookies. For this service I’m prepared to offer–”

“Sure sweetie, anything you want.”

“Oh. Uh, okay. Thanks mom.”

“Don’t forget to water my plants on Thursday.”

“Okay, mom.”

Operation Cookie Caper was a go. By the next morning the cookies were done. This is my photographic evidence of the goods:

I managed to break a ceramic plate in the process. A casualty of war: sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get your hojillion dollars. I promised mom I’ll pay for it when I’m famous.

Then came the most devious part of my plan — I took each cookie and cut it in half. That’s right — In half! Then I placed all of the halves in the delivery box and on top of them I placed this note:

It reads:

Escapist Magazine,

We have your cookies. We have included their severed halves as proof.

Give us one article in Escapist about Digitanks and one guided tour of your headquarters or you will never see your cookies again.

- Lunar Workshop Team

Cookies under arm, I went to the Escapist building. On the way in I passed the “armed guards” – an overweight mall cop with a taser. Clearly Adam had been exaggerating, so I confidently strolled past him to the elevator. It opened with a Ding! and I stood aside to let the current occupant out.

Out of the elevator stepped Claire, the girl from the conference. My mind raced, nagging for me to say something! But what? Anything! She walked past me, apparently not recognizing me, heading towards the main doors. I had to say something!

“Hi Cla-”

Ding! The elevator door closed and I ascended to the second floor, kicking myself in the butt. Forget about her. Eyes on the prize. Nothing can stand between me and my hojillion dollars now! I puffed out my chest, burst out of the elevator, and stormed directly up to the receptionist, a cross-looking middle-aged lady with a phone to her ear, clearly completely uninterested in me.

“A package for you.”

“Do I have to sign?”

“Um… no.”

“Okay, thanks.”

With that I turned around and got the hell out of there as fast as I could. The cameras would be watching. When I was out in the parking lot I flipped open my cell phone and sent a text to Adam to confirm mission success:

The eagle has landed!
The eagle has landed!

With a screeching of tires I tore out of the parking lot, high-tailing it back to the safety of my home office. Sitting down in front of my comforting bank of monitors I put the next phase of my plan into action:

Wait.

Yeah. I actually don’t know what to do at this point. Pulling capers is fun and all, but what to do after it’s all said and done? Did they even open the box today? Will they write it off as a dumb gimmick and just eat the cookies? Or will I get that tour and an article about my awesome game? Will I get my hojillion dollars? I suppose I’ll have to wait and see.

And what about Claire? Maybe I’ll see her when they deliver on the tour that I strongly requested? Maybe I should ignore her and pretend like I don’t know her. Or maybe I should just stop thinking about it.

She’ll notice me when I’m famous.

Update: It appears my rotten bribery has worked!

Speaking of new versions, I’ve recently put up a small update with a few stability and bug fixes, version 1.1.1. No major updates here, just a few tweaks to keep things running smoothly for everyone.

And lastly I’d like to keep everybody up to date on what’s going on for the next big update. I’ve been working on the first two missions of the new campaign that will be released some time next month. Although it needs a lot more work still I’m really pleased with the way it’s shaping up so far. What I’ll probably end up doing is releasing the first mission to those who have purchased the game as soon as it’s available, and then releasing the second mission to purchasers and the general public at a later date.

Enjoy!

Go ahead, download it. See what happens.

Here’s a mostly complete list of changes from the previous version:

• Graphics Overhaul - Updated graphics and a completely new look.
• 14 New Weapons - For a total of 14 weapons, since the one and only weapon in the previous version is gone. Ram enemy tanks, rain ICBMs on
their heads, or fly a camera-guided missile into their bore holes.
• Smarter AI - You will regret inciting the ire of the Master Intelligence Unit.
• Reinvented Artillery Mode - If you don’t find it entertaining then you should see a priest; you may not have a soul.
• Four New Terrain Types - Holes to fall in, Lava to burn in, Trees to hide in, Interference to suck your enemy’s shields after you trick them into trying to cross it.
• Hotseat Multiplayer - Digitanks will be the life of your party now that you and your friends can take turns subjecting each other to explosive charges.
• Special “Airstrike” Attack - This new powerup type is an hail of destruction anywhere on the level.
• Strategy Mode Expansions - Grid bugs, MCPs, Rogue cloaking, Resistor Fragmentation Rays, Download Grid rework, and tons of other tweaks.
• 5 New Levels - Specially designed for maximum funnage. New user-created levels can also be easily added to the game.
• Old Hardware Compatibility - We won’t guarantee that it will run fast, but it will run on your 4 year old Netbook.
• Bunch Of Other Stuff - You’ll never know what if you don’t play the game.

One last new thing is that the demo no longer unlocks to the full version. If you own a copy then you should be getting a download link in your mailbox shortly. If you’re just dying to play (I don’t blame you) then shoot me a note and I’ll send you a download link RIGHT NOW!

No, this is not an April Fools joke. You will not be disappointed. Tanks will actually blow up, and nobody will pop out of your closet and yell “APRIL FOOLS!” I hate it when that happens too.

I take it back. I am extremely embarrassed to present that screenshot. Please strike it from your mind immediately.

Here’s a short list of features:

• More than a dozen new weapons
• Four new terrain types
• Completely reworked gameplay for both game modes
• Lots of new visual additions and graphics updates
• 5 custom maps, more to come later

We crave your feedback almost as much as we crave attention, so if you have something to say about the demo please tell us. You can leave a comment on this post, or send me an email, or post on our forums. Whatever you do, don’t let your latent thoughts go unspoken, as that would be a violation of intergalactic law.

We’re also working on the finishing touches for a trailer to make an official announcement for the final release of the Artillery Update and we’ll keep you up to date as more happens.