TGC,

Is it possible to get a detailed public roadmap for the rest of 2011 and for 2012? Now that AppGameKit has been out for a few months it would be nice to see what is coming in the near future and future in general.

I would like to see what is FREE and what is going to be a purchased upgrade in the future and what you are considering for the future. I know Lee sends out tweets but has he thought of a TGC Blog in general?

I think for 2011 we will get BlackBerry Playbook and more bug fixes.

Who knows what's in for 2012 at this rate!

This is from the AppGameKit site. Perhaps not as detailed as you are asking but should give you a hint.

The current road map for new platforms is as follows;

* BlackBerry
* HTML5
* Windows Mobile 7

* Road map plans are correct as of October 2011 but may be subject to change.

In the more immediate plan, we're also providing you with Advert Commands and HTTP Commands in the 107 build. We won't be adding as many features per update as we did for DBP as this lead to a case of 'too many features, not enough fixes' so you will get a slower stream of toys with a higher proportion of fixes and stability work to ensure the platforms we do support are supported well. Major Upgrades which are expected to hit every twelve months or so would include brand new features such as additional platforms, whole new command categories and extra tools, utilities, content that are developed in the background, tested then released all at once. That said, we are still at the early stages of the AppGameKit brand and I think we will continue to release new platforms as part of your existing AppGameKit product (like we did with Android and we are going to do with Playbook and other immediate platforms). Bottom line, don't expect any sort of Major Upgrade product for another 8 months, but do expect lots of little treats along the way.

Lee,

What ideas are you throwing up for a Major upgrade (assuming the major upgrade costs money).

Also, when do you expect to have HTML5 support for testing?

Major update = paid feature, so does this mean we will have to pay a fee every 12 months to keep afloat with new AppGameKit versions?
This would be no problem for those who manage to make some $ from their apps, but for us hobbyists, who do 1 free app per year, having to pay the $99 yearly Apple fee is already enough!

Or maybe the upadet will only involve a minimal update fee and not have to pay $110 again?

We so far away from a 'major upgrade' anything I might say would become barely relevant eight months from now It's also key to understand that the version you have now does not expire in 12 months, or cease to function in any way. Minor updates remain free, which include all bug fixes and functionality corrections and tweaks. The AppGameKit you buy today you can still use five years from now, and you are under no obligation to upgrade at any time.

If I take the dangerous step of using an analogy, it's like buying a new car (not leasing one). When you buy it, it's yours. It will require servicing from time to time but it does the job of getting you where you want to go. Sure in five years time a newer sleeker model comes out, but you are not obligated to buy it, you only buy the new model if you like some of the new gadgets it has. Unlike car dealerships, TGC will give you a great deal for trading in your old model via an upgrade discount

It is a departure from the old DBP business model where you buy it in 2002 and enjoy new features eight years later for free. The problem with that is the revenue from the product drops to such a degree it cannot sustain a full development team to maintain it. The feedback we received over the years is that you want a programming language that is absolutely rock solid, and one that keeps pace with technology year after year. By offering extra toys every 12-18 months to those that can afford to upgrade, we make AppGameKit stronger for everyone. One advantage in this shift from feature drops to fixes is that the version you'll have by the time a major upgrade arrives will be very stable and proven, uncluttered with hastily rushed out features and in little need of ongoing fixes.

Major Upgrade's are a distant spec on the horizon at the moment, you have HTML and Playbook to look forward to, plus some valuable new command sets to improve what you can do with an AppGameKit app across the device continuum.

P.S. HTML5 is on my immediate radar and I have started some prototypes, and might yet morph into a basic HTML + Java + OpenGL initially to capture more browse compatibility. Once I have something nifty to show, I will tweet it so keep watching!

P.P.S. If you have a real problem with the 'major upgrade' strategy for AppGameKit, I would like to hear your views on the subject. Thanks.

Thanks for clearing things Lee.

I can understand that 3D would be a major update, and I don't pretend that we get a full 3d command set for free!!!

Other SDKs have you pay a hefty yearly fee, and that's ok for companies who have a good profit turnover. But people like me, who will publish 1 simple free game at most per year, just for our own enjoyment, prefer to pay a 1 time fee like AppGameKit is now. A lot of people are already holding back from paying the $99 Apple fee and compile the AppGameKit player themselves. I can understand them, when you are just a hobbyist even $20 counts.

Looking forward to HTML5, it will be interesting to see how AppGameKit will be packaged for deployment on the web!!!

The updates sound exciting Lee. I'm going to chime in the with the major upgrade cost. I am perfectly happy to pay for the major upgrade cost as long as AppGameKit gets the support (fixes/updates/attention) it needs between major updates. As lovely as a one time fee sounds it is exactly as you said - unsustainable. I'd rather pay more over the long term and receive a better product than just one time and receive a so-so product. As long as major upgrade prices remain reasonable as I'm sure they will/would.

Kaband, exactly as you said - it all depends on the price of the upgrade!

Stop whining about $this and that, nothing at TGC is expensive, if you want to buy adobe or microsoft programs, you have to pay 100 to 1000 times as much... I think TGC are selling themself cheap as it is, and I don't mind paying for the hard work they put into their products. In Norway $20 is barely enaugh for a lunch, I don't get it...

Totally agree with Impetus73. We had to pay ?373 recently just to upgrade Delphi to XE2. Real price is ?636. Admittedly, it does a hell of lot more - but TGC charge very little for the effort they put in.

Impetus, Visual Studio Express is free, so you don't have to pay 1000 times as much!

It's free, because people have paid 1000 of $ to microsoft for all their other programs for decades. If TGC had that income, they could do the same. Microsoft only gives away free stuff to capture poor students, so they will start loving microsoft, and get use to their systems... then they make money on those same students, when they start working for some company later.

then they make money on those same students, when they start working for some company later.

When said company buys their own software and provides said ex students with a free MSDN subscription entitling them to free Microsoft software.

Much like my employer has. Ahhh, I love free Microsoft stuff.

Almost like drug dealers, give some away for free, and they'r hooked for life

Said companies, buy what the students wants them to buy, since they need that for the work they do for the company. And the students then ask for microsoft products.

I can't complain about Visual Studio. It's surely much more better than Eclipse!!!!!!

My laptop came with a Windows7 licence, so I did not have to pay Microsoft any 1000$.

I got an MSDN, I haven't had to pay for any of my 7 windows 7 ultimate licences!

MSDN is not free, it's rather expensive infact. We're not talking about you getting free software from your office, and by the way you'r not allowed to install those at home . We were talking about free software from the original developers.

Back on topic, I think paying for upgrades such as a 3D command set is fine.
Something like 3D is an easy example as some will want it and some wont.