COVID-ready: Internet mode

Good news, everyone

Tank Wars: Anniversary Edition is now "COVID-ready"!

Better late than never

Feature updates

• In addition to LAN mode, we have implemented another networked multiplayer mode based on Steam Networking that allows you to play with your friends over the Internet.

It was a deliberate decision to limit this mode to players who you are friends with on Steam. There are many reasons for this, but the two most relevant are the following:

1. Tank Wars

   Anniversary Edition is still best played as a hotseat match on a Saturday evening with some friends. The main intentions for networked multiplayer mode(s) at all were to enable simultaneous mode and real-time mode against each other and to address unfavorable room situations with regard to input and output devices with several players. While the first is more of a "gimmick", the second aspect is becoming more important with spatial separation in the COVID-19 situation, which increases the need specifically for an Internet-based mode.

   However, the friend aspect remains

   One of the main factors for maximum fun is playing off different human characters against each other. This is not really possible with unknown counterparties. When in doubt, this decision should be left to the players themselves, but then it comes to the second reason:

2. Tank Wars

   Anniversary Edition is a niche product and not very popular. Finding unknown playmates could be quite frustrating. Using various channels to find interested friends instead should be more promising.

   To finally close the circle again

   the Internet mode is mainly intended to overcome the COVID-related spatial separation of friends in a preferably classic (turn-based) match.

We didn't want to delay the Internet mode even more, but still: if you notice bugs or other problems, please let us know. Have fun!