Hello everyone,
First and foremost, I want to extend a huge thank you for your incredible patience and continued support. It has been ten months since the last update for the FairGrounds mod, and I am deeply aware that is a significant amount of time. I'm writing to you today to provide a full, transparent update on where things stand and what's coming next.
The Good News: Progress is Being Made!
I'm excited to share that a major part of the next update is already complete: a full rewrite of the mod's menu system. This new menu is a visual upgrade.
The Big New Feature: Team Derby Mode
The centerpiece of this upcoming update is the highly requested Team Derby Mode. This will allow you to choose teams and battle it out in a chaotic free-for-all, where victory is achieved as a team. The core structure is in place – you can select teams, spawn in, and the game logic understands the teams.
The Current Challenge: AI Behavior
However, this is where I've hit a significant development snag. For Team Derby mode to be any fun, the AI needs to be smart, aggressive, and drive convincingly as a team. I have been completely stuck trying to get the AI to perform at the standard I want for a release. They simply aren't driving well enough yet, and releasing the mode in its current state would be a disappointing experience.
Why This Matters & An Apology
I also want to sincerely apologize to those of you who have reported that the current version of the mod isn't working correctly. The issues you're experiencing are precisely why I rewrote the menu system. The new menu code contains the necessary fixes to resolve those problems.
It's frustrating for me, too, that I cannot simply release the new menu now to fix those bugs. However, the new menu and the team mode are so deeply integrated that I cannot release one without the other.
Moving Forward
My absolute focus right now is solving the AI puzzle. I am testing, tweaking, and experimenting daily to get it right. I will not release the update until this core feature meets a quality bar we can all enjoy.
Thank you for bearing with me while I work through these complex problems. Your support means the world and is the fuel that keeps this project going, even through tough development periods.
I will be back with more updates as soon as I have a breakthrough.