Welcome Back GarageGames!
by Eric Preisz · 01/20/2011 (4:27 am) · 553 comments

You've been patiently waiting and the time has come. GarageGames is back! We've changed our name back to GarageGames and we are dropping the prices on all products to $99.00 to celebrate our new direction and return to our indie roots. It's been a storied ten years for the GarageGames name and we are looking forward to ushering in the next decade.
The return of GarageGames is much more than a $99 price point. It's a commitment to the community who grew with us over the years. It's a return to the values that brought people together to make great games without the burden of unbearable pricing or royalties. Our community is a diverse group of people who are willing and able to help each other grow as game developers and we can't wait to take that community to the next level. So before I dive into details, let's put some stakes in the ground:
We are committed to delivering you a full source solution without royalties at a price that indies can afford,
We are committed to a better out of the box experience: more intuitive tools focused on design, better tutorials and documentation, and web-site updates that support our most valuable feature…our community,
We are committed to bringing in more talent that can help us execute reliable processes, provide better quality, and set higher standards that exceed your expectation ( btw…we are hiring ).
You will find real evidence of our commitments scattered through this site that we updated late last night. The most obvious is the $99.00 price tag. We believe that this price makes the Torque product line available to everyone with a serious itch to make a game without opening the flood gates for free users who may not be as committed to the same goals as paid developers who rely on our support in the forums. You will notice that we are sun-setting TorqueX and providing refunds to those who pre-ordered iTorque 3D. We know that what we need more than anything is a more focused roadmap and these choices are a difficult, but necessary, step in that direction. You can find more product updates on this blog.
You may be wondering who the new owners are. First off, they are modest, so they asked that I not make them the focus of this blog. I'm guessing; however, that you do want to know that we are in good hands. Trust me...we are. Over the past couple of weeks I talked with dozens of interested parties but none of their values aligned as closely as they do with Graham Software Development. I can't thank them enough for suggesting and supporting the low price-point and the resurgence of the GarageGames brand. These guys are just like us; they are indie developers with the drive and desire to build something that changes the way people make games.
There's a lot for us to do. Setting and achieving a new, higher standard for game development tools won't happen overnight. On top of that challenge, we are switching over to new services ( web hosting, payment processing, etc. ) and moving into a new building (we are staying in Vegas, just moving to a bigger location ). We are also hiring and will be adding new people to the team ( did I mention that we are hiring? ). So you may see a few fresh company faces in the forums. Because of these moving pieces, you may notice the occasional web-site glitch or other disruption. So thanks, in advance, for your patience as we make these changes.
In closing, I can’t thank you enough for sticking with us during this time. The team stayed together through the transition and I can't help but think that your enthusiasm and kind words played a big role in making that happen. We look forward to meeting our new goals so that we can continue to deliver on the promise of bringing royalty free, full-source, game engines to everyone!
So let’s hear it in the comments. It's time to make some noise for GarageGames!
~Eric Preisz
CEO, GarageGames, LLC.
About the author
Manager, Programmer, Author, Professor, Small Business Owner, and Marketer.
#142
Well, I think that is a challenge worth facing. Unlike a few other communities that internally turn on each other, I think this GarageGames community can handle an influx. I will personally be in the forums more often to help out with the "how do i" and "can this" posts. I've seen the best and worst in the forums, and the best always rise to the top.
01/20/2011 (12:26 pm)
Quote:and now the 1.000.000 posts a month on "how do i","can this" comes, i'm kind of afraid the professionalism of the forum will go out the window as well.
Well, I think that is a challenge worth facing. Unlike a few other communities that internally turn on each other, I think this GarageGames community can handle an influx. I will personally be in the forums more often to help out with the "how do i" and "can this" posts. I've seen the best and worst in the forums, and the best always rise to the top.
#143
Or that time you bought that refrigerator for $700, just to have those dirty no good sons of a wet rodent put it on sale for half off the next week.
Life is full of little things like this. Stop crying and grow up. Even in an industry of introverts you need to deal with people, and if you're going to cry about every little perceived slight you won't get far.
And you only paid $500?!? I want you to pay me the difference because I paid $600. And the $99 for the original TGE in '04, and $199 for TSE (later TGEA).
In fact, this post is aimed at anyone who feels that they were somehow "cheated" by this decision. You're sniveling crybabies. Shut up and build a game (royalty free, btw).
01/20/2011 (12:27 pm)
@Bo - Hey man, bet that's what you said about that DVD player eh? Bought it when the tech was new for $200 and now they're $30. Bet you yelled at Sony or Panasonic about it. Tried to take your DVD player back.Or that time you bought that refrigerator for $700, just to have those dirty no good sons of a wet rodent put it on sale for half off the next week.
Life is full of little things like this. Stop crying and grow up. Even in an industry of introverts you need to deal with people, and if you're going to cry about every little perceived slight you won't get far.
And you only paid $500?!? I want you to pay me the difference because I paid $600. And the $99 for the original TGE in '04, and $199 for TSE (later TGEA).
In fact, this post is aimed at anyone who feels that they were somehow "cheated" by this decision. You're sniveling crybabies. Shut up and build a game (royalty free, btw).
#144
It was awesome to say hi to Erik in IRC... Barry just never took the time to chat a little ;)
The thing I loved most about GG was the guerilla game making vibe... here's me hoping you guys recapture it. The $99 price point honoring the TGE heritage bodes well!!!
01/20/2011 (12:28 pm)
Congrats again :) It was awesome to say hi to Erik in IRC... Barry just never took the time to chat a little ;)
The thing I loved most about GG was the guerilla game making vibe... here's me hoping you guys recapture it. The $99 price point honoring the TGE heritage bodes well!!!
#145
@Bo: It's not possible to predict what future software prices will be, especially with a change of ownership. I expected it to be cheaper once new owners came along, but not this greatly reduced. But am I bitter? No, I've had years to get to know at least two of the engines, and even made some money with my knowledge :)
Did the engine seem right at the price you got it for back in the day? If not, why did you buy it?
01/20/2011 (12:28 pm)
@Erik: You got that wrong - the IRC is not hosted in Vegas ;)@Bo: It's not possible to predict what future software prices will be, especially with a change of ownership. I expected it to be cheaper once new owners came along, but not this greatly reduced. But am I bitter? No, I've had years to get to know at least two of the engines, and even made some money with my knowledge :)
Did the engine seem right at the price you got it for back in the day? If not, why did you buy it?
#146
Thanks Eric, Mich, and anyone else I don't know of for not giving up on it!
01/20/2011 (12:28 pm)
Really, Really, happy to see GarageGames make a comeback.. would have been a shame for our entire community to die along with it.Thanks Eric, Mich, and anyone else I don't know of for not giving up on it!
#147
And i do hope everything works out for you guys at GarageGames, i really do, so hope no-one gets me wrong on that.
@Richard - Yeah, but i did not help make the DVD player, nor spend time on making it was it is now, what you dont understand is the time i put into the actual engine, and that i was, well not proud, but, happy i had this engine.
Now, its (in my eyes), one of those give away engines and nothing special to own, forum will get flooded with (pardon my language) unprofessional posts in tons, and i simply don't have the time to sip true 1000 posts to find something helpful.
And, i would be pissed if i went to buy a bluray player for 500$ and a week later it would be 99$, and im betting you would be to (and in engine time, this is front line tech still).
I mean, this engine is still beta, and still such a huge price drop :)
Any ways, no reason to argue it, i just felt i had to voice my, well call it ignorance, crybaby voice or what you want, before i left on for newer hunting grounds.. :)
So good luck to all on your projects, imma surf on now :)
01/20/2011 (12:29 pm)
@Micheal - 1000$ to 99$ is not what I personally would call "fluctuation", but, I do agree you guys needed to do something.And i do hope everything works out for you guys at GarageGames, i really do, so hope no-one gets me wrong on that.
@Richard - Yeah, but i did not help make the DVD player, nor spend time on making it was it is now, what you dont understand is the time i put into the actual engine, and that i was, well not proud, but, happy i had this engine.
Now, its (in my eyes), one of those give away engines and nothing special to own, forum will get flooded with (pardon my language) unprofessional posts in tons, and i simply don't have the time to sip true 1000 posts to find something helpful.
And, i would be pissed if i went to buy a bluray player for 500$ and a week later it would be 99$, and im betting you would be to (and in engine time, this is front line tech still).
I mean, this engine is still beta, and still such a huge price drop :)
Any ways, no reason to argue it, i just felt i had to voice my, well call it ignorance, crybaby voice or what you want, before i left on for newer hunting grounds.. :)
So good luck to all on your projects, imma surf on now :)
#148
Congrats to all who worked tirelessly on getting this done. You deserve all the praise in this thread and tons more. :-) <-- That's me smiling.
01/20/2011 (12:30 pm)
I go away for a day and what happens? GG IS BACK!!! Yayyyy. Congrats to all who worked tirelessly on getting this done. You deserve all the praise in this thread and tons more. :-) <-- That's me smiling.
#149
I think though, two types of licenses would be a good idea, and independent and studio version should be available. For a small software studio, being able to assign seats is a good way to handle things. Sometimes developers come and go at small companies, being able to assign/reassign works well in those situation.
I swear, when I saw the Garage Games logo on the site there was a loud applause and cheering going off in my head. Welcome back! :)
01/20/2011 (1:00 pm)
Great job Eric! You managed to wake Garage Games out of a 2 year nightmare. Seeing the Garage Games logo feels right at home once again. I kind of figured a couple product lines would be dropped, glad you went with going full speed on T3D & T2D. I have no interest in T2D but understand it is important to a lot of developers out there, it is a huge market and shouldn't be ignored. I've been a TGE owner since 2002, I've got in on every early adopter each time there was a newer version coming out. Gotta say that $99 price tag is a damn good idea, heck that's a dollar less than I paid for the first TGE back in 2002! It will bring in a lot more developers into the community. The low price is what got Garage Games off the ground in the first place, even though I paid a higher price for what I got I feel it was worth every penny. $99 is ideal for college students struggling with tuition fees and books and parking tickets.I think though, two types of licenses would be a good idea, and independent and studio version should be available. For a small software studio, being able to assign seats is a good way to handle things. Sometimes developers come and go at small companies, being able to assign/reassign works well in those situation.
I swear, when I saw the Garage Games logo on the site there was a loud applause and cheering going off in my head. Welcome back! :)
#150
I didn't want to say it before, but I really hated it when you guys were bought out by IA. I personally loved GG over TP.
I think you will find EVERYONE will be happy with this decision. I don't know who wouldn't be.
01/20/2011 (1:01 pm)
Yes! Thank you! YES!!!I didn't want to say it before, but I really hated it when you guys were bought out by IA. I personally loved GG over TP.
I think you will find EVERYONE will be happy with this decision. I don't know who wouldn't be.
#151
If you want the source code for the Unity engine, it is 6 figures per year.
I did a trade study for my company on game engines, and Torque is the best engine for the money!
01/20/2011 (1:01 pm)
@Bo - The $99 price is a limited time offer and it it is there to help the community grow and make Torque better. Even paying $500 for a great engine is a bargain. Look at any other engine that provides the source code and there is no one like Torque.If you want the source code for the Unity engine, it is 6 figures per year.
I did a trade study for my company on game engines, and Torque is the best engine for the money!
#152
Thank you for saving and returning this fine company. The price change is a reflection of action and change, well done!
Respect.
01/20/2011 (1:03 pm)
Congrats to the new GarageGames team / company!Thank you for saving and returning this fine company. The price change is a reflection of action and change, well done!
Respect.
#153
Question though. The T3D engine says web publishing available, but since IA isn't your owners anymore, does that mean it isn't available?
I know only a superhuman could update EVERY little thing on the website, but I just wasn't sure.
01/20/2011 (1:08 pm)
Excuse me while I change my bookmark name from TorquePowered back to what it was originally.Question though. The T3D engine says web publishing available, but since IA isn't your owners anymore, does that mean it isn't available?
I know only a superhuman could update EVERY little thing on the website, but I just wasn't sure.
#154
As for the pricing, the $1000 was a ridiculous price point at the outset, and many of us did say so, I like most here got the EA + TGEA discount, which made the engine more affordable, but still a little high for the 'hobbyist' but I like many here recognised that the value was there, and still is. Personally i was more annoyed that MY money was paying for IAC to proffiteer off the back of the iFAD revolution in the US and paying developers who should have been working on t3d and its documentation to instead work on iphone stuff.
However that was then, this is now, i'm just glad that the company i initially put my cash and trust into is with us again.
I dont know what they have planned for studio, but i think keeping the existing system in place and allowing people who have studio to purchase multiple copies of any of the engines for temporary re-assignment to another registered garage games member.
I do have another question however that doesnt seem to be answered elsewhere. With the binary edition no longer exsiting, does this mean we can distribute a tools enabled version to other people in our teams now in the same way that we did with TGEA? if so thats also fantastic news for the hobbyist and much smaller indie devs.
To re-iterate, congrats to all involed, and i'm sure Michael is looking forward to getting back to the docs :D
01/20/2011 (1:14 pm)
I'm happy GG is back, not for the prices but for what it actually stands for.As for the pricing, the $1000 was a ridiculous price point at the outset, and many of us did say so, I like most here got the EA + TGEA discount, which made the engine more affordable, but still a little high for the 'hobbyist' but I like many here recognised that the value was there, and still is. Personally i was more annoyed that MY money was paying for IAC to proffiteer off the back of the iFAD revolution in the US and paying developers who should have been working on t3d and its documentation to instead work on iphone stuff.
However that was then, this is now, i'm just glad that the company i initially put my cash and trust into is with us again.
I dont know what they have planned for studio, but i think keeping the existing system in place and allowing people who have studio to purchase multiple copies of any of the engines for temporary re-assignment to another registered garage games member.
I do have another question however that doesnt seem to be answered elsewhere. With the binary edition no longer exsiting, does this mean we can distribute a tools enabled version to other people in our teams now in the same way that we did with TGEA? if so thats also fantastic news for the hobbyist and much smaller indie devs.
To re-iterate, congrats to all involed, and i'm sure Michael is looking forward to getting back to the docs :D
#155
01/20/2011 (1:26 pm)
Any remote job?
#157
Sure I wish it would have been cheaper when I bought it but I happily handed the going price over and I have been happy with my choice. It is a chance we take and I am happy so far. The thought of several new resources, tutorials, suggestions, and addons developed by new members has got me way to excited to even think about what I have paid in the past for the products I have.
"and now the 1.000.000 posts a month on "how do i","can this" comes, i'm kind of afraid the professionalism of the forum will go out the window as well."
I think a beginner section in the forums for each engine would help with this issue. All of the "how do I" questions often turn into a very usefull resource for new people and experienced people doing new things.
Overall Thanks to everyone at Garage Games that have been working hard the last few weeks to make all of this possible. I have been on the internet reading these blogs several times a day ever since November and it has been well wortth it after hearing the news today. I woke up three times last night and just had to grab my phone to see if the server was back up. Good luck everyone!
01/20/2011 (1:35 pm)
I also paid top dollar for my Torque3D license but I also have been able to use it since the day of purchase. I did not have to wait until today inorder to get it for $99 dollars and just now start using it.Sure I wish it would have been cheaper when I bought it but I happily handed the going price over and I have been happy with my choice. It is a chance we take and I am happy so far. The thought of several new resources, tutorials, suggestions, and addons developed by new members has got me way to excited to even think about what I have paid in the past for the products I have.
"and now the 1.000.000 posts a month on "how do i","can this" comes, i'm kind of afraid the professionalism of the forum will go out the window as well."
I think a beginner section in the forums for each engine would help with this issue. All of the "how do I" questions often turn into a very usefull resource for new people and experienced people doing new things.
Overall Thanks to everyone at Garage Games that have been working hard the last few weeks to make all of this possible. I have been on the internet reading these blogs several times a day ever since November and it has been well wortth it after hearing the news today. I woke up three times last night and just had to grab my phone to see if the server was back up. Good luck everyone!
#158
01/20/2011 (1:46 pm)
Woo! Congrats and hooray and welcome back!
#159
EULAs are written by lawyers with express intent of befuddling normal human beings, they are not for the EU they never have been.
Somehow I missed the section of the faq relating to tools thanks for pointing me back in that direction (ever spend hours looking for something only to find it where you thought you'd looked before?)
However the tools thing is still a little vague. I will interpret that to mean the following, I provide a level builder for my game a tools enabled version of my game so that he can help me develop the game.
01/20/2011 (1:48 pm)
@DavidEULAs are written by lawyers with express intent of befuddling normal human beings, they are not for the EU they never have been.
Somehow I missed the section of the faq relating to tools thanks for pointing me back in that direction (ever spend hours looking for something only to find it where you thought you'd looked before?)
However the tools thing is still a little vague. I will interpret that to mean the following, I provide a level builder for my game a tools enabled version of my game so that he can help me develop the game.
#160
My advice is, look at what Unity has done, and try and do "whatever you can" to get it into the minds of people that Torque 2D/i2D and 3D is as accessible as possible to "non programmers".
Unity's strength has definitely been in allowing the non programmer to feel comfortable putting a game together.
I understand the massive advantage of source code access, as I'm more of a programmer myself, but I think the "market" goes where the artist/noob game developer goes and right now I think there's still a disconnect somewhere for newcomers/non tech people.
A programmer can get a game together no matter what, but sees the advantage of having the source code (this isn't the primary market though. An artist or team of artists don't care about source, if the tools feel inaccessible to them, they still won't be able to create a functional game. A large number of Unity success stories, particularly on iPhone were made by non-programmers.
This is probably a combination of a) documentation, b) starter kits, c) video training, d) tweaks to the editor tools, and e) as much access to necessary functionality from scripts as possible. Some of that fear is most likely just perception but in markets, perception is reality.
I think that would put Torque at a major advantage over the competition because they could now boast "artist friendly" + SOURCE available at a competitive price.
Congratulations on the new focus, new ownership, and new head of steam.
01/20/2011 (1:48 pm)
Good to see GG back. It's a bit sad to see TX go (the only product I owned), but I understand why, given the need to focus, and the limited market for XBox Live Indie Games. I stopped development for that platform myself when I saw the "majority" of the initial sales figures. It's a tough market with MS points and the expectations of a large number of console gamers who want COD: Black Ops...for 2 bucks.My advice is, look at what Unity has done, and try and do "whatever you can" to get it into the minds of people that Torque 2D/i2D and 3D is as accessible as possible to "non programmers".
Unity's strength has definitely been in allowing the non programmer to feel comfortable putting a game together.
I understand the massive advantage of source code access, as I'm more of a programmer myself, but I think the "market" goes where the artist/noob game developer goes and right now I think there's still a disconnect somewhere for newcomers/non tech people.
A programmer can get a game together no matter what, but sees the advantage of having the source code (this isn't the primary market though. An artist or team of artists don't care about source, if the tools feel inaccessible to them, they still won't be able to create a functional game. A large number of Unity success stories, particularly on iPhone were made by non-programmers.
This is probably a combination of a) documentation, b) starter kits, c) video training, d) tweaks to the editor tools, and e) as much access to necessary functionality from scripts as possible. Some of that fear is most likely just perception but in markets, perception is reality.
I think that would put Torque at a major advantage over the competition because they could now boast "artist friendly" + SOURCE available at a competitive price.
Congratulations on the new focus, new ownership, and new head of steam.

Community Manager Michael Perry
ZombieShortbus
No decision will make everyone happy. Yeah, we know. We wish it was possible to please everyone, but the decisions that have been made recently have nothing but good intentions. Grow the community, focus on the tech, get back to roots.
We completely appreciate everyone who has helped us in the past ten years. Whether you were an intern, contractor, employee or contributing community member, you are a part of Torque. Always will be.
As I just said in IRC, fluctuation in pricing is not unique. You see it in every industry. I really like what Hicks said in IRC:
It's very blunt, but that's the case with all product consumption. I really would hate to see you leave and I will not deny the contributions you've made...nor anyone else. Remember what started all this, though. A full source, powerful engine available at super affordable prices. This is what started it all...and we are hoping to get back on track with what grew this community to begin with. Some will stay, some won't. All are welcome anytime they wish to return.