[professordp]

Like many of you here, I've followed and played what is now known as TBCB since it was released under the Jim Barnes Statis-Pro umbrella and subsequently on to Truco, AH, APBA, Lance Haffner, Comp-U-Serve, OOTP, and now Paul's version.


The game's docked at more ports over the past four decades than did Odysseus on his way home to the waiting arms of Penelope...which has always given me some degree of concern.


While TBCB has certainly been resilient, it has equally been rather nomadic. Call me a cynic, but given the game's rootless history, what happens when it becomes "post-Paul"?


Will someone pick it up, or will it be consigned to the "dustbin of history"?


As Cap and others have posted, OOTP has walked away from the game. My general impression, and it's just an impression, there's not much satisfaction with the 2013 version.


I think that Antonin's comments above along with Mugsy's reference to a lack of responsiveness by Paul doesn't bode well.


About a decade ago, an independent game designer produced an excellent hockey PC game called "Quest". After several years, he just couldn't devote the time to revise and upgrade. Rather than just let the game fall by the wayside, he did the noble thing...he made it freeware.


If Paul's version doesn't ultimately get off the ground and OOTP has closed the door on the game, should not OOTP do the right thing by making TBCB 2.5 freeware?


Once again, TBCB's history has pretty much made it somewhat of an orphan in the storm. Sadly boxing has become a niche sport, and while there's hardcore support for TBCB, its passage through so many hands over nearly forty years strongly suggests that no one can make a $ selling it.


Like the guy who created the Quest hockey game, OOTP should do the noble thing by making TBCB 2.5 freeware.


Just remember, we're all one hard drive crash away from the game becoming nothing more than a fond memory.