This is a huge thread, so I don't know if this has been addressed.
Replays are a big goal for many players. The lack of an in game mechanic for sharing clips is a big gaping hole - in fact it's a breakdown in toribash's feedback loop.
What is to many players the best part of toribash, has functionally been very weak. I think that's part of why some players quit early.
Imo TBN needs to have something resembling these things:
1) better replay indexing (tag replays automatically for decaps, or custom manual tags) and custom parameters for auto-saves (again, decaps for example)
2) Heavily improved replay browsing, to see top replays this week/month/all-time
3) an integrated "clip" function, to make gif-like thumbnails in the browsing menus, click it to dl/view the replay as normal.
4) personal replay pages integrated with replay/player browsing menus, in which players can customize what replays appear and in what order. Almost a splash page for players, with a small static image of their textured tori
5) an actual, functioning friend mechanic, that can take you to their replay/splash page
6) better automatic mod downloads so there's less replay glitching, or make it clear from access point that you need a certain mod, and make it visually easy to click a button, many new players don't know / commands
7) maybe the ability to comment directly under replays, tbd by the uploader - moderated ofc
These are general ideas, take from it what you will - but the point is clear.
To me, improved replay functionality is required for tb to grow. A huge portion of new players that don't get into tb never go on the forums/disc. The player base has had to go to great lengths to share replays - to the extent that many just get video makers to make them a vid, and never share replays. Hell, lately I've been screen-grabbing with OBS, converting to gif and posting on my clan disc.
To rely on the playerbase to carry such a huge part of the feedback loop is a problem. I understand it and I'm not complaining - tb works the way it works atm hence TBN - but it needs to change.
It's super fucking clunky downloading .rpl's, and most players never even bother with it. I know that it likely won't stay the same file type when TBN comes, but if it's functioning comparably to now we'll have the same problem.
The replay subforum on TB is dead as hell, and has always been rough - even our old, advanced players have to bump their threads for cnc, all bc it's such a pain to download replays.
To me toribash is not a dead game. I've never come online and seen 0 other players. As much as our community likes to talk crap about it, they keep coming back. Our players don't just enjoy tb, we LOVE tb. To me toribash is alive. But we all know our playerbase has dwindled. Sure tb is hard when you're new - but they're also missing the reward of the feedback loop. Who can blame them?
I do see the point in making TBN, stability and so on, but if these issues aren't addressed my appreciation of the new platform/system for play will be very, very watered down --
Because at that point what functionally changes in the feedback loop?
