TARS started out as idea for a fun project that would integrate the clickable radio panels in DCS: A-10C Warthog and DCS: Black Shark with Teamspeak 3. Orignally, the plan was for TARS to strictly be a channel switching tool (it was literally supposed to just move players from channel to channel in Teamspeak), and not to incorporate the radio sound effects and other simulation-style features that it currently has. Over time, and as fans of the DCS series made suggestions for features, TARS evolved into a genuine simulation tool. TARS is now used by numerous DCS players in over ten countries, and is the premier VOIP integration tool for those seeking to enjoy a higher fidelity communications experience in multiplayer games of DCS: A-10C and DCS: Black Shark. In short, TARS is more successful than I possibly could have hoped, thanks in large part to community suggestions and the assistance of the volunteers who have tested TARS both internally and after the first public beta.
The Future of TARS…
Now on to the immediate future of TARS. The bad news is that the the current TARS beta will no longer be usable once the final version of Teamspeak 3 is released. This is due to the sound system change that has been mentioned in previous postings–to recap, Teamspeak is changing its sound system and this will require a rewrite for a portion of TARS. The good news is that the conversion to an alternative, custom sound system is underway, however it is taking additional time due to the volunteer nature of the project. Ultimately TARS will be much better off with its own sound system, since it will enable the delivery of enhanced radio effects that would not otherwise have been possible. With that out of the way, it’s time to share with you what our future plans are for the TARS project. Below is a feature-specific set of goals for the next few releases of TARS.
Of course, because TARS is a free project, the development schedule is highly fluid and dates are approximate. Getting TARS up and running with the upcoming release of Teamspeak 3 is priority one, but it’s also important that players be able to use their Joystick and HOTAS hardware natively with TARS. This is particularly true for Thrustmaster Warthog owners, who have collectively asked for support. After those priorities have been addressed, I’ll be looking to adapt TARS to work with Flaming Cliffs 2.0 at the request of many FC2 fans. Yes, the poll results from the DCS forums were heard loud and clear–TARS is now getting planned FC2 support, and you will see the results of this in the relevant release.
Finally, once the above is out of the way, I will be addressing the requested advanced features slated on the right of the roadmap. These features will include the three most sought-after items that have been suggested by TARS users: Terrain-based effects, radio modulation effects, and encryption. Radio modulation effects in particular will provide a more realistic experience by making it harder for people to “talk over” each other, particularly on an FM band, where this is effectively impossible to do.
Ultimately, I would like to continue to keep TARS free to use. But with the creation of advanced features, continued development, and ongoing support comes the need for funding, which brings us to…
Donations
Want to support TARS? Perhaps your virtual squad or gaming group uses TARS and would like to show its appreciation. You now have the opportunity to donate to the development effort. Your donations are appreciated and will be the deciding factor in keeping TARS free to use in the immediate future and for a long time to come.
