Howdy folks! The time has finally come.
With TFM 2022.08 we will be implementing what we can that hasn't been targeted in TFM 2022.07, and this will be the final release for what will now be considered a Legacy plugin. In turn, we will be breaking TFM down and replacing features with pre existing software, and for anything else that isn't provided elsewhere will be implemented into a core and extension system; the reason behind this change is due in part to TFM containing too much legacy code that cannot be changed, alongside the TFGL restrictions and the fact that TFM is so resource intensive on its own (due to the plugin constantly accessing and calling methods and fields across a large spectrum of processes) that it has become not only difficult to work with as a developer but also brings out numerous performance issues which are highlighted by the single threaded server system that paper so ungraciously provides.
What does this mean? TFM will not change in spirit, but in actual process and end user target things will be much easier to understand and work on, alongside being much faster and reliable. Not only that, but the core-extension concept will allow us to split what we have to custom build ourselves into sections which will not only be much more manageable but also will not cause the entire server to fail if one feature breaks, which is the case for TFM currently.
As it stands, 2022.08 will continue as an LTS release (garnering bugfixes and patches alike as needed), until it can be officially retired and replaced by the new project. There is no name assigned as of this moment, however it will not be related to TFM to remain ambiguous from the legacy plugin, and to also avoid licensing under TFGL. From here on out, TFGL will be retired and either GPL or MIT will be used instead.
We want to give our developers as much freedom as possible in regards to development and creation; as it currently stands that is not the case. We also want to ensure our community is satisfied with the performance and stability of the server, and it is believed that this is a necessary step to bring a much more adaptable and solidified plugin structure to TF that will enhance player AND developer experiences.
Thanks much folks, here's to hoping we have a successful turnout for these changes. 🍻