History of TheoTown



TheoTown is a pseudo-SimCity 2000 city-building game that is well known for its graphic design, simplicity and gameplay. Currently, it is managed by Blueflower, a game developing company based in Germany founded by 2 German game developers, Philip Köhl, and Fabian I. Miltenburger (under the alias "Lobby").

Since it's inception in 2007, TheoTown has expanded to different platforms and introduced numerous versions of the game itself.

Information listed here might be inaccurate due to the insufficient amount of sources.

The City-Project (2003 - 2007)
The City-Project is the original precursor to TheoTown. It is a solo effort by Cristian Weigel, a German game developer .The only remaining evidence suggesting this game exists is through a Youtube video posted by Fabian I. Miltenburger, a major collaborator with Christian in TheoTown under the alias "1Lobby", posted a video titled "TheoTown, Stand vom November 2007 ". It featured gameplay of one the early versions of the game (version 0.5.1). His description includes some basic information of the game itself:"'Ein kleiner Rückblick, dieses Video zeigt das Spiel TheoTown aus dem Jahre 2007. Damals noch von theotheoderich in Blitz3D entwickelt, leider aus Kompatibilitäts-, Rechenleistungs-, Zeit- und Aufwandsgründen eingestellt worden.'"Translated version (in English):"'A little retrospective, this video shows the game TheoTown from 2007. At that time still developed by theotheoderich in Blitz3D, unfortunately discontinued for compatibility, computing power, time and effort reasons.'."The City-Project is powered on Blitz3D, a game engine released in 2001, ran on C++ and language dialects of BASIC. It bears extreme resemblance to TheoTown. Some of the programming and graphics of The City-Project are later reused for TheoTown.

According to Fabian, it is known that there is a test version of The City-Project available to download on the Internet, though the link is currently either lost or unavailable.

Blitz3D (2007 - 2010)
Around September 2007, based on the existing The City-Project, Christian started another new developement called TheoTown, name after his alias "Theotheoderich".

On January 9th 2008, Christian, using his alias "Theotheoderich", announced the development of TheoTown in Blitzforums. This is his original statement (translated in English):"'Start of the project: Sep. 2007 My city project is to be a SimCity 2000-style city-building game, but without achieving its complexity. The game is being worked out at the request of my 5-year-old son, as he does not yet fully understand the depth of SC2000. From the side, the game is not extremely realistic, rather it is designed for children. Almost all graphics are made by myself (some of the vehicles), and unfortunately not all of them are exactly true to scale. In contrast to SC2000, no building plots are designated, instead the buildings are built individually.' "  On January 24th, the official forum for TheoTown, the Theotown Forums, is created. The first user is "Theotheoderich", created in that same day.

At the same year, the interface is largely updated, with the inclusion of new graphics. Around this time, some buildings, including the "Elementary School" and "Cinema" that appeared in the current game, are created by Christian. Using his alias, he posted some of this graphics to the newly made TheoTown forums. It is perhaps interesting that one of the earliest contributors for TheoTown's in-game graphics is Alexander Brose, or under the alias "A.Brose". A German graphics designer based in Hamburg, he contributed some in-game graphics in 2008 and created some in-game graphics that are later adopted for the current game. He is also one of the earliest members in the TheoTown Forums, joining the forums in June 2008.

A.Brose also created other isometric graphics for reasons not known. The isometric graphics vaguely resembles some buildings that are added to TheoTown much later. He currently has a now-defunct blog, brosedesign, featuring his isometric in-game graphics. Some include skyscrapers, schools, houses, and factories. His blog hasn't made any updates since 2008. It is also noted that he also made graphics for the strategy game Simutrans.

Around 2009, Fabian I. Miltenburger, a German programmer, became aware of the project. Similar to Alexander Brose, he provided in-game graphics for the development. However, by that time, due to the increasing complexity of the game's coding and the aging of the programming itself (note: Blitz3D was written for a language dialect of BASIC, which appeared in 1964.), Christian halted the project, after 2 years of development. Christian later mentioned about this incident on the TheoTown Forums in 2017:  "'And yes, there is a long gap beween 2010 and 2015. I stopped working on TheoTown because I did not had time for it.' Shortly thereafter I started working on Escape from blocky planet. In 2015 i stopped working on this game to work on TheoTown again. Most of my games have never been completed. I was almost always interested in how a game is programmed. But I rarely had the patience to finish a game completely.'"After the development got shelved, he worked on other games, one of them is "Theo's Space Shooter", an endless, 1990s-style shooter game, with inspiration from the sci-fi shooter games of the 1980s. The other one is "Escape from Blocky Planet", a pseudo-Minecraft / Terraria game (released, 2012), where the main goal of the game is to let players escaping a fictional planet by obtaining stuff from the nature and craft them.

Revival and the use of the BlitzMax engine (2010)
After the development of the original TheoTown halted, which powered under the Blitz3D engine, Fabian requested permission from Christian in 2010 to revive the project.

Christian later agreed. By doing so, Fabian became the sole developer of the revived TheoTown. In order to combat with the issues of aging codings, he switched the game engine from Blitz3D to BlitzMax (released December 2004), a similar version of Blitz3D but with a more updated coding.

While changing most of the user interface (UI), he maintained the same ideas Christian originally had on the game, retaining most of the mainframe and structure of the original game.

Since there is a rise of usage of touch-screen friendly devices, Fabian liked the idea of intergrating TheoTown into touch-screen devices and experimented with touchscreen-friendly user interfaces (UI), despite the fact that the game could only be ran on a PC. Between 2009 and 2010, Fabian, using his alias "1Lobby", posted numerous videos featuring gameplay of the updated version of TheoTown ran by the BlitzMax game engine.

It featured an updated interface, while the remaining graphics for the buildings and terrain are reused from The City-Project and the previous versions of TheoTown.

By December, Fabian posted worklogs of the game in Blitzforum, under the alias "Lobby". It features major components of the system that bears huge resemblance to the current TheoTown today.

Struggle & and subsequent halt of development (2011 - 2014)
 In 2011, the development went into a struggle, followed again - by the increasing complexity of the coding, especially the problems and difficulties faced to implement the population system. Fabian is also facing his studies, which he prioritized it first. It caused the development to remain stagnant for 8 months.

There were doubts by other followers, trying to guess what had happened to the developement. Fabian later stated in a Blitzforum post in August 2011, declaring that there might be a "possibility" that TheoTown might be "dead". He also announced that he will officially make the game an open-source project, releasing all the graphics he and Theotheoderich had done throughout the years. "'Der Titel sagt ja schon fast das Meiste. Ist das Projekt TheoTown tot? Die kurze und knappe Antwort darauf kann meinerseits eigentlich nur 'vielleicht?' lauten. '"Translated version (in English):   "'The title says almost the most. Is the TheoTown project dead? For my part, the short and concise answer to this can only be 'maybe?'. '"After August 2011, there are no more further updates of the game. The TheoTown project is abandoned again for the second time.

Alpha (2015 - 2016)
Following the rise of Android in the early 2010s, Fabian conceived the idea of remaking TheoTown on this platform, instead using the PC platform that he and Christian individually developed for nearly a decade.

Development of the Android version of TheoTown started again in early 2015. On April 5th 2015, Fabian, using the TheoTown forums, officially did an announcement of the revival of TheoTown with this single post:"'Letztens hat es mich mal wieder gepackt, an TheoTown zu arbeiten. Dieses mal für die mobile Plattform Android.""Momentan hat die Spielelogik für mich höchste Priorität. Im Gegensatz zu früheren Ansätzen habe ich mich bei dieser Version dafür entschieden, dass Gebäude nicht einzeln vom Benutzer errichtet werden. Stattdessen legt dieser wie in diversen Vorbildern Zonen für Wohn- Gewerbe- und Industriegebäude fest.""Eine grobe ToDo-List: Bedarfssystem (bestimmt, was wann wo gebaut wird; sehr komplex, daher erst einmal einfach gehalten) Autos (wie in älteren Ansätzen) Brücken Speicher- und Ladefunktion Menü Weitere Gebäude hinzufügen Bis dann, ich melde mich wieder, sobald es etwas Testbares gibt.'"Translated version (in English):"'The last time I was working on TheoTown, I was once again able to work on it. This time for the mobile platform Android.""At the moment, the logic of the game is my top priority. Unlike previous approaches, I chose this version not to build buildings individually by the user. Instead, as in various models, it defines zones for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.""A rough todo list: Demand system (determines what is built when and where; very complex, therefore kept simple) Cars (as in older approaches) Bridges Storage and charging function Menu Add more buildings Until then, I will report again as soon as there is something testable.'" This of course, was unexpected. Fabian had been inactive for the past 5 years, and there weren't any single updates of the game since 2011. He reinstated that it will not be a PC game, similar to the previous versions, but it will be released on Android.

On April 11th, the first Android Alpha version of TheoTown, version 46 (alpha 1.0.46), is released to the public. It featured a totally new UI, the addition of new buildings, new finance system, a fully implemented population system and a basic transport system. On June, after over 5 years of hiatus, Christian returned to help with the graphics again. Some of his new creations included decorations for Ports, 1x1 T houses, and some supermarkets.

By August (47 - 53, alpha 1.0.47 - alpha 1.0.53), influence-coloured minimaps, music and terrain tools are introduced into the game.

On September (55, alpha 1.0.55), a more complete transport system is introduced. 2 new categories, Sports and Emengencies are added into the game in November (57 - 65, alpha 1.0.57 - alpha 1.0.65). At the same time, icons are also added. The first addition of a different season also occurred (Autumn, 2015).

On January 2016, the final Alpha version of TheoTown (67, alpha 1.0.67) is officially replaced with the Beta version (100, beta 1.1.00), thus marking the end of TheoTown Alpha.

Beta (2016 - present)
On January 18th 2016, Fabian officially announced the arrival of the Beta version of TheoTown.

In the first Beta version (100, beta 1.1.00), the game faced major changes. A tutorial is added. The iconic destruction animation is also added. New transport lanes are also introduced (expressways and single-way roads).On February 2016, the arrival of disasters (fire, earthquake and meteorites, 107, beta 1.1.07) proved to be a successful and popular feature. Another new category, Farms, are added (112, beta 1.1.12). A new management system is also implemented (112, beta 1.1.12).

On April 2nd 2016, TheoTown faced the largest update since its inception. Version 133 (beta 1.1.33) consists of new UI that replaces the former old UI, changing the original "90s" look of the interface system to a more modern one. More new buildings are introduced, including the iconic Villa, Casino, Farm House, etc. A new coverage system is added (which in terms requiring education for a higher level of residents). The user can do map screenshots now.

On April 15th, Ships and harbors are added (144, beta 1.1.44). Rails and trains didn't got introduced until the June update (156, beta 1.1.56) The December update (210, beta 1.2.10) featured an improved weather system, addition of new buildings, the arrival of highways, and the ability to impose taxes on your city. At the same update, translations of the game are available. Winter is the 2nd season added to the game, apart from Autumn, which was added in 2015.

On October 2016, Christian announced the arrival of TheoTown Premium, a paid-to-play version of TheoTown with the ability to have perks and additional buildings in the game. It is originally planned to be released in Spring 2017. A couple of months later however, the project is shelved. The original "Premium" version is decided to be changed to a micro-transaction mode which requires the usage of "diamonds" in order to unlock major landmarks and buildings. Diamonds can be earned through daily rewards or from micro-transaction.

The January 2017 update (221, beta 1.2.21) introduced 2 major components of the game: Ranks and Decorations. Ranks allow players to be ranked up according to their city's status. The maximum level you can obtain is Level 64. Decorations (or "Deco") is another major component. It allows you to beautify the players' cities with numerous options such as carparks, fences, flowers, etc. The other optional setting added is the Demand setting. Useful for experimental cities, players can now manually change the individual demands in any 3 kinds of aspects (R, C, I) which allow players to experiment with the perfect city combination.

One of the most important updates ever was the February 2017 update (227, beta 1.2.27). It introduces the ability to create plugins, a valuable asset that is common in other city-building games. Players now can produce their own plugins using pixelated art as their graphics basis and JSON programming as their coding basis. It eventually proved to be one of the most influential updates of all time, a standard / mandatory component of the current game. Following the announcement of the availability of plugins, the first generation of plugin creators arrived. Among them include Kingtut101, Kevin Hung, Ahmad Nur Aizat, Montemarino and CommanderABab. In update 237 (beta 1.2.37), the official currency "Dollars ($)" is officially replaced with "Theons (T)".

The May 2017 update (290, beta 1.2.90) introduced Military Bases to the game. It allow players to build their individual military establishments suitable for military combats, and in the event of an UFO attack, defend themselves from the invasion. (the UFO update did not arrive until 2018).

The November 2017 update (375, beta 1.3.75) introduced the airport system. Players now can build airports and fly airplanes throughout their cities. Similar to the military base packs, the airport system came out in modular pieces, allowing players to create their own one of a kind airports. The January 2018 update (408, beta 1.4.08) added more songs, increased the intensity for Fireworks, and introduced a controversial update: automatic disasters. Automatic disasters are considered either a good challenge or annoyance for players. It randomly spawns during the middle of the gameplay and may destroy the entire city if no proper action is taken (deploying Emergency services).

The March 2018 update (443, beta 1.4.43) added new landmarks (Landmarks II), introduced income for landmarks, and make TheoTown supportable for wide-screen displays. Subsequent updates focused on the transport system. By June 2018, update 487 (beta 1.4.87) introduced urban railways. Update 501 (July 2018, beta 1.5.01) introduced metro lines. The August 2018 update (508, beta 1.5.08) introduced 25 new cars and buildings. Roundabouts are added in update 515 (beta 1.5.15).

Another major update arrived in December 2018. Update 571 (beta 1.5.71) added the plugin store into the game. It was an instant hit, due to the fact that it replaces the hefty download and switching process of plugins from the forums to the single-click availability for the store. It was critically praised for it's simplicity and technicality. Up until January 2020, it has accumulated over 3.5 million downloads from over 100 plugin creators.

Airports are able to earn money following the January 2019 update (584, beta 1.5.84). A funeral service is added in the February 2019 update (592, beta 1.5.92). The subsequent updates are tied to TheoTown 66 (618, beta 1.6.18).

TheoTown 66 (2019 - present)
TheoTown 66 is the codename for the newest update on TheoTown. It's the largest update in the game's history, since 2015.

On April Fools 2019 (April 1st 2019), JustAnyone, a programmer for Blueflower, posted a post titled "Announcement of TheoTown 66" in the TheoTown Forums. This is the original post: "'Dear people of our forums, it is with great pleasure I am now finally able to make this announcement to the public. More than 5 years ago, TheoTown was first released to you all on android. In that time the game has never stopped growing. We established a great community over those years. You may have heard rumours or jokes the past few weeks about a new version of TheoTown. It is with pride that now, after 5 years, I can announce the following: TheoTown 66! Now what will this mean? TheoTown 66 is a version of TT, that will be available to users on IOS platforms, but perhaps even more exciting, on the PC! Furthermore, this version will have a long requested feature finally being realised. Elevated terrain! That's right, you will be able to create different landscape heights now! Something else to get you excited: Many of you are familiar with the DSA plugin, some might not. DSA will also be added to the base game of TT 66! Keep an eye on our discord for more information to come soon!'" It featured a snapshot including a terrain change, DSA mode, and an updated UI. It was initially thought to be a joke due to the time posted (April Fools 2019) and the uncertainty of the details in the game.

There was no reply from Blueflower. The reaction was extensive. The topic reached extreme popularity and within a few days became the viral topic of the TheoTown in-game community.

Subsequent confirmations of several programmers in Blueflower confirmed the existence of the 66 project.

The original planned date for the release of TheoTown 66 is on May 20th, however due to technical problems it was delayed to June 3rd. Eventually it was released on June 5th to several platforms, downloadable on Steam, Apps Store and Google Play.

The Android version is the only free version, while the versions of the other platforms are priced at EURO 6.99. It is available in 14 languages worldwide.

The new TheoTown 66 included elevated terrain, a free building mode, car accidents, tollbooths, new trains, redwood forests, biomes, ambient sound effects, car control in the "follow car" tool, the ability to import heightmaps, and also a brand new user interface (UI).

It received critical appraise for it's simplicity, graphics, control and gameplay. Overall, it achieved a 4.5 star on Steam, one of the highest rated city-building games. It also achieved 5 million downloads in Android, garnering over 150,000 reviews, with an average score of 4.2.

On the October 2019 update (762a, beta 1.7.62a), interchanges are introduced. At the same time, a "harder even hard" gamemode are added. In August 2019, a massive update lead to the addition of a night mode inside the game. The realism of the night mode received critical appraise as being a direct replica of SimCity 2000, but better and simpler.

Project "TheoTown 76" (2020 - present)
On October 2019, a poll concerning about the future development of TheoTown was undertaken on discord. Eventually, "multiplayer mode" won the most votes, 185 out of 571 votes (32.4 %). Thus, there is a rumour about a new project nicknamed "TheoTown 76" under development for the multiplayer mode. This was confirmed later to be true.

The multiplayer mode consists of a massive region, where players will co-operate and build the entire region together, similar to single-player mode, but with more players governing the region.

TheoTown 76 remains unreleased to the public. Only players that are selected from interviews are able to play the game. Each server contains around 6 to 7 players.