Hmm, 4 years is a lot of time and I can't say I have heard much about this game. I saw some screenshots some time ago.
My question is, why it took you 4 years? I hope this is not too direct or rude for me to ask.
Is this game going to have a huge amount of content?

The first thing I would do is to try and make an application that renders the minimal thing you need to notice stuttering. If there is no stutter there, then you need to profile\optimize your engine.
The second thing is, you need to learn how to profile\optimze a non native program. I don't know how to do it, but I know there are differences from C++ for example.

The competition is over. The attenders won the full version of Fatal Wars 2 and access to the alpha.

[Deving:]

Deving:
Well, I completed that list and more.
I have a nice playable alpha. It's pretty solid in local but there are a lot of performance issues in online that I am being aware of.
Also, I would need to refactor a portion of the code and add more abstraction.
At first I wrote the framework modules, which are bite sized modules that support Networking\Input\Graphics and are independant of each other and of the game logic.
When I started developing the online code, I couldn't get a hold of it. I just couldn't make all the different types of communications.
The reason was because the communication was mixed with the game logic, so I added an abstraction layer. That helped a lot.
I know realize I need more abstraction for my game logic, because the game logic code is still pretty ugly.

Drawing Challange and Alpha
The drawing challange is more or less complete, and those attended have won the full version.
I intend to release an early stage alpha for a limited number of people. The drawing challange winnders will have access to this alpha.
Here is the thread if you are interested: http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=21874.0
A PM with download details will be sent to the winners! :D

Fatal Wars 2 Alpha 2011.10.02
The alpha features local multiplayer and online multiplayer.
In the Config.txt file you can set the Type of game.
Type = Local for local multiplayer.
Type = Server for a server player.
Type = Client for a client player.
If you set Type to Client you need to set the ip to the server's public ip. If you need help setting up an online game with your friend, PM me.
Then there is Controls1.txt and Controls2.txt. Controls1.txt are the controls for the left side(Hukans) and Controls2.txt are the controls for the right side(The Pact).
When you play as a client you are always The Pact, so your controls are Controls2.txt.
Server gets to play Hukans.
You can look at Keys.txt for a hint of what possible keyboard keys can be set in the controls.
You can also play with(one) gamepad, and set the controls to the gamepad.
The default controls for Controls2.txt is gamepad, so look at it and change it if you need to.

After setting those things up you are ready to run the game.

How to play
The game is divided into two parts. The chess like board, and the battle areana.
In the chess like board the game is turn based. You select your piece and move it to a desired location.
When a Hukans piece lands on The Pact piece, or vice versa the two characters battle in the battle areana.
I hope this is enough for now to get started playing. I might add more later, but these are the basics.

What do you mean?
I have a playable version, but everything in it will probably get included in the free version.
You mean I shouldn't release before I also implemented the full version unique features?
One way to do it, is to require from players to register to my meta server in order to play multiplayer.
Like minecraft did.
It's kind of like a newsletter list.
Did notch release free versions of his game before he had registered users and paid "beta"?

Yea, Dwarf Fortess.
I wonder, what did notch do with the free\paid setup?
I know he has a free version, but he also requires to register(which is very smart).
I am about the release an alpha and I wonder if I should also release a free version.
The problem is, currently there arn't any full version festures implemented...
What do you suggest to do?

I have just several things I need to do before I can release an alpha to the public.
There is both local multiplayer and online multiplayer.
I have played against someone in online multiplayer and it was fun, but online multiplayer has more performance\tweaking that are not needed in local multiplayer.
So here is the list of things I need to do(mmore or less):

• Abomination shape shiftting
• Angel light area attack
• Area attack in online multiplayer
• The pact sign
• Make the controls in the strategy board work properly(hold down as oppsed to clicking)
• Alternative attributes file
• First step bug in online multiplayer
• Multiplayer pulse rates from config.txt
• Basic play tested attributes file
• Configurable collision square
• Two game pad support(as oppose to only one supported, I am using raw input so there is some research needed to be done)

I think that is about it. I hope there will be enough people willing to play the alpha once it's released.
By the way, I am doing the free vs paid "buissnes model", so you will be able to play the alpha version for free. Currently there is no difference between the paid and free version.

As I said, it will be hard to get any simpler and easier than SFML.
The console window problem is solvable.
Also the array initialization(not sure exactly what you are doing) doesn't sound like an important problem and might be solved or acutally irrelevant.
However, there are limitations to SFML.
First of all, you don't have a ZBuffer.
I believe you also can't exploit two monitors.
There are other limitations, but I would think SFML is a good choice for beginners.
But maybe I am wrong.

Veo, great stuff. How long would it take you to animate such a thing? I guess a lto of work? How long did it take you to draw it overall?

Is there no demo or flash version? (Maybe I missed something)

In the last two days I have "ported" my network code from my old bloated base code, to my new slim and lean framework.
I have made and tested multiplayer for the startegy board. So you can now play against someone, but only the chess board is controled online. When two pieces meet on the same space, the battles occur localy. Don't worry, it won't stay like this forever, it is just WIP.
I hope to have something playable available as soon as possible, so stay tuned.

Wow, that's awesome!
He is so evil he makes all the other sprites look lame.

Yea, motivation is a fickle thing.
My job is very convinient because I can work basically how many hours I want. And it's not true you can't enjoy your work like building your game.
I enjoyed my work a lot, and then I also invested more time on my work and wasn't motivated to work on my game. Because work was so interesting.
Now with the new game I am really motivated to work on my game, and a bit bored by work.
I toko a few days off to work on my game, and I hope that when I return to work, I will be able to do both things properly. Heh.

Edit: And a little help that helps me(sometimes) at work when I am bored\tired\whatever is to start with something really small and easy. After accomplishing that it's easier to get into the tougher things.

Hmm, donationware rarely works unless you are DF. heh.

Heh, I don't think you can make money out of physical versions, it's not worth it for Indie developers. It's not even worth it for some of the gaming industry companies.
But...
It's fun to have a physical version, and it can be used for promotion.

Made quite some progress.
I am thinking of doing both a free version and a paid version. The paid version will have ranked matchs and more modes, while the free version will only have unranked, one mode.
Both will have single player + multi player.

Here is a video showing my progress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0fxHYmTGJY

Yes it is. The "classic" mode will be very similar to Archon, while the "Reniassance" mode will be somewwhat different.

Looking good.

Oh.
I think a demo is less inviting to download. But the game I am working on has no story mode. It's mostly battles.
The single player is simpley battling against a computer AI instead of a player.

I am having thoughts of making both a free version and a paid version of my new game Fatal Wars 2.
The idea behind this is that it's hard enough to get people play your game, so when you ask them to pay for it, it's even harder.
So if people will play the free version and like it, they are more likely to buy the paid version.

For the free version my game I think I can give the "classic" mode in Single player, local\online multiplayer. And that's it.
The paid version will have ranked matches, the "Renaissance" mode, and hopefully more multiplayer modes that I think I have good ideas how to make.

What do you think?