2008
In February of 2008, we released our first major update to the software which
included a new ladder system, challenges, advanced match making features, and maps.
This update, that took most of 2007 to build, was plagued with bugs and included a
challenging system that was so complicated it wasn't user-friendly. I learned the
hard way to avoid taking a massive bite out of new features that take over a year to
build.
My 2006 to 2009 personal life frequently pulled me away from Tournamatch. For those
four years, I was a college student taking 15+ credit hours per semester while working
a full time 45+ hour/week job. Years 2008 and 2009 were particular tough: I was
a first-time husband, first-time homeowner, first-time living out on my own, and
focused on finishing my last year of college. To say I was burning the candle
at both ends is an understatement. After graduating in 2009, I stepped away
from everything except my new career and wonderful wife. The burnout took years
to recover from, and I wouldn't return to any significant Tournamatch development until 2011.