KKND and a horrible community policy
I look back at many old RTS games with nostalgia, the classic "KKND" (Krush Kill n Destroy) is one of those series which I am highly in love with. At one point in time, (I wasn't exactly following its community back then), the official website, http://kknd2.com/, was abandoned and taken up by a community member named Nahoo. It became linked to his community website, Planet KKND -> http://planet.kknd2.com/
Every single bit of KKND information is available on this central website. This seems like a good thing, and the idea is superb, but the way it's been handled is terrible. If you want to download something -- anything, from custom missions, to a free demo of the game, to wallpapers, absolutely ANYTHING -- you have to make a payment for use of their download service. There is no getting around. Certain things, like the demo, MIGHT be able to be found scattered elsewhere on the net, but most of the resources that have ever become available for this game, are exclusively found on this website. Now I refuse to pay for being able to download for example a demo that the game developpers released for free 13 years ago! What a horrible policy is this, and more importantly, how do they get away with it?!
Over the last three years, I have tried multiple times to register on their forum. It appears though that the site is inactive, as the last update dates from 2010, but I can't even see the forum. You need to be logged in to view the forum, but your registration has to be accepted before you get acces. Now, I have tried signing up literally dozens of times, with multiple email accounts, but never have I been approved. I have tried contacting Nahoo, as well as multiple other people that can be found on contact forms, but have never gotten any response. So it appears that the forum is as dead as the site, but they're still requiring money to download essentially free stuff! I think this is insane and I'm not even sure if it's legal.
I had to get this rant off my chest, for two reasons: because I am really, really annoyed by it, and because I like to get in touch with fellow players who share the same passion for a game as I. Because I like to read about it, discuss it, follow any developments and most importantly, download material that others have created.
But also because I want to say MAJOR props to Lewin and Krom for keeping the KAM Remake community as fresh and involved as they have. As KAM lovers, we are blessed to have these two fantastic guys that took on this beautiful game under their shoulders. I firmly believe that if it wasn't for Lewin and Krom, this community wouldn't exist, or at least wouldn't be as thick as it still is today. I can't stress it enough, but they've done such wonderful things for us, I admire them for it.
That Nahoo guy could learn a lot from you guys.
So what do you guys think about that Nahoo and his website?
Did anyone here ever play KKND or KKND2? And is there anyone here who ever managed to make a forum account and can see if there's still any activity going on?