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KKND and a horrible community policy

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krisdw

Pikeman

Posts: 158

Joined: 22 Feb 2010, 23:00

KaM Skill Level: Average

Location: Belgium

Post 18 Oct 2012, 09:01

KKND and a horrible community policy

KAM isn't the only old game to be all but abandoned by the developers and taken up by a community. But KAM remake, under Lewin and Krom's supervision, and the entire community, have set an excellent example of how something like this can and should be handled.

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?
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Lewin

User avatar

KaM Remake Developer

Posts: 3822

Joined: 16 Sep 2007, 22:00

KaM Skill Level: Skilled

ICQ: 269127056

Website: http://lewin.hodgman.id.au

Yahoo Messenger: lewinlewinhodgman

Location: Australia

Post 18 Oct 2012, 10:09

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I've never heard of the game, although it looks like you can download stuff from that site without donating, you just have to wait 20 seconds or so for the download to start (wait on the nag screen asking you to donate). But it gives the impression that you can't download without donating which seems kind of odd.

Thanks for your compliments, they mean a lot to us :)
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krisdw

Pikeman

Posts: 158

Joined: 22 Feb 2010, 23:00

KaM Skill Level: Average

Location: Belgium

Post 18 Oct 2012, 10:25

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

Oh my, I see! Just waiting a while and then clicking OK and I can download stuff just fine. I wonder if it's intended to work that way? Thanks for the hint Lewin, looks like I'll finally be able to play some custom missions now! :D
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Krom

User avatar

Knights Province Developer

Posts: 3280

Joined: 09 May 2006, 22:00

KaM Skill Level: Fair

Location: Russia

Post 18 Oct 2012, 10:26

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I have never played KKND, but I feel touched by your message.

I started KaM Remake with a goal, and that was not only reviving one of my favorite games, but choosing it as a hobby. Hobby that does good for everyone. Starting with self-education, experience, new friends, doing something that matters, filling my portfolio, having fun, understanding how games work, teamwork, interaction ... thats just first things that come to mind. Lewin had similar goals (I hope he will post here too). We do our development without time constraints, deadlines, goals "carved in stone", no, nothing of that kind. So what does it means - we are just happy doing things we love to do and getting better at it. Thats a hobby - we do it for ourselves. Any additional surplus is a bonus, not an expected output.

Thats why I believe we wont be doing Ads or premium access anywhere.
Knights Province at: http://www.knightsprovince.com
KaM Remake at: http://www.kamremake.com
Original MBWR/WR2/AFC/FVR tools at: http://krom.reveur.de
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TieSTo

Militia

Posts: 42

Joined: 29 Jun 2012, 15:47

Post 18 Oct 2012, 16:13

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

better off just playing C&C
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Ben

User avatar

Former Site Admin

Posts: 3814

Joined: 08 Jan 2009, 23:00

Location: California - Pacific Time (UTC -8/-7 Summer Time)

Post 06 Nov 2012, 02:19

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I started KaM Remake with a goal, and that was not only reviving one of my favorite games, but choosing it as a hobby. Hobby that does good for everyone. Starting with self-education, experience, new friends, doing something that matters, filling my portfolio, having fun, understanding how games work, teamwork, interaction ... thats just first things that come to mind. Lewin had similar goals (I hope he will post here too). We do our development without time constraints, deadlines, goals "carved in stone", no, nothing of that kind. So what does it means - we are just happy doing things we love to do and getting better at it. Thats a hobby - we do it for ourselves. Any additional surplus is a bonus, not an expected output.
Seeing this make me believe that you two (Lewin and Krom) are easily two of the most respectable people I know! :)
I used to spam this forum so much...
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Hallfiry

Peasant

Posts: 2

Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 02:52

Post 30 Oct 2013, 03:03

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

You might be happy to hear that Nahoo fixed the forum registration and I've become webmaster. Downloads don't require payment and start a lot faster now. The forum is now also open to be crawled by search engines.

At my request, Nahoo has stopped offering full games via Planet KKnD2 and now sends you to GOG.

I've already updated the demo section with all released (and known leaked) PC demos of KKnD1, X and 2. A lot of KKnD content is coming in the next few months. :)
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dicsoupcan

Moorbach's Guard

Posts: 1314

Joined: 12 Feb 2012, 21:36

KaM Skill Level: Fair

Post 30 Oct 2013, 08:49

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

Dear sir, i appreciate your help for the guy, but please keep in mind of the psot date. This thread had no posts for over 1 year and the user that started it might not even be here anymore. Thank you.
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. ~ Winston Churchill
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sado1

User avatar

Council Member

Posts: 1430

Joined: 21 May 2012, 19:13

KaM Skill Level: Skilled

Post 30 Oct 2013, 11:09

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

Well, I dunno if this qualifies for a "necropost" category; someone might be still interested in an update on that matter.
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T*AnTi-V!RuZz

User avatar

Former Site Admin

Posts: 1826

Joined: 03 Jan 2007, 23:00

KaM Skill Level: Fair

Website: http://www.knightsandmerchants.net

Location: The Netherlands

Post 30 Oct 2013, 11:48

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I'm more interested in how he found us exactly.. :P
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Hallfiry

Peasant

Posts: 2

Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 02:52

Post 30 Oct 2013, 13:27

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I'm more interested in how he found us exactly.. :P
After opening to forums to google and submitting the website for new indexing, I checked google for links to the website. And this thread popped up. So it was just a coincidence. But I already knew knightsandmerchants.net earlier, because of Litude and some other people.
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T*AnTi-V!RuZz

User avatar

Former Site Admin

Posts: 1826

Joined: 03 Jan 2007, 23:00

KaM Skill Level: Fair

Website: http://www.knightsandmerchants.net

Location: The Netherlands

Post 30 Oct 2013, 13:27

Re: KKND and a horrible community policy

I'm more interested in how he found us exactly.. :P
After opening to forums to google and submitting the website for new indexing, I checked google for links to the website. And this thread popped up. So it was just a coincidence. But I already knew knightsandmerchants.net earlier, because of Litude and some other people.
Ah yes, I figured it would be something like this :)

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