A Farewell to the KSP2 Modding Community

[ShadowDev]

Dear fellow KSP2 players, Modders, enthusiasts, and especially the Intercept Games team,

The recent news of mass layoffs across Intercept Games, Private Division, and the wider Take-Two family has left me heartbroken and deeply disillusioned. While I understand the complexities of business decisions, these actions are a severe blow to passionate developers and have sent shockwaves through our community.

I want to take this moment to express my profound gratitude to the Intercept Games team. Your hard work, dedication, and sheer talent have brought us the framework for an incredible space exploration experience. KSP2's potential shines, and that is a testament to your unwavering commitment.

A special thank you goes to @Dakota, whose engagement with the modding community has been instrumental. Your insights, support, and openness to our ideas have fostered a space where creativity and collaboration can truly thrive.

While I will still cherish the joy of modding and the unique flavor it adds to the KSP experience, I cannot in good conscience continue to support a project ultimately under the control of Take-Two. Their recent actions feel like a betrayal of the talent and passion that fuels this game, and I cannot remain complicit.

The circumstances of my departure leave a bitter taste, but I hold no ill will towards the Intercept Games team. To you, I say - your work is valued, your contributions are immense, and I deeply respect the difficult situation you've been placed in.

At the end of June is the final day my mods will be on spacedock.

Kind regards,

shadowDev

[Scarecrow71]

Are you simply going to stop supporting your KSP2 mods?  Or are you taking them all off SpaceDock so nobody can use them any longer?

[Stevie_D]

Totally understandable response and reaction, mate. Don't blame you one bit. If I was still modding I would be doing exactly the same.

[ShadowDev]

27 minutes ago, Scarecrow71 said:

Are you simply going to stop supporting your KSP2 mods?  Or are you taking them all off SpaceDock so nobody can use them any longer?

I will be taking them down so no one can use them. keeping them up would only fill Take twos pockets, instead of the people who worked on the game. 

[Fizzlebop Smith]

This is heartbreaking but understandable completely. I respect the integrity displayed with your decision.

Edited May 3 by Fizzlebop Smith

[RayneCloud]

9 hours ago, ShadowDev said:

I will be taking them down so no one can use them. keeping them up would only fill Take twos pockets, instead of the people who worked on the game. 

How would it fill take 2's pockets? This seems like punishing the people that are still playing KSP2 Shadow, and there are at least, some. 

[Lisias]

7 hours ago, RayneCloud said:

How would it fill take 2's pockets? This seems like punishing the people that are still playing KSP2 Shadow, and there are at least, some. 

It's done, the github repository is no more. SpaceDock still have them, but the downloads don't have a copy of the license, so right now no one knows the terms of the "Bitstudios Public Use License" .  CKAN says it's "open-source", but this is a false advertisement (seriously!!).

Without the original repository with the license, and no license file on the distribution packages, and not even a copy of the text of the license on the Forum's thread, I'm afraid that anything published by him should be, unfortunately, taken down.

Sorry to break it to you.

I'm afraid this Forum will start to harvest what they were sewing for some time, ignoring the consequences of bad licensing (or plain disrespecting them).

=== == = POST EDIT = == ==

The author published the license, so no restrictions are needed anymore.

Edited May 4 by Lisias
Tyops, as usulla...

[ShadowDev]

1 hour ago, Lisias said:

It's done, the github repository is no more. SpaceDock still have them, but the downloads don't have a copy of the license, so right now no one knows the terms of the "Bitstudios Public Use License" .  CKAN says it's "open-source", but this is a false advertisement (seriously!!).

Without the original repository with the license, and no license file on the distribution packages, and not even a copy of the text of the license on the Forum's thread, I'm afraid that anything published by him should be, unfortunately, taken down.

Sorry to break it to you.

I'm afraid this Forum will start to harvest what they were sewing for some time, ignoring the consequences of bad licensing (or plain disrespecting them).

The repos are private now cus I will probably cannibalize some of the code for other projects.
heres a copy of the license https://github.com/Bit-Studios/sealeopard/blob/master/License

[Observe]

18 hours ago, ShadowDev said:

I will be taking them down so no one can use them. keeping them up would only fill Take twos pockets, instead of the people who worked on the game. 

Concern about filling Take Two's pockets, is misdirected. You have created mods, presumably because you love doing so and because you derive pleasure from seeing other people enjoy your work. I urge you not to remove your mods, as removing them, only harms the players. Take Two couldn't care less about what you do or don't do. Lashing out at Take Two in this manner, only serves to demoralize the player base even more.

[Fizzlebop Smith]

I can understand the argument..suck but I get the reasoning.

I predicated my decision to push for a refund based on two factors..

1. They fix most of the BIG bugs

2. Mod Community Continues to Support the game

There is no way I would recommend KSP2 without the caveat of mod installs. Plus whaybi truly hope for is a mission loop like KSP1.

If those hopes are dashed I have no reason to play.

Keeping them up for a period ensures those already purchasing the game can maintain their personal libraries but future consumer will find incentive through modded play.

 

[Infinite Aerospace]

 

4 hours ago, Observe said:

Concern about filling Take Two's pockets, is misdirected. You have created mods, presumably because you love doing so and because you derive pleasure from seeing other people enjoy your work. I urge you not to remove your mods, as removing them, only harms the players. Take Two couldn't care less about what you do or don't do. Lashing out at Take Two in this manner, only serves to demoralize the player base even more.

I can 100% understand the reasoning, and I don't at all criticise it but if Kerbal Space Program II is in-fact now, clinically deceased in gaming terms. Everyone who currently owns it is still free to play it and given it's dead status, the fact it'll be review bombed to oblivion, no-one is realistically going to purchase it, not really.

Take Two aren't going to be earning from people playing a game they already legally own, their point of making money is at the checkout. So, assuming we're going to be the final vestige of Kerbal Space Program II owners, realistically I don't think it really matters what we do, and don't do.

If modders wants to pull the plug from their personal passion projects and distance themselves from it, that's perfectly fine, I respect the moral motivation of that. If modders wants to continue exploring what can be done in Kerbal Space Program II, there's a good few thousand owners of the game that could be beneficiary's of that. Either way, the decision is up-to whoever it is, and that's really it.

Edited May 4 by Infinite Aerospace
Random letter for some reason.

[DECQ]

This is a stillborn game, everything became clear when the developers did not add adequate support for add-ons at the start, or at least within six months, KSP1 lived for many years and continues to live only thanks to them.