General Kunos shuts down modding section of official forums

David Dominguez · Jun 10, 2016

yusupov said:
david, are you still modding for AC or have you moved to a different platform/been picked up by anyone?

Yes to all.

ZethGAF · Jun 10, 2016

Unfortunate consequence of their growth and success. When you're launching on consoles and courting practically every major manufacturer for licensing, it's probably not the best idea to have dozens of unlicensed BMWs, Hondas, etc all over your official site.

Stereo · Jun 11, 2016

Did I miss a non-ripped Porsche mod or something? People keep mentioning Porsche but I don't remember any that are actually released.

AlleyViper · Jun 11, 2016

AFAIR, for downloadable Porsches on the official forums there's at least the 550 spyder and the Alzen 996.

A3DR · Jun 11, 2016

RMR1 said:
Just no! Stefano is the guy who brought us AC. I will not harshly put him in a box by the door for no reason. And I will for shure not abandon the official AC forum! You seem not to be around there often judging from your sore opinion.

Do as you please, that's fine, but for the modding scene the official forums are dead now (or well, after the 17th or whatever). I was around those forums long enough to know I don't belong in such uptight and hostile environment.
They simply don't care about my work, I don't care about them, that's how it goes.

Repa24 · Jun 11, 2016

Stereo said:
Did I miss a non-ripped Porsche mod or something? People keep mentioning Porsche but I don't remember any that are actually released.

There is a Porsche by Patrick Marek which is still wip.

LilSki · Jun 11, 2016

The 962 was also in development to compliment the 787B

AlleyViper · Jun 11, 2016

Yes, there's both 991 GTA and Cup, 917/30, 962c, DRM 935 (+ RSR Turbo IIRC), 356, a 911 SC 3.0 Gr.4, and the latest 550A RS Spyder, all very promising WIPs without near release. But other than that, I only remember the Alzen and 550 being downloadable.

Dave_6 · Jun 11, 2016

The 917/30 and the 962c are two of my most awaited mods for AC, along with the DRM Revival. And anything IER and Patrik Marek are working on.

Michael Hornbuckle · Jun 11, 2016

A3DR said:
Do as you please, that's fine, but for the modding scene the official forums are dead now (or well, after the 17th or whatever). I was around those forums long enough to know I don't belong in such uptight and hostile environment.
They simply don't care about my work, I don't care about them, that's how it goes.

You don't care anything about them, yet you have no problem using their game to make payware mods.

LTC_Mike · Jun 11, 2016

Not much to add to all the above, but it seems at least the first modders are leaving AC

And I wonder if this would be the last... that may be overrated and some kind of over-reaction, but I am myself for more or less than 25 years in the communications business and there is an old rule:

"It takes years to build up a good reputation but you can break it down within minutes with one bad action."

And this is not the first time that KUNOS kills users sympathy with bad and nonreflective communications. If they like to play with the big boys now - and the console move brings them together with those - they should better learn good and wise communications (or hire someone that could handle this professionally) or they could follow some other studios that startet very promising and died fast after some bad moves... That's something nobody wants, but I am too old to say success keeps coming if just your product is good enough. Not in the modern media centric times of today at least ...

Jempy · Jun 11, 2016

Surely have the same feeling since a few months, Mike.

I was not in the communication business but in the commerce business ... and maybe being older makes me feel the same way and come to the same conclusion.

seanvdburg · Jun 11, 2016

LTC_Mike said:
Not much to add to all the above, but it seems at least the first modders are leaving AC

Renault Clio V6 255 [Deleted]

Broadspeed Jaguar XJ12C ETCC 1977 [Deleted]

And I wonder if this would be the last... that may be overrated and some kind of over-reaction, but I am myself for more or less than 25 years in the communications business and there is an old rule:

"It takes years to build up a good reputation but you can break it down within minutes with one bad action."

And this is not the first time that KUNOS kills users sympathy with bad and nonreflective communications. If they like to play with the big boys now - and the console move brings them together with those - they should better learn good and wise communications (or hire someone that could handle this professionally) or they could follow some other studios that startet very promising and died fast after some bad moves... That's something nobody wants, but I am too old to say success keeps coming if just your product is good enough. Not in the modern media centric times of today at least ...

First of all that Clio was ripped and removed after the uploader learned about it.
In the second case, removing mods for the sake of making a statement is a huge overreaction if you ask me.

I don't like what Kunos did, but they might have a very good reason for it which they can't disclose. Just because they closed the modding download section doesn't mean they will close the entire modding section. Discussions on how to mod are actually the intended purpose for the whole forum.

LTC_Mike · Jun 11, 2016

seanvdburg said:
First of all that Clio was ripped and removed after the uploader learned about it....

O.k. so it was just a side effect that this happened the same date the nice XJ12 mod was removed.

seanvdburg said:
but they might have a very good reason for it which they can't disclose

I am sure they have their reasons to do this, but in the end it's all a matter of timing and how (well) you communicate such things. No more did I say. And bad communication could (will) ruin the best business and products. That's a well known fact. And better they learn fast how to do this in a smart way or they will learn it the hard way ... nothing we really would like to see.

A3DR · Jun 11, 2016

Michael Hornbuckle said:
You don't care anything about them, yet you have no problem using their game to make payware mods.

Yes, it's a reciprocal relationship, see?

Mr Whippy · Jun 11, 2016

Payware mods. Eeek.

How does the support structure for that work when KS decide to change everything, or even stop supporting mods altogether?

But honestly these payware beta/free final release 'adverts' in this forum are going to get pretty frustrating.
I've just been looking at that France track and I see you can't actually download it. There is no actual discussion or WIP or tutorials or anything to read.
It's just an advert to something you have to buy!?

How about an 'advert' page for that kinda stuff?

A3DR · Jun 11, 2016

Mr Whippy said:
Payware mods. Eeek.

How does the support structure for that work when KS decide to change everything, or even stop supporting mods altogether?

But honestly these payware beta/free final release 'adverts' in this forum are going to get pretty frustrating.
I've just been looking at that France track and I see you can't actually download it. There is no actual discussion or WIP or tutorials or anything to read.
It's just an advert to something you have to buy!?

How about an 'advert' page for that kinda stuff?

Those Simtraxxxxxxxxx guys are a whole other deal.
As far as payware goes, I don't do that anymore after the whole fiasco at the official forums.
You can download my cars for free, and make a "purchase" at my site if you want, which is no other thing than a donation, if you wish. But I'm not forcing anyone to pay for it, they can still be fully enjoyed for FREE

ALB123 · Jun 11, 2016

RMR1 said:
Just no! Stefano is the guy who brought us AC. I will not harshly put him in a box by the door for no reason. And I will for shure not abandon the official AC forum! You seem not to be around there often judging from your sore opinion.

YOU must not be around the modding forums on the Official Forums because @A3DR is the creator of some of the most beautiful car mods to ever be produced.

Michael Hornbuckle said:
You don't care anything about them, yet you have no problem using their game to make payware mods.

You don't have to care about someone/something to make money off their product. How many people absolutely loathe Microsoft, or did loathe Microsoft years ago especially during the IE "integration" court cases? I'm sure 90% of those people used a Windows PC daily in their lives. We could come up with dozens of more examples...