rec.autos.simulators

If what I've heard is true, you all better cherish what will be the last
issue of AutoSimSport.  There will be an interview with Kunos, but the
magazine will disappear before it gets to print.

I've actually contacted the guy in charge of America's Most Wanted, and he
is looking into developing a whole show around Stefano, how he released NKP
and then politely decided to disappear, leaving boatload of promises
unfulfilled.  Kunos probably does have, at least currently, a decent bank
account.  But when Kunos' money runs out, that's when this guy from AMW said
he's going to run the special, when Kunos is especially vulnerable and
likely to show his face, be it only to the bottom of a trash bin, scrounging
for food.

So while ASS has met its fate, we can at least all look forward to the next
America's Most Wanted.  (I'll admit, I've never seen the show, but will tune
in when the Where's Stefano episode airs.)

Alanb

Also, in the current issue, it sounds like LX will keep going.

Pat Dotson

| That's pretty harsh.  What if he really is busy fixing it?
|
| Also, in the current issue, it sounds like LX will keep going.
|
| Pat Dotson
|
|

That is unlikely.  For a guy like Kunos, who before was so community minded,
to suddenly stop communicating-- that raises some serious problems.  I think
it's possible that he's discovered that fixing NKP-- especially the net
code-- is going to take too much work.  So he's cut his loses (or rather,
his gains) and ran off.

He'll reappear in a year or so, under some guise or alias, and begin
developing a new game.  He'll release a game, collect some cash, and then
skip town.  After a dozen times doing the same thing, America's Most Wanted
will finally nab Kunos, who will then try his hand at running for Congress.

Alanb

Is this a joke, or are you serious?  Because looking at how Kunos has opted
to treat the community, he has turned this whole concept of a
community-based simulator on its head.  The purpose of LFS, rFactor, GTR,
and NKP, is to get community involvement to evolve games into something more
than they were when first released.  From the start, after initial
criticisms of NKP seemed to turn Kunos into an arrogant "what do they know",
Kunos has completely shunned the community.  As the days pass, this image of
Kunos is developing more and more into a reality.

Alanb

He does respond to your emails.. I had a problem with my license and he
replied.. He's just busy doing a multiplayer patch...

|


| > I'm looking forward to the next issue.  I've heard the magazine is doing
| > an
| > exclusive interview on Stefano (aka Kunos), the maker of NetKar Pro.
| >
| > If what I've heard is true, you all better cherish what will be the last
| > issue of AutoSimSport.  There will be an interview with Kunos, but the
| > magazine will disappear before it gets to print.
| >
| > I've actually contacted the guy in charge of America's Most Wanted, and
he
| > is looking into developing a whole show around Stefano, how he released
| > NKP
| > and then politely decided to disappear, leaving boatload of promises
| > unfulfilled.  Kunos probably does have, at least currently, a decent
bank
| > account.  But when Kunos' money runs out, that's when this guy from AMW
| > said
| > he's going to run the special, when Kunos is especially vulnerable and
| > likely to show his face, be it only to the bottom of a trash bin,
| > scrounging
| > for food.
| >
| > So while ASS has met its fate, we can at least all look forward to the
| > next
| > America's Most Wanted.  (I'll admit, I've never seen the show, but will
| > tune
| > in when the Where's Stefano episode airs.)
| >
| > Alanb
| >
| >
|
|
| He does respond to your emails.. I had a problem with my license and he
| replied.. He's just busy doing a multiplayer patch...
|
|

When exactly did this response happen?  Back in early June, I sent him some
email about license problems and heard nothing.  Again, I find it hard to
believe Kunos is "busy", so much so that he no longer responds to the
community, when he was so eager to do so before.  And three months (or
nearly so) to fix multiplayer problems is a bit much, I think.  By this
time, according to Kunos' own time-table, the Dev-Kit should be out.

Until Stefano resurfaces, I still think he's skipped town, got a make-over,
and will return to go at it all over again.

But it is too late.  His reputation as a community-oriented developer has
been ruined.

Alanb

As you know I was more than happy to buy into a community project and
feel part of a *** sim racing community developing the next great
sim. Prepared to live with the rough edges and encourage others that
they were buying into a future rather than current project and advising
those unsure to hang fire and come back when the rough edges were polished.

This now seems more than optimistic that even I cannot satisfy myself
that it is simply silence based on being too busy. My only explanation
is that a point of no return has been passed when the developer feels he
can only regain credibility by returning with all key aspects fixed and
significant enhancements.

I have seen enough well funded projects slip to understand the delays
but not the lack of communication for such a community focused developer
unless the pressure of the launch took its toll.

Maybe when Italy have won the World cup and he recovers from the
celebration we can look forward to some news...

Cheers
Tony

And here Italy scores two late goals, moving into the World Cup finals.
Being full Italian myself (my mother was born in Italy), I am hoping that
Italy can win it all.  I haven't heard this new twist to the Stefano saga,
that he is too wrapped up in Italy's charge to get anything done with NetKar
Pro.  Though this doesn't entirely explain his nearly three months of
non-communication with the community, I'll take it as being one of the major
reasons for the delay of the patch.

Now I have something to look forward to: after Italy wins the Cup and we
give Stefano a month to celebrate, a month to recuperate, a month to buy a
new set of clothes, and a month to brush up on his English, things should be
ready to go by late November, right around Christmas time.  Adding two more
months for shopping (when he will spend the rest of our money), followed by
a week of penury, maybe early February is a more modest expected return
(unless America's Most Wanted gets him beforehand).  :)

Alanb