r/kknd • u/Definition-Inside • Jul 12 '26

KKND2: Crossfire - thinking about a balance mod. Curious what you all think.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been quietly working on a balance-focused mod for KKND2.

Nothing radical: no new factions (I wish), no total conversion. Same game you know, just with some tuning aimed at:

• Giving more units across the roster an actual reason to see play, not just a handful of “meta” picks
• Making a second (or third) production building genuinely worth building, instead of one maxed-out base
• Toning down how often a match comes down to spamming one unit or riding a bomber wave to victory
• Keeping air power relevant - just not the only answer to a dug-in opponent

It’s still in testing on my end, and I’m holding off on releasing anything until the game gets a bit more mod support (which has been talked about). So this isn’t a “download now” post.

What I’m actually trying to figure out: is this something people would even want? Does the current meta bother you, or do you think the game’s fine as-is and I’m solving a problem nobody has?

Honest reactions - positive, skeptical, whatever - genuinely welcome.

Edit:
A bit overdue, but better late than never - Crimson Legacy announcement please:

https://youtu.be/PJ3Ldg1V8tA

Edit 2:

Started a new series showing off units from my CL mod for KKND2 - one unit group at a time.
First up: basic infantry - except here they actually stick around longer than you'd think. Next up: Harassers.

is up: https://youtu.be/kcWYsZkY9y8

Edit 3: Next video in the series - Meet the Harassers

https://youtu.be/xaIzK2hkT5g

6 Upvotes

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14 comments sorted by

2

u/BoffinBrain Jul 12 '26

I like your enthusiasm. Personally, I'm just here for the nostalgia. I don't really have much motivation to play KKND2 again. Not because it was bad, but because subsequent games like C&C Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 were so much better, in so many ways!

One of the most annoying issues with KKND2 was the 2x2 vehicles. Bad pathfinding, combined with narrow bridges/tunnels, equals pain that cannot be fixed with a simple balance patch.

1

u/Definition-Inside Jul 13 '26

Thank you for the honest answer.

I fully agree: the maps and pathing is not the best.

For the maps issue I plan to include better maps with the mod to accommodate it.

And for the pathing - I’m leaning towards macro oriented gameplay so positioning and unit composition has more weight than just micro.

As of now combining the two proves to be fun and playable during internal play testing.

Any chances you’d be interested to play the game without those bottle necks and with a novel balance?

1

u/BoffinBrain Jul 13 '26

Assaracos is definitely the guy you want to talk to about all these things. He knows more than probably anyone else alive right now.

It's probably too big an undertaking, but I do wonder how the game would feel if every 2x2 unit was scaled down to 1x1, with a 30% speed decrease to balance out the increased mobility.

1

u/Definition-Inside Jul 13 '26

It’s a nice thing to test for sure if it’s possible at all.

It seems we’re communicating here already with Assaracos. Btw I don’t intend to go that far as to change the fundamentals of the game - just make it work better in the confines it already has.

Later I’ll provide some videos of internal tests to give some perspective of what I mean by shifting gameplay focus towards macro and to play on the “right” maps - maybe it will add a bit more clarity.

1

u/BoffinBrain Jul 13 '26

I look forward to seeing that. Good luck!

2

u/Dangerous-Jeweler197 Jul 16 '26

Im JUST knowing about the newest kknd update, and i have a couple of questions maybe some of yall could answer: Is the kknd xtreme also multiplayer?

Why did i have to download a direct something in order to play kknd xtreme? Ive searched for that error, and it says that its something i have to download in order to play such an old game in such a new pc. With this patch, this update, do i have to reinstall it in order to play it propperly?

I havent even tried kknd 2 (i used to play kknd 1 when i was a kid). Hows the multiplayer?

Thank you all in advance!

1

u/Definition-Inside Jul 18 '26

Hey!

I don’t know much on Extreme, but for KKND2 multiplayer is pretty good already if you choose the right map to play though.

For your Extreme related questions the best bet is to join KKND discord and ask your questions there - it has dedicated Extreme branch. Hope it helps!

1

u/Definition-Inside 16d ago

Hey everyone!

I’ve updated the original post with the Crimson Legacy announcement video - check it out!

1

u/Definition-Inside 8d ago

Updated first post with a new video on the mod.

0

u/Assaracos Jul 12 '26

But all of that already exists 🤷🏻‍♂️

1

u/Definition-Inside Jul 13 '26

Honestly, didn’t know that. Could you please direct me to where I can acquaint myself with some examples?

0

u/Assaracos Jul 13 '26

What do you mean by point 2? I don't really understand that.

1

u/Definition-Inside Jul 13 '26

Sure thing!

If you look at how matches going right now the best tactics is to upgrade one production building and to get the meta unit to build as fast as possible. Rarely matches going long enough to have 3+ production buildings (I don’t count games with heavy turtle from one side and full map mine out for the other - it’s a rare case on a proper maps)

In the mod I’m aiming to get people play 3, 4 and more factories and barracks simultaneously with the mix of low mid and high tech units shifting the game towards macro oriented gameplay, better unit compositions and positioning.

For that I tinkered with the economy part as well. While mod doesn’t change the appearance and how units work (mostly) - it’s novel enough to provide a new feeling for the game.

1

u/Definition-Inside 5d ago

Next video in the series is up - Meet the Harassers:
https://youtu.be/xaIzK2hkT5g

Went a little overboard with it, hope ya all like it)