KSGM PROJECT

What is the KSGM project?

The KSGM project consists in the development of a game intended to the eSport.

It is a completely "free to play" game, the only paying elements of the game are purely aesthetic.

Under no circumstances the game will propose paid elements that will improve the player's attributes.

Genesis of the KSGM project

Initially, I had the idea to develop a MMO RPG game. In 2014, I started developing the game foundations using the Unity3D game engine. I had no experience in game development. I spent an important amount of time understanding the basic mechanics of these engines.

After 6 months of development, I had managed to develop a dedicated server and I decided to make tests on a local network. The test consisted of having a player moving on a map. Unfortunately, the response times were extremely bad and I figured out that I could never run a game with thousands of players.

I then started researching other game engines like : CryEngine and UDK - Unreal Engine 3. After analysis, I found that these engines were based on scripting mechanism.

At the same time, Epic Games announced the Unreal Engine 4 version. This new version was written in C++ and provided access to the source code of the engine. I then decided to go with this engine as soon as it was available. Quickly I realized the excellent level of code. This engine is really written based on the strengths of object-oriented concepts.

It took me 2 years to understand this engine and develop a dedicated server. Today, in 2022, 7 years later, I think I master 30% of the engine.


How did I go from an MMO RPG to an eSports game?

After much thought, I realized that I could never develop an MMO RPG by developing this game alone. To develop an MMO RPG, you need specialized people such as: scriptwriters, graphic designers, musicians, and other professions I had no skills. Therefore, I thought that with my development competencies, I should leave the aesthetic and scenario aspects aside, and concentrate on the mechanics of the game. When I started to take an interest in games dedicated to the eSport, I realized that the graphic and scenario aspects of eSport games were secondary comparing to a MMO RPG.

I could cover the aesthetic aspects later with the development of skins and the principle of Credits.

What is the principle of Credits?

It's an idea I had in 2002. The goal was to create a REALLY fair company. The problem is that at that time, I had developed a software suite for modeling and optimizing Business Processes, as well as an integrated workflow. Unfortunately, this type of project was not suitable for the realization of my dream. In 2016, I thought that this kind of project will be the perfect project to create a REALLY fair company.


What is a Credit?

A Credit represents a unit of work. 1 Credit = 1 day of work (8 hours).

As I can't have all the skills necessary for the development of the game, I will need people who have them, starting with skills in design, graphics and animations. As part of the development of skins, the aesthetic aspect of the game, I will provide jobs that will allow people, who want to take a risk, to develop these skins, against remunaration in Credits.

For years, I worked with external consultants as part of the company I've created in 2001. One specialization of the company was the development of dedicated applications for customers. In this context, I employed consultants on the principle of developments based on a fixed price and delivery date. I provided detailed specifications on the component or application to be developed. From these specifications, the consultant commit on a number of days and a delivery date.

Finally, the Credits are entirely based on this principle.

Let's take an example to illustrate this:

You have to develop a skin for a weapon. Allocated Credits: 10.

One person takes the job and develops a weapon skin with animations and sounds, based on the specifications.

Once the job is accepted, the person has the time he wants to develop the skin. Initially, there will not be a maximum time limit. Once delivered and validated, the person receives the Credits, here 10.


What are these Credits for?

For now, they have no value. But that's today. Tomorrow, if the game is a success, then we will sell skins, and the money from these sales will be kept on the Kadeo association account.

In this scenario, every 3 months, part of this money will be made available, so that people holding Credits can exercise them to obtain money. It's called the Credit Market. This Credit market will remain open for 2 weeks. The maximum price of a Credit will be fixed at the opening of the Credit market.

Its principle is quite simple, it is like the stock exchange market.


Let's take a very simple sample.

Let's imagine that there is the equivalent of 1 million available in the pot, and the maximum value of a Credit is 5,000. I am a designer and I have 100 Credits. I want to exercice 10 Credits.

I am the first to exercise, so for my 10 Credits, since the Credit value is equivalent to 5,000, my 10 Credits have a value of 50,000.

As soon as the number of Credits exercised multiplied by the maximum amount, exceeds the money available in the pot, the value of the Credit decreases. If, for example, 500 Credits are exercised, then the value of one Credit becomes 2,000. I can decide that I no longer want to exercise them. There will be the option to set a minimum limit. Once this limit is reached, my order will not be executed. I could also decide to remove my order at any time, at least 48 hours before the closing of the Credits market.


Why would Kadeo be more fair than companies that claim to be fair?

For several reasons ; the first comes from the fact that the value of a Credit is not a function of your profile, or your rank, or your hierarchical level. Personally, I don't see how to justify that my working time represents a million times more than a secretary or a designer. Which would mean that one minute of my time would represent a million minutes or more than 694 days of work of any other person working on the same company.

A Credit at the same value regardless of the gender: man, woman, transgender, ...

But then isn't this disadvantageous for people with strong experience in a particular field? No it's not!!! Let's take the sample of a designer expert taking a job for 10 Credits. Since he is an expert, he might be able to complete the job in 5 days, but he will receive 10 Credits. And now let's take the example of a newbie in design, who takes the same job. He will probably takes more than 10 days to complete the job. At the end, he will also receive 10 Credits.

With this principle, we value the skills, since what counts is delivering the job and being paid according to the job and not according to the skills or the title.

Based on this principle, my Credits have exactly the same value as the Credits of other people who will participate to this project.


Where stands the KSGM project?

After 7 years of development, we will start testing the game in development mode, and this for 1 year.

Players who take part in these tests will be paid in Credits. We will test different game modes in 5 vs 5.

These are development tests and not Alpha or Beta tests. Players who participate will be able to bring ideas that can be integrated into the game.



Want to take part?

To participate as a player, you must install the KSGM launcher.

Currently the game only works under Microsoft Windows.

Youtube

Development phase

Find me on Youtube @kadeo to view the videos captured during the development of the project.

These videos are not necessarily representative of the game currently in testing.

Some videos were taken more than five years ago.

Test phase

If you want to see videos about the game, currently in the testing phase, come on Youtube @projectksgm.

Since I'm still in development, the game is subject to change.