Almost a year ago 1100AD administration held interview with well-known player Koval77. Interviewing popular players is fascinating for us, and for readers as well. Interview is a superb possibility to look behind the mask of the player name, to find out the story and the heroic deeds performed by player in 1100AD world.

We recalled the bygone days and decided to repeat the interview. The story of the player from the very first steps in-game, his victories and defeats, his progress and everything that has lead him to where he is now – we think this might be a very inspiring experience for everyone of us. So today we chose N_K, player well known as for game veterans, as for novices.

As you might already know, N_K stands for 'Night Knight' – very mysterious and enigmatic nickname, so let's have a closer look.

N_K plays 1100AD for almost 4 years and founded such orders as:
SanJorge and Academia (Aragon),
Kebteul (Koryo),
and participated in:
RGB (Crusade),
Gloria and Alliance (Beta),
Aleksandr Nevskiy (Gold.Horde),
Die Schwarze Witwen (Bohemia) orders.

He took active part in game development and was one of the outstanding founders of the Academy for novices.

Who is the person behind the nickname and what are his goals? Let's trace his path in 1100AD lands for the last 4 years and see where he heading in the future?

So take your cup of tea and enjoy the story:

MaryJane_: So, how did you start your adventure in 1100AD lands?
N_K: Honestly speaking, I didn't start in 1100AD. Me and my wife started at 1Pirat project and 4 years ago moved to 1100AD.
She decided to look at other Ambergames company projects and found 1100AD. Started to ask about this and that... I couldn't answer her questions, so I started playing game myself – and I liked it!
After few days of emotional conflict between 1100AD and 1Pirat we finally made it to 1100AD.

We started at “Crusade' server in January.
Firstly I was confused by all the terms like lords/vassals and so on, but we appreciated the possibilities and even made up lord-vassal agreement.
It was so completely different from what I already knew from other strategy games (I preferred global strategy gaming), but the unusual mixture of strategy and tactics was the thing that attracted me.

MaryJane_: How about your in-game progress? How you perceived the game and which progression course did you choose?
N_K: After 5 months I was accepted in RGB order, created by Daniil. He and Demo_Azov played great role in my progression as a player.

They forced me to perceive game differently. I stopped my previous 'hack-and-slash' action and started thinking about game effectiveness, its pragmatics.
In my novice fervor I ravaged all the territories around my lands – every single city was robbed diligently.

MaryJane_: Do you still stick to this tactics?
N_K: Of course no! With the lapse of time I developed my own in-game philosophy.
The more I understood the game mechanics, the more my attitude towards other players changed. For example, I rob abandoned cities only. If player decides to quit the game – make him build as much cities as possible. If he won't quit, we'll be good neighbors, and it will be nice addition to the active players pool.

MaryJane_: Have you ever suffered the robbery?
N_K: In my novice times I was regularly robbed by my neighbor (he still plays the game and is among well-known players). My only way to oppose was long everyday game sessions: I withdrew the army, passed resources to library, etc. But no, I can't name it 'suffering'. Anyway, I spent some of my time on 'Grail' server, but was soon bored by the lack of PvP.

MaryJane_: What about other servers?
N_K: On the 'Grail' server I made friends with StrokeAce player. He became my friend long-term game partner.
He invited me to 'Beta' server and to the 'Glory' order. But I invited him to play on 'Crusade' server, but he didn't get accustomed to it.
I was excited by the game dynamics on 'Beta'. Order was just founded and progressed violently. It was fascinating and fun time.

First mercenary camps were presented since I played on 'Crusade' and 'Grail' servers. Of course, top players in their valleys conquered them easily. We still were inexperienced babies, and with the course of time, reading Great Little works and top players discussions on forums, wearing out the seats of our pants digging the Wiki libraries we adapted to game vicissitudes.

When I realized amounts of time spent re-inventing the wheel, I started to take vassals for the nominal charge, even free of charge. I was seeking after active novice players, did my best to pass my game knowledge to them, taught them to be good players.

I met nice people and good players. To name them would be... unfair. But my special thanks goes to Pavleg.
Then I realized that many players just unable to be vassals as it interferes with their personality to be in subordinate position. So I accepted the challenge to play with them as friend, not the lord or vassal. BigBrotherBoy, Buddha, Tuk-Tuk, Koval77 – thanks for this opportunity.

This way I tried to play on many servers under the nickname of Night_Knight.

MaryJane_: What server influenced your player progress most?
N_K: 'Aragon' marked significant stage in my player's life.
As Pavleg insisted, I founded 'San Jorge' order – during the game time I tried to fit the situation, to create appropriate game environment. After all we ale playing, not solving the mathematical riddles
Firstly, me and Pavel played actively on 'Aragon'. We managed to be pathfinders in many game situations, such as conquering huts and camps, exploration of the quest locations and many more. When server is fully developed, some things go without saying, but on the very start there is an invisible contest to be the first to complete something.
Secondly, we had so big player inflow into the order, so we practically lacked the resources for order expansion. Besides that, often novices lacked any experience, but many knights after short time in order moved to another server or even quit the game. Player rotation problem arose, and we even requested experience level above the average.
So, 'San Jorge' order developed the vassalage standards.

MaryJane_: Tell us about those standards.
N_K: The whole order was searching for possible vassals. We tried to estimate the most promising novices and determine educational talents of the order knights. Then we paired novice with appropriate lord.
All the vassals and lords shared same educational in-game chat. Any novice could get help and advice from any other order member 24/7. So novices were raised in comfort environment regardless of their place of residence and way of life.
We even had a kid of contest – whose vassals will quicker become experienced players, vassal progress was out pride and joy.
Real aggregated power of 'San Jorge' vassals armies was comparable to order knights' armies.
We encouraged vassals and their armies to join order military operations.
I won't go into details, but in few months order got involved into the exhausting war against the whole server.
That wast the thing I feared most. After another victory I insisted on peace treaty, but it was refused by the majority of the Council. This was the reason why I gradually handed over the order administration to another knight.

In general, being aware of player rotation in orders, 'San Jorge' created the scheme which secured regular knight reserve.
Vassals were united into separate chat and they were given regional scale tasks. Their progress was guided to integrate them into existing order transport network.
Inactive knights were demoted to vassals. As vassals progressed, order expanded as well. As a result average order vassal excelled average knight of other orders. Total order population including vassals exceeded 200 mark.
About 60-70% of server lands were controlled by our order. This included most of the mercenary camps and adventure huts.

MaryJane_: I wonder, this resulted in...?
N_K: We got 2 main results:
Players started leaving the server;
Order knights wanted to conquer all possible lands.

MaryJane_: Did it happen?
N_K: I was against the way events were developing. It was hard to oppose the majority, so without desperate resistance I left the masters and devoted myself to another problem: I always wanted to found an order for novices, where they could learn and progress in relatively safe environment.
In my concept this order should be absolutely neutral, preparing novices for both parties and for neutral orders.

Thus the Academy was founded – with the help of administration.

MaryJane_: What happened then? Did new Order emerge, capable of repulsing anyone?
N_K: Then I got tired. Constant explanations of elementary things turned out to be a toil. This was time I left the project and started playing tanks instead.
Of course, I was tied to other players by striking game experience. I had keen interest in their game life. I was rarely seen in 1100AD those days, but once decided to try again.
Occasional letters from administration inviting to join new server played their role too. I logged in and discovered a brand new server – 'Golden Horde'. It soon became known that many friends and acquaintances are there too. I was invited to join the order. This way I returned in game.
But after some time 'Coryo' server emerged.
By the time our order got its rigid leading position on 'Horde' server, I would said, without any chance to lose. This state of things kills my interest.

MaryJane_: And you left the server?
N_K: Not quite. But many things on 'Coryo' repeated 'Horde' scenarios: a couple of people conquered the server.
Mongolia, where I remained, kept silence.
I came to 'Coryo' in firm belief I won't do anything serious here, but it turned out otherwise. Mongolia passivity touched me on the raw. I founded order, old friends came to help... And the game started!
Finally I was forced to abandon 'Horde' server as I severely lacked time. Unfortunately we couldn't organize perfect 'vassal production line' as it was on 'Aragon'. Probably we should analyze reasons...

MaryJane_: Any future plans? New conquests or undertakings?
N_K: a) I will apply efforts to consolidate successes of my guided order on 'Coryo' server. Work is still huge here. Organize player rotation and work with novices.
Do we have conquest plans? Sure!
It would be nice to clear the land, defeat the 'RusCorp' and 'Sakura' clans and bring freedom to the long-suffering japanese isles
Of course it's complex task.

b) New 'Skogmark' server arouses my interest. It is very intriguing to see what surprises developers brought to players, how will the empires be distributed, and the lie of the land between orders in the end of server starting phase. At the moment it seems there is no single order domination on server; this makes me happy.
Anyway all the unions and alliances are in the stage of early formation at the moment.

MaryJane_: Is there anything you would like to share to other players?
N_K:
Wishes to novices:
I wish to all the newcomers to find the friendly environment in game; attention from experienced players and game administration.
1100AD is a war game, a strategy game, it attracts people of specific temper – aggressive, dedicated, nevertheless on the game comfort level depends novice interest and stay level. (Seems I'm getting more and more verbose with time )

Wishes to veterans:
I wish all the weathered warriors out there a load of new discoveries, new opportunities, new game goals. Wish them turns for better in game to fuel their interest.

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This interview is both short and long. It is impossible to describe 4 years of gaming in one conversation. So many people, victories and defeats, worries and joys to fit into the interview. Night_knight is a good company. His little story became tale guiding the reader into the thick of things side by side with our hero, creating the world around, where tales of the players are created.

We want to thank N_K for finding time for the interview. We wish him good luck, faithful knights and glorious victories. We look forward to hear about Night_Knight's heroic deeds in 1100AD lands!