Hello GH, I really hope you will read this message, I am back to this game after 10 years and I see that it is still very abandoned, so I have an idea, why don't you give the game in the hands of the community?
Let us help, create weapons, armor, help create new missions the engine of this game is not so complicated to use and I am sure that many other players are willing to help to make this game grow and become more interesting again, if not let us have access to the game engine, so at least let us create new items and send them to you so that they can be approved and then be put into the game, so GH this is a solution that I am giving you, let help us improve this game, we don't want to see it die, so please, LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AT LEAST ONCE !!
Let the community help
The thing is, Grey Havens is only keeping the game alive. That is their goal. You should not expect the game to be developed further than it is now, because it would require a whole different team with that goal in mind. The game will not ''revive'' because of this.
Some people think that the community would do a far better job, because we want the game to revive. I would say stay humble and recognize that even though you play and enjoy this game, it is not yours to decide what happens to it.
Grey Havens does work with the community and with people who do things for the game (as long as they respect the ToS). Or at least, that is my case. There is plenty of things you can do for the players without modding the game.
It is sad that Spiral Knights playerbase has been reduced so much. But it is not our responsibility anyways.
The roadmap to the revitalization of this game needs to be largely a centralized effort. Allowing the community to create new weapons and armor would only lead to flooding of suggestion boxes with a lot of clashing and chaotic ideas that will not mesh well with the current version of the game nor the proposed expansion/sequel.
The current version of the game already has plenty of a variety of weapons and armor. But not all of them are as good as a select few gears. And it is in this regard the community can contribute to render the less popular equipment more useful through Weapon & Armor Augmentations - a new category of gear customization in SK 2.0: Beyond the Core.
Revival of this game will require much more than active participation of the community. An active community is not going to make the ever-pervasive lags go away nor can they stop the game client/launcher from crashing every couple of hours. To revitalize this game, improvements must be made in three key areas:
1. Hardware - Massive $$$ will need to be invested on new servers and infrastructures.
2. Software - The game's source code (java) must be abandoned in favor of a more modern and robust platform, and it must not be a mere port but rewritten from scratch on the new platform by experienced and competent programmers.
3. New Contents - New ranked missions (36+), new bosses (7), with a cohesive and compelling storyline/plot and engaging gameplay, to put this game back on everyone's radar, both veterans and new players alike. The new mechanics and reward system will also provide the players with the incentive and motivation to play for a very long time. And the continued use of gacha model will ensure a very profitable return for the development team and the company.
I already have the details of the new missions and storyline/plot worked out for the expansion/sequel "Spiral Knights 2.0: Beyond the Core". I see myself as someone capable of serving as a lead designer in a limited capacity, but I am not a programmer. I am more of a scientist/engineer with a passion for gaming as a side hobby. Therefore, if "Spiral Knights 2.0: Beyond the Core" is to see the light of day, I will need a cadre of capable development team and support staff.
Grey Haven is equipped to handle none of the above. And to be frank, I don't believe Grey Haven has any interest in changing things for the better.