Hello everyone, I’m Cnedwin, though many of my friends affectionately call me "C" or "Panda"I’ve been holding off on writing this post for a long time. After more than six years of working on Bannerlord 2 mods, and over three years since starting Black Knight Studio and developing Sika Continent, from single-player mods to multiplayer releases, we’ve finally come a long way.

Here’s something I shared when we officially released Sika OL:

"Time flies, and here we are again, another July 12th, another fruitful summer vacation.
Six years ago today, I returned to the Chinese Mount & Blade forum and started translating Bannerlord 2 mods with Paperbin, handling over 300 mods.
Five years ago today, I began learning various technical skills, becoming a moderator for the single-player section, and started developing my own mods.
Four years ago, I worked on creating and updating the Lazy Pack alongside Yi Zi and Dd, which involved maintaining and fixing translations for nearly 160 mods.
Three years ago, I co-founded Black Knight Studio with Wanderer, Bald Monkey, Pi Dan, LZH, Xuexi, LouChuan XiaoWei, TianKong YouFeng, and XingKong, and we launched the development of Sika Continent single-player mod.
Around that time, I was also elected as the head server administrator for the Bannerlord 2 large-scale multiplayer map, and I had the opportunity to learn multiplayer mod operations with Winnie, Wings, Pixiu, and Umbrella.
Two years ago, I joined the Han team, with the recommendation of Yi Zi and Mulan, and got involved in semi-professional team training and competitions, organizing events and commentary alongside Xiao Ming.
A year ago, with the strong support of Aizi and Old Wolf, Black Knight Studio recruited new team members like Sky, W, Lyn, Z, Park, and others, officially launching the development of Sika Online.
And today, our team has grown to 23 members, and after a year of hard work and 76 version updates, we’ve finally become the first original Chinese large-scale narrative multiplayer mod to be successfully launched."

Looking back over the past six years, we’ve grown with the constant encouragement and criticism from countless players. I feel deeply grateful to all my friends in the Mount & Blade community who have been both mentors and companions along the way. I hope every July 12th in the future, I’ll be here, battling alongside all of you in the world of Mount & Blade.

As our community of dedicated fans and supporters continues to grow, and with more than 20 stable members in the Black Knight team, I feel it’s time to share why I wanted to create Sika in the first place, what experience I hope to bring to you, and what my original vision and dream are.

1. Why I Started Making Sika
I’ve always loved Mount & Blade, and after years of waiting, we finally got Bannerlord 2. But the game felt incomplete, with limited content and an unfinished system. For those familiar with the game, it’s no secret that mods are what really keep Mount & Blade alive.

After learning some technical skills on my own, I started working on various functional mods with like-minded partners such as Wanderer and LZH. However, the constant updates to Bannerlord 2’s core code meant that every update broke dozens of mods, which had to be fixed.

For a long time, I worked on the Lazy Pack, a one-stop mod integration that solved issues like translation, mod conflicts, and version compatibility. After over a year and hundreds of updates, I was exhausted. During this time, I realized that no matter how well we integrated various functional mods, we couldn’t create a complete experience.

That’s when I was inspired by Lao A’s Yigu Three Kingdoms project and Lao Han’s Arms Dealer Mod. They were working on large, complete narrative mods. Having been a longtime fan of mods like Mount & Blade: The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Panda’s Warband, and Phantasy Calradia, I knew we needed to create something with a complete world view and unique features that could be continually updated and maintained.

2. Why We Paused the Single-Player Version and Moved to Multiplayer
We dove into making the single-player version of Sika Continent right away. To ensure smooth progress and communication, our core team of six members decided to gather in Beijing. Each of us found a job, rented a house together, and spent our evenings and weekends tirelessly developing the mod.

The single-player version progressed rapidly. By November 2021, just a few months after starting, we released our first test version. However, as the pandemic worsened, we faced increasing pressures—from quarantine lockdowns to layoffs at work and concerns from our families. At one point, we were barely scraping by, pooling money to cover rent and utilities, all while continuing to update the mod.

Eventually, some team members had to return to their hometowns to find work, and last year, I moved to Singapore for work, making it even harder to keep the single-player version going. It wasn’t until June of last year that we regrouped and decided to rebuild the team with a new challenge: creating a fully original multiplayer mod.

3. Why We Chose to Make a Large-Scale Multiplayer Mod
After years of developing single-player mods, we’d already expressed most of what we wanted through various projects. We didn’t want to simply patch or make minor updates anymore, and the team was growing tired.

Additionally, single-player mods have a short lifespan. Players might spend years developing a large mod, only to have it completed by a player in just a few days. As many of us were also fans of MMOs and sandbox games, we decided to explore multiplayer sandbox experiences within the Sika universe.

We sought support from experienced multiplayer developers and eventually recruited new members like Sky, W, Lyn, Z, and Park. Although the technical challenges were significant, after months of exploration, we finally made progress.

4. The World of Sika
Sika’s world is a low-fantasy, open-world setting. The multiplayer version takes place in a specific era of the single-player world, similar to how Bannerlord 2 is set 200 years before Warband. Our world features six divine factions, each with its own distinct culture inspired by real-world civilizations, such as Viking, Chinese, Western European, and Amazonian cultures.

We wanted a world that was open and flexible, allowing for creative freedom rather than being restricted by historical accuracy.

5. Unique Features of Sika Online
Our multiplayer version builds on the features developed for the single-player mod, such as custom settlements, knight orders, companion systems, improved battlefield tactics, and unique equipment. Some key features include:

A shattered world map with seven distinct continents, each with unique cultures, troops, and quests.
A rich companion system with companions from different cultures, each with unique traits and skills.
The ability to use skills on the battlefield, tied to a low-magic setting where characters can accumulate rage and unleash powerful abilities.
Extensive customization options for weapons and armor, particularly focusing on Chinese-inspired designs.
Multiplayer co-op and guild features that allow friends to build together, trade, and even engage in sandbox survival elements.
Immersive, faction-specific storylines and quests based on the six divine factions.
6. Any Regrets After Three Years of Development?
There have been several regrets. Some team members left due to personal commitments, and each departure affected the quality of certain features. Our team’s technical skills were strong, but we lacked a professional artist to fully realize our visual goals. The limitations of Bannerlord 2's engine also constrained us, preventing some systems from being fully implemented.

7. Future Plans and Hopes
Looking ahead, I hope our team will continue refining the game and improving the overall experience. Although we’ve made significant progress, there’s still much to be done. We’re also eager to introduce PvP elements and large-scale guild wars by the end of the year. And, hopefully, when we have the resources, we’ll revive the single-player version of Sika.

Thank you all for your continued support, and I look forward to many more adventures with you in the world of Sika!