We are getting things moving again, so what lies ahead? Let's take a look together. Newly deployed fixes will be added below this article.
Major maintenance and optimization
Over the coming days, we will carry out substantial optimization and hardware and software changes. What does that mean? The first changes have already begun. We have a new home, a stable connection and reliable electricity, but more changes are coming. In brief, anything that is slow or slows the server down will be made faster. I will take all the necessary steps, and if nothing helps, replace it. If a piece of software or hardware slows the server down, out it goes. We will continue this way so that we can handle heavy load, especially over the long term, even when the server runs for days or weeks without restarting.
Switching to English
The entire server will be translated into English to attract as large a player base as possible, giving you more people to play with here completely free, as an MMO should. It will take some time, and I think it will also push me to finish the new website. We are still discussing making it bilingual, in English and Czech. That depends on our available time and which GMs would be willing to write news twice. It seems unnecessary to me, and I would keep Czech mainly for support and perhaps bug reports. Anyone who writes to support in Czech will of course receive a Czech reply; otherwise, replies will be in English. Czech sections will therefore remain mainly for support, while the server as a whole becomes English-speaking. This will also let us restart the forum with a new version and connect it to the server itself. My written English is not perfect, even though I have some certificates, but I am sure players will forgive me.
Helping new and returning players
We will improve the process for restoring deleted characters and accounts from previous years, which can still be restored as far back as 2011! At former players' request, we will introduce Recruit a Friend: special benefits when several of you join, or when your friend already has a character at the maximum level here. The main focus will be XP, so that you can join other players and enjoy the highest-level content sooner, rather than spend time leveling, which most people find boring. The service will be voluntary; nobody has to participate. Of course, we will aim to give players the best possible experience, including bonuses and rewards. We want to keep things blizzlike and have players create their characters here from the beginning, without buying them for money or artificially recreating them from other servers. That prohibition remains in force.
Fixes and our priorities
Our main fixes will continue to target the current expansion, and we will stay on WotLK for some time yet. Unlike Cataclysm, it does not require modifying the client — your game installation and its executable files — to play here, and I still think it is excellent. However, in time I would definitely like to move to Cataclysm, or at least create a second server for it.
We will focus on fixing Wintergrasp, which needs a complete reorganization, fixing all known issues in ICC, fixing and reopening closed instances, and other smaller issues. There is still a great deal ahead of us: translating the entire server into English, the new website, the forum, bug reporting, support for you and more.
Fixes
14.09.2018 – 01:00
1) Added further ICC fixes, the final ones for now, including visual additions and small details that were previously missing.
2) Added the first Wintergrasp fixes; nothing changes in gameplay yet.
3) Fixed players being teleported when using gryphons after relogging.
4) Fixed link handling in text. Please report any problems with the chat addons you normally use.
5) Fixed characters getting stuck dead with no way to resurrect.
6) Added further major threat and combat system fixes to prevent freezes and improve boss handling.
7) Added the first major Ulduar fixes, based on Trinity's work.
8) Fixed Zeth'Gor Must Burn!, Rise, Obsidion!, Confront Yeh'kinya and The Second Trial.
9) Further minor exploit and bug fixes.
18.09.2018 – 09:00
1) Fixed linking professions in chat.
2) Added further Wintergrasp fixes. Again, there are no visible gameplay changes yet. This will take longer, and the changes will now be deployed together once I finish them. Please be patient.
3) Fixed the Leeeeroy! achievement.
4) Fixed a server crash caused by very old database data.
5) Further minor fixes.
21.09.2018 – 02:00
1) Fixed Unchained Magic targeting at Sindragosa in ICC.
2) Fixed Springing the Trap.
3) Fixed the doors in Blackrock Spire.
4) Further code and system optimization.
22.09.2018 – 22:30
1) Removed around 600 database workarounds from the past 8 years that have now been replaced with proper fixes. Corrected the positions of around 450 mobs and objects. Because this involves many database changes, I recommend clearing your client's Cache. This function is available in our Launcher after installing Drahy's Program; otherwise, you need to clear it manually.
2) Added many missing parts of the Brewfest event.
3) Added fixes for reported issues in Temple of Ahn'Qiraj.
26.09.2018 – 23:00
1) Fixed some effects after damage is fully absorbed.
2) Fixed Defending Wyrmrest Temple.
3) Further minor database fixes.
4) Fixed NPC behavior and combat resets at negative reputation standings.
5) Further Wintergrasp preparations. Again, there is nothing visible in gameplay yet; this takes time.
08.10.2018 – 23:00
1) Fixed the following quests: Fire at will, The Left Piece of Lord Valthalak's Amulet, What Is Going On?, Precarious Predicament, Grark Lorkrub, What the Wind Carries, Eitrigg's Wisdom, Warlord's Command, Shadoweaver, Rescuing Evanor, Loyal Companions.
2) An attempted fix for the Professor and ooze.
3) Further minor database fixes.
4) Removed another 19 workarounds and replaced them with blizzlike solutions.
5) Further Wintergrasp preparations; we are at about 60%.
6) Updated the server core, Apache, PHP and related software.
7) Updated the TeamSpeak server.
12.10.2018 – 00:10
1) Some fixes from 08.10.2018 now take effect correctly in the game; some deployment steps had been missed.
2) Fixed Ogre Head On A Stick = Party, Wrath of the Blue Flight, The Absent Minded Prospector, A Taste of Flame, Forbidden Knowledge, The Absent Minded Prospector, The Star, the Hand and the Heart, Solution to Doom and Prospect of Faith.
3) Fixed spawns for Call to Arms: Warsong Gulch.
4) Added a large amount of database data, objects, NPCs and minor fixes.
5) Added movement limits and addressed some inaccurate movement displays in the game.
14.10.2018 – 14:00
1) Fixed Heroes of Old.
2) Fixed Pearl Diving.
3) Further minor database fixes.
4) Wintergrasp causes crashes, so it has been postponed until I resolve everything.
21.10.2018 – 17:00
1) Fixed Indurium Ore, Load Lightening and Urok Doomhowl.
2) Added fixes to the Hallow's End event.
3) Further minor database fixes.
4) Updated the Linux kernel and web services.
5) Fixed linking talents in chat.