Smolderforge Connection Issues

[Henhouse]

There appears to be some trouble connecting to Smolderforge at the moment. We've looked into the problem and it seems that the IP has not changed. However, we're unable to connect to the server itself. Hopefully nothing has happened, but the only explanation is that the server itself is malfunctioning. It's a bit strange that it would, but it's almost been running for an entire year without turning off for more than 10 seconds(simple reboots), however it's built for that. It never gets over heated and it's an Energy Star brand.

I find it a bit ironic that we were suppose to have gone dedicated ~4 days ago, but due to issues with people influencing our decision to move to a dedicated server and promising to contribute to the server, then backing out (about 3 people I won't name at this time) we were unable to go dedicated currently. Ironic, that on the day it would have taken Smolderforge's data to all be copied over to that server, Smolderforge itself goes down. If we had gone dedicated, in now approximate time, we would be on that dedicated server right now. But things never working they way they should it would just so be that all 3 people that promised to donate to start Smolderforge going dedicated would all not donate causing a delayed response in the movement of Smolderforge to a dedicated server, to result in the real Smolderforge possibly to have broken hardware. And if that hard drive is broken, all 140,000 characters will be gone. I have a backup of the database world and accounts from like 1.6 weeks ago on my computer -- but not characters, characters are backed up on the server itself.

Now, hopefully, not assuming the worst, something simple has happened. Who knows, the ISP representative could have lied and they are having trouble and Smolderforge will pop back online in a few hours, or maybe something requires my physical assistance (which might be over a week since I'm at the beach and won't be going to the mountain house for some time).

All I can really say is, if Smolderforge did in fact experience a failure and these characters are lost. I will probably close Smolderforge. Though, I could bring the world database back, all the inconvenience it would cause players would be more that I'm willing to deal with. I don't want to have to tell 45,000 people what happened. Only about 500 have made forum accounts (not including the 200 I pruned a few months ago) and only about 50 people check these forums weekly.

If the hardware is damaged and I have to pay extensive money to even get it fixed, I might not. I really don't have the funds to go out and pay for it all to be fixed while trying to raise money to go dedicated while paying for the Internet, web server, etc.

Like I've said before, I apologize and I'll try to do what I can, but I can't make any reassuring promises at the moment.

[Raito92]

Doh I have as soon as donated yesterday, and already the server doesn't work! =( Good Job GM

[Henhouse]

Doh I have as soon as donated yesterday, and already the server doesn't work! =( Good Job GM

Yes, because I'm so responsible for this. Just like how the tsunami was your fault. You're an awful person, why did you do that?

No, I had no involvement in this what-so-ever. So before you post, please actually read the article.

[Fraternity]

Doh I have as soon as donated yesterday, and already the server doesn't work! =( Good Job GM

Thats kind of a reason not to donate on private servers but dont worry this isnt a tipical one, hes gonna try to fix it.

[Gameking]

lets just hope for no roll backs *crosses fingers*

[Xeliko]

but what is with my donors???

[Altaiir]

Doh I have as soon as donated yesterday, and already the server doesn't work! =( Good Job GM

Dude, what do you expect. You donate on a private server, all are very unstable, shit happens.

[Avronax]

Well you didn't pay for any privileges and you shouldn't brag about anything if the characters are lost. It's a DONATION and Henhouse made this very clear to you all. He is not responsible for any data loss the same way neither of us are.

[Fraternity]

U couldnt care less Altaiir since ur MVP and u will get ur donor back.

[Roadtodawn3]

.... i have spoken with someone very high up in this situation and if this were to go down and we would all lose our characters and he would not go and give all the donators back i assume, because the fact that there are so many donors that aren't even on the forums and henhouse would have to look into his paypal records and check it all and take him such a long time....imo if all the chracters are wiped, why not just start the 3.1 server and kinda forget 2.4.3, perfect opportunity because a major reason he didn't want to do 3.1 was because it would take so long to xfer the characters etc.