A Whole New World.. (Shining, shimmering, splendid)

As most regulars have been anticipating, a map reset is coming 2 weeks from today.

Why?
We have been on our current map for almost a year now, far longer than most other servers have been able to hold onto theirs. Due to Notch's change in the map generation code with Minecraft 1.8, it is now necessary for us to switch to the new map format. Without a reset, existing chunks that are regenerated or new chunks that are generated (due to a world size increase for example), would generate with the new 1.8+ format while the rest of the map is <1.7 format resulting in a chaotic landscape. The new map generation code also allows for a better looking world with large biomes and all 1.0 features/items.

When?
The reset will happen 2 weeks from today (around December 28th). We will basically be starting the New Year with a new map.

Is Everything Getting Reset?
No. While we wish to make this as close to a full reset as possible, a few things will transfer over.

What's Getting Reset?

• The entire main world
• Towns -- We will be replacing our existing Towny-based town system with a new town system designed and created exclusively for our server (by vanZeben and myself). It will allow for far more flexibility (custom plot sizes, better protection of player structures and items, optional PvP-enabled towns and areas within towns, etc) and should also increase stability a good bit.

What's Sort-of Getting Reset?

• Money - Donors with active donation plans will receive the full amount of their donator package's money. We will also be restoring 5-10% of players' existing in-game coin based on how many hours/days they have spent on the server since they started (older players will keep more than newer players).
• Inventory transfer - Players will be able to transfer about a full inventory's worth of items. This one full inventory goes for everyone, Donor or not. The items held within any '/chest' will be reset when we transfer. Gold/Diamond/Iron and other ores and items/blocks derived from said ores, will not be allowed to be transferred as it would destabilize the economy with a flood of these items. The inventory's worth of items is mainly just to get you started on the new map a little faster.

What's Not Getting Reset?

• Player Classes - Players who are already in a class will keep their class and rank on the new map
• mcMMO stats - Existing levels and XP will be transferred for the most part. We will be updating mcMMO to the latest version and fixing any levels acquired via glitches in the current mcMMO

Other info

• We have plans to allow a select few structures to be transferred on request for a fee (in-game coin not real money) 4-6 weeks after the reset happens. This will be on a limited basis and we will decide whether we want to allow a structure to be transferred (don't automatically expect something to be transferred -- build and play as though no structure is being transferred). Do not ask whether your structure will be transferred till we announce the transfer process 4-6 weeks after the reset. This transfer is for a small, well-built structure and not for the transfer of an entire town.

New Features Coming with Reset
The following things will be rapidly implemented following the map reset:

• Powerful new town system - Towny will be replaced by our custom-developed "Kingdoms" plugin
• Brand new mcMMO - The latest version of mcMMO will be modified and implemented fixing most bugs. A significantly improved item drop system will also be added
• Unlocking of higher level class ranks (level 2 and above)
• Lots of bug fixes - bugs with mcMMO, auctions, town system, etc will be fixed
• Massive map - We will launch with a map that is at least twice as large as our current map thanks to our improved hardware, and will likely double that size again shortly after the reset

Edit: DukeTop is maintaining a Frequently Asked Questions thread that contains some additional info.

 

Yay! The announcement is finally here! Can't wait!

 

A whole new wooooorld (don't you dare close your eyes)

I'm so excited!!!!!!!11!1!1!!!1 Finally, something to do besides tickets.