Important: we're going to be applying some critical security patches on October 28, and this will take the game servers offline for about three hours while maintenance is underway.
Guild Wars will be down for scheduled security maintenance on Tuesday 10/28/2008 from 12:00 am PST (7:00 am GMT) to 3:00 am PST (10:00 am GMT). During the maintenance period, the game servers will be taken offline and players will be unable to login to the game and play at this time.
Microsoft recently released a critical security patch that we feel is pretty important, so we'll be taking down the game for a few hours to apply it. We tried to schedule this security maintenance at a time when as few players are impacted as possible. We've tried to minimize the amount of time we need to take the game servers offline, and we've been largely successful thus far.
You may have noticed that Guild Wars does not have regularly scheduled maintenance periods. The game servers have been running 24x7 for over a year with no interruptions, planned or otherwise. However, Guild Wars is a global game and there's never an idle period because there are always players from some part of the world enjoying the game. This means that there's really no good time to schedule maintenance of this kind.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope that you'll find something fun to do during the patch; the game will be back up as quickly as we can get everything ready.
[Network News]
Game Server Security Maintenance - October 28, 2008
Regina Buenaobra
Kerwyn Nasilan
From 12:00 PDT to 3:00 PDT
http://www.guildwars.com/support/net...ws/default.php
Quote:
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Guild Wars will be down for scheduled security maintenance on Tuesday 10/28/2008 from 12:00 am PST (7:00 am GMT) to 3:00 am PST (10:00 am GMT). During the maintenance period, the game servers will be taken offline and players will be unable to login to the game and play at this time. Microsoft recently released a critical security patch that we feel is pretty important, so we'll be taking down the game for a few hours to apply it. We tried to schedule this security maintenance at a time when as few players are impacted as possible. We've tried to minimize the amount of time we need to take the game servers offline, and we've been largely successful thus far. You may have noticed that Guild Wars does not have regularly scheduled maintenance periods. The game servers have been running 24x7 for over a year with no interruptions, planned or otherwise. However, Guild Wars is a global game and there's never an idle period because there are always players from some part of the world enjoying the game. This means that there's really no good time to schedule maintenance of this kind. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope that you'll find something fun to do during the patch; the game will be back up as quickly as we can get everything ready. |
Inde
Kerwyn, I edited your post to include the full announcement. 
Kerwyn Nasilan
Thanks, thought I would post it and update it later.
NoXiFy
Sweet. Although it'd be nice to implement the ever wanted "lockout" feature. If your account gets the wrong password 10 times lock the account at that IP for 30mins.
Kerwyn Nasilan
Will this be fixing any of the server problems/lag lots of people have been complaining about.
Rak Orgon of Beowulf
yuck, cutting into my halloween item farming lol
jk. almost no interruptions for GW so one every once in a while is fine with me.
jk. almost no interruptions for GW so one every once in a while is fine with me.
slowerpoke
microsoft release patches every month, yet i dont recall seeing any other downtime 
Nightow
Regina, not sure if it's just me but whenever I click on the web link (On the log in screen) for more info, the game client crashes. It's done it twice and I sent a report both times. Just thought you might to have your people take a look at it.
MStarfire
Looks like I just scheduled my night of heavy drinking.
HawkofStorms
Eh, glad for the advance notice.
gremlin
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Originally Posted by Nightow
Regina, not sure if it's just me but whenever I click on the web link (On the log in screen) for more info, the game client crashes. It's done it twice and I sent a report both times. Just thought you might to have your people take a look at it.
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Calista Blackblood
I can't live without GW for that long.Eugh sunlight 
dilan155
good, of you to let us know, and more security is almost always a good thing.
byteme!
Does this mean I have to spend time with my woman? Gah I hate cuddling up....
*I hope she doesn't read this or I'm dead meat.*
*I hope she doesn't read this or I'm dead meat.*
DarkNecrid
Holy shit, this is the first time GW's ever had its servers actually go down in like
hm...
I believe since the economy rollback incident where everything was 100g. So...2.5 years, give or take?
Crazy.
One of the things I'll miss most when GW2 comes out: up 24/7. (unless if there is some godly thing they come up with to get around this.)
hm...
I believe since the economy rollback incident where everything was 100g. So...2.5 years, give or take?
Crazy.
One of the things I'll miss most when GW2 comes out: up 24/7. (unless if there is some godly thing they come up with to get around this.)
Racthoh
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Originally Posted by DarkNecrid
So...2.5 years, give or take?
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cosyfiep
well I will schedule my nap time for the down time period...will give those termites and drakes a chance to multiple! 
thanks for the info
<mark calendar>
thanks for the info
<mark calendar>
Lycan Nibbler
Translation:
We've found out what the problem was with our servers that we kept denying existed, therefore we are going to try and sort it out and use a MS security update as a cover story.
We've found out what the problem was with our servers that we kept denying existed, therefore we are going to try and sort it out and use a MS security update as a cover story.
Nightow
I see they took out the blue hyperlink now that caused my client to crash earlier and replaced it with a plain text url. Thanks for the late-night fix Regina!
DarkNecrid
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Originally Posted by Miss Drops Az
Translation:
We've found out what the problem was with our servers that we kept denying existed, therefore we are going to try and sort it out and use a MS security update as a cover story. |
Lycan Nibbler
Quote:
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Originally Posted by DarkNecrid
no one is dumb enough to use MS as a cover story for anything. It only makes stuff worse.
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Stc95
Quote:
| and hope that you'll find something fun to do during the patch; |
gof_lynx
Well while tyhe game is down anet needs to buy a couple cans of air duster and dust the servers off. Make sure you wipe them down and make them nice and shiny. Im tired of this damn lag!!!!
aaje vhanli
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kerwyn Nasilan
Will this be fixing any of the server problems/lag lots of people have been complaining about.
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Because I haven't had an issue with GW lag-time in years and for the last couple months I have suddenly started experience insane lag (with absolutely zero changes on my end)... only in GW.
I have contacted GW support many times, and all I get are responses from NC Soft asking me to fill out a survey on the reply and customer service that I never received.
I haven't been playing for this very issue - which sucks 'cause I still enjoy the game
Lyynyyrd
Recent MS security update... find the exploit in that, find the exploit in the servers. :]
the_jos
Quote:
| We've found out what the problem was with our servers that we kept denying existed, therefore we are going to try and sort it out and use a MS security update as a cover story. |
There seem to be at least two exploits abusing the problem already and since the patch is out it's a matter of time before a major exploit is developed.
I think A-net's action is the right one, test the patch and deploy as soon as possible, even if it hurts some customers.
If they don't fix and their servers are exploited a lot more players are hurt even without compromise of the game or databases.
Sir Mad
Quote:
| Microsoft recently released a critical security patch |
HawkofStorms
I agree with The Jos. My job just sent an e-mail to everybody telling all employees to make sure to install this most reccent MS update. Judging from the language in the e-mail from the IT people, this most reccent patch seems pretty important (ie, MS screwed up and have at least migated the problem).
Winston
Damn it, this falls at the worst time for Australian players, 6-9pm. (Worst for me anyway)
Nightow
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Originally Posted by Winston
Damn it, this falls at the worst time for Australian players, 6-9pm. (Worst for me anyway)
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)
ALF71BE
Good, good.
I guess.
Not gonna miss any farming hour at least.
I guess.
Not gonna miss any farming hour at least.
DarkNecrid
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Originally Posted by Sir Mad
I was kinda shocked to read that - not the security part but the Microsoft one: what about Linux?
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While you and I both know they should (infinitely more secure than Microsoft and better in every way), there's probably coding reasons or something.
The servers would be in a lot better condition if they used Linux tho. :|
fRag_Doll
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Regina Buenaobra
We tried to schedule this security maintenance at a time when as few players are impacted as possible.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Winston
Damn it, this falls at the worst time for Australian players, 6-9pm. (Worst for me anyway)
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Vic
Quote:
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Originally Posted by NoXiFy
Sweet. Although it'd be nice to implement the ever wanted "lockout" feature. If your account gets the wrong password 10 times lock the account at that IP for 30mins.
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I find out your account name/email
I just set a bot to lock you out for ever
Takeko Nakano
With all due respect, does anyone else feel like Regina is little more than a news bot? I mean her predecessor was much more talkative and involved in threads on the forum.
Xunlai Guru Agent
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Takeko Nakano
With all due respect, does anyone else feel like Regina is little more than a news bot? I mean her predecessor was much more talkative and involved in threads on the forum.
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OT: Looking forward for the downtime!
Winston
Oh well, got in about 20 minutes of raptor farming before they pulled the plug
10 Golds, 21 ToTs, and a Black Dye! Probably the most profitable 20 minutes in my GW career.
10 Golds, 21 ToTs, and a Black Dye! Probably the most profitable 20 minutes in my GW career.
Dr.Jones
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MY GEEDUBS. pictochat anyone?
Aussie Boy
Actually had 2 accounts running and logged one out just now and cant get back in I get the message but am still running around with the other account farming tots O.o
Weird
Weird