Since the haste code re-write, server stability has increased greatly, so it's officially a success

Client crashes, although still frequent, have subsided a little.  We are still working on getting the client up to date, but a few problems have led to a delay, of which we can't give any eta of the release.

Ciscos Launcher, although a little shaky at first, is actually a very nice and well build tool.  I personally use it everyday and have no problems with it.  This will be packaged with the next client update.

As for the server updates.  We are now working towards a re design of the current plussing system.  Currently, it's all been used via the in built fabrication system, which requires each item definition and fabrication rule manually entered.  With the help of some spreadsheets, the daunting task of writing 10 item definitions for plussing stage 0 to 9, and then the 24 fabrication rules needed to incorporate Quantum Catalyst, Quantum Infusion and standard fabrication, just for 1 item...... Needless to say, this did test the host quite considerably, and other than a slower booting process, handled them quite well. 

So, "if it aint broke, why fix it?".  Well, In my rush to get the plussing update out, I miscalculated how quickly the 20k Item ID's would rise..... As yall may notice the plussed items start at 30k, and although not many players or present, the current ID count stands at around 21k already.......  Yesterday, I forced the automated ID to 30k and made some items to find out what would happen.....  Had some nice level 20 mobs drop +1 Skars, and +1 Bxirs etc.  Obviously this cannot stay.  Renaming all the ID's will brake all the fabrication rules, and plussing of all the old ID'd items will not be possible........  Yea, not good....

After some investigation, we believe we can integrate plussing using the old 2.0 "UPGRADE" item types, modifying the host to read, define and check these when a fabrication attempt is made is very simple.  The math in ASM is going to give me a headache.  Integers in ASM are bad enough, but when you start messing around with Floating Point numbers, the fun really begins.  Angus has compiled some nice C++ functions which I can analyse and integrate into the new functions needed to make plussing automated.

When it is ready, all upgraded item ID's will revert to a 20k ID.  But since the new function will be checking for same ID numbers, this will not be a problem.  This give the necessary space needed for the new items that drop to continue up to 65K with no issues.

One for the main advantages of the new system will allow the upgrade of all Alien items, and any enchanted items, providing of course the same stone was used and the ID numbers match.

Supaz