SWG Returns / Talon Online – Project & Server Stability Update

We want to provide the community with a clear update regarding the future direction of our servers and development.

Over the past six weeks, the Core3 project has moved between several different codebases, including SWG Returns, Flurry, Stardust and, most recently, Aftermath.

While experimentation and development are important, repeatedly changing the underlying codebase is not sustainable for a long-term live community. Each major change can introduce instability, additional restarts and, most importantly, the possibility of players losing days or weeks of progress.

Our priority now is stability.

Going forward, Talon Online will operate both our Core3 and NGE environments, while keeping the two eras and their development paths separate.

Our good friend Vlu will be managing the Core3 development pathway. The goal is straightforward: controlled development, proper testing and a stable live server — not constant changes and repeated restarts throughout the day.

The current Core3 environment is online, operational and stable.

Regarding Ben

Ben has contributed a great deal to the project and remains someone we consider a good guy and a friend. However, we also need clear boundaries between development, administration and live-server access.

Ben's assigned role on the NGE side was GM/CSR. Changes were subsequently being made outside that role, including modifications involving existing NGE development work. For the protection and stability of the project, that access has now been removed.

To be completely clear: Ben no longer has administrative, development or server access to the Talon Online Core3 or NGE game servers.

This is not intended as a personal attack or an attempt to erase anyone's previous contribution.

Ben is welcome to return as a player if he chooses. In time, and with trust rebuilt, there may also be an opportunity for him to contribute again in an appropriate CSR capacity.

What This Means For Our Players

From this point forward, our direction is simple:

• Stability before experimentation
• Player progress must be respected
• Core3 development will be managed by Vlu
• NGE and Core3 development will have clearly defined responsibilities
• Changes will be tested before reaching the live environment
• Live-server restarts will be kept to the minimum necessary
• No individual will have unrestricted access outside their assigned role

Players invest real time into their characters, professions, collections, cities and communities. A week's worth of progress should not disappear because somebody decides overnight to move the project onto another codebase.

We are building for the long term, not just for the next patch.

Thank you to everyone who has stayed with us through the recent changes. Our focus now is giving you somewhere stable to play, build and enjoy the game.

The servers are up. The development pathway is clear. Now we move forward.