Author Topic: So what happened this time?  (Read 16787 times)

Tymers Realm

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So what happened this time?
« on: 11 July 2017, 15:49:09 »
As the Subject line states, what happened this time?
A week and a half or so is way too much. Wouldn't you think?

And before anyone says it, I'm not on Facebook or Twitter. And I don't plan to.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #1 on: 11 July 2017, 15:58:49 »
And before anyone says it, I'm not on Facebook or Twitter. And I don't plan to.

If you purposely keep yourself away from communications channels, then you will not receive communication.
Power corrupts. Absolute power is kinda neat.

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Tymers Realm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #2 on: 11 July 2017, 16:10:11 »
If you purposely keep yourself away from communications channels, then you will not receive communication.

And there could be updates to the Battletech page on CGL's website. Which hadn't even updated the changes in Line Developers yet.
I'm sorry if I seem a little Luddite in my views about Facebook & Twitter, but I just don't care for those platforms. I've seen how it can twist my GF enough. I don't wish to go down that road.

monbvol

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #3 on: 11 July 2017, 16:30:05 »
While I am willing to at least visit the Battletech Facebook page(I have no facebook account and the odds of me getting one are rather remote at best) I do think it is a fair question to ask why the main CGL page doesn't have some sort of announcement.

And that people are being rebuffed for not visiting Facebook or twitter is something I hope stops happening since I don't think it unreasonable that information should be distributed through as many channels as possible, especially a company's official main site.

At the very least it just plain looks bad that CGL isn't interested(any excuses of them not being able to are no longer excusable in my book) in keeping their main official site updated, especially after such a major and prolonged outage.

The official announcement is that there was some sort of server work on the old server that hosted pretty much all of CGL's sites that was not properly communicated to them and the decision was made to change servers.

That it took this long certainly has been frustrating and I do have to wonder if there was something more going on because to me it should not have taken the Battletech forums to come back up(took them nearly an extra day versus all the other sites) but we have the official word.

Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #4 on: 11 July 2017, 16:38:47 »
Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate your concerns regarding communication but please remain civil and refrain from sniping at each other.

monbvol

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #5 on: 11 July 2017, 17:04:18 »
I can accept I probably should have worded a few thoughts better as I don't mean to offend or marginalize anyone.

But to move on and bring this topic back more into focus:

Hopefully soon we'll have full forum functionality back again soon as there seem to be a few bits still not working quite right.

elf25s

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #6 on: 11 July 2017, 18:52:46 »
but getting back on the subject almost two weeks down time?  so what had happened?
you sure cannot out run death...but sure as hell you can make that bastard work for it!

Liam's Ghost

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #7 on: 11 July 2017, 19:05:55 »
but getting back on the subject almost two weeks down time?  so what had happened?

As I understand it, their previous server provider failed to inform them about some maintenance, and they ended up having to migrate. It looks like some work is still underway.
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

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Maingunnery

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #8 on: 11 July 2017, 19:07:15 »

As I understand it, their previous server provider failed to inform them about some maintenance, and they ended up having to migrate. It looks like some work is still underway.
Yep, it seems that some threads can't be replied to yet. I will try again later.
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Liam's Ghost

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #9 on: 11 July 2017, 19:09:37 »
Also looks like we lost about a week and a half of posts. I wonder if we're getting those back, or we should just count our blessings that that was all we lost.  :)

(as always, thank you to the staff for enduring the frustrations of technology to provide the rest of us ungrateful saps the benefits of that technology)
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

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Tymers Realm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #10 on: 11 July 2017, 19:12:46 »
Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate your concerns regarding communication but please remain civil and refrain from sniping at each other.

Yea, sorry about that. I just wanted to keep the eventual "Didn't you check X or Y Social site?" from creeping up.

BattletechisLit

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #11 on: 11 July 2017, 19:18:55 »
While it is more professional to have an explanation on your Official Site about what happened, I can see why communication was only available through social media.

worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #12 on: 11 July 2017, 19:31:48 »
Short form, semi-official response.

All the Catalyst sites went down due to a major hack. The BT forums were just one victim.

Professional web providers were brought in to manage the rebuild - we've been burning too many volunteers who've given of their time, skill, and blood, to keep the old stuff working, and it was time for a change of approach. This did slow things down while the new folk came up to speed on the 'historical curiosities' aspect.

And then we hit problems with the restore of the BT forum backup. After a number of attempts to restore the most recent backup, they made the call to fall back to an older copy, which we're now running on. Yes, less than ideal, but it's the first major data loss since 2011. For a volunteer-run forum, that could be much worse (eg. how many times did we lose the whole forums between 2000 and 2010? Five times? Six?)

Remember - CGL pay for the site & storage, but (until now) all forum work's done by volunteers - both front-of-house & back-of-house. The handful of people actually employed at CGL are not web gurus, nor do any do any tech stuff - they're too busy trying to get books out the door.

And yes, we're looking at options for better comms in the event of any future outages. Things like a splash screen from Word of Blake, at least. But concentration is currently on restoring service. And as the blessed Blake says, "Behind our efforts, let there be our efforts."

W.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
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Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #13 on: 11 July 2017, 19:41:18 »
Okay, we're having some reports that people are having problems logging in.  I'm communicating that to the system admin team internally.  In the meantime, please do not create new, alternate accounts.  We recognize that you're not doing it out of any sort of malicious intent but doing so is still against the forum rules.  Please give us time to finish sweeping up the mess properly, then get in touch through another user or another channel and we'll try to get you sorted out.

The point about posting to the main CGL site has been raised internally, by the way.

worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #14 on: 11 July 2017, 19:43:42 »
What he said. We're still picking up pieces. And the extended smiley list has disappeared!  :o
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

BattletechisLit

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #15 on: 11 July 2017, 20:05:43 »
Glad to hear it. Is there any talk about updating the site? Ya know like updating the coming soon section stuff like that? And hopefully not just be a one time thing? I know "volunteers" and all that jazz but us fans hate seeing the website rot.

Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #16 on: 11 July 2017, 20:26:42 »
Glad to hear it. Is there any talk about updating the site?

Yes although we've been a little distracted lately.  Can't quite remember why, though.

Ya know like updating the coming soon section stuff like that? And hopefully not just be a one time thing? I know "volunteers" and all that jazz but us fans hate seeing the website rot.

It hasn't been updated in a while but I don't think we've announced any major new products lately.  Looking at the products released, I don't see anything on there that needs to come down, either.  I'm going to let the dust settle a little before trying to do much with the site, though.

worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #17 on: 11 July 2017, 20:38:49 »
Restoring the extended smiley list, and dealing with the users having problems logging in, and some related issues, are the priority.

But yes, when we've got things more stable, and TPTB tell us about new things, we expect to update.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"


Liam's Ghost

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #19 on: 12 July 2017, 17:01:15 »
Ooh! Can I?

EDIT: Yes!
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #20 on: 12 July 2017, 17:24:20 »
If anyone's reading this and still getting the Session ended message that won't let you post or log out, try clearing out your cookies and restarting the computer.  Worked for me.
Warning: this post may contain sarcasm.

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Daryk

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #21 on: 12 July 2017, 19:53:00 »
Testing...

EDIT: Excellent!  I was unable to post yesterday and earlier this evening, but apparently can now...

worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #22 on: 12 July 2017, 19:57:37 »
Unsung heroes - Moonsword and Knightmare - have been our astropaths guiding the Professionales Mechanicus towards the radiant beacon of Randall's Golden Writing Throne ...
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #23 on: 12 July 2017, 20:10:31 »
We're still seeing some trailing issues (the missing smileys mainly - not just the extended ones but the base set have some missing, plus the ones we have aren't the same) but at this point, I'm hearing a lot of positive news from various people that things are working.

If anyone's reading this and still getting the Session ended message that won't let you post or log out, try clearing out your cookies and restarting the computer.  Worked for me.

There were backend problems around the session verification to my understanding.  It didn't matter whether you had a cookie or not, the server couldn't figure out what to do with you.  We also had a round of other, different server issues this morning.

Unsung heroes - Moonsword and Knightmare - have been our astropaths guiding the Professionales Mechanicus towards the radiant beacon of Randall's Golden Writing Throne ...

More Knightmare than me.  I've mostly just been annoying various people with emails on a regular basis to route information where it needs to go and trying to help feed information out on a regular basis.

Valkerie

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #24 on: 12 July 2017, 20:20:53 »
Well, big thanks to everyone involved getting it all back online!  I for one very much appreciate all the hard work that everyone does to keep these sites up and running.  :) 


May whoever hacked things be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels  >:D
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Tymers Realm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #25 on: 12 July 2017, 20:22:05 »
How about Spoiler Function?

Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #26 on: 12 July 2017, 20:26:45 »
There's still forum settings that need to be tweaked and put back the way they were, that among them.

Alsadius

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #27 on: 12 July 2017, 20:47:31 »
Suggestion: Can this thread, or one like it, be posted as a global sticky? It'd be helpful in informing people what happened, and hopefully shouldn't take too long.

Also, while I do regret the loss of those posts, thanks to those who got us back to functionality.

pheonixstorm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #28 on: 12 July 2017, 21:04:59 »
Well, if you ever get tired of SMF pick another board and I can write up a nice conversion script in php to cleanly move things over ;)

abou

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #29 on: 12 July 2017, 21:35:03 »
One of the many things that concerns me is that Catalyst has a Twitter account, but it hasn't been updated since July 8th and before that June 30th. Both those posts were about Dragonfire with nothing about the websites. Same for the Tumblr. I don't expect the volunteers that manage to forum to do the same for official Catalyst stuff, but nothing from the guys in charge?

I'm thinking of a very specific quote by Morty from Rick & Morty that involves a backpack and a museum or store.

Kitsune413

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #30 on: 12 July 2017, 21:38:25 »
Pretty sure that the battletech forums are hosted by go-daddy.

4chan and anon have apparently been running some kind of op against go-daddy. Seems like the battletech forums just keep drawing the wrong crossfire cards.
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Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #31 on: 12 July 2017, 21:54:11 »
Pretty sure that the battletech forums are hosted by go-daddy.

No, they're not.  Move on from the topic of Anonymous, 4chan, and ISPs.

worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #32 on: 12 July 2017, 22:39:51 »
Exactly.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

garhkal

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #33 on: 12 July 2017, 23:22:04 »
Had a nice long response to the whole 'social media issue'.. BUT instead will just say
YAY we are back..

Though one question i have had..
Like with darn near every other 'forum site' i have an account at, you are required to use an email address that links are sent to, to create the account (and verify it when its finalized)..
Why can't catalyzt, take all those email addresses of all the accounts, store them off the CGL main site (so if hacked/shutdown again), they can send out a mass email burst?

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worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #34 on: 12 July 2017, 23:44:03 »
"store them off the main site" being the issue.

Not aware of any simple way to get that list without being a web monkey. Volunteers lack the ability or access to do that sort of thing. Until recently, volunteers were it.

W.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

Liam's Ghost

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #35 on: 13 July 2017, 00:16:41 »
Out of curiosity are the professional web monkeys also going to be involved in cleaning up the Store?
« Last Edit: 13 July 2017, 00:50:13 by Liam's Ghost »
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

trboturtle

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #36 on: 13 July 2017, 00:36:12 »
If anyone's reading this and still getting the Session ended message that won't let you post or log out, try clearing out your cookies and restarting the computer.  Worked for me.

Didn't work for me.... it stood there like Gandolf, shouting "You Shall Not Pass!" I had to get WT to beat on the server until it allowed me in.......

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #37 on: 13 July 2017, 00:58:44 »
Also looks like we lost about a week and a half of posts.
That's it?  What sort of black magic is at work here?  The forums have never lost that little time.

Domi1981

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #38 on: 13 July 2017, 01:54:46 »
If you purposely keep yourself away from communications channels, then you will not receive communication.

Facebook is not a communication channel. It´s a data kraken and platform for showmanship. Than has been proven since many years now. People like him and myself don´t want to sell our privacy to such companies. Therefore I think he is totally right on demanding proper communication via the companie´s homepage. But with the new team on CGL we all can hope for the best.

Ghost0402

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #39 on: 13 July 2017, 05:48:07 »
If you purposely keep yourself away from communications channels, then you will not receive communication.
I have enough cancerous crap in my life without adding more social media cancer to it.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #40 on: 13 July 2017, 07:31:02 »
It was just a cunning plan by our new BT Line Developer God to show us what Grey Monday was really like for citizens of the Inner Sphere . . .
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #41 on: 13 July 2017, 07:41:21 »
...and it nearly worked. I had just finished bolting the machine-gun on my lawnmower and was about to overthrow the local HOA when Great Blessed Blake restored site functionality.

My blueprints, BTW:

Kit deSummersville

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #42 on: 13 July 2017, 08:10:05 »
No, they're not.  Move on from the topic of Anonymous, 4chan, and ISPs.

We can talk abut the ISF, though, right?
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Peter Smith

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #43 on: 13 July 2017, 08:47:03 »
Facebook is not a communication channel.

The volume of communication I have run through FB shows this to be an incorrect statement.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #44 on: 13 July 2017, 09:06:00 »
...and it nearly worked. I had just finished bolting the machine-gun on my lawnmower and was about to overthrow the local HOA when Great Blessed Blake restored site functionality.

My blueprints, BTW:


It is great to see as a responsible Daddy you are setting a good example by wearing a safety helmet while operating your ride-on lawnmower and that you have your son Billy wearing hearing-protection  ^-^
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monbvol

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #45 on: 13 July 2017, 09:10:06 »
Sheesh guys we get it but I guess I need to re-phrase a sentiment I have in a hopefully more polite and fair way.

You don't need to have a Facebook account or to use Facebook for anything else than keeping yourself informed on what is happening with CGL/Battletech.  Same for Twitter.

Yes it is not unreasonable to expect that a company's official site to also be a source of current information, or the official forums for that matter, but as recent events have shown there may be times where that is not possible.

Now enough bashing.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #46 on: 13 July 2017, 09:13:59 »
Unsung heroes - Moonsword and Knightmare - have been our astropaths guiding the Professionales Mechanicus towards the radiant beacon of Randall's Golden Writing Throne ...

Proof BattleTech is actually Warhammer 40K!  :-X

Also, FYI, you don't have to have a Facebook account to visit the Battletech Facebook page, just do a search and follow the link.  I'm not disparaging those of you who choose not to have an account, but there are easy work-arounds to find what you may be looking for.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #47 on: 13 July 2017, 09:16:07 »
Now enough bashing.

The only approved bashing on this site is kit-bashing. And possibly Kit-bashing.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #48 on: 13 July 2017, 09:26:28 »
Well there's something new, when I posted both Feenix74's and monbvol's posts didn't provoke a warning to me that new posts had posted while I was typing a reply.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #49 on: 13 July 2017, 09:42:57 »
At this point the thing I find most concerning is the two different stories we've gotten about why the sites and forums went down.

Facebook and twitter doesn't mention any hacking but here we have Worktroll saying there was a hack.

It raises some frankly uncomfortable questions in my mind about the competency and credibility of the actual leadership at CGL in a way that no other issue we've faced ever has.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #50 on: 13 July 2017, 09:51:57 »
There was a hack.  If you came to the website at a certain time, you were greeted with a "lol hacked" page.  Plenty of people had to have seen it besides me.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #51 on: 13 July 2017, 10:22:34 »
At this point the thing I find most concerning is the two different stories we've gotten about why the sites and forums went down.

Facebook and twitter doesn't mention any hacking but here we have Worktroll saying there was a hack.

It raises some frankly uncomfortable questions in my mind about the competency and credibility of the actual leadership at CGL in a way that no other issue we've faced ever has.

Technically speaking the stories aren't different, you are just missing the prologue from the official sites.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #52 on: 13 July 2017, 10:29:57 »
The only approved bashing on this site is kit-bashing. And possibly Kit-bashing.

What about when you take your mace-equipped mech and go hunting for Protomechs?
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #53 on: 13 July 2017, 10:43:47 »
That's only kitbashing if they're Sea Fox protos.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #54 on: 13 July 2017, 10:49:31 »
Technically speaking the stories aren't different, you are just missing the prologue from the official sites.

Directly from the Battletech Facebook:

WEBSITE UPDATE: The recent unavailability of bg.battletech.com is the result of maintenance on the host server which was not adequately communicated to Catalyst Game Labs.
To restore access, and to ensure its future security and functionality, the site is in the process of being moved to a new server. We look forward to restoring access to the site and the BattleTech forums as soon as possible, and maintaining that access going forward.
Thank you for your patience and understanding while we resolve this unforeseen issue.

Nothing about hacking.  The previous post is from June 24.  So at absolute best we're not getting the full story from CGL(credibility).  The other scenarios that might explain why they didn't make a mention of there being a hack are frankly worse for CGL.

The main CGL Facebook has nothing about the recent outage at all.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #55 on: 13 July 2017, 12:06:20 »
I have to agree with some of the sentiments about social media I've seen upthread.  Doesn't matter if one was following facebook/twitter/etc because CGL didn't say anything via those media.

Enough information was out there about the site being hacked and even who claimed credit for it that my antivirus suite warned me of the former before I even noticed myself and I easily looked up the latter in a google search.  I saw enough information to even suspect how it was hacked, but of course have no way to know for sure.

Unfortunately, the only open source information that was available for a restoral timeline was this:



So, watching facebook/twitter/etc wouldn't have told someone anything anyway.  Not that I saw.  And as pointed out upthread it's not a case of CGL being so small they don't have a person for social media communication... Dragonfire promotions made it out.  I don't want to be a chicken little, but I can't help but worry about resources being diverted into outside/professional IT help being yet another straw upon the camel's back.  I do sincerely hope we're far from the proverbial Last one, but at the very least we're one closer.  Letting well meaning volunteers like the mods and ombudsman be the spokespeople about this incident isn't inspiring confidence.

EDIT: Upon rereading, my post is really full of nothing but negativity.  On the chance any PTBs are actually reading it, I do want to at least express my appreciation over the efforts to restore the forums and congratulate them on getting them back so that we can resume indulging in talking about the hobby we all love once again. 
« Last Edit: 13 July 2017, 12:11:32 by Tai Dai Cultist »

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #56 on: 13 July 2017, 12:52:17 »

So, watching facebook/twitter/etc wouldn't have told someone anything anyway.  Not that I saw.  And as pointed out upthread it's not a case of CGL being so small they don't have a person for social media communication... Dragonfire promotions made it out.  I don't want to be a chicken little, but I can't help but worry about resources being diverted into outside/professional IT help being yet another straw upon the camel's back.  I do sincerely hope we're far from the proverbial Last one, but at the very least we're one closer.  Letting well meaning volunteers like the mods and ombudsman be the spokespeople about this incident isn't inspiring confidence.

EDIT: Upon rereading, my post is really full of nothing but negativity.  On the chance any PTBs are actually reading it, I do want to at least express my appreciation over the efforts to restore the forums and congratulate them on getting them back so that we can resume indulging in talking about the hobby we all love once again.

Well, the DF posts made it out because Randall has been living, eating, breathing, sleeping (when he does sleep) and talking Dragonfire for the last six months. If you may have noticed that with the exception of Dragonfire Posts, Randall has .been harder to find than Bigfoot on Social Media (The rumor that there have been Randall sightings by Bigfoots have not been confirmed.) It's the main reason Brent had stepped in to take the LD chair from Randall.

And the number of full-time Catalyst employees is small, no more than ten full-time people. Most of the rest working for Catalyst are freelancers like myself, who stay in contact via the internet. Randall, among his many, many other duties, does most of Catalyst's social media, which is what it's been sparse for the last several months on anything but Dragonfire. The website problems didn't help, coming at exactly the wrong time.

Now, everyone's under the gun to get products ready for Gencon. All the editing, proofing, layout has to be done before sending the products to be printed is a massive task, and everyone is working a mile a minute. Dragonfire is still the big thing this year, so a lot of effort is being devoted to that, but other products are being worked on across the game lines.

I know it sounds like an excuse, but that's the truth.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #57 on: 13 July 2017, 13:01:51 »
There's never a good time to get hacked, but leading into the con season has to be in the running for the worst times to get hacked.

Here's to CGL deciding it was worth their limited resources to restore the forums (and presumably, to do it right).  Whether we use the forums to complain or not, at least we have them :)

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #58 on: 13 July 2017, 13:19:49 »
There's never a good time to get hacked, but leading into the con season has to be in the running for the worst times to get hacked.

Here's to CGL deciding it was worth their limited resources to restore the forums (and presumably, to do it right).  Whether we use the forums to complain or not, at least we have them :)

Seconded!
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #59 on: 13 July 2017, 13:32:13 »
And in a way I find it at least partially re-assuring that CGL felt they could afford the money to have professionals help with restoring their sites.  It does indicate at least something of a healthy revenue stream.

And that Brent has been named LD for Battletech is also re-assuring in a way.  Even before Dragon Fire Randal was obviously trying to wear too many hats.

Still though this incident has eroded the credibility of CGL and underscores just how understaffed they are versus everything they are trying to do.  It has always been a big concern for me that CGL all but shuts down for Con season and this major of an outage combined with them eroding their already strained credibility further is worrying.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #60 on: 13 July 2017, 14:19:51 »
The other way to look at it, of course, is to laud the efforts of the volunteer staff who worked so hard to try to get things untangled while helping move things over to the new server-gurus. That's a pay-less job that took a lot more work than you might realize- we'd probably still be down (or at least not have been able to recover as much as we did) without their efforts.

(And no, that doesn't include me, because I have all the web coding capabilities of a trained chimpanzee, minus the training.)
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #61 on: 13 July 2017, 14:21:34 »
And in a way I find it at least partially re-assuring that CGL felt they could afford the money to have professionals help with restoring their sites.  It does indicate at least something of a healthy revenue stream.

And that Brent has been named LD for Battletech is also re-assuring in a way.  Even before Dragon Fire Randal was obviously trying to wear too many hats.

Still though this incident has eroded the credibility of CGL and underscores just how understaffed they are versus everything they are trying to do.  It has always been a big concern for me that CGL all but shuts down for Con season and this major of an outage combined with them eroding their already strained credibility further is worrying.

Agreed on all points. During the last week I was hearing a lot of rumors saying CGL was getting ready to declare bankrupcy, and that Dragonfire was a last ditch effort before they went under. Hearing that they can afford pros to fix the site is definitely reassuring. I wish CGL all the luck with generating new revenue streams.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #62 on: 13 July 2017, 14:32:05 »
During the last week I was hearing a lot of rumors saying CGL was getting ready to declare bankrupcy...

Not the first time that rumor was speed around, and I'd bet real money it's just as false this time as the last.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #63 on: 13 July 2017, 15:11:41 »
Not the first time that rumor was speed around, and I'd bet real money it's just as false this time as the last.

Hell, I can remember that rumor flying at GenCon 2011, the game was done for, Catalyst was folding, the convention was just so they could sell off the last stock they had... A few of us even did a winking toast to 'the death of Battletech AGAIN, let's do it again next year!' after-hours.

I don't know what the comany's finances look like. Neither do you. The only people who do are under no obligation to share their books with the fans, just like any other business out there- so let's lay off on the 'ALL IS DOOM' crap- what the company's financial status is like is between them and their accountant, not to you or I.

Go roll some dice, people.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #64 on: 13 July 2017, 15:43:17 »
The volume of communication I have run through FB shows this to be an incorrect statement.

Some people think McDonald sells food...

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #65 on: 13 July 2017, 15:51:55 »
The only approved bashing on this site is kit-bashing. And possibly Kit-bashing.

Along with all sorts of dead horses!! ;D
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #66 on: 13 July 2017, 16:18:52 »
That is most certainly *not* approved. They just don't let us enforce it fully, since it would require banning half the forum. :)
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #67 on: 13 July 2017, 17:03:47 »
Go roll some dice, people.

On that note, I had a great game of Alpha Strike last night.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #68 on: 13 July 2017, 17:21:39 »

Go roll some dice, people.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #69 on: 13 July 2017, 18:22:27 »
I don't get people complaining that there was no statement on Facebook/Twitter.  I saw statements from official accounts in both places.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #70 on: 13 July 2017, 18:30:14 »
I don't know what the company's finances look like. Neither do you. The only people who do are under no obligation to share their books with the fans, just like any other business out there- so let's lay off on the 'ALL IS DOOM' crap- what the company's financial status is like is between them and their accountant, not to you or I.

I agree completely, and I apologize if anyone inferred differently from my post. I was only expressing my own relief at seeing some evidence the rumors were false, and gratitude for it as well, since no one was under any obligations to provide it. I guess next time I'll just keep silent on the matter instead of expressing it if people are taking it any other way than I intended.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #71 on: 13 July 2017, 18:33:50 »
A good rule of thumb: The rumors are always false.

For Battletech: The rumors are ALWAYS false.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #72 on: 13 July 2017, 18:43:06 »
As bad as things were around here, I've seen worse recently...the Pinnacle website forums were taken down sometime in April or May to be moved over to a new forum system...said they'd be back up around the end of May...end of May came up, and they updated their message on the page to say that something had cropped up, but they'd be back up by June 6...

They haven't changed the message on the forum (the one you get taking the forum link from their main site) since, and it is still showing that message as of about 5 minutes ago...

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #73 on: 13 July 2017, 18:55:46 »
I don't get people complaining that there was no statement on Facebook/Twitter.  I saw statements from official accounts in both places.

I saw the statement on Facebook, but don't follow CGL on Twitter.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #74 on: 13 July 2017, 19:05:56 »
Part of the problem is that unless I am actively engaged with the CGL facebook feed, facebook likes to hide some of their stuff from me. Even when I go looking on their page it varies from one instance to another what they are showing. Facebook is very unreliable as a news platform in my opinion. I don't know if anyone else runs into the same problem, but I'd assume so.

I don't use twitter at all though, so I have no idea what kind of problems anyone might run into finding news there. If anyone were taking suggestions, I would suggest using reddit for news posts. You can make a subreddit that only allows it's mods to post, and then sticky any announcements you want to make to the top. I've found it a lot easier to get info from than facebook, in multiple communities in the past. Not that any of us actually have a say in the matter, but I also like the idea of an email list.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #75 on: 13 July 2017, 19:13:19 »
Any method's only going to reach those who use that method. How many folks saw messages on the LoTB or OBT forums?

Certainly, getting some sort of 'whoops!' message on the main CGL URLs seems like the best approach. But we're probably not going to joggle the folks finishing up on the restore right now.
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #76 on: 13 July 2017, 19:57:11 »
It would be nice if Googling something like "Battletech forums down?" would show something other than the "is it up?" sites...

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #77 on: 13 July 2017, 19:57:45 »
The Battletech Twitter account did have something a few days before the forums came back up.  I stopped checking the main battletech site back when the April fools joke was still the most recent news story in July.

The Catalyst twitter said nothing .  I kept checking catalyst tumblr figuring there's be at least a quick note about it, but nothing there either. It was the same radio silence when the shadowrun forums got hacked.

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #78 on: 13 July 2017, 20:01:24 »
I never saw anything on the CGL Twitter or Facebook... Didn't know there was one for BT though so... But I first read about the hack on the MegaMek slack feed lol

So maybe we should bash Kit and WT to join the MM slack so we can get updated information a lot faster

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #79 on: 13 July 2017, 20:54:45 »
Maybe we as consumers shouldn't expect a volunteer and a freelancer to act as our personal conduit to the inner workings of a company when they honestly might not have much more information than us?  :P
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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #80 on: 13 July 2017, 21:22:28 »
True, but still a better option than "other" channels

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #81 on: 13 July 2017, 21:25:44 »
I'll do any WT bashing that's needed. I'm sure I've got some DA missiles which will fit on my elbows ...

* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

garhkal

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #82 on: 14 July 2017, 00:03:15 »
As bad as things were around here, I've seen worse recently...the Pinnacle website forums were taken down sometime in April or May to be moved over to a new forum system...said they'd be back up around the end of May...end of May came up, and they updated their message on the page to say that something had cropped up, but they'd be back up by June 6...

They haven't changed the message on the forum (the one you get taking the forum link from their main site) since, and it is still showing that message as of about 5 minutes ago...

Ruger

It's been about 2 years, now, but i had an old school adnd site that went off line for a few weeks while the webhost MOVED house..  He kept saying "coming back soon"..  9 months later it was still of line...
Then came back all of a sudden with no real fanfare or alerts to everyone..
It's not who you kill, but how they die!
You can't shoot what you can't see.
You can not dodge it if you don't know it's coming.

Wrangler

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #83 on: 14 July 2017, 05:26:34 »
To note: I greatly apperiate the efforts done by everyone who restored the forums.  I am still getting periodic 503 Gateway error once in a while.  I'll report it else where as well.
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
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Moonsword

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #84 on: 14 July 2017, 08:01:04 »
To note: I greatly apperiate the efforts done by everyone who restored the forums.  I am still getting periodic 503 Gateway error once in a while.  I'll report it else where as well.

Please do not spam multiple threads with error reports, just stick to one thread.

Daryk

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #85 on: 14 July 2017, 08:07:02 »
I'm also seeing gateway time-outs periodically.  They happen for a few minutes at a time, then clear up.

pheonixstorm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #86 on: 14 July 2017, 14:08:53 »
Timeouts (504 and the like) have this thread http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58034.0

YingJanshi

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #87 on: 14 July 2017, 18:11:25 »
Wait, what? O.o

The forum was on time out? I knew things were getting a little restless but...
:D

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pheonixstorm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #88 on: 15 July 2017, 02:52:20 »
I found the answer we have all been searching for...


marauder648

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #89 on: 15 July 2017, 03:37:05 »
I'm just glad its back and thanks to all the folks who put hard work in to restore the forums.
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Adrian Gideon

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #90 on: 15 July 2017, 14:29:41 »
I have to agree with some of the sentiments about social media I've seen upthread.  Doesn't matter if one was following facebook/twitter/etc because CGL didn't say anything via those media.
Information was posted to the BT twitter and facebook pages, which you can find in my sig.
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Tai Dai Cultist

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #91 on: 15 July 2017, 15:30:57 »
I don't want to argue with ya Ray but I do want to clarify that you took my post slightly out of context.  Yeah, clearly, TPTB did make posts on FB/Twitter.  I was arguing the position that said posts didn't actually convey new and useful information beyond what anyone could already see when one tried to connect to the site(s).  In other words: "We're down.  With no ETR."

Anyway, that's a quibble.  I found out about the information I deemed relevant (you were hacked, how serious was it, etc) by venues other than your PA channels.  Regardless, I'm glad you guys did A) decide the forums were worth restoring and B) did so.  Thanks for what you do, even if I was claiming CGL's official announcements weren't helpful in informing us about what was going on.

Domi1981

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #92 on: 19 July 2017, 05:22:42 »
SInce the "restart" site buildup is 21 century fast for me. So all in all great job, I guess. Make Battletech great again. O:-)

marauder648

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #93 on: 06 August 2017, 06:02:18 »
*glances around* Is..is it working again?  I sacrificed a goat so i'd not jinx it...
Ghost Bears: Cute and cuddly. Until you remember its a BLOODY BEAR!

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worktroll

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #94 on: 06 August 2017, 18:34:43 »
Well, the 502nd Division seems to have been displaced by the 504th, will rolling blackouts. 504th is ComStar, so 502nd must be Word of Blake. Choose sides! Who's liturgies will be dominant?
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

garhkal

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #95 on: 07 August 2017, 01:36:31 »
*glances around* Is..is it working again?  I sacrificed a goat so i'd not jinx it...

I was wondering if i needed too, after not getting in earlier this evening..  Lucky you did the sacrifice as the gods seem happy..  as its up right now..
It's not who you kill, but how they die!
You can't shoot what you can't see.
You can not dodge it if you don't know it's coming.

Maingunnery

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #96 on: 07 August 2017, 11:59:30 »
Progress I only had an hour of 503's today.
Herb: "Well, now I guess we'll HAVE to print it. Sounds almost like the apocalypse I've been working for...."

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Cryhavok101

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #97 on: 07 August 2017, 14:20:10 »
Well, the 502nd Division seems to have been displaced by the 504th, will rolling blackouts. 504th is ComStar, so 502nd must be Word of Blake. Choose sides! Who's liturgies will be dominant?

At least it isn't the 501st! We would never hit any of the openings in the errors to post things.

marauder648

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #98 on: 12 August 2017, 06:05:42 »
At least the 504th Shadow Division has been driven off, but for how long...

Still it could be worse, there was that time an Adept on Derion accidentelly deleted the System32 folder for the HPG there, that took some fixing. 

Also, basically Comstar's tech support;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsZqq0T-dtU
Ghost Bears: Cute and cuddly. Until you remember its a BLOODY BEAR!

Project Zhukov Fan AU TRO's and PDFs - https://thezhukovau.wordpress.com/

pheonixstorm

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Re: So what happened this time?
« Reply #99 on: 12 August 2017, 21:17:56 »
Toooo funny.