Wishing all our east coast players a safe weekend

[Ironcrown]

Yea...have a niece in NC and a sister-inlaw in VA. Be safe everyone!

Just curious...I wonder what kind of plan Turbine has for severe weather?

[TanisWhisperwind]

Don't live on the east coast, but have plenty of friends that do... be safe and hope everything turns out ok... like TheREALify said, the equipment can be replaced... the people can't. Stay safe!

[Yula_the_Mighty]

I don't understand all the freaking out, the world won't end. Power will most likely go out though. I guess I'm fortunate to not be in a flood-prone spot. That's where the biggest damage from these storms often comes from.

Living here in South Florida having been hit more than once. Even enjoyed the Eye of Hurricane Wilma. You have to experience a Hurricane to fully understand the power and scare factor. One of the biggest is the "wear on you" factor. They are huge storms. It is not fun to experience one or more days locked in your bunker (assuming your home converts to a bunker like mine does). Where the wind is whipping. The house is creaking and groaning. It is howling outside. It goes on and on and on. As the storm approaches, the intensity ramps up.

I could go outside during the height of Wilma. Watch the flying oranges. Or the gliding coconuts - we did not have enough wind to make them fly - they come off a tree - glide for a 200 - 300 feet before hitting the ground. You are continually hearing things hit your house. Bonks when a glider coconuts hits the storm panels makes a nice metal drum sound. The neighbor came out after the store to find a coconut taking a nap in her driver seat after boring a hole in her windshield.

After the storm, I was without power for a month. Not exactly fun - 90-98 degree weather with no power. I had what gas in my car. Could not get any more because all the gas stations were down - lack of power. Grocery stores had not food. No power. I cooked my food on charcoal grill. Or over a wood fire. Plenty of wood around. Or ate cold food. Or ate food out of a can.

For me I liked primitive camping. Not a big deal. For a lot of people. What do I do? No ipod. No television. No internet. No phones of any kind. No gas. No food. No water. No heat. No cool. Some people had generators. No gas. that does not last long.

[Reianna]

im in va beach! getting things taken care of and getting ready for this thing. im fully expecting to be without power for at least a week, if not longer. was without power after isabel for about a week. good luck everyone! ill try to hop on here sometimes and share pics!

[Arbalister]

My inlaws told me this morning that Atlantic City is under mandatory evac, the casinos are closed...NYC is talking about - or already have - shut down mass transit. NJ is warning people to expect damage.

[djheydt]

As Hurricane Irene moves up the Eastern coastline, with high probability that she will hit the Boston area before she's done, I'd like to say:

Turbinites, make sure you're safe. Do the things you did last winter with the epic snowstorms: have a few days' supply of food and water which you can eat without cooking if necessary; stay indoors, take care of yourselves. If your power goes out, if the servers have to be shut down till sometime next week, do so. We'll understand. Good luck.

[GregJL]

Yes, stock up on the staples..and life rafts.

At least if all the servers go down, it'll probably include the forum servers, so we won't have to listen to the selfish little brats that infest these forums and think of nothing but themselves and their own desires.

Bet Sapience is glad he's in Seattle this weekend

[Arrabell]

Yes, stay safe.

[UKNightWatch]

It seems that bad news can bring out the worst in people and the disaster that is unfolding with this hurricane is no exception.

On other sites, including those of so called 'respectable' news papers, I have seen poor taste, derisive and down right nasty comments by people far away from the hurricane aimed at those in danger because of the hurricane. These have come mostly from non US people, including though not solely from UK, and some from the US.

In response some have said they feel ashamed to be from the same country as the negative posters. It makes me sick to the stomach seeing such crassness and sheer ignorance. I am not ashamed of where I come from but I am ashamed to be associated with anyone from the safety of the UK (or other places) making such terrible and somewhat hateful comments.

All that said, My best wishes go out to any and all affected by the hurricane.

Should you be in the path of the hurricane, endeavor to keep yourself, your family, friends and community safe as best you are able.

Should you be a religious person then may your god go with you!

I do not know how much danger there is likely to be near the TB offices as I write this.

Much as their will inevitably be complaints from inconsiderate users, I urge TB to take urgent action to protect your staff. Products or machinery and buildings can be replaced, lives cannot! Shut down the servers if need be.

[djheydt]

Should you be a religious person then may your god go with you!

To which I would like to add, Amen.

I do not know how much danger there is likely to be near the TB offices as I write this.

My sister-in-law lives in the Boston area; she says she's keeping an eye on the storm, "because we're in the area that's going to get hit by the part of the storm that has less rain and more wind."

I don't know anything about what kind of geography Turbine is sitting on. They could get power outages (indeed, I suspect they will); they could get broken windows or (the Valar forbid) roofs ripped off by high winds. If they're in a low-lying area, they could get flooded. I am sure they have UPSs for the servers, so that if the regular power goes out. they'll be able to issue "The system is going down in five minutes; get to a safe place and log out NOW!" messages, back up everything, and make orderly shutdowns ... and then take all the backups away to somewhere safe.

If Massachusetts get hit particularly hard, it might be several days before the game is back up. If Turbine is in a sheltered area and their power stays up, they might not have to shut down at all. At this point we just have to watch and wait.

By the way ... the French Toast alert system, designed to give a human touch to televised blizzard warnings by describing what residents will have to do to secure an uninterrupted supply of French toast, has been adapted for hurricane use. Even if you're in sunny California, read it: it's a hoot.

http://www.universalhub.com/french-toast

[whheydt]

I don't know anything about what kind of geography Turbine is sitting on. They could get power outages (indeed, I suspect they will); they could get broken windows or (the Valar forbid) roofs ripped off by high winds. If they're in a low-lying area, they could get flooded. I am sure they have UPSs for the servers, so that if the regular power goes out. they'll be able to issue "The system is going down in five minutes; get to a safe place and log out NOW!" messages, back up everything, and make orderly shutdowns ... and then take all the backups away to somewhere safe.

Any self-respecting commercial server farm (and I believe Turbine leases space in one for the actual game servers) will have their own stand-by generators (and they'll be tested regularly), so the servers and the internal infrastructure will probably do just fine.

The thing to be "concerned" about is...the data lines coming into the building. If they're underground optical fibers, most likely, no issues. If they're up on poles...any random blown down tree could take them out.

The reason I put "concerned" in quotes is because keeping an online game operating is a rather low priority in a disaster zone. It'll all be "lives first, property second."

--W. H. Heydt

Old Used Programmer

[GregJL]

The thing to be "concerned" about is...the data lines coming into the building. If they're underground optical fibers, most likely, no issues. If they're up on poles...any random blown down tree could take them out.

I'm always amazed when I see NEW power lines and poles going up. I kind of figured by now that power and communication companies would realize that in the long run, burying cables is going to cost them a hell of a lot less than those stupid poles

[djheydt]

I'm always amazed when I see NEW power lines and poles going up. I kind of figured by now that power and communication companies would realize that in the long run, burying cables is going to cost them a hell of a lot less than those stupid poles

But more expensive in the short run, and the short run is when they have to pay for it.

[carlosjuero]

Looks like I am directly in the path of Irene - supposed to be only tropical force this far inland, but who knows. Chances of losing power are high but I don't expect it will be much worse beyond that - we have weathered heavy storms before. Though this is the first in a long time that they have gone all out in preparedness - Katrina really woke people up. Actually got a phone call from the local Selectman, that hasn't happened in a very long time.

I am in the hills [sorta] so much of the dangerous flooding will be bypassed, just gotta worry about the wind [and basement flooding]. Hopefully everyone will be safe and make it through this.

To the Turbine folks still in Mass - I hope you have canned food and water on hand, also flashlights and plenty of batteries. Keep inside towards the center of your home [preferably in a room without windows], and keep your head on straight. Panic causes more damage and injury than storms themselves. Stay safe New England - maybe a stray pressure system will push the storm out to sea, but if it doesn't then brace yourselves.

To those already experiencing the hardest parts of the storm - my thoughts go out to you. Hope y'all are safe.

[insanityspetals]

Irene's popping by to say hello to me tonight through tomorrow. So I'm going to get in some last minute Mooring before we lose power for days! Hopefully that will be the worst. I have my iron cast kettle and charcoal ready to make tea, so it shouldn't be too bad without power.

Stay safe everyone. <3

[whheydt]

Irene's popping by to say hello to me tonight through tomorrow. So I'm going to get in some last minute Mooring before we lose power for days! Hopefully that will be the worst. I have my iron cast kettle and charcoal ready to make tea, so it shouldn't be too bad without power.

Stay safe everyone. <3

Just don't burn that charcoal indoors. I'd hate to lose someone to Carbon Monoxide poisoning. (I'm assuming you're careful enough not to burn your home down...)

--W. H. Heydt

Old Used Programmer

[BigLotroFan]

I'm jaded living in Florida. Saw the hurricane coming, just got my supplies and went on with my day. Been through the drill countless times already. Kinda surreal now with the amount of national coverage it's getting cause it's hitting the north east. Though I suppose if a blizzard ever hit Florida I too would think it's the end of the world Just don't do anything stupid like go outside to "experience it" and you'll be fine.

[djheydt]

I'm jaded living in Florida. Saw the hurricane coming, just got my supplies and went on with my day. Been through the drill countless times already. Kinda surreal now with the amount of national coverage it's getting cause it's hitting the north east.

Yup. Just as, a few days ago, they had a Richter 5.9 earthquake under Virginia and the newswires started buzzing, just as they're buzzing now. A hurricane in Florida, a 5.9 in California, that's not news. Either one in (say) Virginia and surrounding areas, and that's news. They sometimes call it "Man bites dog."

Just don't do anything stupid like go outside to "experience it" and you'll be fine.

Seconded.

[Ashamari]

Irene has now officially passed the Washington DC area with nothing more than a bit of rain and a bit of wind. Power blinked a few times, but nothing else. From what I am reading/hearing, it is coastline locations that are feeling the brunt of wind and storm surge.

Hope everyone North of me stays safe and dry and we all get back to orc mooshing asap

-Ash

[Khally]

Yes, everyone in the danger path - please, please take care of yourself and your family. We'll be thinking of you.

Khally (who is sincerely hoping that outbound flights are okay on Wednesday)

[Villeforte]

We have a new olympic sized swimming pool in our backyard, other than that no real damage. Just hoping the rain stops soon so we don't get 2 pools.

[Nosdracir]

Up here in MA about 30 miles north of Turbine's offices. Obviously I still have power and internet. Just watched a small tree blow over and one-hit a neighbor's storage shed. Idiot runs out to photograph the damage. Dude, you photograph damage after, not during.

Winds are about gale force at the moment. Nothing like the hurricanes I went through growing up in FL in the 60s. Unfortunately a lot less individual preparedness as well. There's a scattered herd of resin lawn furniture migrating around the neighborhood. I popped out and corralled one as it galloped by the house, and at least one neighbor has done the same. Mine's decent quality, and it is mine now. I consider it a common sense tax on the person who left it outside.

[djheydt]

Up here in MA about 30 miles north of Turbine's offices. Obviously I still have power and internet. Just watched a small tree blow over and one-hit a neighbor's storage shed. Idiot runs out to photograph the damage. Dude, you photograph damage after, not during.

Oh, good grief, yes. Still, I hope the idiot wasn't hurt.

Winds are about gale force at the moment. Nothing like the hurricanes I went through growing up in FL in the 60s. Unfortunately a lot less individual preparedness as well. There's a scattered herd of resin lawn furniture migrating around the neighborhood. I popped out and corralled one as it galloped by the house, and at least one neighbor has done the same. Mine's decent quality, and it is mine now. I consider it a common sense tax on the person who left it outside.

Well, you would've done better to stay inside yourself ... but I agree, it's hazard pay for you and tough cookies for him. Now STAY INSIDE till it's over.

[Quentonomous]

I'm in Brooklyn, New York and the damage wasn't extremely substantial in my area, but it's ridiculous that so many people wished otherwise. Ignorance left and right with people on facebook saying things like "give us a better hurricane next time" -.- ah well, people will be people i guess. I hope everyone else is alright up and down the east coast..

[whheydt]

I'm in Brooklyn, New York and the damage wasn't extremely substantial in my area, but it's ridiculous that so many people wished otherwise. Ignorance left and right with people on facebook saying things like "give us a better hurricane next time" -.- ah well, people will be people i guess. I hope everyone else is alright up and down the east coast..

Tell 'em they're too late and to go look up what happened in 1938.

--W. H. Heydt

Old Used Programmer