New server up and running

The new Mir Vengeance test server is up and running. We’ve switched from the old development machine to a dedicated public test server in the UK. That move let us rebuild how the game and website talk to the database — with a much stronger security baseline before we open the doors wider for beta.

Why a UK dedicated box (not a random VPS)

This isn’t a shared virtual machine rented in a far-away datacentre. It’s a dedicated UK server built for the game and database:

• Hosted in the UK — lower latency for UK / nearby EU players, and we’re not depending on a budget VPS on the other side of the world.
• Dedicated hardware — the machine is ours for Mir; we’re not fighting noisy neighbours on a crowded host.
• Serious headroom — 32 GB ECC RAM, fast NVMe storage, and a solid multi-core CPU so SQL and the game world can breathe as more testers come online.
• Room to grow — sized for a real test / beta population, not a home PC under the desk like we have been using.

What’s new for you

• Live test world — you can create an account, log in on the website, and connect with the current client build pointed at the new server.
• Same account everywhere — website login and in-game login use the same account system.
• Beta path unchanged — sign up / apply from Account Management; we’ll keep using that waitlist as we invite testers.

Security — what we tightened

Moving to a real hosted box meant we treated it like production from day one:

• No plain-text database passwords sitting next to the game files or on shared folders. Game SQL credentials now live in locked-down server environment configuration, not in deployable config files.
• Dedicated SQL logins — the website and the game each use their own least-privilege database accounts (no shared admin login for day-to-day use).
• Network lockdown — database access is restricted to the website and trusted admin connections; the game port is open for players as normal.
• Hardened client endpoint — the public client is pointed at the new server address so you’re not left on old development IPs.

What this is (and isn’t)

This is our public test / pre-beta environment — not the final forever-stable live shard. Expect restarts, patches, and the odd wipe of test data if we need a clean slate. We’ll call out anything that affects characters or progress. Next up: keep polishing for closed beta invites, keep the security bar high, and make sure account → apply → play feels smooth. Create or manage your account at Account Management, and watch Updates for the next patch notes. Thank you for sticking with us — a proper UK dedicated test server is a real milestone.