Realms Neltharion Conversion • suggestion • read or disregard, regardless ^^

[thyonem]

While this doesn't regard me, as I never stepped foot on the Cataclysm realm, I have been reading through the closing thread as it interested me what the fate of the people there would be in terms of transfers to keep general tabs on the population in the realm I am playing in (Icecrown) and I noticed the mention with an issue for downgrading characters as it would require entire remaking of the character with over hundreds of thousands of elements requiring alteration and I think I might have came up with a somewhat viable solution. (Though it will require staff work)

I would imagine that the server still keeps a log with all of the characters, their equipment and inventories.. So, my suggestion is the following. Compose a C++ / C# code that runs through the inventories only of max level characters and fishes out items between specific iLevel criteria. (For an example, have ti fish for items between iLvl 333 - 353) and have it store the count of them. Repeat likewise until the highest tier.

Once the counts are all gathered, make a temporary tweak to the server's code converting items of your choosing (could be a dead rabbit's leg for all you should care) into currencies. Codes to do so can be taken from many quartermaster vendors and would require the tweaking of items required for the purchase, as well as the items actually purchased. Then basically just distribute the items in categories corresponding to the equality of their importance in the different expansion. Something like this.

[iLvl 333 - 353] equates to [iLvl 200 - 213] and is portrayed by [Rabbit's Foot]
[ilvl 354 - 358] equates to [ilvl 214 - 222] and is portrayed by etc...

With the C++ / C# codes running the searches and count the items, all that will need to be done is to generate a "token" for each item into the person's inventory, set their hearthstone to dalaran and teleport them to an empty GM accessible location with a vendor capable of exchanging these tokens for the respective items to the individual's choosing. Special items such as legendaries (Shadowmourne for an example) will cost 10 times fold for its relevance into the expansion or will be absent from the list entirely. To make it easier, the service should only be provided on demand and would take from 24-72 hours depending on business. That way stress of staffs will be slightly relieved as not so many people will want it all at once, I'd imagine.

The mounts' counting criteria will be their level requirements and will give tokens the same way. Anyways, it's just an idea. Read it, don't, regard or disregard.

Edit: Further adding onto this.
The characters should be all level 80, or their respective levels and will have no skills learned to prevent possible scamming by having 2 people summon somebody with 10,000 rabbit's foots. Being phased out by a debuff is also a good idea so they cannot be located onto the map. The characters are generated into the person's account corresponding with the original character's class and faction and are given a character re-customization perk. Also there should be a limit of 3 character per account.

Regarding professions, only maxed out such will be regarded and will be downgraded to its equivalent of WotLK with none of the receipts / patterns learned. Non rare / epic items should be disregarded since their importance pales in relevance to the tier sets and actual gear.

Edit: Missed important note.
All the vendors are to be naked pink haired gnomes, regardless of faction and are to /poke you after you close a purchase window.

Salutations, M.