Making some progress here! I have what I think is a solid core of mods now. I didn't realize MCPorts had ported some of these mods to 3.1.2 already... using Tekkit as a core would let us update without losing RP2/IC2/BC. Obviously I'd need to test some stuff out first.
So a few questions:
Would you guys prefer an updated bukkit server with a ton of new functionality, with the small side-effect that we'd lose some mods which don't have bukkit ports? Notable examples being the forcefield mod, for example, and Thermal Expansion I believe doesn't have one. There are a few other mods as well. The upside is we'd have a true land management system where you could claim plots, form towns and protect them from monsters, have actual PVP arenas. The other downside is we'd likely reset the map to accommodate the new land claiming system and town system.
I could do this one of two ways...
1. I could bring up the new server and offer the bukkit version for you guys to try out and see if its worth rebuilding from scratch again. I know its a pain in the ass to rebuild everything but the new server would have some cool stuff, and I'm planning to do an admin event at the start where I give out cash and have essentially a free-build weekend so we can get a spawn town up and build some cool stuff, like the arenas and a tutorial tower and some other things.
2. I could import the map directly with all of its ugly scars from your quarry mining and hope I could make the existing town/towns work with the land system.
Either way the current server would stay as-is.
I will be building and testing the server over the next few weeks anyway, so we have time. PM me if you'd like to help beta test and once its at a stable point I'll let people in to look around.
Edit: It should be noted that if we simply port the current map (assuming it even works) to the new server build, we'll be missing things like pyramids and 1.3.x emeralds and NPC traders.