Iwishiwasfive
P.S.
In this modern computer world I find it difficult to believe that the player information will be lost due to technical difficulties. The world is full of programmers that could solve the issue, many of which play Ryzom. If you need help resolving an issue please let us help!
As I understand it from reading the OP, the difficulties were financial ones not technical ones. Programmers cost money, and changing code takes time.
Ryzom was my first ever MMO experience. I have so many good memories of hunting groups and people staying up waay past midnight to get "just one more level". It was heaps fun. And the reason the Ryzom community became what it is today is due to those experiences in the early days of the server, where we all realised we needed to band together in order to succeed in the game. Ryzom is the only game where getting into a "Pick Up Group" (PUG) was almost always A Good Thing (tm).
If you missed it the first time, I'd highly recommend just subbing for the first three months, at least, and finding out what that experience is like. There will be no high level crafters who can make you your Q90 2h weapon, or diggers with a full set of supreme mats to make your Amps especially good. No guilds will have a built up stock of boss mats, and players will have to get together regularly for such things as TP tickets.
I think those memories I had were special, but I also believe that I will have a whole bunch of new ones when the new Shard opens. I'm looking forward to it, despite the fact that I know I'll have to go through "it" all over again (getting Knowledge 3 in Foraging, for example, will be rather painful, but I can bear it I'm sure).
All I can say is, the way the game started was the reason this community is so great. So here's your chance to experience that first hand. Don't miss it!
/Oscarian