Hmmm, this seems to confirm my own theory as to why the quest ended early. Mind you, it is theory only.
Although the items are "virtual", they still take up space on servers and databases. Take a look at the prizes that included two rather complex magics. When putting this quest together, the programmers had to have allowed "X" amount of space on the servers for "Y" amount of players at any given time using "Z" type magic. Based on the difficulty, they probably made a statistical estimate of how many players would get through a very difficult quest, added some extra for a few more than expected, and then started up the quest.
First surprise - they may have underestimated the ability of determined VMKers to work together to get through the quest. No worries, the "extra" cushion they added would accomodate that difference.
However, if you have a few who can hack in to strip prizes (that is, force the database to spit out prizes faster than anticipated), it may well have caused serious programming issues. Some of that really bad lag last night may have been the result of that. It's been a long time since I've had serious dc issues on VMK but last night was horrendous for about two hours. Then it stopped suddenly. A hack or series of hacks is literally an attack on a computer and it shifts resources to protect the program.
Let's go back a couple of days to the sudden addition of the cheater warning. This has happened before (Narnia Teleporters, massive downloads of codes to try to get Sparrow) and, sadly, no system that goes out "live" is completely safe from hackers.
My theory is that VMK put out the warning, some may have stopped, others did not and suddenly the programmers realized that the quest would need to be terminated earlier. I know some of you are wondering why they couldn't just add "more virtual prizes". Programs don't work that way. The only way you can edit them (e.g., add prizes) is to terminate them. Those who run the quest kiosk know that you can't change the quest once it is running. You have to stop it, enter edit mode, add prizes, make changes, test it again, and the resume. That is a program. That is how it works.
I'm as upset for those of you who didn't finish as anyone. There were a couple of people I was hoping to help this evening in the final hours.
VMK could have done one of two things - terminated abruptly without any warning (e.g., 2:00 P.M. Monday afternoon) or they could have instructed the staff to start notifying of the end time; trusting the solid communication on the boards to get the word out with the addition of the update about the end time. Option #2 was only better in that warning was provided. Not great but still better than just terminating the quest. My criticism is that they didn't 1) broadcast a popup that the quest was ending early every 15 minutes when they realized the problem and 2) Did not get that notice on the home page yesterday when the decision was made. However, having been through "crisis management" on a system under attack, I understand how the niceties could have been overlooked. It probably took every programmer to try to block the hacks, track them down, isolate them, and keep the game running.
As to the "we know who you are" comment. They probably do. Or at least the servers do. It will take them some time to backtrack and get the full data. I've done a little of that myself and it's not as easy or simple as you'd think. Computers store data at incredible speeds but humans take awhile to plow through the data.
This is little comfort to those that started late thinking they had a full afternoon/evening and those who selflessly put off their own quests to help others. But, unlike other events when there has only been silence, it appears that VMK is at least indicating that there was a problem and they are listening to our disappointment. We can only keep hoping that they will find a way to keep these cheaters at bay so the next event is not ruined for so many players.
When i read that i thought of a big cloud of smoke with players rambling throwing punches and kicks and legs going in and out of the smoke, appearing and disappearing haha.
Amen to that! I also found this newsletter very insulting. Call that pirate task "team work" if you want, but I will never buy it. That was nothing more than organized cheating, which required you to break VMK values by forming "teams" on internet sites. 
