Well, just got the possible release date for 1.3, it will be around 1st August.

Again lots and lots of modifications, I still don't know atm if a map reset will be needed, I just hope not, but then again, we are getting used to

Heres's a snip from the Mojang post

"
A week prior to releasing, we’ll post a “release candidate” that is likely to be identical to the actual release. This version is intended to give server admins and modders a little more time to prepare for the new Minecraft version.

Minecraft 1.3 consists of a huge number of changes, and some of them are changes to the fundamental game engine. The most dramatic change is that we’ve kicked out single-player, and made it a shell on top of multi-player. There are two major benefits to this: first, it’s required for the modding api if we don’t want to have multiple implementations of every mod, and second, if we fix a bug in single-player, we know the bug is fixed in multi-player, too. Previously we had to fix bugs both in relation to single-player and multi-player.

Here’s a compact list of what the update will bring…

Minecraft 1.3: The Good

Lots and lots of bug fixes and new features. Players who mainly play in multi-player on servers should enjoy a smoother and more stable experience, as this has been our focus of the development. We’ve looked over the network packets and added encryption to prevent session stealing. Dinnerbone has updated the chatting screen, to allow for easier editing and clickable links.

The single/multi-player merge has added the possibility to share your single-player worlds with friends who are on the same local network. It has also enabled players to use multi-player-like commands in single-player (such as /gamemode and /give), but only if cheats are enabled.

We’ve added emeralds, emerald ore and a trading system that makes it possible to buy items from villagers. Villagers will add and remove items depending on what you buy.

We’ve added the possibility write in books and leave stories for other people.

We’ve added new terrain features, and you can choose to begin the game with a “bonus chest,” to get you started quicker.

We’ve added tripwire, so you can create new traps and contraptions.

We’ve also added new stairs, new half-slabs, cocoa plants and tweaked dispensers, leaves, cauldrons, levers, gravel, pressure plates, cookies, buckets, boats, minecarts, ice, furnaces… Plus you get magic orbs from mining and smelting (and not just killing monsters)!

Minecraft 1.3: The Bad

Since single-player has been turned into a shell on top of a background server, the game’s resource requirements have increased. When playing single-player, the game needs to be able to both simulate and emulate the world, which take many more CPU cycles. We’re working on optimizing rendering, but those improvements will not be included until Minecraft 1.4.

Minecraft 1.3: The Ugly

A couple of problems and expected features have been pushed to Minecraft 1.4. The most notable problem is the lighting issues causing black regions in the terrain. We’re looking into ways to solve this, but lighting is a very expensive calculation and we are struggling with finding a solution that doesn’t hurt framerate.

And the most notable missing feature is the modding API. Throwing out single-player was the first step in order to make the API possible, and that’s done now. We decided to release 1.3 without the API, because otherwise it would be an even longer wait for a Minecraft update.

We’ve also added an extremely basic version of “adventure mode.” We’ll work more on this in future updates.

To Summarize

The time between Minecraft 1.2.5 and 1.3 has been the longest update interval yet, and that was because we changed so much in the game engine. I (jeb_) was a little scared to push it to the public, but waiting even longer is not a solution.
"

Well, My summary;
-The game will lag like hell for older pc's when played single player (like my 6 year old Vaio)
-For sure, our survival map will be reset (damn)
-Expect more spammers to come in with clickable links, I might write something to filter those out of chat.
-Expect a crapload of new bugs and exploits, even with the added features (more cpu power for server owners) like encryption (OMG)
-Server ram and cpu WILL skyrocket.

That's all I can see now.

As so, around 23rd July, I'll setup a snapshot bare server for messing around the new game engine and try out plugins and stuff, so we can launch 1.3 on minute one.

As usual, new map requirements are not my own decision, last generation was due to a heck load of problems and also an engine change, made the map unplayable, for sure this will happen again with 1.3 release and I bet 1.4 will need a new map too... nothing unusual here

Hope we all have fun!

Well a reset will be nice though it will be even better if we will setup a smaller spawn point will all the necessary stuff such as shops and if possible to have multiverse then have like 3 cities and each city will have its onwn shops

The update sounds awesome! Thank you tunes for using your spare time to give us a server as good at twk :3

--PedoBear--

I think I'll definitely be playing on the server more once 1.3 releases (maybe not as much to begin with, because 1st of August is when people who pre-ordered Hitman: Absolution get to play the Sniper Challenge ), and I will also probably be making some mods for the server once 1.4 comes out (assuming that's when the Mod API will be finished (hopefully)) if that's cool with Tunes