What about addons?

[fatgunn]

They'll probably use the modern UI and API, with most features that weren't available in Classic disabled and hidden (calendar, dungeon finder, etc.). I'd still expect to see some of the more modern changes stay though, primarily stuff that was already possible at the time via addons (such as the improved raid frames) and stuff that improves accessibility for impaired people (readable fonts, colorblind mode, high-res support, etc.).

And the API would almost certainly be just as restrictive as it is now or people will just do all the same trivializing stuff that makes the modern game 'too easy' in their view, except in a game that was objectively much easier in terms of gameplay and mechanics (with the vaunted difficulty of end game mostly coming from organizational challenges of 40-man, people just not knowing what to do, and much more restrictive gear checks/gear gating).

This is what I expect. Wouldn't even surprise me if they kept some of the less obtrusive "improvements". TBH I can't wait to see some of the shitshows that erupt over minor things like aoe looting when we get close to classic launch.

[Soon-TM]

Personally I hope Blizz will ban all non-cosmetic addons into kingdom come. They were annoying then, and have become cancer in retail WoW.

[Myr010]

You may want to update your OP to include the following just so people remember exactly what the add-on situations was in WoW Classic.

See the patch notes here: https://wow.gamepedia.com/Patch_2.0.1/API_changes

I know this can be hard to understand for those not familiar with add-on development but in particularly pay attention to the section 'Protected Code'. Look at 'The following function types are restricted for AddOns' and it will give you a good picture of what was allowed before patch 2.x and just how broken add-ons were in vanilla.

Yeah looking through those i can think of some horrendous things you could do to influence things such as server economy, plus if i remember rightly they restricted the amount of requests an addon can make so that you cant just flood the server. I agree that they will probably use the modern UI and API, i think they are opening themselves up to a number of risks if they dont.

[Kaibhan]

Honestly, I'd just prefer no addons at all. Make it as pure as possible

That was an option, I didn't know anyone who wasn't playing with addons back in vanilla but it is an option you can use.

[Shmazard]

Hopefully old addon authors return and update the existing vanilla addons used on private servers, or we get new addons from new authors for addons that out of date from vanilla times.

[Tehterokkar]

Decursive still works, what is the issue? Or did it work differently in Vanilla? I remember using it Wrath and it gave essentially a new set of raid frames as small boxes that changed color if someone got a debuff that you could dispel.

The entire concept of Decursive can be done with Weakauras if you want to on default Blizz frames. So they never broke the functionality really.

[Hypasonic]

If memory serves me right, in vanilla decursive basically automatically targeted a player with a dispellable debuff and dispelled it by just spamming 1 button over and over.

[Frolk]

I hope they give us the CHOICE to pick, leaving us with options for players, to use only "vanilla like" addons or use modern addons as they please.

P L A Y E R C H O I C E

[LazarusLong]

If memory serves me right, in vanilla decursive basically automatically targeted a player with a dispellable debuff and dispelled it by just spamming 1 button over and over.

Exactly this. You could heal like that too.

- - - Updated - - -

I hope they give us the CHOICE to pick, leaving us with options for players, to use only "vanilla like" addons or use modern addons as they please.

P L A Y E R C H O I C E

This is not possible, different API's

[Mullet Man]

Would love to see elvui or tukui for Classic.