If it takes this long.....

[Armourboy]

What does this even mean?

The game was optimized for different software than we have today. Generally speaking most software only back tracks so far to allow older software to run. Kind of like when Blizzard stops supporting certain versions of Windows for WoW. They stop writing the systems to be able to work on that old software.

[Akka]

The game was optimized for different software than we have today.

There is also the whole hardware aspect. The server code was optimized for a very specific hardware, which had changed a lot and is now incompatible.

[Vaelorian]

I think it is a good thing. Give some of the bandwagoners and the gimme crowd with their idiotic suggestions to drop off, i.e. Classic should have flying, classic should have all new animations, things done in Classic should affect live, etc... People like that won't be on board in 2 years and they will actually release what the people who have wanted the project wanted.

I don't get it... it feels like you are referring to me. Meanwhile I am hyped for exactly that... actual classic (with non of the additions from later years... hell let the bugs stick... I don't care... just don't meddle with the original version)... so... if we get that I will not be able to play it... which breaks my heart

[Armourboy]

There is also the whole hardware aspect. The server code was optimized for a very specific hardware, which had changed a lot and is now incompatible.

Well yeah that too.

[Avalos]

What does this even mean?

Ever tried charging your old iPhone 3G using modern chargers? That's what it means.

[Koward]

Remember the forum consensus has always been too optimistic for Blizzard products, with the usual "Oh what we saw at BlizzCon looks pretty advanced", and that circus has been going on for over 10 years. Always add at least half a year to the average release date you see.
Classic is not an expansion, but I assume people as a whole, including me, underestimate the amount of work required to make it, and we know they don't even have the whole staff and had almost no work done at BlizzCon. I would say the end of 2020 make more sense than end 2018. Even if it's sad to wait so long.
About live going forward, there is just nothing you can do. There are awesome things released everyday and babies born at the same time which prevent their dad from enjoying them. That's life.

[Yorgh]

Starting Classic with a toddler? That's my Vanilla experience!

If you started Vanilla with a Toddler, you have a child now to start lvling together with in Classic, isn't that just perfect? I wish i could show my son the wonderfull world of Azeroth buth he's only 2 Perhaps i'll have another one before Classic comes out, that would definetly ruin my chans of getting a few hours of playtime per week

[Gravity2015]

My bet would be a year into the next expansions release.

I’m sure if you have a child and vanilla comes out you’ll make the correct choice.

help with chores in the day as much as possible so that when your son sleeps and your wife rests, you still have plenty of time to keep yourself happy and if that is playing casually on a vanilla server - you will have plenty of time, your life is not over....

[HavokHeart]

Nobody knows how long it will take. It is all conjecture atm.

[Flarelaine]

If you started Vanilla with a Toddler, you have a child now to start lvling together with in Classic, isn't that just perfect? I wish i could show my son the wonderfull world of Azeroth buth he's only 2 Perhaps i'll have another one before Classic comes out, that would definetly ruin my chans of getting a few hours of playtime per week

She's not interested in WoW. We play Overwatch together instead, so I'm not complaining.

[stomination]

What does this even mean?

old tech doesn't like new tech.

[Deleted]

If you started Vanilla with a Toddler, you have a child now to start lvling together with in Classic, isn't that just perfect? I wish i could show my son the wonderfull world of Azeroth buth he's only 2 Perhaps i'll have another one before Classic comes out, that would definetly ruin my chans of getting a few hours of playtime per week

I am quite excited and quite sad at the same time, just found out classic is coming and just found out I am having a child around summer! There goes my second vanilla experience haha

[Sturmbringe]

Under normal guestimates... Classic won't be live until 1-2 years right? Atleast that is the general consensus on these boards (without any information from Blizzard to either make us thing it will be quicker or longer)...

But just think about it... I am really hyped right now. I would play in a heartbeat right... But will I be able to play this in 2 years? In 2 years I will probably have a kid with my wife. My life could be changed so much I will never ever play Classic.

And that prospect (not the kid, I want a kid haha) makes me very sad. Now I am not saying that Blizzard should hurry up.... I am just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat... that in 2 years we might not have time even though we are desperate for "a fix" now!

I would not put any faith at all at MMO Champ regular posters.

I mean, the general consensus amongst MMO Champion posters used to be that Blizzard will never run their own Vanilla servers because they "had lost the original code and a copy could not be found".

The same posters also argued that the cost of running such servers was so high as to be prohibitive for Blizzard, ignoring the fact that Private WoW servers have been running for years out of people's barns offering quality of gameplay similar to that of Blizzard at a very low cost.

So yeah, it is pretty safe to say at this point that you should ignore pretty much everything the resident trolls tell you. I think that Classic WoW will come much, much faster than the average MMO Champ naysayer expects.

[Thatfire]

I don't really see them taking extremely long. You gotta think design wise the entire game is already laid out for them. There doesn't have to be years creating dungeons, raids, the world, character or design the entire game in general. Just remaking the code to work on current servers. I think if it does take them very long it will be because they are adding some QoL, tweeks to specs, or adjusting enemy mechanics, replacing older assets with newer versions if they have or want to.

[Yorgh]

I am quite excited and quite sad at the same time, just found out classic is coming and just found out I am having a child around summer! There goes my second vanilla experience haha

Congratulations! Dont worrie, you'll only loose like 90% of your free time

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

[AuthurDent]

There is also the whole hardware aspect. The server code was optimized for a very specific hardware, which had changed a lot and is now incompatible.

Lots of people are stating "what the issue is"... but they really are making educated guesses. The bottom line is this: They have it working... and have figured out how to interface with the current hardware. (i.e. the instancing servers)

I have no doubts that they have the code from Vanilla... all through every patch. It would be extremely slipshod for them not to have maintained a patch history and archives.

I suspect we will see Classic much sooner than many people think.

[Animalhouse]

I would not put any faith at all at MMO Champ regular posters.

I mean, the general consensus amongst MMO Champion posters used to be that Blizzard will never run their own Vanilla servers because they "had lost the original code and a copy could not be found".

The same posters also argued that the cost of running such servers was so high as to be prohibitive for Blizzard, ignoring the fact that Private WoW servers have been running for years out of people's barns offering quality of gameplay similar to that of Blizzard at a very low cost.

So yeah, it is pretty safe to say at this point that you should ignore pretty much everything the resident trolls tell you. I think that Classic WoW will come much, much faster than the average MMO Champ naysayer expects.

This^

Getting classic up and running is not difficult and is done by novices all over the world.
Understand MySQL and C++? You too can make fixes to the server code.

I even have vanilla running at home. Despite what many nubcakes think...it is not that different.

[huth]

Lots of people are stating "what the issue is"... but they really are making educated guesses. The bottom line is this: They have it working... and have figured out how to interface with the current hardware. (i.e. the instancing servers)

I have no doubts that they have the code from Vanilla... all through every patch. It would be extremely slipshod for them not to have maintained a patch history and archives.

I suspect we will see Classic much sooner than many people think.

They have a cobbled together version that is running. That doesn't mean it's anywhere close to being usable for actual play.

Doesn't help that they didn't even have a team set up to start working on the actual Classic version of the game. There hasn't been any actual work done on that project so far.

The real problem with a soonish release isn't people's guesses, it's the stuff we know for certain.

- - - Updated - - -

This^

Getting classic up and running is not difficult and is done by novices all over the world.
Understand MySQL and C++? You too can make fixes to the server code.

I even have vanilla running at home. Despite what many nubcakes think...it is not that different.

It's not that hard to get things running, but that's not the standard to which they need to adapt it. They haven't even nailed down what they're going to go for yet. They haven't even recruited the people who are going to nail that down yet.

I'm pretty sure you haven't had to deal with a QA team for your little vanilla server, either.

[Projectmars]

This^

Getting classic up and running is not difficult and is done by novices all over the world.
Understand MySQL and C++? You too can make fixes to the server code.

I even have vanilla running at home. Despite what many nubcakes think...it is not that different.

What kind of emulator are you using? Probably a moot question 'cus Blizzard ain't going to be running Classic off an emulator like all the private servers. And because of this, they'll need to update the coding for modern systems. It ain't gonna be a quick or easy job.