Should content that never made it at launch be added?

[darkfire979]

The scope of the Classic WoW team is to get the servers up and running. Finishing content that never made it into Vanilla is outside of that scope.

Yes, also assuming that Blizzard is planning to keep the team around after classic WoW is developed. It's not uncommon for companies to hire developers on a contractual basis for specific projects. When it's done, they only re-hire only specific key people permanently to keep it running and let go the rest as they had fulfilled their contract. That may explain why Blizzard is hiring a whole new team of developers for classic wow instead of using existing WoW developers, these new developers may not be intended to be permanent staff.

[A Chozo]

It's more likely a team to:
a) Enhance the current code's ability to do phasing/versioning/backwards-compatibility (phasing already exists, versioning is an extension to that) (By current, I predict a classic Beta around 8.1's release)
b) Port old content to current code
c) Manage ongoing suite of progression servers

So the team is likely a bit more than your statement suggests... but the half of your statement noting no new content developers is likely correct.

...They'll use the old code, dude. Fusing different versions of WoW like you suggest would make the waterfalls go upwards.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Yes, also assuming that Blizzard is planning to keep the team around after classic WoW is developed. It's not uncommon for companies to hire developers on a contractual basis for specific projects. When it's done, they only re-hire only specific key people permanently to keep it running and let go the rest as they had fulfilled their contract. That may explain why Blizzard is hiring a whole new team of developers for classic wow instead of using existing WoW developers, these new developers may not be intended to be permanent staff.

Well, I think that main reason not to use existing developers has to do with those people working on BfA. Aside from that, I'd say they'll keep at least a few from that team around to handle server maintenance and what not. For the rest Blizzard could decide to let them go, consolidate them into the Live team, or move them to another project. The job listings they have for Classic Wow don't mention anything about those being temporary positions though.

[Kolbjorn]

...They'll use the old code, dude. Fusing different versions of WoW like you suggest would make the waterfalls go upwards.

How much ya wanna bet?

Here's the thing. 3 years after Classic releases, let's say the Classic servers look like this:

Hogger - original Classic Vanilla server release, progressed to TBC
Bolvar - permanently Vanilla, relatively late patch
LordOnyxia'sDaddy - newly opened Vanilla server

Do you think they're going to have 3 different things in the launcher? Nope. They'll have one. The model they're going to follow is EverQuest's progression servers.

The efficient way is to use the current client/server code, and extend phasing capabilities.

Edit: To clarify, I don't mean to suggest phasing will have them run different patches/expansions on literally the same servers. The phasing code is a model for how to instantiate different rulesets within the same server baseline. If they don't extend the actual phasing code, it will likely be a similar system on the back end.

[Speaknoevil]

You people ranted and raved about classic WoW being better for ages. Now take it and like it, exactly how it was.

[Powerogue]

Preferably not things that actually made it into the real game, because that'd be really lore-confusing. But then if they take things that didn't make it in then they can't make them in the regular game or it'd still be lore confusing!

Can't win here. Emerald Dream zone based off the original concepts would be pretty sick but on the other hand I understand exactly why they scrapped it. The same reason I avoid leveling in vash'jir: eye strain. How long do you think you could look at bright neon green?

[Daffan]

Didn't they say they were hiring a whole new team to work on classic realms, such that it wouldn't impact live at all?

Yes they did

[bash the fash]

you are an idiot and probably started playing wow in patch 7.2

fuck off

Been playing since release bro, I'm just not a salty baby

[Gavll]

I actually don't think that's true at all. I think the original crowd is perfectly satisfied with releasing classic sans changes.

It appears that a new group of "enthusiasts" has emerged that want what I call Vanilla+ or Classic+. I find the sincerity of this group to be highly suspect. First, these folks rarely post on an older account. More often than not, if someone posts something about wanting additional features included that weren't in the original 2004 release, they come from a user/poster with less than 100 posts. There were some heavy discussions for those in support of Classic servers, when Nostralius was shut down, and it came from longstanding members of this community. (more than 100 posts with a birthdate much earlier than November 2017). I have a feeling that many of these people are those that were vehemently opposed to classic servers, but now that it is a possibility they are jumping on the bandwagon (but still have the same issues with classic that they voice when they were in opposition) thus, they want the "+" in Classic+, and have simply created another account, rather than simply apologizing for being dicks about it several months ago.

I was one of those dicks who opposed vanilla servers, but I don't give a fuck what you guys think, and I don't apologize to anyone... ever. Glass canon PvP truly excites me, and I wear my hypocrite badge with pride!

I've wanted classic servers for years. I've bought all the retail xpacs but I sub for a month then get bored and go back to PServers.

I would be totally satisfied if they just released classic as is. However, I wouldn't be averse to them adding new content that was originally intended to be in the game.

I mean, really, who wouldn't want more content? It's the mechanics, gameplay and systems I love. If they extended how long I can play it, from 2 years to 3 years by adding more content that perfectly fits within the existing systems, then I'm game.

In essence, I'd like them to complete the game content as originally intended before they made all their mistakes.

[Deleted]

Didn't they say they were hiring a whole new team to work on classic realms, such that it wouldn't impact live at all?

That would cost development money better spent on Live.
Resources are still being wasted on a 13 year old version of the game, that even its own fanbase are fighting over without knowing anything about it.

Better now?

- - - Updated - - -

It is interesting how so many people of the vanilla crowd, now that vanilla is finally an undertaking, do not want vanilla to be authentic, at all.

It's almost like they thought they wanted it, but actually they didn't.

[Kilee25]

Should content that never made it at the original launch of WoW be worked on and added to classic realms in some way? I'm not asking if this should be on all servers, but maybe on a separate/unique server or something.

Examples:

Dragon Isles
Azshara Crater BG
Emerald Dream zone
Old Outland/Hellfire
Mount Hyjal

and so on.

Personally, I would love to see something like this.

[Wiedzemir]

Preferably not things that actually made it into the real game, because that'd be really lore-confusing.

Considering that we have many timelines nowadays, they can do whatever they want and call it an alternative timeline. Basically just like DC and Marvel comic books constantly reinvent the world, the characters and their stories, they call it "multiverse". WoD has showed us that Blizzard went down the same road so nothing in lore is set in stone anymore.

However, I doubt that Blizzard is planning to maintain 2 branches of WoW as I don't think it'll manage to overshadow the modern WoW, as RSC did with the modern Runescape. Classic, as J Alan Brack said, is a museum piece.

[A dot Ham]

I've wanted classic servers for years. I've bought all the retail xpacs but I sub for a month then get bored and go back to PServers.

I would be totally satisfied if they just released classic as is. However, I wouldn't be averse to them adding new content that was originally intended to be in the game.

I mean, really, who wouldn't want more content? It's the mechanics, gameplay and systems I love. If they extended how long I can play it, from 2 years to 3 years by adding more content that perfectly fits within the existing systems, then I'm game.

In essence, I'd like them to complete the game content as originally intended before they made all their mistakes.

First, they didn't make any mistakes. The game needed to change. We wouldn't still be talking about it, they wouldn't be re-releasing classic... if it hadn't.

Next, items that got scrapped from original release, wouldn't simply be added in a broken state, so it would have new development flare which you are clearly NOT fond of. Classic WoW + new content is an oxymoron.

[Moralgy]

Yes, but not released until the content gets stale and server population start to dwindle. Just my opinion at least.

[Lucarocks92]

After Naxxramas has been around for a while I don't see why they can't expand on Vanilla and keep the LV 60 experience still going

[Soon-TM]

Weren't there a few dungeon maps that were kinda half-made during vanilla but ended up coming in bc? I think it was Black Morass, and perhaps some other one..

Not saying they should come in, but seeing a hellfire peninsula raid like they'd envisioned would be neat to see.

But I feel like we should wait and see how the classic realms turn out and are received before trying to decide if any additional end-game content should come through later.

According to Hayven's vids (man, those seriously rocked) there are maps of Black Morass, a raid-exclusive zone nicknamed Isle of Dragons and an early iteration of Hellfire Peninsula, as well as a planned BG in Aszhara. Too bad that none of them ever saw the light of day. They would make nice additions if Classic is successful and devs want to sprinkle some new content in there.

[rda]

It's more likely a team to:
a) Enhance the current code's ability to do phasing/versioning/backwards-compatibility (phasing already exists, versioning is an extension to that) (By current, I predict a classic Beta around 8.1's release)
b) Port old content to current code
c) Manage ongoing suite of progression servers

So the team is likely a bit more than your statement suggests... but the half of your statement noting no new content developers is likely correct.

No, the new team will not be able to work with current code at all, that can be done only by a mixed team. The team that Blizzard are composing for classic servers will be writing code *around* the existing server. They won't be able to do a lot besides porting things as they were and maintaining them as they were.

[Kolbjorn]

No, the new team will not be able to work with current code at all, that can be done only by a mixed team. The team that Blizzard are composing for classic servers will be writing code *around* the existing server. They won't be able to do a lot besides porting things as they were and maintaining them as they were.

Eh... the code will be merged. While your assertion may be technically correct (that the classic team may have a separate repository), anything critical they add for backwards compatibility will be merged into the baseline, since when the Classic/progression servers reach Legion in progression, they'll need all the Legion features. They're not going to re-implement them, they're going to manage the process for that now.

[Stormwolf64]

Nah. That would cost development time that is better used on Live WoW.

Live wow is shit, so i don't really see the problem.

[deniter]

Yes.

I'd love to play the game as planned instead of what they managed to pull off to meet the deadline. If there's now a chance 14-15 years later, i'd welcome it. Even in its incomplete state the original World of Warcraft was a masterpiece. Now imagine what it could have been if all that missing stuff had made it to the final game.