What "pure Vanilla" is?

[Gavll]

Patch 1.12 mechanics but release the content in the release order and buff it slightly to compensate for having 1.12 talents etc

That's what I think will happen anyway

[Deleted]

You forgot the option "all of the above".
Everything betwen 1.1 and 1.12.1 is pure vanilla.

[epLe]

All those who are pro 1.12 as a start point for Classic are really making a bad argument.
Guess it's mostly based on pirate server experience without ever playing Vanilla.

That being said, its totally fine to have all bug fixes in place.
It is the gear and class changes that make the 1.12 version way more "TBC" than "Vanilla".

[Lasombria]

Vanilla is not a point in time, not a specific build. It is the progression overtime and the experience it provides.

This, very much this.

[owbu]

I guess we dont really need all the patches. Maybe just look at the ones that added major powerups for the players and release those with their respective raids.
Like have one patch for mc and bwl, one for AQ and one for naxx.
Or (and this is would need some major player testing and has the potential to go wrong horribly) just do patch 1.12 and buff the mobs by the same amount players get buffed. But Im not sure that would feel authentic enough/if they can pull that off.

[SpellCleave]

"Pure" Vanilla is an absurd notion.

1.1 and 1.12 are both as much vanilla as the other. It's just a matter of Blizzard deciding upon the best path for the server.

Starting at 1.1 and actually developing each patch going further would be absurd. They would actually need a developing team, they would have to deploy patches, fix bugs, deal with issues, and i think it would just be harmful for the server as well as a LOT of unnecessary effort.

Starting at 1.12 with gated content (starting with MC\Onyxiia) just seems smarter, easier and would require way less 'upkeep' and 'maintenance', as well as less dedicated staff.

It's just a matter of being smart about it, since you know, all those versions are vanilla.

I chose 1, but this is actually what makes more sense. Patch 1.12 and then content unlocking as it did from Nov '04 release.

...But maybe don't fix the ZG disease bug...maybe...

[Daffan]

Option 1 is "pure vanilla"

but one of the worst options.

[Deleted]

To me "pure vanilla" is anything that is made up completely from designs and mechanisms that existed in any of the 12 vanilla patches. I don't think any single patch qualifies as the vanilla since they all were active for a minority of the time. I guess progression exactly as in the original would also qualify, but that makes little practical sense for WoW Classic.

[Hiricine]

Put in patches slowly for pure vanilla, though I think that exploits certainly and big bugs/server issues should be hashed out. I think you should get as close to the intended gameplay at the time (though it would be different than the actual gameplay) without balancing.

Patching in would be fun, because itd give a similar progression experience to players. Of course, there would be a bit of an early rush of people trying to get T2 from molten core, but so be it!

[Holian]

1.12 would be fine, if it wasn't for the state of AV in that patch, i would be fine with 1.12, releasing content progressively, IF they had 1.5 or 1.8 AV aswell, the 15min AV rushes were not very fun.

[Growel]

I voted “Else”.

“Progression exactly as back in 2004/6” sounds good too.

I wouldn’t mind the class balancing and bug fixes of 1.12. But if the content jumps right to 1.12 level, you’re going to see people hitting 60 and getting awesome (roughly equal to T2) gear from PVP.

I’m pretty sure it was patch 1.12 that re-vamped the PVP system such that you no longer earned rank…but instead earned some kind of PVP currency. You’d see freshly leveled 60s (possibly even someone’s alt) wearing mostly greens, plus 1-2 amazing epics.

This may cause people to bypass MC (or at least make it too easy).

The content, itself, should be gated just like Vanilla, or something very close to it.

[Thatfire]

Pure Vanilla is the gameplay, traveling and social structure of the game with all the QoL goodies added in that don't effect it.

[Deleted]

Vanilla is not a point in time, not a specific build. It is the progression overtime and the experience it provides.

No it isnt. It doesnt matter what patch. We want vannila for reasos like. No flying, no lfr, no lfg, no crossrealm, hard outdoor content. Who cares what patch it will be.

- - - Updated - - -

1.1-1.11 was more vanilla then 1.12.

Starting the game in 1.12 is not the same as old progression ever, no matter how accurate the numbers.

No it is vannila just like any patch befor.

[bash the fash]

pure vanilla to me is no FP in Camp T, deal with it

[Mort459]

My Personal opinion on what would be best:

1) No (artificial) gating. If people are dedicated enough to lvl to 60 in one week and geared/skilled enough to kill KT, then good on them. I honestly would be interested to see how quickly it could be done.

2) Don't just copy/paste one of patches. Look at each option that existed in Vanilla, and choose the one that "feels" the best. If they decide they like the way ability A scaled in 1.7 but like the way ability B scaled in 1.12..... just program the scaling to be the way you like it better, regardless of patch.

3) That said, no game systems that weren't in place by 1.12.

[Jeniwyn]

Since this poll is interpreted by the mods as: "What version do you want?" I'll answer that.

I voted 1.11 for the simple reason that the 1.12 patch, a patch that came out after Naxx 40 was cleared, substantially changed the healing dynamics in raids for Horde. Thus making 1.12 raiding on horde side feel very "non-vanilla", an analogy would be that it feels like vanilla plus half a TBC pre-patch.

The very significant change that came at this late, late point in vanilla was that Chain Heal became the first ever smart heal. This was a very significant change as you might imagine, a change that makes other class changes over the course of vanilla pale in comparison and this at a point were vanilla was basically over. However, many people have their vanilla experience mainly or exclusively from unofficial servers where 1.12 was and is the patch that is being run. For them this is not a curiosity at the very end, but the only vanilla experience that they've known and it is the play style that they know and love. Not having a smart Chain Heal would likely turn many, many Shamans off from playing these servers and it would be hard to blame them for that or say that they are in the wrong for wanting it.

So even if I'd prefer 1.11, I think that for better or for worse 1.12 style spells and talents are more likely to be what we get. That means that to me horde vanilla healing is a thing of the past with patch 1.12 so I will certainly play alliance as that is the only place where the original vanilla healing experience has a chance of being reasonably intact if Blizzard does well. Luckily for me, that was very likely to be my choice regardless.

[bash the fash]

My Personal opinion on what would be best:

1) No (artificial) gating. If people are dedicated enough to lvl to 60 in one week and geared/skilled enough to kill KT, then good on them. I honestly would be interested to see how quickly it could be done.

2) Don't just copy/paste one of patches. Look at each option that existed in Vanilla, and choose the one that "feels" the best. If they decide they like the way ability A scaled in 1.7 but like the way ability B scaled in 1.12..... just program the scaling to be the way you like it better, regardless of patch.

3) That said, no game systems that weren't in place by 1.12.

No 'artificial gating' ahah. You mean like the AQ gate opening? And Hydraxian Waterlords? Not to mention gear itself was always 'artificial' gating, considering the duration of raid lockouts and the extreme limit on how much loot MC bosses drop, and the need to grind through each tier of progression unless you're getting carried by 39 geared people. The gating in vanilla is fifteen times worse than the 'artificial' gating in retail.

Also, a lot of people - including private server folks - using 1.12 as a base is maybe the least 'vanilla' thing I can think of. I personally think mechanic-wise the game was in the best shape in 1.12 - precisely because it was way closer to BC than to actual 'vanilla'. What a 'vanilla' experience is differs per person, but I doubt most peoples' 'vanilla' experience was predominantly in a 1.12 atmosphere (unless you've been playing on private servers for a decade.)

[Deleted]

All wtf...... pure vanilla is the cycle of all patches.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Progression as it was. I can accept fixing server / game breaking bugs but that is about it.

[denisgsv]

last patch staggered content.