Things retail should do to become as loved as classic is

[Vasoka]

there was a 10k server que for just reserving names.

I don't remember the last time i had a que in retail. maybe WOTLK?

Because the Classic servers are 1) MUCH less in number 2) MUCH smaller in capacity.

And because Classic is the "new" thing atm. The game is shit, I can't wait for all this Classic BS to die out in a couple of months.

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

1. Cap leveling once and for all, at a specific level, say 60, and no more leveling beyond that, ever.
2. Gear based progression based on BiS pieces instead of ilvl. New raids and BG's instead if new zones to quest in and level up. The world is already too big.
3. Zone scaling 1-60 in classic zones, 1-60 in Outland and Northrend zones, 1-60 in Cataclysm and Pandaria zones, 1-60 WoD and Legion, 1-60 BfA and 9.0, basically 1-60 everywhere, so new toons can be leveled starting in any of the expansions or classic zones.
4. Bring back class identity and hybrid builds via talent trees.
5. Quest rewards, mob drops and profession items than can be used in combat, as cosmetic items..etc
6. bring back 20 and 40 man raids.
7. Remove mythic and leave only heroic, and normal mode dungeons and raids. 2 difficulties are enough.
8. Convert LFR into solo raids that can be done with AI NPC and AI driven player alts. This way this system does not have to be fully removed and can still serve a purpose.
9. Let players just buy flying after fully completing the main story quest lines. That means the player has already fully experienced the content once, why force them to repeat the same quest 1000 times in the same zone.
10. Scale all raids to 60, the difference being gear stats.
11. Let players do solo previous expansion raid Xmog runs with AI driven alts and super powerful AI driven NPC's that can obliterate the whole raid just like a 120 player could in a level 60 raid.
12. Bring back gear sets.

I agree with almost all of this, ironically, but there are some good ideas here I would want to elaborate on.
Ironically though, the main thing that makes Classic beloved is the nostalgia and the inability to play it properly for so long. If you took wow away for a decade, even bfa, people would start to remember only the good things and want it back.

1. This is the #1 thing I would want to see, but how do they accomplish it? How do they make new expansions without leveling? I am not sure, but I would love to see them try.
2. I have no idea what you mean by "based on BIS pieces," but I assume you haven't played 8.2 if you are saying this, as benthic gear has taken over.
Either way, I agree with your second notion. More content in the places we already have is fine by me, but NOT fine for marketing, and will never happen, sadly.
3. Another major point I would like to see. Being able to quest anywhere I want whenever I want would be great, especially combined with the new replay feature/system they are putting in.
4. This is a bit of a misleading thing to say, because you are basically asking for the game to be imbalanced again, and that I can not support, but I will support "class identity" via the reintroduction of iconic elements like buffs for paladins etc. I hope, based on what Ion said before 8.2 launch, they are already thinking of this.
5. Cosmetic items? Don't say that too loud around Classic fans. Can't really understand the point of this one. I would say more important drops from all types of mobs but spare parts and manapearls really knocked it out of the park for me, so I can't ask for much more than that.
6. 40 man raids would never work again, unless they were only for easy mode difficulty. I would support flex expanding to 40 though, FOR SURE. I would LOVE to see 40 much easier as well, on purpose just to emulate the old days.
7. Absolutely agree that there should be at least 1 if not 2 difficulties removed. Leave one easy and one difficult. Same with five mans. Normal and Mythic is all that we need. Heroic serves zero purpose now.
8. A great solution honestly. Let people still see the content, but don't confuse them into thinking they are actually raiding.
9. This is the one that made me make this post though. You really think flying should be in the game? Really odd to hear from some one talking about Classic. Flying should be removed from the game if we want to improve the overall world. A very difficult task with so many flying mounts already in the game, but it would be the best thing that could happen to the world if they did it. Until then, it works perfectly as is.
10. Timewalking raids, is the only option here. You can not "scale" all the raids to end game and expect them to be equally difficult and engaging. I'd be interested in seeing timewalking expanded, but I don't see enough of a reason to do it right now. What would be the reason to get together and do this, especially if you are advocating that 40 people do it?
11. That would be cool. Make it feel like they are actually raiding? Neat idea. Very low impact, but might as well if they have the AI thing working already.
12. For what? Tier set love never made any sense to me. Its worse in every way than what we have now, IMO, and other than the aesthetics, I can never understand what people liked about items that were mandatory and so restrictive you would never even consider wearing a different leg item for the remainder of the tier once you got them.
Very bad for the game, especially in a world with titanforging et al.

Anyway, most of this stuff isn't even similar to Classic, so not sure what your connection there was.
You should have just named the post "How to make WoW better."
I can agree with most of this, but much of it will make the game less like Classic and ironically many of the efforts already made to bridge the gap between the two games have been met with severe hatred.

Think about them.
Longer leveling.
Flying restrictions.
Slower combat pacing / GCD additions.
Threat mattering again.
Class buffs returning.
More difficult PVE in general.

All among the things that you will see GD talk about daily.
Make a thread on ANY of those topics, and you will have a 1k post thread guaranteed.

Sadly, to make the game better, we have to deal with some culling of those who don't want a proper RPG and a challenging experience at the same time.
I think BFA did a great job of that, in its own way.

[justandulas]

Because the Classic servers are 1) MUCH less in number 2) MUCH smaller in capacity.

And because Classic is the "new" thing atm. The game is shit, I can't wait for all this Classic BS to die out in a couple of months.

In your opinion it's shit. In MY opinion, retail is practically a mobile game; a bad parody of real WoW. (vanilla-WoTLK)

Classic will not die out, and for all we know the classic servers can hold MORE with layering there than retail.

I can guarantee classic will outshine retail for the remainder of 2019.

[Firedemon]

there was a 10k server que for just reserving names.

I don't remember the last time i had a que in retail. maybe WOTLK?

Are you serious? Or just can't be bothered to think a little?

You do realize that on one hand there are over 20x as many realms as compared to those of classic right? Or that the queue was only for the PVP EN ones and some german? Or that since sharding was introduced, queues are a thing of the past. Or that there is some overhype until the release gets done with?

[A Dark Knight]

1
2. Gear based progression based on BiS pieces instead of ilvl.

??? what ??

[justandulas]

Are you serious? Or just can't be bothered to think a little?

You do realize that on one hand there are over 20x as many realms as compared to those of classic right? Or that the queue was only for the PVP EN ones and some german? Or that since sharding was introduced, queues are a thing of the past. Or that there is some overhype until the release gets done with?

Do YOU even think before you speak?

This was a que for NAMES alone, the actual que will be much worse at launch.

Secondly, your "20x as many realms" is a moot point because 90% of them are DEAD REALMS.

Go ahead and pick the most populated realm in retail wow; it will never have a que as big as the vanilla que will be. This is a fact.

If anything, i feel it's UNDERhyped. I personally know of a full group of classic players who have never once touched retail and have no interest, but are all in on classic WoW. Classic wow's appeal is so large it is pulling in NEW players.

BFA can't even hang onto it's current playerbase.

Classic is going to be huge for all of 2019

[MoanaLisa]

This has quickly devolved into hostile game vs. game territory so it will be closed.