Thoughts On Classic vs Retail from a Wrath Baby

I have been playing classic recently

i originally leveled up a dwarf rogue to level 17 at launch but then quit playing mmos

ive recently been playing an orc warlock on Classic

WOW

These two games are polar opposites, just like RS3, and OSRS

Just sitting in Orgrimmar is different on Classic

Everyone is buzzing around, and looks so distinct, especially all of the pink haired trolls! The chat is lit up.

The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the social aspect

Going from retail to classic to retail is like seeing a great artist who once-was now a indolent drunk

Going from retail to classic, I can tell just how many of these leveling zones had groups in mind.

They really were tiny pen and paper style encounters meant for groups.

I absolutely love having trainers back.

That was one of my favorite things as a kid, going and seeing all the new abilities i could buy.

The only thing I really dislike is the lack some QoL features. Such as the lack of maps >_>

I really wish Blizzard would try to bring socialization back into Retail.

It is sorely missing.

5 Likes

I went into Classic fully expecting to get bored in 20 levels after the nostalgia wears off. I did not expect to enjoy the experience as much as I did. Making friends comes so naturally in Classic it was astounding. Oh you’re on this same quest but you’re having trouble not pulling too many Murlocs? Group! Oh you have this quest also? Let’s do it too! And the follow up quest!

I used to bash Classic, but after experiencing it myself, I made a thread just to say I was wrong.

9 Likes

im anti-social, so from my perspective i really dont care about social interaction, so anything forcing interaction just make me unconfortable

3 Likes

The Classic to Wrath era was better for those like me who like solo play than modern WoW. You could be a silent A*hole and just barely use chat to get into raids even. Do ICC with your guild. Get things done.

In Modern WoW, aside from just Mythic raids, you have to communicate with everyone in the high end content… :unamused: Modern WoW is all about grouping up.

I want Modern WoW to have more economically beneficial solo play. It feels good knowing I can farm low lvl dungeons and sell the greens and blue BOEs on the Ah and know I’m giving twinks their gear.

It’s fun in Classic to do that.

Shadowlands is bringing back Profressions so maybe I can impact my server again without selling cosmetics or competing with others selling JC mats.

1 Like

I have crippling social anxiety, i dont mind the pug type interaction, i dread guilds though…

1 Like

If you just started playing classic, you didn’t see what they looked like when there were a lot of players in those zones, as was the design intent.

A lot of non-elite quests that were easily soloable in vanilla have been retuned in classic by addition of modern features like increased mob density, health, respawn rate, and even a respawn rate that is related to the number of players in the zone.

A lot of those quests were total bedlam at the beginning, more like a typical island expedition than a quest that required planning by group members.

There is no more socialization in current classic than there is in retail. You either choose to or not. Classic being this utopia of knowing every person in your dungeons life story is a lie. People still go with out talking as much as possible. Even immediately after the initial surge it was hard to find people for group quests.

6 Likes

People still go with out talking as much as possible.

What server did you play on?

It is the complete opposite for me

Even immediately after the initial surge it was hard to find people for group quests.

Also complete opposite

1 Like

I gave Classic a shot and leveled up to 40 something. I’m a filthy casual and still find some enjoyment in retail, plus unwilling to abandon my work. Just not enough time for both. Also, and it may have been the server I was on, it was like all the toxic players decided to go Classic.

2 Likes

I also enjoy retail.

Love collecting transmogs, and i am even beginning to enjoy achievements.

3 Likes

I personally had quite the opposite experience with Classic, in fact I spoke more with randoms in groups and doing world content than I did with my actual guild.

Ironically the reasons I came back to retail from Classic had nothing to do with classic itself. I still prefer the pacing and design of classic myself, it does 100% feel more like an RPG to me.

I do feel like a good portion of the community brought a negative modern ideology to the game though deliberately abusing exploitive game patterns that weren’t accounted for when the game was initially made.

Of course increased exposure via online platforms made these more widely accessible.

3 Likes

The most fun achievement I got recently was the one from Nyalotha again Valiona, we weren’t trying to get it and got it entirely by accident.
We saw the achievement pop up and were all like “what is this for?”

When we looked it we found out that we got it because our tank accidentally deathbeamed our entire raid lol.

Was a nice “lol oops” moment.

1 Like

I see no social difference in classic and retail. If I want to talk in chat I do :man_shrugging: I’ll say something stupid like “man these murlocs are knocking the fish scales outta me” and someone will say something and I’ll respond based on what he said and someone else will respond to that and it’ll turn into a good hour of being dumb in chat lol.

I don’t want to talk in chat most times though, it’s a time sink. I got silenced once and I got so much done because I couldn’t sit and talk in /4 all day long :rofl:

2 Likes

https://www.dataforazeroth.com/leaderboards/completion-score

https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/all-the-things

Lol All the Things is the most rabbit hole addon in the world.

I remember having it and you just saw 50 things pop up in the zone you entered and now you are stuck here for the next 40 hours :joy:

2 Likes

I’m always trying to lure more people in lol

1 Like

If i had a dollar for every time someone tried to compare classic to these games for no reason at all, i would be able to buyout Blizzard.

1 Like

Only thing I like about Classic is all the abilities. Your class is your class, not your spec.

A Holy Priest can use Shadow spells and a Shadow Priest can use holy spells, just as it should be.

THANKFULLY! Shadowlands is bringing that back.

2 Likes

implying there isnt a valid reason to compare them

I played classic a bit but found that kinda game no longer interests me when I was working nights. I still remember the “peak” of the game wrath the servers died in the middle of the night so I quit somewhere in the teens. I’m on days now and I may give it another try but I wont hold my breath.

1 Like