Why Does TBC Classic Feel More Rewarding Than Retail?

Trading effort for rewards

There’s something about Retail that’s making players tired. In contrast, when they play TBC Classic they’re elated and ready to keep on leveling up. One has a streamlined leveling experience, and the other is a more difficult, slower process. Yet, it is the latter players find better to play than the former. Why is that, and what makes playing and farming WoW TBC gold so much better than Retail?

Time and Rewards

Retail bombards players with various activities and rewards that go with them. In theory, it’s a good idea, right? Players do activities and get their rewards. What makes it so bad is the time gate. Players can only do part of the activities and will have to wait until the next part becomes available. Then once they get their rewards, they’ll have to replace them when the next patch comes.

In other words, players are forced to log in every day, to do tasks. After a few days, they get something that’s going to be replaced all too soon. Doesn’t that make all their efforts practically useless? Why go through all that effort to get WoW TBC Classic items that are going to be replaced in a few days? What’s the point?

Players spend all their time for a poor excuse of a reward. In TBC Classic, even if it takes some time, you can keep a piece of equipment even after several levels. Getting them is also more meaningful, as some of these pieces are obtained after quests or after a lengthy hunt. A player’s efforts are well rewarded with equipment that they can keep for a long time.

Also, they can do so at their own pace. If they want to go through the whole task at once or take it one task at a time, there’s no problem. They can do a myriad of tasks or take a break in the middle of getting it. There’s no time-gating here, nor do they have to wait days for the next part. They can farm WoW TBC Classic gold, fish, or hang out with friends. No pressure to complete everything in time.

Progression Differences

In Retail, characters earn talents or talent upgrades every 5 levels. That means there are 4 levels of progress where the only indication of progress is the increased number in levels. Then again, nobody would stay at that level for long anyway. Still, it’s like players are only rewarded every 5 levels, and sometimes, they’re not even good upgrades.

The streamlined progression also gave rise to enemy level scaling. With that, no player will ever really be overleveled wherever they are. Even if they can stay leveling in one place, it doesn’t invoke feelings of progress. They’re staying in one place after all.

Compare that to TBC Classic, where locations are gated through levels. If you’re not at a certain level, players can’t go to some locations. Enemies will be too strong, or they can’t learn a required skill at the level they’re at. Eventually, locations become too easy as well, with the character growing too strong for the area.

They earn talent points at every level as well, contributing to the sense of progress. They feel the gradual process of getting stronger more easily in Classic than in Retail. These ones use their WoW TBC Classic accounts rather than their WoW accounts (though they’re really just the same).

What Does All This Mean?

Well, that the Retail progression system is flawed. Sure the players are rewarded so quickly, but are they truly rewards when players can’t even enjoy them for a long time? There is something like too many rewards, and that practically makes it meaningless.

That’s why some players have been playing Classic more than Retail. They like the feeling of slowly progressing and strengthening their character. Of course, some players prefer the Retail version’s system more. It’s natural and up to player interpretation. It all depends on whether they like convenience or making the effort. There’s nothing wrong with preferring one or the other.

It will, however, earn the ire of other noisy players who oppose your view. But don’t let them keep you from enjoying the game however you want. As long as you’re having fun, there shouldn’t be any problems even if you enjoy something they don’t like.

At any rate, flawed or not, it’s the developer’s prerogative to fix it or not. It might not be in a way the players like, but nobody can please everybody, and for every detractor, some will agree to their decision.

Have fun and continue playing WoW TBC Classic!