just have an open world like the original and expand from that during the time it's online.
It wasn't THIS hard to expand and develop classic prior 2004-2005. Current classic staff aim too high and then just loose interest because it takes too much time.
Just aim low and add a little at a time. You don't have to make the project a mastodont when it pre npc-server was always a work in progress were things were added whenever. Old classic was fun to explore post 2004 classic was just boring to explore. Gah!!