Pure speculation but as a software developer, here is what I'm thinking. The easiest path to updated graphics would be if you left all zone and object geometry the same and tried to update individual object models' textures. This would allow for slight visual improvements without any changes to pathing or information about where particular objects should be rendered. This is what Verant did pre-Luclin. Making changes to zone geometry and models requires artists to provide the new content, modifications to whatever tool you use to edit your maps/zones and updates to the database concerning pathing, spawn points, and zone-in locations.
About Daybreak and classic content. I suspect Daybreak has at least one major issue with providing classic content. That is, even if they were forward thinking enough to create snapshots of the client / server code / database on a per patch basis, once the changes for each patch were merged into the development branch those snapshots never got touched again and lack the logic for bug fixes and protocol changes since they were released. If this is the case they could always release a second client with minor changes to account for updates to windows / directx / having two clients installed on the same machine, host a second login server and start developing from the classic branch they chose to use but now you have two different games to maintain.
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