From what sir nilbog has told me, content is preset to "switch on" so to say once we reach that point in the timeline. Every single patch is ready to go and will be available once that expansion or timeline related content is reached. Vanilla will truly be vanilla with no QoL options available as it was in 2009. NPCs will be as they were (or as close as possible) to what it was in 1999. What do you think they have been doing for 10 years?
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Edit - Oh, and I'm sure there will be more detailed information once we get closer and Rogean feels its ready. It's a teaser, and clearly it teased you