Quote Originally Posted by 1337 b4k4 View Post
Bear in mind the ideas being tossed around in this thread are building on the playtest package. Getting these ideas fleshed out and sent in as feedback should push the game being designed at WotC in this direction.
Well, I've been discussing it with my friend, and it has become clear that there is more difference in our play preference and D&D rules preference than I would have guessed (bearing in mind that I started with red box basic, through BECMI then to Advanced (1E) and up, and he has similar experience). We play happily together, and we have both DMed the other for a number of years, and still there are playstyle differences that I did not really appreciate. Getting a game that engages both of us, and a FAR wider community is going to be tricky. I hope that they do not try too hard to please everyone and end up pleasing no one.
I really hope that WotC can pull off a good product, and I think the open playtest is a good thing to hopefully avoid some of the balance issues etc. that we have had earlier.
I think the best thing this thread has reminded me of is 'This is a playtest. If you don't like it, tell them why instead of quitting. You never know, the next iteration may have moved to where you wanted.'

Now if only I can get my players to go for it too...