Is the roleplay aspect of D&D gone, replaced by optimization?

[KorvinStarmast]

{snip most of this excellent post} So try other systems, and if you search for RP try in priority systems that don't require the players to even start reading a rulebook before the first session because the character sheet is half a page and the rules (character creation excluded) is 10min of explanation.

That's some fine advice. And as to forums, I really agree with you on the CRPG/video game thing. If you never visit a forum, you can enjoy the game a lot.

I played Diablo (the original) for many months with friends via battlenet and never visited a forum. We had loads of fun. How I viewed the game changed when I began to interact with people on a bnet forum. But it also allowed me to explore some ideas that I'd never before considered.