They made Perception checks passive in
4E. That's a step in the right direction.
I hate "roll to see things". Why don't we also roll to see if I can walk in a straight line? If it's a question of an ambush, there was a perfectly good mechanic for that called "Surprise".
So
4E looks like it at least leans in the Old School direction on the matter of perception... just compare your perception level against a difficulty. Anything that in any way undermines the tyranny of skill-rollery is good in my book.
And yet another word from our sponsors
