LoganRan
Explorer
This paragraph, particularly the part I bolded, so clearly states exactly why I love old-school gaming. For me, the game will always be about the adventure, not my character. My favorite adventure of all time is the oft derided "funhouse dungeon", White Plume Mountain, precisely because of its crazy, fantastic environment which was an absolute joy to experience.OD&D and 5e cater to different desires, and it's not a matter of challenge vs. power fantasy, not really. From what I've seen, it's the difference between exploring a mysterious and dangerous environment while having few tools other than your wits to contend with what you find (think Myst plus monsters death-traps) and creating a highly customizable OC that you get to take through a compelling story. These are two related but fundamentally separate hobbies, and understanding them that way carries, I think, a great deal of explanatory power concerning their appeal.
By the by, I was looking at the cover of the Moldvay Basic book yesterday and only then noticed that the tag line reads: Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Adventure Game, not Fantasy Role Playing Game (although it does use the second phrase at the bottom of the cover.)