Thanks for all the responses. Most encounters seem to take 2 - 3 hours. I wasn't exaggerating when i said we've had rounds that lasted an hour. That is the extreme most rounds seem to take 20 minutes for four players and a GM. I really think it is due to players looking for max advantage...
I left gaming about two years after 3e was released--had some kids and needed to stay home with them. Now that they are getting older, I'm getting some of my free time back and have rejoined my old gaming group. We are all 40 - 50 and have been gaming since our teens, between us we probably...