Regarding evil: Maybe a line or two, but no need to dwell on it in the PHB. Outside of 1E, it historically has gotten pretty much little to no mention in the PHB.
Keeping the PHB small: I think part of our problem (as veteran gamers) is that we have no idea how ridiculous it is for someone who has never played a D&D or tabletop game before to try to enter any current D&D-esque RPG. Next needs to be a gateway game for those who have never played D&D before to be able to enter, and a 500 page core book doesn't do that.
I've been running a 4E game (started as PF) for a group of 8-12 year old kids at the LGS, and while Pathfinder is a fantastic system, it is absolutely terrible for getting kids initially into tabletop. Only through massive handholding was I able to even get them into it a little, and we ended up switching to 4E. They've been playing 4E for months and I am pretty sure they don't really understand the game.
We need a game for beginners to get into this hobby. We can't keep just catering to ourselves, otherwise this hobby will end with us. I am hopeful D&D Next is that game.
Keeping the PHB small: I think part of our problem (as veteran gamers) is that we have no idea how ridiculous it is for someone who has never played a D&D or tabletop game before to try to enter any current D&D-esque RPG. Next needs to be a gateway game for those who have never played D&D before to be able to enter, and a 500 page core book doesn't do that.
I've been running a 4E game (started as PF) for a group of 8-12 year old kids at the LGS, and while Pathfinder is a fantastic system, it is absolutely terrible for getting kids initially into tabletop. Only through massive handholding was I able to even get them into it a little, and we ended up switching to 4E. They've been playing 4E for months and I am pretty sure they don't really understand the game.
We need a game for beginners to get into this hobby. We can't keep just catering to ourselves, otherwise this hobby will end with us. I am hopeful D&D Next is that game.