D&D 4E Going/Not Going to 4E which edition did you start with?

[Agamon]

Started with Moldvay Basic/Expert, moved onto 1E, then 2E. Gave up on 2E, but along came 3E, then 3.5E. Looking forward to 4E, as is most of my group (I've lent R&C to the one stickler, which I believe will bring him around).

I'm looking forward to doing a homebrew again, something I just didn't want to do in 3E, as I already have a job, and one that actually pays.

 

[Puggins]

Started with Moldvay (and, like Wormwood, still consider that to be the gold standard) and played 1e, 2e, 3e, 3.5... and yes, I'm going to 4e.

 

[EricNoah]

Started with Basic (Blue Box). Not switching to 4E for the forseeable future. Not necessarily because of the direction of the game, however. Though ... honestly ... I don't think we know as much about the direction of the game as we think we do. We really haven't seen much substantial information, have we?

 

[Doug McCrae]

B/X -> 1e -> 2e -> B/X -> 3.0 -> 3.5 -> 4e

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Started with 3E and so far 4E [...]
SNIP

Ok, that may be the reason you are that dissatisfied with 4e...

I started with ADnD 2nd edition 1995 or so... 3.0 did so many things right, but some, which sounded really good, proved to be worse than in ADnD 2nd edition. 4e tries to fix most of those things (AFAIAC)...

...this is why I most certainly switch.

Just look through the book and keep an open mind, and focus on improvements...

 

[Clavis]

Started with Basic D&D in '83 or '84. Moved on to AD&D a couple of years after that. I was running a 1st Edition AD&D game until '93. I mostly skipped 2nd Edition I was playing Vampire during the rest of the 90s, except for a few games with the Rules Cyclopedia. I came back for 3rd Edition, but got disenchanted with the powergaming assumptions built into the rules, the pointless complexity, and the need for miniatures to run combats. I never bought any 3.5 books. I am now running Castles & Crusades, and love the system. I have no plans to DM 4th Edition at all, since I don't like most of what I've heard about it so far, and I don't trust the same company who messed up 3rd Edition to get a 4th Edition right. I am very unhappy with WOTC's decision to essentially create an entirely new game and slap the D&D label on it. I may even eventually pick up a PHB, however, so I could play in a 4th Edition game (if that becomes necessary in the future).

 

[Quantarum]

Started with a ratty copy of the red book back in 1982, which I still have, though it's become a transparent tape mummy. I've played or DM'd every edition since.
I'm working right now to convert my 22 year old campaign world to 4E, and hoping the new edition lives up to my expectations.

-Q.

 

[Darkwolf71]

Started with Basic, quickly moved on to AD&D. I have played all versions to date at least once.

Though ... honestly ... I don't think we know as much about the direction of the game as we think we do. We really haven't seen much substantial information, have we?

Indeed. I still haven't made a commitment one way or the other, but I will at least be giving 4e a shot. Ask again in July.

 

[Dragonblade]

Played BECMI, 1e AD&D, 2e AD&D, 3e, 3.5e, and now will be going to 4e!

And based on the previews 4e looks like it will surpass all prior editions, IMO!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I started gaming in off-and-on in the mid-90s with the Black Box classic D&D game, and by 1997 I had switched to AD&D 2nd edition. In 2000, I jumped on the 3e bandwagon; but last year, I got so fed up with 3e that I switched back to the Black Box/Rules Cyclopedia, and I have no intention of playing any other edition, least of all 4e.

I prefer OD&D and AD&D because you *play* characters in those games. I detest 3e (and likely will detest 4e) because you *build* characters in those games, and that, in my experience, always does nothing but distract players from *playing* their characters.

In order to prove me wrong, 4th edition would have to be far less complex and option-laden than its previews are making it out to be. Option-glut is what killed 2e and 3e for me, and it seems to be hard-wired into 4e.

Good points actually. But IMHO it seems that character building is easier in 4e than in 3.x., since retraining rules are in and "feat chains" and prestige classes are out. And you get more feats. So you don´t have to plan your next 20 character levels on level 1. (I also discouraged that in 3.x... but felt into that trap myself sometimes... :\)