D&D 4E Is 4E winning you or losing you?

[apoptosis]

They've already said that there are going to be more robust "social challenge" rules. I'm not sure if that's the sort of "conflict but not combat" scenario you had in mind, but it'll be there.

That is true and for my style it is probably a good thing (for others, they may hate it).

What that actually means I dont know so i have to use 'probably'

But conflict can be many things up to and including player scene control as well. (eg. The difference between rolling a success and the player describing what happens vs the DM).

But the real design details that have been teased out so far are pretty much a game of combat resolution (the entire roles is based off of utility and balance in combat). Now D&D has definitely always pretty much been a combat resolution system with 2E making an attempt (generally with little mechanical impact) at promoting the roleplaying story.

That is why I mention that the strongest part of D&D (for me with no judgment on any other style or preference) is the nostalgia aspect. The more they kill the sacred moos, the only way for the game to keep its interest level is to then to really overhaul the general foundation of the game (move it farther away from a combat resolution system with a fantasy genre with optional roleplaying with role combat balance being the holy grail).

I will be interested in how they balance non combat role abilities. In the past it really has been mostly in the hands of the spell-users (though a case could be made for thief skills and skilll monkeys)