Maybe true. I've always found 3E nearly impossible to use without minis, so I can't agree with the first part, but knowing placement is a MUST in 4E. Graph paper can do, but prepare for a lot of erasing.
true. Team tactics are a must in 4E. In 3E, there are some characters that can get by with doing things on their own.
All monsters follow the same rules. But they are not all PCs. Monsterswork differently than PCs. A GM can run a game with monsters, then play a game as a PC and it will feel different beyond the same basic rules.
Ease to GM: 4E is much more GM friendly, going with the RAW. It does not take as long to create a character, set up a trap, or distribute the appropriate amount of treasure.
Class balance: 4E is supposed to be designed around the idea that every class can do something at every level. In 3E there are often times when a spellcaster has nothing to do but load a crossbow and shoot. YMMV.
Ease of introduction: 4E is more friendly to casual gamers. It is easier to learn and easier in function and exection. 3E by mid to high levels becomes very bogged down (Rage+Bard's song stat boost+ belt of giant strength+enlarge then someone casts dispel magic and dispels the girdle then someone casts bull's strength and you are wielding a 2-handed weapon).
Magical Items: 3E is heavy with the need of magical items. If you choose to have a low-magic campaign, you will need to readjust CRs and so forth appropriately. 4E is less magical item heavy. You need them, like in 3E, but not as many. A fighter, for instance, will not need a golf bag full of a variety of weapons to bypass Damage Reduction (/cold iron, /magic, /silver, /adamantium, /good, /evil, et al.)
Simulationists vs. Gamists: 3E is more for simulationists. Like all D&D, it glosses over things to make them easier, but things like a complex grapple mechanic, jump rules, powers that can be used consistantly are all closer to realism. 4E goes the more gamist rout, sacrificing realism for ease of play and 'fun'. Characters have powers that can be used by the encounter. That is done for game balance, but raises the question "How often can I do this, really?" Its an abstraction.
Pathfinder: It is still in the works but is attempting to improve on the existing 3E while making it backwards compatable. Kay factors include - balancing the original classes with later classes, especially in the department of getting something at every level; improving high-level play to make it manegable beyond 10-12; making NPC creation easier for the GM; and so on. The Alpha document is out there and is free, and Beta is on its way (or maybe that's out now?). The finalized new rules will be ready in a year. Pathfinder is meant to replace teh D&D Player's Handbook and the Dungeonmaster'guide.
