Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I don't mind speeding up combats, but this sounds like they stripped everything else down to a bare-bones format as well. RP to introduce characters? RP with the halfling about the map? Various ways to search for information about the map ("smart play", as Monte put it recently talking about Vancian magic)?
An hour could easily be used up with the RP and search more more information, especially with the rogue using streetwise and the DM laying pipe for another adventure, the mage going to a library or sage and finding out something important, and the cleric consulting the holy archives and meeting an important NPC for later in the campaign.
Basic D&D character creation was roll 3d6 six times, pick a race/class, buy equipment, roll HPs, and maybe pick a spell as opposed to richer character creation experiences any modern RPG needs to deliver. This is an interesting experiment of what was state of the art 30 years ago and could help us remember our roots, but not something that should be realized in a fully-fleshed-out RPG of today that's a worthy successor of 3.5 and 4e, both excellent games with different strengths. If that's the game we want to play, it's already available as Basic D&D for anyone who wants it.
An hour could easily be used up with the RP and search more more information, especially with the rogue using streetwise and the DM laying pipe for another adventure, the mage going to a library or sage and finding out something important, and the cleric consulting the holy archives and meeting an important NPC for later in the campaign.
Basic D&D character creation was roll 3d6 six times, pick a race/class, buy equipment, roll HPs, and maybe pick a spell as opposed to richer character creation experiences any modern RPG needs to deliver. This is an interesting experiment of what was state of the art 30 years ago and could help us remember our roots, but not something that should be realized in a fully-fleshed-out RPG of today that's a worthy successor of 3.5 and 4e, both excellent games with different strengths. If that's the game we want to play, it's already available as Basic D&D for anyone who wants it.