I think it was the expert box set. I'll buy the 4E players handbook just to give it a look over. Then we'll see. Currently playing a modified version of 3.5.
Technically started with 3.0, but almost all of my D&D experience has been with 3.5. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised at just how small a minority that puts me in around here.
First thing I ever bought was Hollow World from Waldenbooks. Relizing it did not have the rules, I had to go back and get the Rules Cyclopedia. I guess that puts me in the Basic/expert set crowd.
I started with the Italian version of the Mentzer Basic Set, that I received as a gift for Christmas in 1985.
Next May I purchased the MM and the PHB for AD&D, but I had to wait until August when I went for vacation in the US with my father to buy the DMG because, for some reason, it wasn't in stock in Rome for quite some time...
First thing I ever bought was Hollow World from Waldenbooks. Relizing it did not have the rules, I had to go back and get the Rules Cyclopedia. I guess that puts me in the Basic/expert set crowd.
Sounds as if we started at about the same time. I think it was the summer of '92 when I picked up the New, Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game (1991) shortly followed by the Rules Cyclopedia (1991) and the Hollow World (1990) boxed set (also from Waldenbooks).
A big "No" on 4th edition. It will take a pretty amazing product to make me change my mind on this. If all I've heard about 4th edition so far is true, I'll be done with WotC in a few months.
Started with 1st Edition. Never played 2.0 or 3.0, got back into gaming with 3.5. Back to 1st/C&C now.
But....
Diddly-dang. I read the forum from the bottom up, and when I saw the last thread was locked, I was hoping to find the remains of a really quick but intense flame war.