I think that there are alot of people right now who are thinking 4E is okay, but it just doesn't have the right feel. Certainly I bought all three 4E base books hoping for the best, but I have to say that I somewhat disappointed in the system. I was really getting to like 3.5 (with revisions), and I hoped 4E was going to bring D&D to its culmination. However, 4E decided to adopt an entirely new system that is more streamlined and "pretty" lacks the customization that 3.5 did. 3.5 seemed a hell of a lot more versatile than 4E appears to be, as depicted by the horde of world books out there that easily adapt the the 3.5 system or tweak different aspects of the system (like magic or races or classes). While there are some pieces and parts from 4E that I may adopt for a 3.5 game with some modifications, I think overall I would be happier and follow the example of those few Harn players out there. Take the bits and pieces I like and make them my own and run the game I want to run and would like to play.
I may be proven wrong one day, but I think Green Ronin (see www.greenronin.com) is actually looking at this new license for 4E in a realistic legal light. While we can all hope that WOTC or HASBRO wouldn't take advantage of the license users like the examples that Mr. Pramas cites, I have learned as a lawyer that you never put something in a contract or license for no reason. You are either putting it in to protect yourself or to gain an advantage. If they didn't plan on using a clause in the license, why put it in the language license. If there is a language that appears to be suspicious, there is probably something there that can and will come back and bite you in the ass.
Certainly, WOTC could have not allowed any open license and clamped down on all material, as TSR did in the 80's and 90's; however, the result of that was a decline in the quality at TSR product with little inovation to feed in-house, and new companies (i.e. White Wolf and FASA) hitting the market with a storm that left D&D in the dust. 3.0 by itself didn't revive D&D, the OGL license revived D&D. Within months we had new companies and old, adding their ideas to the mix. Don't like over-magiced, Forgotten Realms, try White Wolf's Sword & Sorcery world. Want new ideas for character concepts, turn to mongoose publishing, fantasty flight games or green ronin for new material.
So far the only companies I have seen really signing on to the 4E license and planning product output so far is the same companies that produce a bunch of dungeon-hack type adventures. I don't want to be one among many decrying 4E as being totally combat driven, but if the guys producing quality "roleplaying" material and campaign worlds (like green ronin and paizo) are not adopting the 4E license, and companies that produce "dungeon-hack" adventures are, it seems to show a regression in the genre. White Wolf introduced the art of storytelling in the 90's, and those publishers out there that embraced 3E and 3.5 seemed to embrace that concept. With 4E, I feel that Gamemasters and Storytellers are being forced back to being Dungeon Masters.
Tuchok
Tags: 4E 3.5 D20 Gaming D&D License
Are you saying there'll be less people playing D&D? Or is a D&Dhed a particular type of gamer? Please to enlighten! 
