Okay guys and girls...I'm a bit disoriented in this forum, and given that the discussion is already on page x gazillion, I think I'll just admit that I don't know what has been discussed, and who has already tried 4th edition, etc. etc.
But, since I did have a chance to try it out in Seattle at a promo run by Wizards (they even had their own uniform wearing DM) I thought I'd share my rather odd experience.
There was a guy running another game, Badlands I think, where PCS were actually generated with a deck of cards. It looked interesting, the DM seemed very creative, and looked like he knew how to run a good game.
Unfortunately, I was there to play 4th edition.
As I already told Dalcor, I had a 1st level wizard with 24 HPs, and unlimited magic missiles, who could heal himself. The unlimited magic missiles were never necessary, because my other spells were much more powerful.
The rules and gameplay were fast and easy, everything has been "dumbed down" for quick play. Normally I love quick play, with the DM making decisions on the fly, but this wasn't the case. There isn't any room for DMs to make quick decisions...the dumbing down comes in the form of easy math.
They assume that the average D&D player can't count. There were dozens of situations where I said to myself "the rulesmakers didn't really have to go so far......adding two numbers together isn't really so bad, is it?"
I do like the new rule on spell durations however..no more counting. Everything that used to be counted in rounds, now lasts the length of the encounter.
Healing is no longer wounds closing. It means you catch your breath, steady yourself, and get back in the fight. This is what HPs were always meant to represent. Now they clearly do. With this clearly defined, it now means a cleric isn't so much a healer, as he is a "buffer" to bless, and strengthen his comrades, etc. and take care of the really serious healing.
PC deaths are going to be hard to come by with the new rules, which means strategy isn't as important, because everyone's PC already has a clearly defined role in combat. No need to improvise.
No need to be creative.
Hell, no need to play.
Still, I encourage you all to try it for yourselves.