That's the beauty of the systems. You can just play a loose set of rules and have an awesome time b/c the friendships and story-telling is what makes the evening awesome.

I read through some 1st edition and it had a major appeal. I loved the pictures and the simplicity. It took me over a year to master 3.5, and then I learned that I had mastered some things incorrectly. I'll never know how to do some stuff right. But 1st edition was just way easier to find answers. There weren't as many "special moves," but it got the game moving very nicely.

What was really superb for me was that it made you invent some rules on the spot. Not covered in the rulebook? Fine, let's invent a rule for that. And it was the only time I had a great group which had a great time playing that campaign.
2nd ed was fine, I mastered it and did most of the DMing but when 3rd and 3.5 came out it was like reading through a computer game manual, it felt cheap and oversimplified. Also, everyone was special from the beginning, you simply had too much special moves/powers/whatnot and I didn't like that.

So, 1st ed for life. If only I knew anyone who still plays it ;)

Too right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

If you want a free 'version' of it then look no further than Labyrinth Lord:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/64331/Labyrinth-Lord-Revised-Edition-%28no-art-version%29?src=s_pi

2 was absolute rubbish (but a great way for TSR to make money!)
3 and 3.5 are alright if you get the right group of people
Never tried 4

I've played D&D, but prefer RuneQuest (the old one, not Mongoose's half-baked reboot).

I've only managed to DM 2 or 3 4e games but I've wanted to play more. The hard part is finding players for a gaming group even harder is finding players who are actually motivated to play. I don't push for role-playing because frankly the gaming scene around my area sucks and I'd rather not scare away the only players I could find.

It was pretty fun but since I was the only one who bothered to read the rules I was left explaining everything to everyone. It would have been okay if they were all ready to play and actually listening but I would have to constantly explain basic rules over and over again to less-interested players and it got to be very irritating.

I'm sure I'll find a group someday, though I'll be sticking to 4e myself, I do have the books for AD&D but I doubt I'll ever get into playing that one with anyone.

I've played 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5th, and eventually 4th. I DM'd quite a bit of AD&D, little smidgeon on 3rd, maybe one or two of 3.5th. Used to have a rather adventurous group, at least adventurous in the sense that they wanted to play more D&D. Was good times. I still love roleplaying, but I don't live near anyone, and time constraints. My only time playing 4th ed however was actually online with a group, and they're my usual group so I hope to roleplay again with them soon.

Love D&D through and through. I don't even really like the lore of D&D, like at all, but it just creates a fantastic and immediately relatable world for me. I've played several of the older D&D games, some of the newer ones (including Neverwinter which my group goes on from time to time), and I was planning a retrospective of D&D video games! I still would like to, but the main thing in the way is capturing footage. D&D rocks.

quick poll:

has anyonw else besides me been accused of satan worship because of pnp rpgs? :)

...that was years ago mind you, but was hilarious - especially coming from distant relative. we grumpy old timers (happily) stick to our editions... but anyhow, dd 4e just seems so mmorpg to me.

Haven't played PnP in quite some time, but I'm familiar with all editions. Started way back in 1977 playing first edition with a group of friend in school. My favorite is probably the second edition rule set, even though it's full of flaws, inconsistencies, and arbitrary restrictions. I love it though. But there are things to like in all editions. If I knew anyone now that would play PnP, I'd probably go with the 4th edition rules, simply because it's the latest (and I also bought the books).

Gotta agree with anjohl in that the edition wars are pretty pointless. Just play what you like and let others play what they like. What's the big deal?

Still to this day my mother thinks I'm doing some sort of cultic witch thing when I even play Baldur's Gate. Anything with a DnD tag to it is insta-evil.

oooh, thanks! I think I'll wait for the younger generations to mature and then play again ;)
Also, I remembered alternity, that system I liked a lot. Sadly, it was killed pretty fast :/

Last time I played was in High School...probably 1989 or 90. I think that means 1st and 2nd edition, but I do remember briefly playing a Barbarian and Monk (weren't they 3rd edition?).
My problem always was finding others to play with. I think the largest group I have played with is four including the DM. Each person had two characters. That is why I fell so hard in love with Baldur's Gate, I no longer had to find others to play with. I was also never stuck being the DM.

I played 2nd Edition many years ago. I was quite an P&P RPG fan but mainly played AD&D. Haven't really played in years, except for GMing a bit of Hero Kids for my kids.

By the way, anyone interested in P&P RPG who isn't familiar with the Bundle of Holding, go take a look. It's a Humble Bundle style bunble for RPG, a new one about every weak now. Normally has a $4 minimum. It's quite a good deal if you want to check out lots of systems.

1. Not exactly satan worship, but I've been warned that "this" kind of books (specifically, the 3e Monster Manual) can attract various supernatural unpleasantness. Given that, as a kid, I was taught that if I saw a dead animal, I had to cast a protective spell and mention each and every relative by name in it, and whomever I forgot to mention would get THE PLAGUE, and while I obviously don't believe that any longer, I can still voluntarily flip a mental switch and feel the terror of irrationality in my bones, I paid negative heed to these warnings.

2. That forum has *one* prominent D&D player who started with 3e. Most other people switched. I for one started with (printouts of) 1e.

Wait until you find Paladium. Even better.

I see a problem here... I do not see 3.5..