I've played the one session of D&D 4ed. so I can't really disparage it :) I get what you're saying but it's useful also to remember that D&D is a brand and a p

I've played the one session of D&D 4ed. so I can't really disparage it :) I get what you're saying but it's useful also to remember that D&D is a brand and a product and in fact one of the flagship products of a game publishing giant, so the motivation that directs the changes to the ruleset must be profit, first. Which is fine, I work for profit also. But what I don't see the point of is spending a ton of money buying in to every new D&D version, of which there are going to be at least another 5 before I'm dead, as far as I can tell, when I can just roll my own and play it for free with my friends. Anyway this creative aspect has always been part and parcel of the hobby, as evidenced by the -probably thousands- of TTRPG rulesets in existence.