Well actually AD&D and basic D&D weren't really all that different. The biggest real difference is that they didn't give any econological data for the monsters and they broke it down by levels. The D&D basic set was small because it was only levels 1-5 or something, meaning they could cut out a lot of the largest chapter. Spells. And really beyond spells, most of the AD&D PHB was a shitload of fluff.FrankTrollman wrote: I am dead serious when I say categorically that there is absolutely no way to make 4e fit into a 32 page book without altering it as drastically as Advanced D&D was altered to make the Basic Set.
Because we all know that in AD&D, the only real complex class was the spellcaster. Fighters can be summed up in probably 1-2 pages easily. They have one move, rush up and attack. Rogues weren't that complex either back then.
Cutting back 4E is going to be way harder than D&D versus AD&D, because 4E basically has all classes equally complex. There's just no way they'll have room for a skills system, magic items and feats.
They can probably do 5 classes at 3 pages apeice, Do 2 pages on races, 3 pages on equipment, and then devote the rest of the book to the combat chapter. And that still requires way more cutting than AD&D ever required.