New Player Looking for some help :)

Hi guys - sorry there will probably be some stupid questions in here and i hope i don't get too much backlash for "not reading things properly" I am mainly interested in DnD games, and don't really have a clue where to start off to be honest. 1) What are the major differences between the editions 1-5 of DnD & which version would be the most likely to get a game from? 2) If i say joined a 2nd edition game, would that character sheet be transferable to game running with a different edition? or would it require a whole new character sheet? 3) what are the main variances between say standard DnD, Pathfinder, Ravenloft, Eberron etc etc? does it actually change the game itself or is that just the place/time the adventure is set in? 4) Is there a recommended type of game for a beginner to play that could help me get used to and into this awesome immersive world? Any direct answers would be awesome. or links so i can do some in-depth reading would be greatly appreciated Many Thanks

1) Versions 1 and 2 of D&D are technically the same editions, 2nd just having more rules and options. 3 got scrapped quickly for having lots of bugs, replaced by 3.5. Pathfinder is most similar to 3.5, though with a lot of fan driven changes. 4th edition saw a lot of...balancing to game play to make the game more user friendly to beginners. A lot of people criticize the design decisions for 4e, claiming the game was dumbed down or was an attempt to be more like a computer MMO. Don't know enough about 5e, though it has been generally better received than 4e. 2) Not easily transferable, but you could take the concept and quickly build another character with the same design in mind going to 3.5 or Pathfinder. Going to 4e or 5e would be a whole other matter though as the whole system got some big changes. 3) To the casual observer, DnD 3.5 and Pathfinder are very similar. Ravenloft and Eberron are not rule systems in and of themselves, they are settings where stories take place. 4) 5e, from my understanding is a bit more new-friendly than the earlier systems. Really though you want to get into whichever system you can find other people playing - which would be Pathfinder, and then 5e. A lot of GMs don't care if you don't know the rules very well. It's not a big deal for a GM to give you a pre-made character, and just give you hints now and then. Ultimately it's a roleplaying game, so just try to think naturally what your character would do in the situation and everything should go smoothly enough.

Thanks for the reply. It's cleared up a few things for me.. I guess I should just make a character and jump right in =) Any other replies and more information would be awesome from anyone else reading this too :)

I would say that Original D&D is the most noob-friendly of all. Simple rules, you can create a character and be ready to roll in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I may be biased... The problem is that, being so old, very few people around here still play Original D&D. So, 5th edition would probably be the next best choice.

ODnD and ADnD are nice for getting started. The fact that your character gets killed instantly a lot... less new player friendly