Join the club. I hate the new gold, and most of the other new designs seem distinctly inferior. The "tail twice as long as the body" thing is also very dumb.
I don't like them all, but I also don't think the are distinctly inferior. Here are my thoughts on the dragon we have seen vs the 3e+ versions of them.
Red: not much difference, but I think the new concept art is a slight improvement or perhaps equal but different. But the 3e+ design was the best D&D dragon design of that era IMO. I like to move to make it more "dragon-like" and less horse-like. I also prefer the longer tail, it was to short in the 3e+ design for me.
Blue: new art, though I am not sure I like it, is an improvement IMO. the 3e era blue strayed to much from the original IMO and I never liked the stocky proportions (for a blue) or semi-skeletal head of the 3e+ designs. I prefer the less body-builder design, but it I will wait until we get full look at it.
Green: I am undecided if I like it, I would love to see the concept art on this one, but I always felt the green design (3e and before) was somewhat lacking. This new version seems to be distinct and leaning into its poisonous roots (with the cobra-like design). So I think it is an improvement over 3e+, but I am not sure I like it yet.
Black: Barely changed. However, I think all the subtle changes over the last few years have been improvements to the 3e+ design. I do wish the head would be a little less skull-like, but I prefer the current look to the 3e+ smashed skull design. I like the evolution of the black and think the minor revisions are almost all improvements over the 3e version. I like the more distinct dorsal spines to the traditional frill
White: Need to see more. I think the 3e+ design was one of the worse changes to the original 1e design. However, I am not sure if the new design is an improvement. It appears to have last the classic mono-fin on the head which I liked. I will wait and see.
Gold: I am from 1e so I do appreciate a return to a more classic design. However, I thought the 3e+ gold design was a nice synthesis of the 1e version while bringing it up to modern design standards. For me, this is a wash I think. PS - the 3e+ design of the gold was often shown with a tail 2x the length of the body - so that is not new to the 2024 version.
Silver: Appears to be virtually unchanged to me. I feel the 3e+ design of the silver and red were very similar and the best of the chromatic and metallic "traditional" dragon designs. They seem to have kept them both mostly the same, which was a good idea IMO. I think the the 2024 silver is = to the 3e+ design.
Bronze: I think 2024 design is an improvement over the 3e design. It is just more interesting and distinctive to me.
