D&D Lite

I was looking over old edition information today, and lamenting how little there is with the new site and the new edition. It seems to me that there are two elements that attract me to playing the game. One is the appeal of developing a world, and characters, then playing them through. This element is grand and detailed, and requires thought and preparation and features an ongoing storyline. It fits very well with what they're trying to do with the new game… but that is the part that is fun and comes easily to me.
The second attraction of play is the actual gameplay itself - the monsters, the dice rolls, the action, and finding treasure. This element doesn't need great preparation, the fun of it comes from the action of play, and the improv, not from the plot as such. We're talking about the difference between Castle and Monty Python. Both are funny and interesting, and socially relevant, but they fill very different roles in comedy. Castle features recurring characters and themes, has plot and overarching storylines that cover multiple episodes and seasons. Monty Python is absurd skit comedy, often falling apart structurally within a skit. Still, there is chaotic thread holding it together against all logic.
Dungeons and Dragons needs both pieces to make a treasurable whole. There are times you just want to come home and play, without worrying about motivations and backgrounds, how you get to the ruins, or why red and white dragons are in the same mountain pass. This is D&D Lite.
Third edition understood this extremely well, and was a golden age of production. Fourth edition incorporated it into the structure of the game, and failed miserably by trying to make it the whole game. Fifth edition seems to work much better because it recasts the focus of the game to the overarching story elements. Where it falls short is in the backlash against the shortcomings of 4e, and the absence of Lite elements.
As long time gamers and world builders, we are very comfortable with making maps, creating towns and trade, and building politics and culture. For not having done it in many years, there is a fair amount of rust to shake off before it feels natural again, but it's something we're familiar with. What we need, what is missing, are the instant options for game play that populated the Wizards site for third edition.
What is needed are maps, settings, quick encounters in town, and on the trail that can be plugged into long-range campaign arcs as needed. I think other missing elements include wandering monster tables, and random encounter tables. These offer quick ways to pull together an encounter for quick play or to fill out a thin adventure. I find it easy to come up with broad strokes to sculpt encounters, but more difficult to populate every room, every area. I like to roll dice to choose monsters, then tweak them in order to fit the plan I have.