Elements were altered, but the nuts and the bolts are as true now as they were when TNG was being prepped: GR just took his series concept for Phase 2, redressed it here and there, and TNG was born...read the BOOK...its all right there...
case close..
No one was denying those several strong links between "Phase II" and TNG,
Robert, but David Gerrold had
nothing whatsoever to do with "Phase II", and yet he was called in to write the Writers' Bible for TNG - and he added numerous elements from his infamous, final chapter in "The World of Star Trek", in which he mentioned some major problems with TOS and suggested how they could be rectified should a new live version of TOS ever come along.
The characters of Beverly Crusher, her daughter, Lesley, and perhaps much of Tasha Yar (originally Macha Hernandez, head of all away teams, and modelled on dark-haired, short, feisty Jeanette Goldstein's character in "Aliens"), IIRC, were also David's additions. The Tasha name dates back to "Tasha" the Probe in "In Thy Image". (Chekov thought its pearlescent appearance, before duplicating Ilia, reminded him of his Aunt Tasha's pearl ring.)
The idea of Geordi LaForge can be traced back, not to "Phase II", but to David Gerrold's novel, "The Galactic Whirlpool", where an Admiral George LaForge was named for a ST fan with muscular dystrophy.
The holodeck came from "The Practical Joker" (TAS).
Then there was the re-use of Data from "The Questor Tapes".
Then there was the development of Worf throughout Season One, who was originally a minor character in "Encounter at Farpoint", and may not have gone beyond a cameo, but for the writers' confidence in Michael Dorn.