Hmmm... looks something like this
[1982]
D&D Basic
D&D Expert (lots of campaigns)
AD&D 1E (lots more campaigns)
Customized D&D-based homebrew
[1985, went to college]
Fantasy Hero 1E (lots of games)
GURPS Fantasy 2E (lots of games)
Traveller
Spacemaster (shiver)
Star Frontiers
Worked on (but never played) several homebrews
[1988, quit college, almost no gaming at all]
Fantasy Hero 1E
Fantasy Hero 3E
[1992, resumed college, still not much gaming]
GURPS Fantasy (3E)
Fantasy Hero 3E
[1995, graduated college, got married]
GURPS Conan solo adventures
GURPS Conan
GURPS Conan (again)
Friend's homebrew system
AD&D 1E
Fudge
Basic D&D
Warhammer FRP
Freeform (no rules, no dice) with my wife
Fudge
Aria RPG
GURPS Fantasy (3E revised)
Fudge conversion of D&D
Fudge conversion of Ars Magica
The Fantasy Trip
Aria "interactive history" game
[1998 or so, formed a new group]
Fudge conversion of D&D (again)
Basic D&D "nostalgia game"
[2000(?), 3E PHB released]
D&D 3E demo game
D&D 3E started campaign
[early 2001, took a short break]
continued previous D&D 3E campaign
converted campaign to Basic D&D (rules cyclopedia)
converted back to D&D 3E
[late 2001, took a much longer break]
Fudge "rescue santa claus"
Fudge version of friend's homebrew system
resumed D&D 3E campaign
Hackmaster demo game
resumed D&D 3E campaign
converted campaign to Fudge
converted campaign to AD&D 1E
Hero 5th edition (too rules heavy)
Friend's homebrew system
Munchkin card game
GURPS Prime Directive (too rules heavy)
D&D 3E (one-shot with no rulebooks)
[taking another break]
After lots of waffling I don't think I'll play 3E again, at least not in the foreseeable future. I like the game and it *looks* fun, but every time I actually play I quickly grow frustrated and want to play something else instead. I think mostly it's that I'm burned out on "heavy rules" systems like 3E, GURPS, and Hero, to the point where I just don't enjoy playing any more. Those were my favorites in college but I think my tastes have changed because I can hardly stand the complexity and detailed rules any more. My available "prep time" has also shrunken drastically. I think having a family is a major factor, since all my players love complicated rules and spend hours out of the game reading rulebooks and dreaming up characters and stuff -- but they have no kids. I've seriously considered cutting d20 down to a simpler lightweight system resembling Basic D&D, but decided it wasn't worth the effort when I could just play Basic instead.
Currently I'm leaning strongly toward Fudge and Basic D&D, or maybe some "indie" games like Donjon, or possibly just quitting the hobby altogether if I can't find anyone who wants to play them. My sons will be old enough to play in another 3-6 years, and then I'll form my own gaming group and teach them how to play. That'll be sweet, and well worth the wait.
Mike