Glade Riven
Adventurer
As someone who isn't emotionally tied to a system, I am curious - what is it that ties a person to a specific gaming system emotionally?
Emotional Attachment
hafrogman
Adventurer
I would guess it's actually quite a bit about human psychology, the need to feel a sense of 'belonging', tribal mentality and a lot of 'us vs. them'. I am not in any way trying to imply that people can't (and don't) enjoy one game system over another in a totally rational way, but when we start getting into emotional responses and the kind of vitriol that gets thrown around regarding the edition wars, it's the exact same science as causes so much conflict in other places and subjects.
Yeah, operating systems and mobile phone brands seem to have the same effect.
I'm going with your theory - investment of time and money creates a sense of ownership over the brand in that it's a non-trivial choice; one needs to justify that non-trivial choice and expenditure to oneself for some reason.
Bedrockgames
Legend
I think there is a somewhat simple and less cynical explanation. When a product meets your needs well, you develop loyalty to it (and emotion). For me it is all about a product or company's track record with me over time. If they do something I really like and consistently so, then I know I can rely on them. By the same token if a system consistently provides the experience you are looking for you will get excited about it.
That would certainly explain one's attachment to a phone brand, or an RPG system. I don't think it explains the tribal animosity that, say some kinds of iPhone vs. Android users exhibit - it seems to go some way beyond feeling that a product meets your needs and that you can rely on it, and enters a territory of "... and you are wrong if you prefer something else". Thus our edition wars!
Croesus
Adventurer
Familiarity and barriers to entry.
The more familiar I am with a specific system, the less work it is for me to use the system. This applies to pasttimes, computer programs, gadgets, and so on.
And if moving to a new system requires significant effort - learning the rules, the interface, the quirks - then I'm more likely to stick with my current system, even if it isn't ideal.
Croesus
Adventurer
Good point. My earlier post focused on why people are reluctant to change systems, not why they then defend a system in an emotional manner. I wonder how much it might be simple defensiveness - the feeling that someone promoting another system is implicitly criticizing the choices of those who don't use that system.
Or maybe human beings are all just a bit nuts.
I've spent many thousands over the years on D&D products, from Basic/Expert, to Advanced/1E/2E to 3e/3.5e and 4E. Plus, I've spent a decent amount of Pathfinder stuff, too. I've played several non D&D games over the years as well - Cthulhu, Shadowrun and several others. I like them all, but don't really get attached to them... for me, it's also the same with phone and internet services as well.
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