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Message: <blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 6155193" data-attributes="member: 85870">No one really needs this, per se. But there's a definite sense of "community" involved when you are participating with the "current" edition of a game, though this has been significantly mitigated since the advent of Web 2.0 (social media, forums, blogs, etc.). THIS, exactly THIS is why the "Edition Wars" continue. When your preferred version of a game is no longer "in," the principle of scarcity (whether real or perceived) comes into play. The perception is that phasing out an old edition signals something psychological to participants--"This is no longer the supported or preferred edition of the game. Anyone remaining with an old edition is no longer 'with it,' or 'up with the times.'" This may or may not be true, nor even intended by the company producing the edition / version change. But it's still a real phenomenon. I've been using Adobe Creative Suite CS4 for almost five years now. They're two editions ahead of me now on CS6, or Creative Cloud, or whatever. Do I need CS6? No, not really; I'm perfectly happy with CS4, it's a powerful suite, and it does everything I need it to. But even now, all of the "front page" support and discussion on Adobe's Web site is around CS6. And there are times when I think, "Gee, maybe I DO really need CS6." It's psychological. And businesses use this to their advantage, and it's not even really unethical. The point is, it's a natural instinct for us. People seem to WANT to move on, out of perception, when there's something "newer." "This is what's new, so it must be inherently better. Or even if it's not inherently better, it's what's going to give me the best chance to participate." People argue, fight over, and stand up for their preferred editions because we perceive that there is a REAL VALUE in terms of time commitment and opportunity at stake, to participate in RPG play in way that will be enjoyable. To be truthful, I actually find it mildly offensive when people say, "Really? You're arguing AGAIN about how to best pretend to be an elf?" Well, yes, I am. And you know why? Because I find RPG play to be a unique artistic and entertainment endeavor, one which provides a singular sense of enjoyment based on certain merits. It allows me to explore facets of ethics and values within an experimental structure that also allows me to engage in creativity. Upsetting the balance of that experience through changes in the codified rules (i.e., edition changes) bears the possibility that the total sum experience is disrupted if I move forward. So why not just stay with the edition you like, you might ask. Well, I could--but again, due to the principle of scarcity, depending on one's situation, staying behind one edition may have a real, tangible impact on a person's ability to enjoy an RPG experience in the frequency and volume they might like. Is this effect often overstated and overblown? Yes, obviously, but that doesn't mean it's not a REAL THING. When we're arguing about RPG rules systems, we're arguing about their ultimate effects on our experience in play---because it's THAT EXPERIENCE on which we place value, and value the frequency and volume of having those experiences.</blockquote>

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