Familiar Parks, Familiar Faces: A Psychological Comfort Zone?

[KG Erwin]

I find an odd comforting feeling in this game and the fashion in which I play it. With the real world rapidly changing around us, there's a sense of continuity in the PS world I created. Yes, players do get traded, and new faces appear, but there's a sense of familiarity that is appealing.

In some weird way, I've adopted these players as members of a virtual family. I've adopted these oldtime ballparks as places I can rely on to always be there.

That, I believe, is part of what baseball used to be, and we can recreate with PS. Playing the game is not necessarily an addiction as much as a psychological need. In my case, I find this to be true.

"Musial hits one to deep center field. It's going to the wall. Reiser is racing headlong towards it. He leaps while still running -- he makes the catch, and crashes into the wall! He falls back, dazed, but raises his gloved hand -- the ball is in there! An amazing catch!"

"Robinson hits a clean single. He leads off first, and takes off for second. He barely beats the catcher's throw. Safe! He barely dusts himself off before dashing for third. The throw is attempted, and it flies past the thirdbaseman into left field. Jackie heads for home, and he scores! Unbelievable!"

[LetsPlay2]

I must confess too my friend. I had been playing Board games (Strat-O-Matic, APBA) since I was 10 years old. I now have graduated to the Sim.
Baseball has always been a passion for me. I went to Dodger games in LA from age 5 with my Uncle. My oldest son is a senior at Monmouth U. playing baseball.
So to make this short when I play PS I find myself broadcasting to "No one" and loving it.
I get sad, happy, confused, dazed, etc. with developments during the season. Addiction, maybe, but I agree with you, A Need !
Baseball is the greatest sport and I will continue to "talk with myself"

PureSim has givin me new life ! This game is GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bustoff]

"People will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it--for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh...people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."