Familiar Parks, Familiar Faces: A Psychological Comfort Zone?
Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:40 am
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!"
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!"