For me, it’s simple.
I am a collector by heart. When there’s something I enjoy, I collect it to have it. Something to always be able to look back at and remember something. For example, when THE HOBBIT was read to me (and the rest of the 4th grade class I was in) – it left a huge impact on me. It was the single moment that said to me, “This is what you want to do. You want to write.” So I went and got THE HOBBIT as well as LORD OF THE RINGS, and spent two years reading THE HOBBIT from cover to cover, back to back, side to side. I have since collected maps to Middle Earth and random assortment of books relating to it. Next impact was STAR WARS. Now I have the role playing books – even though I haven’t gamed in forever. But the books have all kinds of additional knowledge.
Then, Leisure Suit Larry walked across the screen of my best friend’s father’s computer. He showed us how he could walk around things and do different things. He let us play it, as well as King’s Quest 1 (EGA – although I swear the version he had was CGA, and only four colors… But I can’t find any record of such a KQ1 game – anyway). I immediately went out and bought SQ1 and LSL1 and then found KQ1. These were incredible to me. A game that I could walk around, and the stories were fantastic (for me back then). So now I have a shrine of SIERRA games from the classic days.
Why?
Because I can look at them and smile – and remember the countless hours my friend Shawn and I would be sitting there – refusing to call the hint line – but pounding our heads against the wall trying to figure out something in one of these games.
I do it because these games give me memories.
Memories where I smile and chuckle to myself.
I do it because these games opened another door for me, to yet another way, another world to express myself. 🙂