OK, that title suggests I'm going to get very serious. That's a little misleading. A little.

I am, once again, addicted to "Heroes of Might and Magic III" (hereafter referred to as HoMM3). For anyone who doesn't know, it's a computer game. In particular, it is a turn-based strategy game within a fantasy milieu.

Now, for me, HoMM3 is pretty much the ultimate computer game. I have many other computer games, and of those, I have enjoyed most of them. I can go back to "Diablo II" and play for quite a while, enjoying myself immensely. Same thing for the versions of "Magic: the Gathering" I've played, and several others.

But HoMM3 is special. When I start playing that again, I am as hooked on the game as when I first played it. It becomes pretty much the only game I want to play. It is so excellent, that it makes any other computer game simply a diversion.

And this is where the title of today's blog entry comes in.

I have had very little temptation to buy a new computer game in several years. When, the HoMM3 follow on - "Heroes of Might and Magic IV" - became available, I bought it right away. It was OK, but it did not live up to HoMM3. I doubt I will ever play it again.

Similarly, I have very little motivation to plunk $50 down to try any other computer game, especially a turn-based strategy game. Oh, I'm pretty sure that "Civilization 3" would be about as good. And I may try it. But the point is this: when HoMM3 (with its very important "Armageddon's Blade" expansion) came into my life, the amount of money I would subsequently spend on computer games dropped significantly. The authors of HoMM3 essentially made something which is so good (to me) that the rest of the industry was harmed by its existence.

I suspect that one of the causes of the decline in the computer game market was exactly this: there are so many truly excellent games, and they continue to enthrall us, that it's tough to compete with the existing products. I'm sure "they" will keep trying to make something better. And I do hope they succeed.

But hey, what do I care? I have my HoMM3. And, if I ever want to get hooked on something else, I'm told "Civ3" and a few other games will keep me happy forever.

It's a great problem to have.