I've only just dropped by Clive Thompson's Collision Detection blog and seen this reference to a Washington Post article which discusses the emotional relationship modern soldiers develop with their robotic helpers. The piece begins with an anecdote about a colonel who orders the testing of a mine-clearing robot to be halted on the grounds that the process was inhumane. He couldn't stand watching the insect-like robot dragging itself from mine to mine, losing limbs in the process.
Gamers develop similarly illogical relationships with virtual beings. I'm not talking about lead characters - that goes without saying. I mean the foot soldiers of the gaming universe. I've had veteran battle units in Civilization that I began to defend like cities, with multiple lesser vehicles constantly surrounding them. There have been Champ Man players I've been unable to sell-off or retire after years of faithful service - in fact, I've had whole teams of Teddy Sheringhams puffing apologetically around the pitch. And don't get me started on exploding Lemmings.
This isn't just me, right? What's your least logical emotional connection to a game character?
