There was a discussion on Dragonsfoot that touched on these issues, where it was asked why many of these new rulesets such as LotFP and ACKS aren't simply supplements to one of the main clones (LL/S&W/OSRIC).  The main reason given was that these publishers felt that supplements don't sell like rulesets do, and that many retailers wouldn't carry supporting materials for a game that were not also produced by that game's publisher after the d20 crater.  LotFP has its quirks in that Finland is far enough away that is makes it expensive to import stateside game materials, and so it was better for the author to create a system produced in that country to get retail support there for his other products.

I have not purchased many of the heartbreakers myself, for many of the same reasons.  I am tired of buying products that are 50% previously published material in some form.  I don't need another bestiary that contains orcs or goblins.  I have limited myself to DCC RPG, because I feel there is enough differentiation in it, such as Rolemaster was not D&D.  The only heartbreaker I have ordered is Astonishing Swordsmen and Socerors of Hyboria, because I want to see a good solid take on that style of gaming in D&D form.  But that is my limit.

As far as collecting goes, I too wonder if we are entering a beenie baby phase, where the flood of new product if it increases, will outstrip the market's ability to utilize it.  While people will always buy more than they use, for reading pleasure and other reasons, that is not inexhaustible.  At some point saturation will be reached.  The exponential increase of kickstarters after ACKS successful entry is, I think, the beginning of the true glut.  How long it will take to reach saturation I don't know.  But as long as you are buying products that you want to keep for personal use, the outside market is only marginally important.

As far as RA goes, I believe that as it remains tied to Necromancer Games, although published by Frog God Games, utilizing the OSRIC ruleset as its base is problematic.  Clark Peterson, one-half of Necromancer Games, was pretty public with statements around the release of OSRIC that he did not feel it was legally sound.  That would make it difficult going forward to then adapt Necro product to OSRIC.  S&W Complete is a very good substitute however, in that it emulates OD&D with all of its supplement books.  And there wasn't not a lot of material in AD&D that wasn't present in OD&D with all supps, that would be materially absent when producing modules.  There should be no difficulties in using modules for one with the other.

The point is (or at least should be) fun.  If it isn't bringing you pleasure to have these things, don't do it.

For me, I've kept it enjoyable by setting boundaries.  I don't purchase any of the new rulesets.  I don't purchase the adventures for the new rulesets.  I've limited myself to AD&D/OSRIC based adventures, and found only a very small number of exceptions that tempt me.  Will I miss some material that way?  Yes.  But even here, amongst some of the biggest collectors of this material, how many can/will actually get everything (kickstarter or otherwise)?  Just keeping track of it all is a challenge.  So filter all that part of it.  Buy the ones you think you will like and leave it at that.

GreyM wrote:Pretty much sums it up. If its not something you think you'll enjoy, don't support it. If you think it is, then back it.

Ditto.  +1  It's a fair question to ask why people buy what they do, and everyone has their own reasons.  Personally, I've stopped buying most everything as I have enough to read and play for years.  Plus, my closet is now full.     Buy what you want.