March 28, 2010 Topic "What does Roleplay mean to you?" Part 2

Following the success of the previous talk, and the length at which the first few questions handed out by Anastasia were discussed, this talk has been turned into a two-parter.

For your preparation, here is the list of questions that will be discussed on March 28th.

_____________________________________

Do you find it satisfying to interact as another character than yourself?

Do you feel that you connect with people on a personal level, while playing another character?
(And is this important to you?)

Does your character express parts of yourself that don't get play in RL?

What do you get out of RP?

What do you like or dislike about it?

And,

Do you think it means something different to you than to other people?

March 21, 2010 Nexus Talk "What Does Role Play Mean to You?"

On Sunday, March 21, 2010, Anastasia Horngold gave a talk at the Role Play Nexus on the topic, "What Does Role Play Mean to You?", and provided a list of questions for consideration in a group discussion.

Attending were:
Allen Kerensky
Cursa Charisma
DylanFox Petrov
Hipster Triangle
Joan Vhargon
Medea Warwillow
Reiko Soyinka
Thaiis Thei
Vooper Werribee

The group considered approximately half of the questions, so it was agreed that the discussion would continue on March 28.

(transcript begins)
[16:05] Anastasia Horngold: Greetings to all.
[16:05] Anastasia Horngold: I'm Anastasia Horngold.
[16:05] Hipster Triangle: nods
[16:05] Anastasia Horngold: I have been living in the Firefly 'Verse for a while now, and thinking about Role-Playing a lot.
[16:06] Anastasia Horngold: This will not be a long speech. I have a few comments, and a few questions, which I will mention and then throw open to discussion.
[16:06] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:06] Anastasia Horngold: I've been thinking about what this kind of role-playing is, that we do here in SL.
[16:06] Anastasia Horngold: Here's a definition from the source of all wisdom, Wikipedia:
[16:06] Anastasia Horngold: A role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, adopting motives, attitudes, and postures. Their actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, they may improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.
[16:07] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:07] Anastasia Horngold: Generally speaking, we agree more or less on the world we're living in, such as the Firefly 'Verse, or Battlestar, and so on.
[16:07] Joan Vhargon: rolls eyes on the word "rules"
[16:08] Anastasia Horngold: Joan, I think that's one of the things I'll touch on in a moment.
[16:08] Hipster Triangle: hello Joan
[16:08] Anastasia Horngold: We have an idea of the kinds of people that live in that world, and we choose one to portray.
[16:08] Anastasia Horngold: Sometimes a group of us will collaborate on a preset storyline, and put that into play.
[16:08] Anastasia Horngold: Sometimes we just carry on individually, either with an internal story goal, or simply interacting with the world or others as time passes, without any particular purpose.
[16:09] Anastasia Horngold: In our RP, we don't have a strict "gamemaster," at least in the settings I'm familiar with. Sometimes a sim owner will intervene if behavior is unacceptable.
[16:09] Anastasia Horngold: But generally speaking, we provide our own internal policing on how to behave or what the consequences should be.
[16:09] Anastasia Horngold: This involves operating on two mental levels simultaneously: Our "real" self, monitoring the action, making decisions on that level, and our "character" self, operating within the RP framework, reacting per our character's situation and background.
[16:10] Anastasia Horngold: This is a complicated mental activity!
[16:10] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:10] Anastasia Horngold: It's very similar to improvisational theater, where actors are given a brief scenario to play out: either a goal, or just a beginning point.
[16:10] Anastasia Horngold: But it is also different, because our character has an preestablished agenda, or personal goals, to maintain throughout the RP and afterward.
[16:10] Reiko Soyinka: ?
[16:10] Anastasia Horngold: Yes, Reiko?
[16:11] Reiko Soyinka: comment later.
[16:11] Anastasia Horngold: kk
[16:11] Reiko Soyinka: sorry.
[16:11] Cursa Charisma nods politely to Vooper
[16:11] Anastasia Horngold: Here are some questions. I'm going to read through these, then give them to you in a notecard, so we can refer to them through the discussion:
[16:11] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:11] Joan Vhargon: Hi Vooper. Looking good as always.
[16:11] Anastasia Horngold: How much do you consciously think about your character during active RP?
(Is your character completely automatic ("internalized"), or do you have to consciously work out what to do moment by moment?)
[16:11] Anastasia Horngold: Do you usually participate in preset scenarios or not?
(What kinds of groups do you work the scenarios out in? How many people?)
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: Do you have any trouble coming up with RP scenarios, and why?
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: Do you find it satisfying to interact as another character than yourself?
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: Do you feel that you connect with people on a personal level, while playing another character?
(And is this important to you?)
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: Does your character express parts of yourself that don't get play in RL?
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: What do you get out of RP?
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: What do you like or dislike about it?
[16:12] Anastasia Horngold: And,

Do you think it means something different to you than to other people?
[16:13] Reiko Soyinka: Whew, good questions.
[16:13] Anastasia Horngold: I'm going to turn the chair back to Cursa to moderate, and hand out these notes.
[16:13] Hipster Triangle: an a lot a them,smiles
[16:13] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Anastasia
[16:13] Medea Warwillow applauds
[16:13] Joan Vhargon: And a lot of questionsto digest at once
[16:13] Cursa Charisma applauds
[16:13] Cursa Charisma: Yes, let's all get the notecards and then go around one by one on each question
[16:13] Anastasia Horngold gave you RP Questions.
[16:14] Anastasia Horngold: Did I miss anyone/
[16:14] Anastasia Horngold: ?
[16:14] Joan Vhargon: no
[16:14] Cursa Charisma: I got one
[16:14] Reiko Soyinka: ditto
[16:14] Medea Warwillow: Also got one.
[16:15] Cursa Charisma: OK, so let's look at the first question, and go around the circle, starting with Medea
[16:15] Cursa Charisma: How much do you consciously think about your character during active RP?
(Is your character completely automatic ("internalized"), or do you have to consciously work out what to do moment by moment?)
[16:15] Medea Warwillow: Okay.
[16:16] Medea Warwillow: During active RP, I am thinking about my character all of the time, mostly because the characters I play are not reflective of how I am in RL.
[16:16] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:16] Anastasia Horngold nods
[16:16] Medea Warwillow: But, it requires less thought the more the character is played.
[16:17] Anastasia Horngold: Makes sense
[16:17] Medea Warwillow: Because I can refer to my past IC actions to help dictate future actions.
[16:17] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:17] Medea Warwillow: Finished...
[16:17] Cursa Charisma: OK, Vooper?
[16:18] Vooper Werribee: I don't have to think too hard about my character responses
[16:18] Reiko Soyinka: I internalize most of the characters fairly rapidly
[16:18] Vooper Werribee: Mostly because the chatacter I play is pretty one-dimensional
[16:18] Vooper Werribee: and quie stupid! :)
[16:18] Cursa Charisma grins
[16:18] Medea Warwillow: hehehe
[16:18] Anastasia Horngold: lol
[16:18] Cursa Charisma: That's an interesting point, Vooper
[16:18] Cursa Charisma: Choosing a character that is easy for you to play
[16:19] Anastasia Horngold: Complexity would make it more ... complex!
[16:20] Vooper Werribee: well, the interaction between charcters can already be very complex - add to that a complex RP background full of complicated persoanlities and it's a bit over the top sometimes
[16:20] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:20] Cursa Charisma: But in the sense of your character's choices flowing naturally...?
[16:20] Joan Vhargon: nods.
[16:20] Anastasia Horngold: Plus the difficulty in reading people in SL--complexity is hard to tell from inconsistency
[16:20] Cursa Charisma grins
[16:21] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[16:21] Vooper Werribee: Yes - he's a bigot with only one guiding goal - avoid as much work as possible while keeping the spice flowing
[16:21] Anastasia Horngold: I like what you just asked, Cursa, about choices flowing naturally
[16:21] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:21] Vooper Werribee: it's pretty wasy to respond to most situations without thinking too hard
[16:21] Cursa Charisma: Vooper's character has a fundamental set of clear motivations
[16:22] Cursa Charisma: Alright, Reiko, your turn
[16:22] Reiko Soyinka: I internalize most of my characters fairly rapidly...then sit back and see what they do or say...which frequently surprise me
[16:22] Reiko Soyinka: done
[16:22] Cursa Charisma: Thank you. Hipster?
[16:23] Hipster Triangle: oh god,smiles
[16:23] Hipster Triangle: Honestley
[16:23] Hipster Triangle: I Improvise,for whatever the situation,or setting dectates
[16:23] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:24] Hipster Triangle: a spur a the moment,ya might say
[16:24] Cursa Charisma: OK
[16:24] Allen Kerensky: "internalize"
[16:24] Anastasia Horngold nods
[16:24] Hipster Triangle: an then sometimes,i get very involved
[16:24] Allen Kerensky: yep sounds like internalization to me
[16:24] Hipster Triangle: but i try to be the real me
[16:25] Hipster Triangle: done
[16:25] Reiko Soyinka: why?
[16:25] Cursa Charisma: Thank you
[16:25] Anastasia Horngold: So it's more "you" in the situation than a "character"?
[16:25] Hipster Triangle: no,not at all
[16:25] Hipster Triangle: depends on the situation,or person,that i feel im interactin with
[16:25] Anastasia Horngold: nod
[16:26] Hipster Triangle: are they for real,or jerkin me around
[16:26] Anastasia Horngold: i see
[16:26] Cursa Charisma: That's an important caveat here - that we flow from one frame of reference to another, and one style of interaction to another
[16:26] Hipster Triangle: an done,with this question,smiles
[16:26] Cursa Charisma: OK
[16:26] Anastasia Horngold: yes
[16:26] Cursa Charisma: Anastasia, anything more you'd like to add on this from your own perspective?
[16:27] Anastasia Horngold: sure
[16:28] Anastasia Horngold: I've felt quite paralyzed at times, trying to do RP. But I have found that some alts are easier than others
[16:28] Joan Vhargon: Are we still going around?
[16:28] Anastasia Horngold: lag
[16:28] Cursa Charisma: You mean characters, or avatars?
[16:29] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Joan, after Anastasia comes Allen, then you
[16:29] Hipster Triangle: Joan didnt get her chance
[16:29] Cursa Charisma: She will
[16:29] Joan Vhargon: ok
[16:29] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[16:29] Hipster Triangle: sorry
[16:29] Cursa Charisma: No problem
[16:31] Anastasia Horngold: My "bad guy" alt is much is much more spontaneous than Anastasia
[16:31] Anastasia Horngold: Major chat lag
[16:31] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:31] Hipster Triangle: np
[16:31] Anastasia Horngold: done with this question
[16:31] Cursa Charisma: OK, Allen?
[16:31] Joan Vhargon: That's why I was checking
[16:32] Allen Kerensky: Since I have ADD and Asperger's Syndrome, I have to consciously work out everything moment by moment in SL
[16:32] Anastasia Horngold: Wow, interesting
[16:32] Hipster Triangle: nods
[16:32] Allen Kerensky: and the fluid nature of who shows up, what character they bring, what the plot is that day all complicates
[16:32] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:33] Allen Kerensky: it makes SL RP a tough exercise, especially without the benefit of across-the-table analysis of each player that you can do in RL
[16:33] Anastasia Horngold: You mean body language things?
[16:33] Allen Kerensky: so, I have to compensate for the mind blindness using tools like elaborate character creators, and a roleplay "karma" mechanic adapted from tabletop games
[16:34] Allen Kerensky: yes, and tone of voices, etc
[16:34] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:34] Anastasia Horngold nods
[16:34] Allen Kerensky: and mostly pick carefully which RP sessions to actually engage in
[16:34] Cursa Charisma: Yes, visual and voice cues are usually not consciously considered, but are crucial
[16:34] Hipster Triangle: RP,and RLshould be seperate
[16:34] Allen Kerensky: because its so easy to get lost and make thigns suck for other players
[16:34] Medea Warwillow: Interesting point. Allen
[16:35] Joan Vhargon: I was going to same the same thing.
[16:35] Allen Kerensky: if there is a clear background, clear characters with clear motivations, and clear goals to the session, its easier than "throw down improv"
[16:35] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:35] Allen Kerensky: i.e. lack of a GM makes it harder, much harder
[16:35] Allen Kerensky: lack of mechanics in most sims makes it harder to fit in also
[16:35] Allen Kerensky: and I am done with this question
[16:35] Cursa Charisma: Very important - there is not one "right" style of role play
[16:36] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Allen
[16:36] Anastasia Horngold: as in the "director" role the GM plays? or arbiter?
[16:36] Allen Kerensky: and the motivational goals the GM sets up and facilitates
[16:36] Hipster Triangle: nods,and agress
[16:36] Allen Kerensky: through NPCs and the like
[16:36] Anastasia Horngold: oh, goals, yes
[16:36] Cursa Charisma: As Allen says, clearly prepared and laid out play is more comfortable for him
[16:36] Cursa Charisma: Whereas for others, more freeform "throw down improv" is more enjoyable
[16:36] Allen Kerensky: its all uncomfortable, social interaction is not that easy
[16:37] Allen Kerensky whispers: but, having a sense of the "map
[16:37] Cursa Charisma: Vive la difference, n'est ce pas?
[16:37] Allen Kerensky: the "map" or story terrain does help focus on just being the character
[16:37] Cursa Charisma: ne c'est pas*
[16:37] Anastasia Horngold: Gives some definition, limits
[16:37] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:37] Allen Kerensky: helps set expectations as well
[16:37] Allen Kerensky: everyone diving in a dungen knows what to expect in D&D
[16:37] Anastasia Horngold: Having fewer choices can be helpful
[16:38] Allen Kerensky: sorry, done =D
[16:38] Allen laughs.
[16:38] Cursa Charisma: Well, a good game, Sid Meier tells us, is a series of interesting choices. What is interesting is an individual matter
[16:38] Cursa Charisma: OK, Joan, you've been patient
[16:38] Anastasia Horngold chuckles
[16:38] Cursa Charisma: You're on!
[16:38] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[16:39] Joan Vhargon: I try to get immersed in my character. Try to enter Joan al Jofar's head and put myself in her shoes and sense her frustration, her danger. I often catch myself saying "I" when I mean my character. That is a good thing and a bad thing. It's also where much of the Drama stems from in RP. People not being able to separate the two. So I strive for it but fear it at the same time.
[16:39] Joan Vhargon: Personally often get frustrated in getting caught up in some of the mechanics. Most communcation is non verbal or is implied in tone. I miss that just like Allen does. What is being said that I missed, and the fact that the conversation has taken two turns since I started typing. etc, etc. Its hard to get immersed while flustered. **
[16:40] Cursa Charisma: This is a major challenge of freeform interaction - typing time
[16:40] Joan Vhargon: Its a big problem for me.
[16:40] Medea Warwillow: Agreed, and is part of the problem for those who do not have the patience to wait for paragraphs.
[16:40] Joan Vhargon: I don't touch type well. When I do everuyone knows it.
[16:40] Cursa Charisma: Traditional tabletop role playing games of course have regulated turns and such
[16:41] Anastasia Horngold: Pickup up the mouse, putting it down, dropping it, corecting typos (or not)...
[16:41] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:41] Joan Vhargon: yup
[16:41] Anastasia Horngold: Heck, if there WERE facial expressions we wouldn't have time to read them!
[16:42] Medea Warwillow: And try watching more than one avatar at a time...
[16:42] Reiko Soyinka: I try to put in body movement...and try to keep out "thinking"...
[16:42] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, I think we've identified quite a few important things to consider on this question. Shall we move on to the next one?
[16:42] Anastasia Horngold: When you can't even really focus in on faces from more than a few feet away!
[16:42] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:43] Joan Vhargon: We do it in real life all the time. We "should" be ablet to do it here. That's where the frustration comes.
[16:43] Joan Vhargon: Expectations.....
[16:43] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:43] Medea Warwillow: Next question?
[16:43] Allen Kerensky: and substituting with more descriptive text tends to torque a few people off
[16:43] Cursa Charisma: Do you usually participate in preset RP scenarios or not?
(What kinds of groups do you work the scenarios out in? How many people?)
[16:43] Allen Kerensky: yes next
[16:43] Cursa Charisma: Medea?
[16:43] Medea Warwillow: Most of the roleplay scenarios I participate in are fairly planned out. This is referring to the overall scheme, not textual details. Much of the roleplay outside of that is simple interaction, likely not directed towards a certain goal or outcome, such a conversation in a bar.
[16:44] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:44] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Thaiis
[16:44] Anastasia Horngold: Hello
[16:44] Hipster Triangle: hey there
[16:45] Medea Warwillow: I enjoy both. I enjoy the intrigue of not know which direction a conversation might head, and also enjoy working my way to a destined roleplay goal.
[16:45] Thaiis Thei: greetings
[16:45] Thaiis Thei accepted your inventory offer.
[16:45] Anastasia Horngold: Medea, in the planned RP scenarios, do they proceed at anything like "real life" pace & timing?
[16:45] Reiko Soyinka: hehehehehe
[16:46] Medea Warwillow: Hmm.
[16:46] Medea Warwillow: That depends on the scenario. SOmetime I am just trying to keep it slow enough for everyone to be able to read (if the roleplay involves a script)....
[16:47] Medea Warwillow: But there have also been scenarios that have been SIGNIFICANTLY speeded up...because to do them at a Real life pace would be ecruciating.
[16:47] Medea Warwillow: *excruciating.
[16:47] Anastasia Horngold: Oh, you have done actually scripted ones?
[16:47] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[16:48] Medea Warwillow: Case in point, an initiation that involved meditation on the part of the initiates.....what would have been several days in RL we went through in several minutes.
[16:48] Anastasia Horngold chuckles.
[16:48] Joan Vhargon: nods
[16:48] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[16:48] Medea Warwillow: Can you imagine having to do an activity like that for several days in SL? That also seems to be the case with Avatar pregnancies.
[16:48] Medea Warwillow: 9months in a few weeks.
[16:49] Reiko Soyinka: hehehehehehe
[16:49] Anastasia Horngold: Yes, I've noticed that! Youth today have no patience. ;)
[16:49] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:49] Medea Warwillow grins
[16:49] Reiko Soyinka: otherwise, there would be more murders...
[16:49] Reiko Soyinka: talking tummies.
[16:49] Medea Warwillow: LOL!
[16:50] Cursa Charisma: OK, we ready for Vooper?
[16:50] Medea Warwillow: Yes.
[16:50] Vooper Werribee: I rarely participate in planned RP scenarios these days - although the ones I have participated in have been some of the est expereinces in SL - and they hae usually been 'gamesmastered' ie one person is 'directing' the experience and a clear goal
[16:50] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:51] Cursa Charisma: So a "scenario handler" rather than a sim administrator
[16:51] Vooper Werribee: yes - someone verym much taking the role of the 'Dungeonmaster' in tabletop RP
[16:52] Anastasia Horngold: Did that involve ongoing prompts? Or just setup ahead of time?
[16:52] Cursa Charisma: But in a broad sense - all the RP in a given group - or for the specific scenario?
[16:52] Vooper Werribee: II wasn't the peson being the Dungeon master - so difficult to tell
[16:52] Allen Kerensky: both
[16:52] Vooper Werribee: but there was a lot of scripted stuff i nthe scenario - so a lot of set up before play
[16:52] Vooper Werribee: but also players being players we did several unexpected things
[16:52] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:53] Allen Kerensky: the person doing the setup tends to do some railroading too to keep people in bounds of the designed scenario
[16:53] Anastasia Horngold raises her eyebrows.
[16:53] Vooper Werribee: yes, exactly Allen
[16:53] Allen Kerensky: the outcomes of the actions are left to the players, but there is some prompting to get them to the decision points, if needed
[16:53] Cursa Charisma: So quite close indeed to traditional offline tabletop RPG
[16:53] Anastasia Horngold: ah
[16:54] Vooper Werribee: yes, that's right Cursa
[16:54] Cursa Charisma: Understood
[16:54] Cursa Charisma: Alright, Reiko?
[16:54] Reiko Soyinka: I've participated in scripted, directed and impromptu...and I have to say that the impromptu, with a group of experienced and good roleplayers, whom you have been playing with....
[16:54] Reiko Soyinka: has been the most fantastic experience...
[16:54] Thaiis Thei: I agree
[16:55] Joan Vhargon: nods
[16:55] Reiko Soyinka: I've even been unexpectedly but deliberately killed...
[16:55] Reiko Soyinka: in such a situation...
[16:55] Anastasia Horngold: Ooh
[16:55] Cursa Charisma: So, would you say that the type of structured play Vooper and Allen are talking about is a prerequisite to the more freeform type?
[16:56] Reiko Soyinka: I think that the more forms of roleplay you experience...the better able you are to "read" the other people...and relax into the character.
[16:56] Vooper Werribee: Actually I think they are two different styles of play - almost at extremes of a scale
[16:57] Reiko Soyinka: They are, Vooper...
[16:57] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:57] Reiko Soyinka: but you can't do this impromptu...
[16:57] Thaiis Thei: I feel that when there is too much planning it is boring
[16:57] Reiko Soyinka: without first experiencing the other...
[16:57] Anastasia Horngold: nod
[16:58] Vooper Werribee: Sort of like a highly scripted situational comedy verses an improvised comedy show
[16:58] Vooper Werribee: to give a comparison
[16:58] Cursa Charisma: I think we've identified an important question here
[16:58] Anastasia Horngold: High wire vs. trampoline
[16:58] Anastasia Horngold: oh yes, cursa?
[16:58] Cursa Charisma: The more improvisational style of role play relies on a body of shared tacit knowledge and assumptions
[16:59] Reiko Soyinka: Yes, it does.
[16:59] Anastasia Horngold: ! yes
[16:59] Allen Kerensky: and a longer-term stable group
[16:59] Cursa Charisma: How is this body established?
[16:59] Anastasia Horngold: And familiarity between the players
[16:59] Anastasia Horngold: What allen said.
[16:59] Thaiis Thei: that is tres important
[16:59] Medea Warwillow: Agreed.
[16:59] Thaiis Thei: especially if you have people form many cultures
[16:59] Cursa Charisma nods
[16:59] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, thank you, Reiko
[17:00] Reiko Soyinka: You are welcome.
[17:00] Cursa Charisma: Hipster?
[17:00] Hipster Triangle: ok
[17:00] Anastasia Horngold: You have to know that everyone is buying into the same assumptions or internalized rules.
[17:00] Hipster Triangle: I have done both
[17:00] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:00] Hipster Triangle: the preplanned RP,lets everyone know there roles,and parts
[17:01] Allen Kerensky: and the goals to RP towards
[17:01] Hipster Triangle: i have had some very enjoyable moments playin the prepllaned stuff
[17:02] Hipster Triangle: altho,then there are situtations,where you have a role,and others have another role,and you build on that
[17:02] Cursa Charisma: "Plot-driven" vs. "character-driven"
[17:02] Medea Warwillow: If I could interject for a moment...preplanned roleplay, at least scenarios, can be a vital part of creating larger scenarios, and involving players not inclined to start one themselves.
[17:02] Hipster Triangle: yes
[17:03] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:03] Hipster Triangle: RP for me
[17:03] Cursa Charisma grins
[17:04] Hipster Triangle: is becoming eminesed in someone or something,you wish to be
[17:04] Hipster Triangle: an i cant spell,smiles
[17:05] Cursa Charisma: That doesn't stand out around here
[17:05] Vooper Werribee: Yes, unless you have a background in improvisational theater, improve, character-driven RP requires a bit of learning and expereince wereas the plot-driven scenario is more akin to reading a novel and most people can 'jump in'
[17:05] Cursa Charisma grins
[17:05] Cursa Charisma: Alright, Anastasia?
[17:05] Hipster Triangle: yeah,Jump in here
[17:06] Anastasia Horngold: I did some RL acting a very long time ago, and had experiences where the character took over and really came to life--took over situations, manipulated people, really made things happen.
[17:06] Hipster Triangle: Please,
[17:06] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:06] Anastasia Horngold: In SL, so far, it's been mixed. The impromptu activities have not been very interesting, but I think most people didn't have very strongly developed characters. Me included.
[17:06] Medea Warwillow: Something like Method acting, Anastasia?
[17:06] Anastasia Horngold: yes perhaps
[17:06] Anastasia Horngold: The preplanned ones have been more dynamic, but can also be confused.
[17:06] Anastasia Horngold: There was one situation where an item was stolen, and someone was arrested for it, and I couldn't tell whether he was playing a character who was upset about being arrested, or he was just upset about being arrested!
[17:07] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:07] Anastasia Horngold: RL/SL bleed-through confusion.
[17:07] Cursa Charisma: IC or OOC
[17:07] Cursa Charisma: Was there IM chat to verify?
[17:07] Anastasia Horngold: Yes, and that happens to me all the time--not being able to tell who's doing which.
[17:07] Anastasia Horngold: I'm not sure!
[17:07] Reiko Soyinka: that's because they don't know, either.
[17:07] Anastasia Horngold: I couldn't keep up.
[17:07] Cursa Charisma: OK, so you didn't IM anyone to ask?
[17:08] Anastasia Horngold: No,, I was too busy trying not to shoot anyone.
[17:08] Vooper Werribee: There's really no harm in asking in IM if someone is really upset or just playing that part
[17:08] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:08] Hipster Triangle: RP,should be enjoyable,and fun,for everyone,and that should be made clear,from the start,that,its Roleplay
[17:08] Cursa Charisma: Right, Vooper, but note the "heat of the moment" factor
[17:08] Vooper Werribee: in fact I think that is recommended procedure
[17:08] Cursa Charisma: Everyone knows what IM is, but when the bullets are flying...
[17:08] Anastasia Horngold: yes, I was panicked and couldn't figure out what to do.
[17:08] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:08] Cursa Charisma: That comes with the joys of immersion
[17:09] Anastasia Horngold: I'm done
[17:09] Cursa Charisma: Great
[17:09] Cursa Charisma: (chat lagg)
[17:09] Cursa Charisma: OK, Allen, to you
[17:10] Allen Kerensky: i'll keep it simple... as you can guess from my earlier remark, I prefer a preset/managed/plotted/defined RP over an impromptu or freeform style. I've participated in both and impromptu seems like pyjama chat with no goal.
[17:10] Allen Kerensky: done
[17:10] Cursa Charisma: OK, thanks
[17:10] Cursa Charisma: Joan?
[17:10] Anastasia Horngold: pyjama chat! haha
[17:11] Reiko Soyinka: pyjama chat?
[17:11] Joan Vhargon: I have an annoying habbit of reframing the question to suit my needs.
[17:11] Joan Vhargon: I usually participate an a loosely structured RP. I try to organize and enjoy the ones that are more structured.
[17:11] Cursa Charisma: Go for it, Joan
[17:11] Joan Vhargon: Most of my favorite subjects to converse about are history. Most of it is personal history, interpersonal history and then regional and global history. Think about your last enjoyable conversation with your RL friends or family. Most of what I talk about can be described as interpreting that "history".
[17:11] Joan Vhargon: That's what a good RP also does, it revolves around a common history. That's why we have different RP groups, FireFly, Star Trek, SWRPG, Dune, these are all histories. So you need a sense of history to do that. That's what structure can provide. It gives a mini history, but is also works in unstructured RP as well as long as the participants are in the same "Historical Place," What happened a year ago, a month ago, a day ago, a moment ago.
[17:12] Joan Vhargon: **
[17:12] Cursa Charisma: Disclaimer: Joan and I are not alts of one another
[17:12] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[17:12] Anastasia Horngold: lol
[17:12] Hipster Triangle: laughs
[17:12] Joan Vhargon: Disclaimer: Cursa and I are not alts of one another
[17:12] Cursa Charisma laughs
[17:12] Medea Warwillow: hahahahaha
[17:12] Cursa Charisma: OK, Thaiis, please join in
[17:13] Thaiis Thei: anythign in particular?
[17:13] Cursa Charisma: The current question
[17:13] Cursa Charisma: Do you usually participate in preset RP scenarios or not?
(What kinds of groups do you work the scenarios out in? How many people?)
[17:13] Thaiis Thei: well
[17:14] Joan Vhargon: Wait?
[17:14] Thaiis Thei: somethings I do lend themselves to prepration
[17:14] Thaiis Thei: I do a lot of religious stuff and rituals need planning and practice
[17:14] Joan Vhargon: No comments on history?
[17:14] Thaiis Thei: Oh I agree that a shared history can be a very imprtant shaper of a scenario
[17:14] Thaiis Thei: especially for new people
[17:15] Joan Vhargon: I'm speaking to the whole group.
[17:15] Reiko Soyinka: I think you said it very well...and succinctly...
[17:15] Joan Vhargon: Sorry Thaiis Thei:
[17:15] Community: Flawed Conduit for Fulfillment: Anastasia Horngold, here is the transcript of this Nexus talk
[17:15] Joan Vhargon: Ok.
[17:16] Joan Vhargon: Please continu Thaiis Thei
[17:16] Thaiis Thei: ok
[17:16] Thaiis Thei: so presents are important for things that have a definate shape
[17:16] Thaiis Thei: presets
[17:17] Thaiis Thei: and those things can be very engaging
[17:17] Medea Warwillow: I agree.
[17:17] Thaiis Thei: but generally I prefer more free flow rping
[17:17] Thaiis Thei: if everyone has a good grasp of thier charachter
[17:18] Thaiis Thei: then good rp can result
[17:18] Thaiis Thei: and the scenario
[17:18] Living in a bunker: Cursa Charisma, online RP can become an obsession - keeping perspective is important
[17:18] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Brooke
[17:18] Brooke Rhea: Thanks.
[17:18] Joan Vhargon: Uhhh, Brooke
[17:18] Reiko Soyinka: hehehehe
[17:19] Joan Vhargon: I like you and all, but....
[17:19] Cursa Charisma laughs
[17:19] Reiko Soyinka watches Joan slowly sink under Brooke's weight.
[17:19] Anastasia Horngold: Aw, Joan, she looks so comfortable.
[17:19] Brooke Rhea: ((lol sorry!!))
[17:19] Joan Vhargon: lol
[17:20] Brooke Rhea: ((When I came in didn't have anyone rezzed htere))
[17:20] Medea Warwillow grins
[17:20] Bletaverse Server: Image received. Visit http://bletaverse.com/Cursa%20Charisma to see your post.
[17:21] Anastasia Horngold: Where were we? Was Thais finished?
[17:21] Brooke Rhea accepted your inventory offer.
[17:21] Thaiis Thei: Many people think so...
[17:21] Cursa Charisma: OK, Thaiis, do you have anything more on this question?
[17:21] Anastasia Horngold: haha
[17:22] Thaiis Thei: nope
[17:22] Cursa Charisma: Alright, let's go to the next question
[17:22] Cursa Charisma: We'll start with Medea as usual, and that will let Brooke get into it before having to answer
[17:22] Cursa Charisma: Do you have any trouble coming up with RP scenarios, and why?
[17:23] Medea Warwillow: Umm, I've been typing for a while, so my apologies on whatever length this response may be.
[17:23] Medea Warwillow: The only time I have trouble coming up with RP scenarios is when I find myself in an unfamiliar, or canonical setting. For instance, I am not overly familiar with the FIrefly universe, which is why I purposefully took a role which enables me to follow the lead of my employer. If I can manage to do proper research into the culture of the particular place, coming up with roleplay is usually a breeze. What hinders me at times is not wanting to overstep boundaries. Some do overstep, and then it is up to the owner of hte toes to either steer the rp back on course, go with it, or become mightily offended.
[17:23] Thaiis Thei orders Medea to watch FF on repeat for a week
[17:23] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:24] Medea Warwillow: hehehe
[17:24] Medea Warwillow: Will do my best Thaiis.
[17:24] Brooke Rhea: hulu.com ;-)
[17:24] Cursa Charisma: There is no "best", only do - or get done
[17:24] Anastasia Horngold: Brain implant.
[17:24] Medea Warwillow: Dont have access to Hulu outside of the US.
[17:24] Thaiis Thei: there is no try. Only do, or do not.
[17:24] Thaiis Thei: wtf Hule?
[17:24] Medea Warwillow: I will take Yoda's words to heart.
[17:25] Cursa Charisma: Rather than Cursa's
[17:25] Cursa Charisma: hehe
[17:25] Medea Warwillow: ...hehe...
[17:25] Cursa Charisma: OK, on to Vooper?
[17:25] Medea Warwillow: Yes.
[17:26] Vooper Werribee: I don't have the time t ocreate RP scenarios in SL at the moment - however, I used to pay a tabletop RP game called Traveller which almost encouraged the gamesmaster to be able to come up with RP scenario on the fly
[17:26] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:26] Thaiis Thei: yes if there isnt a well developed scenario then a great GM is a must
[17:26] Vooper Werribee: so I like to think I could pretty much develope a scenario pretty easily if need be
[17:27] Vooper Werribee: I'd use the various tools and tricks that I used for GMing Traveller
[17:27] Anastasia Horngold: I'd be interested to learn more about those.
[17:28] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:28] Vooper Werribee: let me mention a few
[17:29] Vooper Werribee: 1) It's a big universe in Traveller and almost anything you can imagine exista somewhere - so =just adapt a plot from a TV show you saw last night, or the last book you read
[17:29] Anastasia Horngold nods
[17:30] Vooper Werribee: 2) They had books of little mini adventures available - if you were at a loss as a GM you just flipped to a page skimmed it - if you though it could fit well to the current situation use it - if not flip to anothe rpage and repeat
[17:30] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:30] Anastasia Horngold: Add vermouth, stir, and serve.
[17:30] Cursa Charisma: Some prefer shaken, not stirred
[17:30] Cursa Charisma winks
[17:30] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, Vooper
[17:30] Vooper Werribee: ah - if only I knew the delights of a good Martini at the time :)
[17:31] Cursa Charisma: Reiko?
[17:31] Reiko Soyinka: I'm more a facilitator than a developer. I cannot usually come up with plots but I can fit almost any character into any type of semi-compatable roleplay...with the exception of Warhammer 40K
[17:31] Reiko Soyinka: Also, I think I'm rather limited by human behavior in real life and the idea that you can't kill, in SL.
[17:31] Hipster Triangle: Bond,James Bond,that is,smiles
[17:31] Cursa Charisma grins
[17:31] Allen Kerensky: Big List of RPG Plots by S. John Ross: http://www.io.com/%7Esjohn/plots.htm
[17:31] Cursa Charisma: This is another important question: lack of permadeath in SL
[17:32] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Allen, a wonderful resource!
[17:32] Anastasia Horngold: yes!
[17:32] Thaiis Thei: there is only lack of permadeath becasue people are too woosy to do it
[17:32] Cursa Charisma: Yes
[17:32] Cursa Charisma: But the fact is that it's simply not used in most SL RP
[17:32] Allen Kerensky: and lack of a quick new character generator in SL to help people get off and running again in a new persona quickly
[17:33] Anastasia Horngold: hmmm... interesting.
[17:33] Thaiis Thei: that is because of (my favourite thing to pick on ) the evil permission system of doom!!!
[17:33] Allen Kerensky: i have a 96 page character generator book for each genre: fantasy, modern, or sci-fi - takes about 2 hours to do one character.
[17:33] Reiko Soyinka: I'm getting somewhat irritated with the reliance on...
[17:33] Reiko Soyinka: older forms of roleplay.
[17:33] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Reiko
[17:34] Reiko Soyinka: The human mind is the fastest character generator in the 'verse.
[17:34] Hipster Triangle: nods
[17:34] Cursa Charisma: Drawing on what is known and familiar is understandable and valuable, but this is a different medium from the tabletop
[17:34] Anastasia Horngold smiles.
[17:34] Allen Kerensky: the human mind also has writers block. Tools like generators can rejumpstart that creative process.
[17:34] Reiko Soyinka: I was stunned when I first heard of using dice in this venue.
[17:34] Reiko Soyinka: done.
[17:34] Cursa Charisma: The question is, what is necessary and sufficient to make new characters and plots in SL
[17:35] Cursa Charisma: Alright, let's move on
[17:35] Cursa Charisma: Hipster?
[17:35] Vooper Werribee: Agreed - there are conventions of tabletop that don't work well in SL
[17:35] Hipster Triangle: ok
[17:35] Hipster Triangle: i still use the chat animation,so ya know im bout ta say something
[17:35] Brooke Rhea: I think it's because you really have to put alot into how your character looks, dresses and other things more in SL than you do in tabletop.
[17:35] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:35] Vooper Werribee: hell! There are even conventions of tabletop (*cough* classes *cough* levels) that don't always work well in tabletop :)
[17:36] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:36] Hipster Triangle: Yes.I have much trouble developing rp scenarios
[17:36] Hipster Triangle: because,you can never please everyone
[17:36] Hipster Triangle: and some are not made for rp
[17:37] Hipster Triangle: done,sighs
[17:37] Cursa Charisma nods
[17:37] Anastasia Horngold: I've had a lot of trouble coming up with scenarios because...
[17:37] Anastasia Horngold: in SL there aren't any real "needs" to motivate me.
[17:38] Cursa Charisma: Very interesting
[17:38] Thaiis Thei: really?
[17:38] Anastasia Horngold: Characters are driven by needs for food, shelter, clothing, love, sex, power, money, --not necessarily in that order
[17:38] Hipster Triangle: you have never Dreamed Anastasia?
[17:38] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[17:38] Cursa Charisma: Vooper, you're not the only Maslow fan
[17:38] Anastasia Horngold: Those needs don't really apply here
[17:38] Thaiis Thei: I mean about no needs
[17:38] Thaiis Thei: sure they do
[17:39] Joan Vhargon: But we simulate those needs
[17:39] Thaiis Thei: but mostly as the top level ones
[17:39] Cursa Charisma: Does this relate to the lack of permadeath, Anastasia?
[17:39] Joan Vhargon: I gave a talk on this last year.
[17:39] Cursa Charisma: Yes
[17:39] Brooke Rhea: I find that they do. And I've used those needs quite a bit to interact with characters.
[17:39] Anastasia Horngold: I don't think I've been able to simulate those needs and feel them in any way here.
[17:39] Hipster Triangle: Permadeath,or talk of depresses me
[17:39] Thaiis Thei: why?
[17:40] Hipster Triangle: I want to Live,an enjoy
[17:40] Cursa Charisma: I'm trying to get at the lack of a sense of intense character motivation that Anastasia is encountering
[17:40] Hipster Triangle: Life is just a little while
[17:40] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, DylanFox
[17:40] Dex Argent: Yo!
[17:41] Hipster Triangle: SL,or RL
[17:41] Anastasia Horngold: The only need I have noticed here is wanting to connect to people, and that can be very challenging with our limited capabilities.
[17:41] Cursa Charisma: So you're talking about ooc player needs, rather than ic character needs?
[17:41] Anastasia Horngold: My avi isn't actually hungry, or cold, or such
[17:41] Vooper Werribee: mine is!
[17:41] Anastasia Horngold: haha
[17:41] Brooke Rhea: Neither are characters in a story.
[17:42] Brooke Rhea: In any fiction
[17:42] Vooper Werribee shivers
[17:42] Cursa Charisma: So you'd like to get more structure on that sort of thing, Anastasia? Systems like HTCS can do that, and the SR meter at Vooper's sim
[17:42] Hipster Triangle: anyone got a Blanket?
[17:42] Brooke Rhea: It's how you define your sense of reality in the cooperative fiction.
[17:42] Brooke Rhea: I think I do but it's not transferable ;-)
[17:42] Hipster Triangle: darn
[17:42] Anastasia Horngold: As much as I feel immersed in the SL environment at times, it's emotional/aesthetic rather than visceral.
[17:42] Medea Warwillow: Yes, all of those transferred realities can come to life in SL with meters and such.
[17:43] Anastasia Horngold: Hmm, meters. I don't know!
[17:43] Dex Argent: Hm.
[17:43] Anastasia Horngold: Well, I've said my piece on that. next?
[17:43] Hipster Triangle: I hate meters,myself
[17:43] Joan Vhargon: spits over shoulder
[17:43] Dex Argent is totally anti-meter.
[17:43] Hipster Triangle: grins
[17:44] Bletaverse Server: Image received. Visit http://bletaverse.com/Cursa%20Charisma to see your post.
[17:44] Cursa Charisma: Excellent - we have identified a definite topic for future discussion: "Meters - Do They Have to Suck?"
[17:44] Anastasia Horngold: rofl
[17:44] Joan Vhargon: laughs
[17:44] Hipster Triangle: Yes,they do,for the record,lol
[17:44] Cursa Charisma: OK, Allen's turn
[17:44] Cursa Charisma: hehe
[17:44] Vooper Werribee: :)
[17:44] Allen Kerensky: rl crisis skip me
[17:44] Cursa Charisma: kk
[17:44] Cursa Charisma: Joan?
[17:45] DylanFox Petrov accepted your inventory offer.
[17:45] Joan Vhargon: Joan's pre-typed answer:
[17:45] Joan Vhargon: I have a lot of troble coming up with scenarios. The hardest part is player buy in and teaching the "history" of the scenario. How do we teach history? By telling stories.

I have found that the most successful RP scenarios I have been in were ones in which I was taught what was going on and then I dove in.**
[17:45] Reiko Soyinka grins
[17:45] Joan Vhargon: trouble*
[17:45] Hipster Triangle: nods
[17:46] Joan Vhargon: whispers, "PLAYER BUY IN was suppsed to be in all caps"
[17:46] Vooper Werribee: Ah yes! I have seen the situation sooo many times where someone sets up a plot - probably in a way which thaey feel is subtle yet intriguing and everyone eignores it
[17:46] Dex Argent: Presentation is everything.
[17:46] Cursa Charisma: Yes, and background material is seen as "homework" and shunned
[17:46] Anastasia Horngold: "subtle yet intriguing" ! lol
[17:46] Reiko Soyinka: Yes...
[17:47] Frog Hoppers and Satins Friends Group Notice: Hi everyone gonna need your company tonight Erin has laft me to do bogarts by myself...hope to see you there
[17:47] Reiko Soyinka: yes...that is another peeve...
[17:47] Joan Vhargon: Its amazing that in a medium that is largly text based people still don't want to read.
[17:47] Dex Argent: There seem to be two main groups of RP'ers: Storytellers, and Casual
[17:47] Vooper Werribee: The best way to get player buy in to is do the set up blatently and OOC
[17:47] Cursa Charisma: But it is true, nonetheless
[17:47] Reiko Soyinka: I'm gonna come play in your sim but don't you dare ask me to know what it is you are playing.
[17:48] Joan Vhargon: Voopers comment is what I'm speaking of. Teaching.
[17:48] Dex Argent: The storytellers want background and step-up and like complex and intriguing storylines.
[17:48] Vooper Werribee: Event today at this time: background is this: you character wants to be here for these reasons: if you want to have fun come along - if you really don't think your character 'would do that sort of thing' that's your problem and your choice - you'll miss the fun! :)
[17:48] Cursa Charisma: Good, Vooper
[17:48] Hipster Triangle: nods
[17:48] Joan Vhargon: But...
[17:49] Allen Kerensky: gotta go folks, sorry... have a good evening and thanks! looking forward to the transcript
[17:49] Cursa Charisma: Peace, Allen
[17:49] Dex Argent: The Casual players don't want to be bothered with long-term stories and just RP their characters in the moment.
[17:49] Joan Vhargon: I want to get back to history
[17:49] Thaiis Thei: Bye allen
[17:49] Hipster Triangle: bye allen
[17:49] Anastasia Horngold: bye allen!
[17:49] Brooke Rhea: I agree with Dex. and For hte most part I don't build plots with them in mind.
[17:49] Joan Vhargon: Five people come to a loose RP with 5 different histories. Can it work?
[17:49] Medea Warwillow: Bye Allen!
[17:49] Joan Vhargon: Bye allen
[17:49] Brooke Rhea: You just sorta say your "hi"s and walk away.
[17:50] Cursa Charisma: Joan, it can indeed work - but not automatically for any five people
[17:50] Brooke Rhea: And I think it can work Joan, as long as people are interested in others histories.
[17:50] Reiko Soyinka: HOLD it...
[17:50] Reiko Soyinka: talk about only one thing, please.
[17:50] Cursa Charisma: The question is background
[17:50] Cursa Charisma: How much is needed, how much will people seek out in practice
[17:50] Joan Vhargon: Ahhh yes. Sorry about that.
[17:51] Anastasia Horngold: It was Joan's turn, I think?
[17:51] Cursa Charisma: Yes, we're discussing points Joan raised
[17:51] Cursa Charisma: Shall we move on?
[17:51] Joan Vhargon: My comment was about buy in.
[17:51] Cursa Charisma: OK
[17:52] Cursa Charisma: Let's focus on buy-in
[17:52] Cursa Charisma: Immersing players in a game session
[17:52] Dex Argent: If you want a storyline to work, the GM has to put the time in. The Storyteller players will be all over it; The Casuala will say :Huh?"
[17:53] Reiko Soyinka: Afater the last week...
[17:54] Joan Vhargon: Actually everone has to put the time in. That's the key
[17:54] Dex Argent: Identify your audience.
[17:54] Cursa Charisma: Good, Dex
[17:54] Brooke Rhea: Most people aren't going to though. So you have to just work with the people who are, and then just "use' the rest when it works for oyu.
[17:54] Dex Argent: Always the key to good writing.
[17:54] Cursa Charisma: (and sorry for ignoring your tag earlier)
[17:54] Reiko Soyinka: I think the casuals are more like to say...is there someplace where we can insert some fighting...
[17:54] Dex Argent: (No problem, Cursa)
[17:55] Reiko Soyinka: Comment on what Brooke said...
[17:55] Cursa Charisma: Then you have to structure your scenario to allow an outlet for that if you want casuals joining
[17:55] Joan Vhargon: thinks (insert weapon here)
[17:55] Dex Argent: Indeed, Keiko/
[17:55] Anastasia Horngold: Speaking of time, have we really been here 2 hours?
[17:55] Cursa Charisma: So far, Anastasia
[17:55] Anastasia Horngold: I'm going to have to go.... sadly!
[17:55] Cursa Charisma: Then let's continue this discussion next week
[17:55] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[17:55] Dex Argent: But, if you want a story with storytellers, pardon me, but who cares about the Casuals?
[17:55] Hipster Triangle: me also.RL work calls,has been most interesting
[17:55] Cursa Charisma: We still have a pile of questions to address
[17:56] Anastasia Horngold: Yes, and many I'm very intereste in hearing you talk about.
[17:56] Anastasia Horngold: You all.
[17:56] Reiko Soyinka: There is a problem, Brooke...
[17:56] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Dex, as you said, identify your audience. Many rp groups are seeking a broad and varied audience
[17:56] Hipster Triangle: nods,on other questions
[17:56] Brooke Rhea: And what's that Reiko?
[17:56] Cursa Charisma: Alright, thank you all for participating, and the transcript will be available shortly
[17:56] Joan Vhargon: These have been very good questions and a nice format. Thank you Anastasia.
[17:56] Vooper Werribee: Thanks for starting this discusioin Ana
[17:57] Anastasia Horngold: Thanks Joan, my pleasure.
[17:57] Reiko Soyinka: Most groups identify their players....then close their doors to any new ones.
[17:57] Cursa Charisma: I hope you all feel self-actualized
[17:57] Hipster Triangle: some want to RP,some dont,those that do ,get involved,I do,anyway
[17:57] Anastasia Horngold: lol
[17:57] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[17:57] Medea Warwillow: Thank you Anastasia! *applause*
[17:57] Joan Vhargon: So we are going to continue next week where we left off?
[17:57] Cursa Charisma: Yes, we'll start with the next question
[17:57] Medea Warwillow: I would say yes.
[17:57] Brooke Rhea: I don't think most do. Never seen anyone in SL really "Close their doors" to new players. Only those who really have nothing to add.
[17:57] Anastasia Horngold: That would be good.
[17:57] Brooke Rhea: I'm sure there are groups out there, but i don't participate in them.
[17:58] Anastasia Horngold: See you all next time, I hopw!
[17:58] Medea Warwillow performs the necessary copy paste for her next answer she has pretyped.
[17:58] Cursa Charisma: On behalf of the Role Play Nexus, and the SL RPG Developers group, once again, thank you all
[17:58] Joan Vhargon: There are many ways to close a door.
[17:58] Brooke Rhea: And I would encourage otherse to not as well.
[17:58] Hipster Triangle: dont be so cold Brooke,smiles
[17:59] Hipster Triangle: see ya'll later,have enjoyed your company,much
[17:59] Brooke Rhea: lol Not sure how it's Cold to say I won't participate in groups that close their doors to players.
[17:59] Dex Argent: I'll RP with anyone; I just have more fun with storytellers on a longterm basis
[17:59] Hipster Triangle: oh,sorry,must haved missed that,smiles
[17:59] Cursa Charisma: Joy of text communication
[17:59] Reiko Soyinka: hehehe, you can't participate in groups that close their doors to others...you can't get into them in the first place.
[18:00] Hipster Triangle: yeah,text,hard ta express your self
[18:00] Brooke Rhea: I have been invited to those type of groups before.
[18:00] Cursa Charisma: But the point is crucial if you want to draw a varied player base - have something for the different types of players you know will come
[18:00] Joan Vhargon: Thats my point. A group that has been together a long time ha stheir own history and chemesrty
[18:00] Hipster Triangle: bye Reiko
[18:00] Dex Argent: Can't be everything to everyone, though.
[18:01] Hipster Triangle: nods
[18:01] Vooper Werribee: That's true Joan - that history and chemistry can be a big hurdle that can prevent many new folk from joining in tho
[18:01] Brooke Rhea: But that doesn't mean they close to other players. I have my crew, and many of us have been rping for a while together. But I'm always looking for a good newbie to join.
[18:01] Medea Warwillow: Yes. And the attitudes of those established players can be either a hindrance or a help to new players.
[18:01] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:01] Joan Vhargon: They never feel like they belong because they don't get the references and they can't draw from them.
[18:01] Brooke Rhea: And I try to give just about anyone a chance.
[18:02] Thaiis Thei: I wont
[18:02] Thaiis Thei: fuck em
[18:02] Dex Argent: Good stories and active GMs can work wonders... just don't compromise and don't dilute.
[18:02] Thaiis Thei: ;)
[18:02] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Thaiis
[18:02] Cursa Charisma: *smh*
[18:02] Medea Warwillow looks for something to throw at Thaiis
[18:02] Joan Vhargon: I would like to continue next week from here.....
[18:02] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:02] Medea Warwillow: ALright, Thaiis will be about to be struck by an airborne object when we return.
[18:03] Cursa Charisma: I'll get the transcript edited asap and Medea will have it up on her most excellent Nexus blog
[18:03] Thaiis Thei: i'll be sure to wear my impenetrable shield that day
[18:03] Dex Argent snickers
[18:03] Medea Warwillow grins
[18:03] Brooke Rhea: brb
[18:03] Cursa Charisma: hb, Brooke
[18:05] Cursa Charisma: So, Vooper, are these worth staying up for?
[18:05] Cursa Charisma grins
[18:05] Vooper Werribee: well, we're still an hour closer in timezones to US than usual
[18:05] Vooper Werribee: so it's only 1am for me
[18:06] Vooper Werribee: Thes eare great discussions though
[18:06] Cursa Charisma: Excellent
[18:06] Cursa Charisma: Some benefit from the frivolous flights of fancy in the States then
[18:06] Joan Vhargon: I must run. See you all next week.
[18:06] Vooper Werribee: Everytime I attend or even read a transcript I'm reminded that there are so many different ways of viewing RP - and lots of different reasons to do it
[18:06] Cursa Charisma: Peace, Joan
[18:07] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:07] Reiko Soyinka: Bye, Joan.
[18:07] Medea Warwillow: Bye Joan
[18:07] Cursa Charisma: Got to keep checking the pulse of the market and the medium
[18:07] Reiko Soyinka: Those questions are making me think in ways I don't normally...
[18:08] Reiko Soyinka looks at where hipster was sitting...
[18:08] Reiko Soyinka: I normally prefer slitting throats.
[18:08] Vooper Werribee:
[18:09] Vooper Werribee: It's interesting to note the reaction to Meters as well
[18:09] Cursa Charisma: Yes
[18:09] Medea Warwillow: Yes..
[18:09] Brooke Rhea: backish for a few minutes
[18:09] Vooper Werribee: I like your suggestion for a talk o nthat topic Cursa :)
[18:09] Cursa Charisma: We definitely need to address that
[18:09] Brooke Rhea: then I need to run to dinner
[18:09] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:09] Brooke Rhea: but Yes I hate meters as well.
[18:10] Reiko Soyinka: I'm seeing fewer and fewer people wearing meters.
[18:10] Cursa Charisma: OK, Brooke, you've nourished your mind, now nourish your body, hehe
[18:10] Dex Argent: If I wanted to play video games, I'd be all over meters. But, I don't, so I'm not.
[18:10] Vooper Werribee: wow - *hate*
[18:10] Brooke Rhea: lol
[18:10] Vooper Werribee: that is a strong word
[18:10] Cursa Charisma: The question is, Dex, whether meters have to just be video game imports, or can they actually benefit rp
[18:10] Vooper Werribee: but is used in conjunction with meters so much
[18:10] Dex Argent: Haven't seen it yet.
[18:11] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:11] Vooper Werribee: :)
[18:11] Cursa Charisma: So, let's test the hypothesis
[18:11] Dex Argent: And, some meters create massive lag.
[18:11] Medea Warwillow: And there is a distinction to be made between roleplay meters and solely combat meters.
[18:11] Thaiis Thei: that only means the meters are poorly cooded
[18:11] Vooper Werribee: Are people associating meters with twiych style FPS combat
[18:11] Cursa Charisma: Yes, there are meters that do not suit SL at all
[18:11] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Vooper, they are
[18:11] Vooper Werribee: and they are really saying they hate FPS combat play
[18:11] Dex Argent: Yes.
[18:11] Reiko Soyinka: Yes...
[18:12] Cursa Charisma: FPS combat play in SL makes little sense to me
[18:12] Cursa Charisma: The infrastructure is not suitable
[18:12] Dex Argent: Spellfire can -almost- be used just for RP, but it isn't.
[18:12] Reiko Soyinka: It is so visually inept...
[18:12] Reiko Soyinka: Oh, Dex...
[18:12] Dex Argent: Hm?
[18:12] Vooper Werribee: Heheh - yes - very funny to watch - if you can keep up wuth the lag
[18:12] Reiko Soyinka: I'm not sure, but wasn't Spellfire the meter that was "copied"?
[18:13] Dex Argent: I have no idea, Reiko
[18:13] Dex Argent: I use it at Sylvhara because I have to.
[18:13] Cursa Charisma nods
[18:13] Reiko Soyinka: I don't really either, but some old timers won't use some meter because it was copied.
[18:13] Dex Argent: But, I always scram when a fight breaks out.
[18:14] Dex Argent: I think I knowthe meter you're thnking of.. but I don't remember what it was called.
[18:14] Reiko Soyinka: I hide when a fight breaks out.
[18:15] Dex Argent: Hiding never works: you have to leave the sim. :-/
[18:15] Reiko Soyinka: Not if you are an admin...then you have to stay and hide.
[18:15] Vooper Werribee: Well, I must leave now too ...
[18:15] Dex Argent: Dragons do not respect non-coms and bystanders
[18:15] Vooper Werribee is worried a fight is about to break out
[18:15] Cursa Charisma: Sweet dreams, Vooper
[18:15] Cursa Charisma laughs
[18:15] Dex Argent: Heh
[18:15] Cursa Charisma: Brazen!
[18:15] Vooper Werribee: thanks again for organising and chairing today Cursa
[18:15] Reiko Soyinka: Sleep well, Vooper...
[18:16] MistressBrazen Bondar: hey there
[18:16] Cursa Charisma: NP, Vooper
[18:16] Medea Warwillow: Hey Brazen
[18:16] Vooper Werribee waves
[18:16] Reiko Soyinka: Ohai, Brazen.
[18:16] Cursa Charisma: Round 2 should be good as well
[18:16] MistressBrazen Bondar: hi Reiko
[18:16] MistressBrazen Bondar: Medea
[18:16] MistressBrazen Bondar: thaiis, Dylan fox
[18:17] Dex Argent: Heya, Brazen
[18:17] Reiko Soyinka: Brazen, you missed a good one.
[18:17] Thaiis Thei: Hi Brazen
[18:17] Dex Argent: I'm going to go see what, if anything, is shaking at Necro. See yas later.
[18:18] Cursa Charisma: Medea, if you're on for a few, I need to relog and then I can edit the transcript
[18:18] Cursa Charisma: Watch out for the tentacles, Dex
(transcript ends)

March 14, 2010 Nexus Topic "Cold Hearted Roleplay - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

On Sunday, March 14, 2010, Hipster Triangle spoke at the Role Play Nexus on, "Cold Hearted Roleplay - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly".

Attending were:
Cursa Charisma
Heihachi Nakamura
Hipster Triangle
Medea Warwillow
Sojourner Starship
Reiko Soyinka
Vooper Werribee

(transcript begins)
[14:07] Hipster Triangle: ok
[14:07] Hipster Triangle: here it goes
[14:07] Hipster Triangle: Roleplay
[14:07] Hipster Triangle: for the coldhearted
[14:08] Hipster Triangle: The Good,The Bad,and the Ugly!
[14:08] Medea Warwillow smiles
[14:08] Hipster Triangle: The Good!
[14:09] Hipster Triangle: Roleplay for me has been a way to live out my wildest fantasys,and meet some very good people
[14:10] Hipster Triangle: I have had some very memorable & rewarding experences while roleplayin
[14:10] Hipster Triangle: Every one can see that in my Profile,and now on to the next Part...
[14:11] Hipster Triangle: The Bad
[14:12] Hipster Triangle: People that forget,that we ar dealing with Re
[14:44] Reiko Soyinka: al People,with Real Feelings,Behind those Keyboards
[14:12] Medea Warwillow nods
[14:13] Hipster Triangle: I have also had ta fill out a 3 page App.,Just to Join a RP Group---Whats that all about??
[14:13] joe Atisso is Offline
[14:13] Hipster Triangle: and now,The Ugly!!!!
[14:14] Hipster Triangle: These,are the worst,In my Opionin,of Roleplayers
[14:14] Medea Warwillow: Welcome Vooper.
[14:14] Vooper Werribee waves - sorry I'm late
[14:15] Medea Warwillow: No worries...small crowd today.
[14:15] Hipster Triangle: The ones that abuse and Use others for there Amusement
[14:15] Medea Warwillow: Such as? Do you have any particular examples?
[14:15] Hipster Triangle: Example*
[14:15] Medea Warwillow: :)
[14:15] Hipster Triangle: smiles
[14:16] Hipster Triangle: I Became a very good friend with a black caste assasin,I was a Red caste warrior
[14:16] Hipster Triangle: someone put a contract on me
[14:16] Vooper Werribee: are those Gorean terms?
[14:17] Hipster Triangle: 'my best friend there,accepted the contract
[14:17] Hipster Triangle: yes,Goreon terms
[14:17] Hipster Triangle: He Killed Me
[14:17] Medea Warwillow nods
[14:17] Medea Warwillow: And what were the repercussions?
[14:18] Hipster Triangle: I feel there is a difference between Players and Friends
[14:18] Hipster Triangle: amyway.I am open for disscusson
[14:18] Reiko Soyinka: raise hand.
[14:19] Hipster Triangle: Reiko,regonized
[14:19] Reiko Soyinka: I have found that the best roleplayed enemies are friends OOC'ly.
[14:19] Reiko Soyinka: becaues they have no trouble keeping the communication lines open.
[14:20] Hipster Triangle: nods,but dont understand
[14:20] Medea Warwillow: Care to explain, Reiko?
[14:20] Reiko Soyinka: Enemy roleplay usually ends with people ...
[14:20] Reiko Soyinka: getting hurt.
[14:20] Reiko Soyinka: I was able to roleplay enemies with someone, for two plus years.
[14:21] Hipster Triangle: what about enemy pretendin ta be friend
[14:21] Reiko Soyinka: because we were able to talk out the little bumps in...
[14:21] Reiko Soyinka: the roleplay road.
[14:21] Reiko Soyinka: Hipster, did you talk it out with your friend?
[14:22] Hipster Triangle: no warning,what so ever,but i guess i was gullable
[14:22] Reiko Soyinka: A good assassination, no matter where it is played, is a surprise.
[14:23] Hipster Triangle: Black Caste would kill there own Mother for $
[14:23] Reiko Soyinka: If you play with it, it makes for great roleplay.
[14:23] Reiko Soyinka: done
[14:24] Hipster Triangle: yeah,I played it,but still left me feeling bitter,cause i considered him my best friend
[14:24] Hipster Triangle: he gave me no warning
[14:25] Medea Warwillow: Hmm.
[14:25] Hipster Triangle: guess i take friendship ta heart,to much
[14:25] Medea Warwillow: So you hold in character and out of character friendship on an equal level?
[14:26] Medea Warwillow: I know many people who prefer to keep them separate, as Reiko stated. I think it is most effective that way, and more sustainable.
[14:26] Hipster Triangle: yes,I guess you could say I do,unless previous warned
[14:27] Vooper Werribee: oh dear!
[14:27] Hipster Triangle: then I can RP with the best,if given a heads up
[14:27] Vooper Werribee: Cursa has been out on a bar crawl ...again!!!
[14:27] Medea Warwillow: So your issue was not that he had killed you, but that you were given no warning?
[14:27] Hipster Triangle: Is this Real,or is this RP?
[14:27] Sojourner Starship: Thank you.. just listening and getting an idea about RP in general
[14:28] Medea Warwillow: Hello Cursa
[14:28] Hipster Triangle: well,I did consider him a good friend
[14:28] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:28] Hipster Triangle: it was a outta the blue thing
[14:29] Reiko Soyinka: Hipster, some people love surprises...he may have thought he was giving you a gift.
[14:29] Hipster Triangle: Friends,dont do that to Friends
[14:29] Hipster Triangle: yeah,right
[14:30] Medea Warwillow: So your issue was that he had killed you, not that he didnt give you the courtesy of talking out his roleplay plan?
[14:30] Hipster Triangle: Yes
[14:30] Hipster Triangle: i didnt mind the being killed part,that was his role
[14:31] Hipster Triangle: but
[14:31] Hipster Triangle: Hes was a Friend
[14:31] Hipster Triangle: or so I thought
[14:32] Vooper Werribee: So you are saying that someone can't be your friend outside of roleplay - but play a character that kills you in a roleplay scene?
[14:32] Hipster Triangle: seems the gold meant more,cause he knew i was better at Arms,maybe?
[14:32] Hipster Triangle: I Take Friendship very dear to my Heart
[14:33] Hipster Triangle: If ya wanna RP,Tell me,thats All
[14:33] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:33] Medea Warwillow: I would need more context to judge his motivations, but it seems that you are saying your roleplay friendships are very closely tied to out of character friendsships...
[14:33] Hipster Triangle: I Dont Like Being Used!
[14:34] Medea Warwillow: And In character actions are interpreted to have out of character motivations?
[14:34] Hipster Triangle: sighs,I guess it does mean that,like i said,I take Friendship to Heart
[14:35] Vooper Werribee: So if someone is your friend - they cannot kill you in roleplay?
[14:35] Hipster Triangle: yes,they can
[14:35] Reiko Soyinka: But only if they tell you first?
[14:35] Cursa Charisma: Or, rather, ask you first?
[14:35] Hipster Triangle: well,They are my Friend,not?
[14:36] Reiko Soyinka: Hipster, I'm not understanding.
[14:36] Hipster Triangle: I took the situation
[14:36] Medea Warwillow: Can that be taken as a 'yes' to the question?
[14:36] Hipster Triangle: as he loved the gold,more than me
[14:37] Reiko Soyinka: No, he didn't.
[14:37] Hipster Triangle: why,you say that?
[14:37] Hipster Triangle: because if i was warned,he might not have bested me?
[14:38] Reiko Soyinka: I have been IC killed by OOC friends...without warning.
[14:38] Reiko Soyinka: Some of the best roleplay I've been in.
[14:38] Hipster Triangle: we were both in charcter
[14:38] Vooper Werribee: I think we may be misundersanding you Hipster, when you say he was your friend, do you mean that he was your friend outside of SL?
[14:39] Hipster Triangle: not really
[14:39] Reiko Soyinka: Ok, are you upset that he beat you in a contest of some kind?
[14:39] Vooper Werribee: Ok - so did you ever talk with your freind 'out-of-character'
[14:39] Hipster Triangle: Red Caste,warriors,are not always welcom in a Assasin Black Caste Area
[14:40] Vooper Werribee: or was all your interaction in SL done with this freind as though you were your character
[14:40] Vooper Werribee: so for example you never talked about footbal scores
[14:40] Hipster Triangle: But,He allowed me To RP there,an yes we talke much,outside occ
[14:40] Medea Warwillow: So, that one IC action was enough to end an OOC friendship?
[14:41] Vooper Werribee: OK - so you knew him as a freind 'outside' of your character
[14:41] Hipster Triangle: yes
[14:41] Medea Warwillow: Or do you interpret his actions to be a reflection of what he is like as a person?
[14:41] Medea Warwillow: *his IC actions
[14:41] Hipster Triangle: yes
[14:41] Hipster Triangle: not Honarable
[14:41] Vooper Werribee: Did you ever differentiate between when you guys were talking 'in-character' or 'out-of-charcter' or did you just let the two states mingle?
[14:42] Vooper Werribee: (this is really interesting topic by the waty Hipster - sorry if this feels like an interogation! )
[14:42] Hipster Triangle: I guess you could say,I considered him a Friend,an i dont take Friendship Lightley
[14:43] Vooper Werribee: Ok - another question for you
[14:43] Hipster Triangle: even in RP
[14:43] Hipster Triangle: ok Vooper,shoot
[14:44] Vooper Werribee: let's say you watched a Gangster film where Robert De Niro is a mean gangster with no morals who kills a guy just because his Mafia boss says he shouls
[14:44] Vooper Werribee: do you think Robert De Niro has no morals and has killed someone
[14:44] Vooper Werribee: ?
[14:44] Hipster Triangle: He would not be my Friend
[14:44] Hipster Triangle: or actin like he was
[14:45] Vooper Werribee: Ok - so you would not be freinds with Robert De Niro because of the role he played i nthat film?
[14:45] Hipster Triangle: just for the Hit
[14:45] Medea Warwillow: He means Robert De Niro the actor....not the character he plays in the movie.
[14:45] Medea Warwillow: Would you deny him friendship just because of the role he played in the movie?
[14:45] Vooper Werribee is not good friends with Bob De Niro either BTW :)
[14:45] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:46] Hipster Triangle: no,cause im sure if he was a real friend,he would have told me ,what was comin,and i would have been prepaired
[14:46] Medea Warwillow: Hmm, I don;t think you are understanding the question.
[14:46] Cursa Charisma: I've come in late, sorry. Forgive me if my questions have already been answered. Many sims that use combat meters also have rules forbidding attack on other players without prior ooc agreement and justifiying ic play. Was there a rule like that in this case, and was it broken?
[14:47] Hipster Triangle: no,Cursa,it was anything goes
[14:47] Cursa Charisma: OK
[14:47] Hipster Triangle: dont takd me wrong
[14:48] Hipster Triangle: I Love RP
[14:48] Hipster Triangle: but,It can be Hurtfull
[14:48] Cursa Charisma: But the role play setting was Gorean, and people were attracted to it by the ethos of warrior codes of honor, correct?
[14:48] Cursa Charisma listens
[14:49] Hipster Triangle: yes,Honor,cept for the Black Caste,sighs,but Friendship guess didnt apply,as i found out the hard way
[14:50] Medea Warwillow: Hipster, let me give you an example of a roleplay that occured. In it, I killed Cursa's character. It had been discussed by us, and was carried out in roleplay. As you can see, we have remained friends. Was it only the fact that he did not tell you of his plans that offended you?
[14:51] Hipster Triangle: yes
[14:51] Hipster Triangle: excatley
[14:51] Cursa Charisma: But that was not metered combat, Medea. In that case, I wanted my character to "die", and you agreed to help play it out
[14:52] Medea Warwillow: True.
[14:52] Medea Warwillow: Was there no option to have the roleplay made null and void?
[14:52] Cursa Charisma: So, Hipster, in your case, if the guy had asked you in IM if it was OK to kill you, what would you have told him?
[14:52] Medea Warwillow: Or, if it was simply a combat, as Cursa pointed out, would there be an option to make that void?
[14:52] Hipster Triangle: no,ya had to accept death
[14:52] Cursa Charisma: Was it permadeath? That character was gone?
[14:53] Hipster Triangle: I would have told him Yes,cause i considered him a friend
[14:53] Reiko Soyinka: /blink
[14:53] Cursa Charisma: You would have told him that you didn't want the combat because for you, it violated friendship?
[14:53] Medea Warwillow: Was it merely a fight that you lost, or was your roleplay character made permanently dead?
[14:54] Hipster Triangle: no,I would have accepted the Death
[14:54] Hipster Triangle: the Death only lasted 3 days
[14:55] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:55] Cursa Charisma: OK, I see
[14:55] Hipster Triangle: but it was my "Friend",that did it
[14:55] Medea Warwillow: So the roleplay betrayal of his character was enough to end an out of character friendship?
[14:55] Vooper Werribee: well, to be more specific - it was 'a character who's role your freind was playing' that did it
[14:56] Hipster Triangle: If you want to kill me,dont pretend to be my Friend,unless we are RP'n
[14:56] Medea Warwillow: Sorry, but that seems a contradiction.
[14:56] Sojourner Starship: Did your griend have any way of knowing how you would accept being killed prior to the act?
[14:56] Cursa Charisma: So, if I understand correctly, Hipster feels that the guy used ooc friendship to set up an ic killing for ic game goals
[14:57] Hipster Triangle: oh god,maybe ya'll,have never experencied true friendship
[14:57] Vooper Werribee: possibly true - but I doubt it
[14:57] Hipster Triangle: Yes.Yes,Cursa
[14:57] Hipster Triangle: I was Used,In RP
[14:57] Cursa Charisma: Got it
[14:58] Hipster Triangle: in a ooc way
[14:58] Hipster Triangle: and thats what i was wantin ta get accross here tody
[14:58] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:58] Reiko Soyinka: That doesn't sound like what your friend did...because he would have behaved the same way if he had never met you.
[14:58] Hipster Triangle: today*
[14:59] Hipster Triangle: remember,there are Real People,with Real Feelings,even in RP
[14:59] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:59] Medea Warwillow: That is true...which is why OOC communication can be such an important part of roleplay.
[15:00] Hipster Triangle: tyvm,for lettin me speake my peace
[15:00] Medea Warwillow: But, on the other hand, there must be a distinction between IC and OOC relationships...one doesn't necessary reflect the other...
[15:00] Cursa Charisma: That's true, Medea, but what Hipster is talking about is the deliberate manipulation of people, real people, by deceit to get in-game benefits (loot or whatever)
[15:00] Medea Warwillow: Yes, I understand.
[15:00] Hipster Triangle: Yes,Cursa
[15:01] Hipster Triangle: for there Gain
[15:01] Cursa Charisma: So even carefully made rules won't prevent someone from abusing others that way, not completely
[15:01] Sojourner Starship: Excuse me.. I'm really new to RP. What's the difference again between what happenend with you anf a game of cowboys and indians? I thought at the end of the day.. everyone gets off the ground and plays again the next day
[15:02] Vooper Werribee: Actually - this topic has cut right to the core of roleplay - ESPECIALLY online roleplay
[15:02] Reiko Soyinka: Sojourner...we have a thing called permadeath...
[15:02] Vooper Werribee: oh - please go ahead Sojourner
[15:02] Sojourner Starship: where the character cannot come back. yes
[15:03] Reiko Soyinka: We usually have rules to cover accidental death for just that reason.
[15:03] Sojourner Starship: but can't thay find a way o be resurrected.. in Role?
[15:03] Medea Warwillow: That would depend on the setting....
[15:04] Medea Warwillow: Many people use a permadeath as a way to leave a roleplay, or kill off a character to create a new one using the same avatar.
[15:04] Reiko Soyinka: Resurrection depends on if you are playing more or less realistically
[15:04] Sojourner Starship: So this death ment that the character essentially could never come back to play again?
[15:04] Cursa Charisma: OK, so we're talking about rules, which is great. Let's just distinguish that from the issue of people faking ooc friendship to get ic loot. Two different topics, both important.
[15:05] Hipster Triangle: nods
[15:05] Medea Warwillow: The faking of friendship would come down to judgement of character really...there is little you can do to detect someone with those motivations.
[15:05] Cursa Charisma: I want to thank Hipster for sharing his experience with us, it's obviously very personal, and it's very important to keep in mind. We play games *using* SL, but SL itself is *not* a game. It's a communication tool between real people
[15:06] Medea Warwillow smiles
[15:06] Reiko Soyinka: Very good point, Cursa.
[15:06] Hipster Triangle: Yes,thank you so much,finally someone understands,ty
[15:06] Vooper Werribee: So yes, like I say Hipster has raised a great topic that is at hte core of online RP
[15:06] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:06] Vooper Werribee: the use of RP to manipulate others
[15:07] Vooper Werribee: When we're roleplaying we're creating a shared story and reality
[15:07] Cursa Charisma: That sounds like the reverse of what Hipster encountered, Vooper
[15:07] Hipster Triangle: some have feelings.some do not
[15:07] Cursa Charisma: People who are in RP just to get their jollies yanking people's chains
[15:07] Vooper Werribee: there's a certain level of trust involved
[15:07] Vooper Werribee: But in ALL online environments especially there are people who enjoy manipulating others just for the power kick they get from it
[15:08] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: Yes
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: That is a form of griefing
[15:08] Vooper Werribee: Online environments mean they can usually get away with such behaviour with very few repucusions
[15:08] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:08] Hipster Triangle: again,ty so much ,for lettin me run my mouth,must go now
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: Hipster, thank you very, very much
[15:09] Vooper Werribee: So I think it is our duty as players to protect ourselves from such people
[15:09] Reiko Soyinka: and others?
[15:09] Vooper Werribee: no-one else will do it for us at the end of the day
[15:09] Cursa Charisma: And our duty as people to help protect others where and as we can
[15:09] Cursa Charisma: Mainly with information
[15:09] Reiko Soyinka: agreed
[15:10] Vooper Werribee: yes help others where you can - but when the oxygen inthe cabin fails - the first thing you need to do is put your own mask on
[15:10] Cursa Charisma: Absolutely
[15:10] Vooper Werribee: I see a lot of roleplayers - especially those new to roleplay (winks at Sojourner) who think they have to accept everyhting that others suggest
[15:11] Vooper Werribee: and there are even roleplay sims where this is encouraged
[15:11] Reiko Soyinka: Nononono...
[15:11] Reiko Soyinka: that's really bad.
[15:11] Medea Warwillow grins
[15:11] Vooper Werribee: But if you do that then you're basically just asking to suffer the same awful expereince that Hipster suffered
[15:12] Medea Warwillow: (Have to run, looking forward to reading the remainder of this discussion :) )
[15:12] Reiko Soyinka: at the risk of sounding like Obi Wan...trust your feelings.
[15:12] Vooper Werribee: The momen tyou feel uncomfortable with the way a roleplay is going you have to drop out of character - even log out if it is really that bad - whatever is needed to call a 'time out'
[15:13] Sojourner Starship: Thank you all so much for allowing me to join the discussion. I do have to go... but it was nice to meet and hear :)
[15:13] Cursa Charisma: In a freeform environment like SL, it is as Sojourner says, like kids playing cowboys and Indians - but people don't all come in knowing or sharing the same rules. One comes in thinking if you say "Bang, bang, you're dead", people have to fall down, and another thinks that no, you don't
[15:13] Cursa Charisma: Oops
[15:13] Reiko Soyinka grins at Cursa.
[15:14] Cursa Charisma: Anyway, Vooper, it's great to see you out so late at night, your time
[15:14] Vooper Werribee: it's another 'early' Nexus session - sin't it?
[15:14] Vooper Werribee: :)
[15:14] Cursa Charisma: Thanks to Daylight Savings, I lost the hour that made 2pm SLT barely "doable" for me
[15:14] Cursa Charisma: Yes, for the next 6 months, early times will be hard for me
[15:14] Cursa Charisma: :(
[15:14] Vooper Werribee: ah! US has switched to Daylight Savings!
[15:15] Cursa Charisma: Yes, a month earlier than in my day
[15:15] Cursa Charisma: I'm still getting taken by surprise
[15:15] Vooper Werribee: Ok - that's good to know - Europe doesn't get there until the end of the month
[15:15] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[15:15] Reiko Soyinka: as we used to do, Vooper.
[15:16] Vooper Werribee: That was a great subject for a talk today
[15:16] Reiko Soyinka: Yes, but I think it should be redone...
[15:17] Cursa Charisma: So, Hipster's case seems to support the idea that in a freeform environment, two main rules are needed: 1) distinguish ic from ooc; 2) get permission in IM before attempting to seriously affect another person's char
[15:17] Reiko Soyinka: Poor Tipster.
[15:17] Reiko Soyinka: hipster.
[15:17] Cursa Charisma: I think it's a great case to refer to in future discussions
[15:18] Cursa Charisma: As with Sojourner's example, people have to have the same basic ground rules, or there will be tears
[15:18] Reiko Soyinka: Cursa, how did you deduce that it was for IC gain?
[15:18] Vooper Werribee: I believe that some RP 'cultures'/'styles' in SL actively try NOT to distinguish IC and OOC ... ie try to always remain IC
[15:18] Cursa Charisma: Hipster was clear enough that he perceived it to be a setup to get gold
[15:19] Cursa Charisma: Maybe missing the first part of the talk made it easier to catch
[15:19] Reiko Soyinka: Well, it may also be that to me, friendship is not achieved in a day or two.
[15:20] Reiko Soyinka: So, that I didn't understand his usage of the word.
[15:20] Cursa Charisma: As in all types of human relationships, sometimes things seem to "click" and develop quickly. And there are people who use that - what's called "social engineering" nowadays
[15:20] Reiko Soyinka: ((kill the comma))
[15:21] Vooper Werribee: yes - he seemed to be saying that he thought he had found a true freind (online, in a couple of days ... hmm well I guess it *could* happen)
[15:21] Cursa Charisma: Vooper, your point about perceived impunity is important, connected to the Total Fuckwad Theory
[15:21] Total Fuckwad Theory: Cursa Charisma, Penny Arcade http://www.penny-arcade.com/2004/3/26/ is the source for this important piece of wisdom. The article references a learned thesis, which can be read online https://www.msu.edu/user/trescami/thesis.htm
[15:22] Vooper Werribee is a big fan of TFT
[15:22] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:23] Cursa Charisma: For people new to online communications, it is an understandable response for them to perceive intimate friendship when they can quickly share intimate personal topics with a new acquaintance
[15:23] Cursa Charisma: Naive, but understandable
[15:23] Cursa Charisma: If we are stone cold, we can say it's like falling for a 419
[15:25] Vooper Werribee: I think that sharing an imagined reality is also perceived as a stage towards 'intimacy' so probably strengthens any such bonds
[15:26] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:26] Cursa Charisma: Absolutely
[15:26] Reiko Soyinka: Similar to the out of reallity experience of the foxhole.
[15:27] Cursa Charisma: And that's distinct from the social effect of being able to talk about topics that offline, if brought up, would bring scorn
[15:27] Cursa Charisma: If Hipster wants to talk about the importance to him of warrior codes of honor, for example, with his workmates, he runs enormous risks
[15:27] Vooper Werribee: yes
[15:27] Vooper Werribee: wow - the internet is a scarey place
[15:28] Reiko Soyinka: Yes, but overall, worth the risk.
[15:28] Cursa Charisma: Whereas in a Gor sim, the first thing he talks about with a new acquaintance might be something like that
[15:28] Cursa Charisma: Something that answers a deeply held pent-up need
[15:28] Vooper Werribee: I really wish there wa s away of warning people about RP without puting them off
[15:29] Vooper Werribee: I've heard quite a few horror stories - worse than Hipsters- although for him it seemed pretty bad
[15:29] Vooper Werribee: people who just created a character and within a couple of days found they were the 'wife' of another character and subjected to rape scenes
[15:29] Cursa Charisma: People need to be warned about online communication *first*, before and separate from any discussion of RP
[15:29] Reiko Soyinka: I'm still not convinced that Hipsters was a horror story...I think it may have been just pathos.
[15:30] Cursa Charisma: And then, yeah, any given RP thing needs to be up-front about the nature of its setting
[15:30] Vooper Werribee: and of course - these peopel didn't realise they were being horribly manipulated
[15:30] Vooper Werribee: they just thought this was how you 'did' roleplay
[15:30] Cursa Charisma: Whether Hipster misinterpreted his experience is not relevant, except to him
[15:30] Cursa Charisma: Right, Vooper
[15:30] Reiko Soyinka: /nod
[15:30] Cursa Charisma: That is the case for the majority of people who get roped into Gor, imo
[15:31] Vooper Werribee: yes ... although this wasn't actually a Gorean sim where this happened
[15:31] Cursa Charisma: People tend either to import their ideas from other things (such as MMOs or FPSs) or just accept the first thing they're told
[15:31] Vooper Werribee: But while we're talking about Gorean sims - can I share a couple of anecdotes
[15:31] Cursa Charisma listens
[15:31] Reiko Soyinka: listens
[15:32] Vooper Werribee: First one - I was invited to a French RP convention in SL to talk about Splintered Rock
[15:32] Vooper Werribee: I attended the talk before mine out of curtesy
[15:32] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:32] Vooper Werribee: it was a Gorean sim (or something based along those lines)
[15:32] Vooper Werribee: The presenter started with:
[15:32] Vooper Werribee: 'Our sim has everyhting that one expects from roleplay...'
[15:33] Cursa Charisma grins
[15:33] Vooper Werribee: 'Swordplay, Rape and Torture'
[15:33] Cursa Charisma laughs
[15:33] Vooper Werribee: That was the essence of good roleplay :)
[15:33] Vooper Werribee: Anecdote two
[15:33] Cursa Charisma: In SL, that is the mode
[15:34] Reiko Soyinka blinks.
[15:34] Vooper Werribee: there was a keen Gorean player who also used to come to Splintered Rock
[15:34] Cursa Charisma: Only one?
[15:34] Vooper Werribee: one day they turned up looking very depressed
[15:34] Reiko Soyinka: hehehehehe
[15:34] Vooper Werribee: turns out they had been playing on a new Gorean sim only to find out it was Gay Gorean!
[15:34] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[15:35] Vooper Werribee: and they were really no longer happy with what their master had asked them to do :)
[15:35] Vooper Werribee: my response did not go down well however...
[15:35] Cursa Charisma: So to speak
[15:35] Reiko Soyinka waits for it...
[15:36] Vooper Werribee: I told them that I had always had my suspicions about the Priest Kings ... Ithought the fact they took rather too much of an interest in interior design should have bee na warning sign !
[15:36] Cursa Charisma laughs
[15:36] Vooper Werribee: I never saw her on the sim again :)
[15:36] Reiko Soyinka: hehehehehe
[15:36] Cursa Charisma: So many people in SL take Gor so seriously
[15:37] Vooper Werribee: yes - I shouldn't have been so callous tho :)
[15:37] Cursa Charisma: Well, that depends
[15:37] Cursa Charisma: It goes back to the question of perceived intimacy
[15:37] Vooper Werribee: The fact that they were somehow 'outraged' at Gay Gorean but not standard Gorean was sooo funny I couldn't resist it
[15:38] Cursa Charisma: If you were running a pub and someone came in with problems like that, you'd read signals from tone of voice, facial expression, body language
[15:38] Cursa Charisma: And I quite agree on that one, lol
[15:41] Cursa Charisma: Alright, I need to get some breakfast, but once the transcript is compiled and edited, I think this will be a good addition to the body of Nexus knowledge
[15:41] Reiko Soyinka: Ahhhh, Hipster may not be what he presented himself as...speaking about manipulation.
[15:41] Vooper Werribee: Well, I think it's time for me to do another litter patrol of Splintered and then log :)
[15:41] Vooper Werribee: oooo
[15:42] Cursa Charisma: Nobody may be as he presents himself, especially online
[15:42] Vooper Werribee: the plot thickens
[15:42] Cursa Charisma bows formally
(transcript ends)

Feb.28 2010 Nexus Topic "Exploring the Self - Heart and Mind in Companion Guild Training"

On Sunday, February 28, 2010, the Role Play Nexus hosted a talk by Varahi Lusch, entitled, "Exploring the Self - Heart and Mind in Companion Guild Training"

Attending were:
Abraham Redinamus
Anastasia Horngold
Bakitus Enderfield
BriAria Mirajkar
Calina Tereshchenko
CoolLuke Sands
Cursa Charisma
Dee Firefly
Emberzzz Mendelsohn
Falcon53 Neox
Hipster Triangle
Joan Vhargon
Rahn Au
Reiko Soyinka
Tabitha Diesel
Tillery Woodhen
Varahi Lusch
Vooper Werribee

(transcript begins)
[13:48] Cursa Charisma: Welcome
[13:48] Abraham Redinamus: hey
[13:48] Abraham Redinamus: thanks
[13:48] Cursa Charisma: Tillery, good to see you!
[13:49] Tillery Woodhen: hey Cursa
[13:49] Cursa Charisma: Falcon-dono!
[13:49] Cursa Charisma bows formally
[13:49] Falcon53 Neox: hi long time no see
[13:49] Cursa Charisma: Yes, indeed
[13:49] Cursa Charisma: And the lady of the hour
[13:50] Varahi Lusch smiles
[13:50] Falcon53 Neox: greetings
[13:50] Varahi Lusch: hi
[13:50] Abraham Redinamus tips his hat
[13:50] Varahi Lusch curtsies
[13:50] Tillery Woodhen: hey Varahi
[13:50] Varahi Lusch: just doing a bit of admin then we are set ^^
[13:51] Cursa Charisma: That's fine, Varahi, we're still early
[13:51] Varahi Lusch: and you are all rezzing slowly
[13:51] Varahi Lusch: hi tillery :))
[13:51] Cursa Charisma: SL weekend lagg
[13:52] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Rahn
[13:52] Rahn Au: hi
[13:52] Tillery Woodhen: hey vooper
[13:52] Cursa Charisma: And Vooper
[13:53] Splintered Rock [Announcement]: Varahi Lusch giving RP Nexus Talk - For Your Information: Varahi will be giving a talk entitled 'Exploring the Self - Heart and Mind in Companion Guild Training' starting NOW (2PM SLT Sunday 28 February). IM Vooper Werribee for a LM if you would like to attend.
[13:53] Tillery Woodhen: thanks.... i think
[13:53] Vooper Werribee: hello everyone - nice to be here for a talk again :) appreciate the earlier timing :)
[13:53] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Calina
[13:54] Tillery Woodhen: hey calina
[13:54] Abraham Redinamus: sure pal
[13:54] Calina Tereshchenko smiles "Thank you and hello everyone"
[13:54] Abraham Redinamus tps hi hat
[13:55] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Vooper, we're attempting to teach by example on having various times to catch people in various zones
[13:55] Cursa Charisma winks
[13:55] Autopilot canceled
[13:55] Autopilot canceled
[13:56] Autopilot canceled
[13:56] Vooper Werribee: it's a good idea - the only problem with the 'Gobal Village' is thatthe inhabitants work on different 'shifts' :D
[13:56] Autopilot canceled
[13:56] Cursa Charisma: Exactly
[13:57] Vooper Werribee: hey Falcon - how goes it?
[13:57] Falcon53 Neox: ahh well soumethings have not been what I would want but ok on the whole
[13:58] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Dee
[13:58] Dee Firefly: hello there
[13:58] Dee Firefly: thought I would come and listen in
[13:58] Varahi Lusch: hello dee :)
[13:59] Dee Firefly: hello Varahi my dear *smiles*
[13:59] Varahi Lusch smiles at Calina
[14:00] Calina Tereshchenko smiles and bows her head respectfully "Greetings, Priestess."
[14:00] Varahi Lusch shuffles her notes looking a little nervous
[14:00] Dee Firefly smiles
[14:01] Vooper Werribee: don't be nervous - ain't nobody here but us avatars :) (the people behind the avis have all gone to watch TV, eat or pee! ) :D
[14:01] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Anastasia and Emberzzz!
[14:01] Anastasia Horngold: Hello all
[14:01] Abraham Redinamus: ((LOL))
[14:01] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: ndos.
[14:01] Dee Firefly chuckles, or at least bathing in the aftermath of a really good chinese meal :)
[14:02] Anastasia Horngold: Oh Vooper, I didn't see you there!
[14:02] Anastasia Horngold: Didn't mean to be QUITE so friendly
[14:02] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Joan
[14:02] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[14:02] Tillery Woodhen: i don't think he minded
[14:02] Vooper Werribee looks flustered
[14:02] Joan Vhargon: hello everyone!
[14:02] Anastasia Horngold smiles
[14:02] Vooper Werribee: erm don't move on my account :)
[14:02] Tillery Woodhen: hey Joan
[14:02] Falcon53 Neox: hi Joan
[14:02] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: what was that Cursa?
[14:03] Tillery Woodhen: are we IC here?
[14:03] Anastasia Horngold: Maybe next time!
[14:03] Varahi Lusch: im not
[14:03] Varahi Lusch: lol
[14:03] Cursa Charisma: No, this is not an ic event
[14:03] Tillery Woodhen: shiny
[14:03] Varahi Lusch: hahahaha
[14:03] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:03] Varahi Lusch: i will do a bit of both
[14:03] Abraham Redinamus: seems like so
[14:03] Varahi Lusch: but it is my world for now so thats ok
[14:03] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[14:03] Joan Vhargon: Tilleryt You're Healed, You can walk!!!
[14:03] Tillery Woodhen: LOL
[14:04] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: so sorry dee. ddi'tn meant to sit on yo.
[14:04] Dee Firefly smiles oh don't worry at all, :)
[14:04] Vooper Werribee: ooo - this is quite a crowd!
[14:04] Tillery Woodhen: i'm gonna see if i can get some med treatment. like artificial nerves or something
[14:04] Dee Firefly: I never mind *chuckles* friendly is shiny !
[14:04] Varahi Lusch: so you wont be in the wheelchair anymore?
[14:04] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Vooper, we seem to have a very nice group today
[14:04] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: :)
[14:05] Tillery Woodhen: i'd still be on crutches for a while
[14:05] Joan Vhargon: Don't ask for a donation from me. I'm on my last nerve.
[14:05] Varahi Lusch: interesting ^^
[14:05] Cursa Charisma: Alright, it's five after the hour, so... welcome, Bakitus
[14:05] Bakitus Enderfield: Hi
[14:05] Tillery Woodhen: hello
[14:05] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:05] Abraham Redinamus: howdy
[14:05] Bakitus Enderfield: Didn't know I'd end up in the middle :\
[14:06] Cursa Charisma: ... let's begin
[14:06] Cursa Charisma: On behalf of the SL RPG Developers group and the Cairnlow Falcons, our hosts here at Mul, welcome to the Role Play Nexus
[14:06] Abraham Redinamus: alright
[14:06] Cursa Charisma: Today, we are blessed to have a talk by Varahi Lusch, entitled, "Exploring the Self - Heart and Mind in Companion Guild Training"
[14:06] Varahi Lusch: ^^
[14:06] Cursa Charisma: The Nexus looks very nice at Midnight, and we have a new-agey "World" channel on the music stream
[14:06] Cursa Charisma: We request that you hold your questions until after Varahi's talk, when we will have a moderated discussion
[14:07] Joan Vhargon: Can I ask for a courtesy Rule before we start?
[14:07] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Joan?
[14:07] Joan Vhargon: Please do not IM the presenter during the presentation. Its too confusing.
[14:07] Cursa Charisma: And everyone, we will be keeping a transcript of today's discussion for the benefit of those who cannot attend
[14:07] Cursa Charisma: Ah, yes, Joan, thank you
[14:07] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:07] Cursa Charisma: If there are any concerns or questions during Varahi's talk, please IM *me*
[14:08] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[14:08] Cursa Charisma: Without further ado, let us welcome Varahi!
[14:08] Cursa Charisma bows formally
[14:08] Varahi Lusch: thank you cursa
[14:08] Varahi Lusch: hello everyone
[14:08] Varahi Lusch: so exploring the self...
[14:08] Varahi Lusch: i myself have a background of theatre
[14:09] Varahi Lusch: so even though when i came to sl looking for a fresh start
[14:09] Varahi Lusch: moving into rp was a logical step for me
[14:09] Varahi Lusch: i found in sl lots of people either exploring themselves or trying not to
[14:10] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:10] Varahi Lusch: but i witnessed many events that really worked a path for those inside the wheel of Second Life
[14:10] Varahi Lusch: Roleplay is an interesting way of exploring the self in my opinion
[14:10] Varahi Lusch: lots of actors are often asked 'did you become that character when you played it'
[14:11] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:11] Varahi Lusch: some say.... 'no way! i am not that person' and distance themselves from the character
[14:11] Varahi Lusch: others are method actors and really make a point of getting inside the mind of the person
[14:12] Varahi Lusch: whatever people say the middle way is that the actor is definitely affected by the character they play
[14:12] Varahi Lusch: and for those who are interested in themselves and their self development
[14:12] Varahi Lusch: this is the main reason why they do it!
[14:12] Varahi Lusch: When i was young i enjoyed hiding behind the characters i played
[14:13] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[14:13] Varahi Lusch: was very nervous in reality and did not like stages
[14:13] Varahi Lusch: but... my character did what they did and used my body for a while
[14:13] Varahi Lusch: like the way you have left your av vooper and gone off to watch tv
[14:13] Varahi Lusch winks
[14:14] CoolLuke Sands: HELLO LADIES!!!!!
[14:14] Cursa Charisma: (welcome, Tab, Luke, please have a seat)
[14:14] CoolLuke Sands: and Gentlemen
[14:14] Varahi Lusch: hello :)
[14:14] Abraham Redinamus: ((LOL))
[14:14] CoolLuke Sands: Rezzing
[14:14] Varahi Lusch: later in my life i embraced a practice of Buddhism and watching my mind...
[14:14] Tabitha Diesel: ((will sit as soon as i can see :P))
[14:15] Varahi Lusch: and felt my characters would be more full if i knew myself better
[14:15] Varahi Lusch: so i left acting and rp for a bit for an inner journey
[14:15] Varahi Lusch grins
[14:15] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:15] Varahi Lusch: so here now as High Priestess of the Companion's Guild
[14:16] Falcon53 Neox: nods
[14:16] Varahi Lusch: i assist others with their inner journeys
[14:16] Varahi Lusch: no point hiring a Companion who is all over the place!
[14:16] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:16] Varahi Lusch: and nice also to revel in the space roleplay gives us to explore ourselves
[14:17] Varahi Lusch: roleplaying a school is an interesting thing
[14:17] Varahi Lusch: it needs balance and to be long term, consistant...
[14:17] Varahi Lusch: and yet responsive to each student
[14:17] Varahi Lusch: particularly when you are teaching and opening their awareness of love in the worl
[14:17] Varahi Lusch: d
[14:18] Varahi Lusch: so from being a rather scatty and free avatar...
[14:18] Varahi Lusch: i have become rather organised
[14:19] Varahi Lusch: so what do we do at the Companion Training House at Saona?
[14:19] Varahi Lusch: how does a Companion become registered?
[14:19] Varahi Lusch: and why bother hiring one?
[14:19] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:19] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:19] Varahi Lusch: the training takes place during four stages
[14:20] Varahi Lusch: and as we grow i am writing these things down more and more to become systematic with the wider verse and second life
[14:20] Varahi Lusch: when i train a companion i want him/her to have a real experience
[14:20] Varahi Lusch: some explore real close to character
[14:21] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:21] Varahi Lusch: others are looser with not so much experience of the rp world
[14:21] Varahi Lusch: i try to embrace each method as one becomes the other so easily
[14:21] Varahi Lusch: and vice versa
[14:21] Varahi Lusch: we have new bugs...
[14:21] Varahi Lusch: who have the tag 'Companion Acolyte'
[14:22] Varahi Lusch: they are settling in and bonding with the community
[14:22] Cursa Charisma winks at Calina
[14:22] Varahi Lusch: our teaching are rather like games
[14:22] Varahi Lusch: with focus on enjoyment and relaxation
[14:22] Calina Tereshchenko chuckles
[14:22] Varahi Lusch: touching on the vibe we would wish to share with future clients
[14:23] Varahi Lusch: we focus on the breath at the beginning of the session
[14:23] Varahi Lusch: and then let ourselves fly exploring things like gazing at the sky, building things, communication practice and making jokes and expressing ourselves
[14:24] Varahi Lusch: settling ourselves into the verse and into the things second life offer us also
[14:24] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:24] Varahi Lusch: then we have Peacock Acolytes
[14:24] Varahi Lusch: they have younger brothers and sisters and learn to take care of others
[14:25] Varahi Lusch: again with flexibilty we would wish with clients
[14:25] Varahi Lusch: (dealing with constant needs and also those of the 'where were you this past month' people)
[14:25] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[14:25] Varahi Lusch: Flamingo Acolytes explore teaching
[14:26] Varahi Lusch: making up for the fact i cant teach in the other timezones or i'd go crazy
[14:26] Varahi Lusch: and the Phoenix Acolytes are the last type
[14:26] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[14:26] Varahi Lusch: these have much more focussed teachings
[14:26] Varahi Lusch: where they learn a map of activities they can apply as a Companion
[14:26] Varahi Lusch: just before they embark on their career
[14:27] Varahi Lusch: as you can see the four different stages challenge the character and individual in different ways
[14:27] Varahi Lusch: changing things to keep the mind awake and also to open it when it is
[14:28] Varahi Lusch: the lovely thing about rp and second life is that it is full of human beings
[14:28] Varahi Lusch: and they do such random stuff everything is constantly on the move
[14:28] Varahi Lusch: so one of my main jobs
[14:28] Varahi Lusch: aside from all the organisation and admin
[14:28] Varahi Lusch rolls her eyes and smiles
[14:28] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:29] Hipster Triangle: havin probs here,smiles
[14:29] Varahi Lusch: is loving my students and being there for them when crazy or not so crazy things happen for them
[14:29] Varahi Lusch: being ready for them to have issues
[14:29] Varahi Lusch: and having an open mind about them as even though we are close they are constantly changing and developing
[14:30] Varahi Lusch: our island Saona on paquin is open to all, as is our teachings apart from the closed Phoenix ones
[14:30] Varahi Lusch: so my students vary a lot
[14:30] Varahi Lusch: and the more heart ones find themselves dealing with people very new to sl
[14:30] Varahi Lusch: which helps everyone to find their ways...
[14:31] Varahi Lusch: old and new
[14:31] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:31] Varahi Lusch: so....
[14:31] Varahi Lusch: i think that is enough ranting
[14:31] Varahi Lusch: ^^
[14:31] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[14:31] Varahi Lusch: i am happy to answer any questions now one at a time
[14:32] Falcon53 Neox: I honor your compassion in your training
[14:32] Varahi Lusch smiles at falcon
[14:32] Varahi Lusch: thank you
[14:32] Varahi Lusch: compassion is enjoyable what can i say
[14:32] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[14:32] Falcon53 Neox: smiles
[14:33] Cursa Charisma: Alright, as Varahi has said, we'll have an orderly discussion today
[14:33] Cursa Charisma grins
[14:33] Abraham Redinamus: ((need to run out off, thanks for those kind words, see yoou all later))
[14:33] Anastasia Horngold: I'm impressed with your description of the program. I didn't know the group was doing anything so "serious", if you'll pardon the term!
[14:33] Cursa Charisma: Thank you for coming, Abraham
[14:33] Vooper Werribee: Thanks for a great insight into your Second Life and The Companions, Varahi - I have a question
[14:33] Cursa Charisma: We'll have a transcript of the full talk and discussion posted here, and online
[14:33] Cursa Charisma: OK, Vooper
[14:34] Hipster Triangle: whats the online thing,where i can get a transcript?
[14:34] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: what do you find the greatest challenge in creating the environment of a "school" in sl when so many of your "students" have a high degree of variation in their goals? Do you find this something that makes retention difficult or does it in fact provide variety that increases the continuation of studies?
[14:34] Cursa Charisma: HOld that thought, Em
[14:34] Cursa Charisma: Vooper's got a question atm
[14:34] Emberzzz Mendelsohn Grabs thought with both hands
[14:34] Vooper Werribee: I've been to a couple of your sessions Varahi, and both included meditation and in one case an exercise where I found my self having to react as myself ...
[14:35] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[14:35] Varahi Lusch: excuse me!
[14:35] Reiko Soyinka: You may have to repeat that question...
[14:35] Dee Firefly: welcome back Varahi :)
[14:35] Vooper Werribee: I'm one of these roleplayers who keeps quite a divide between myself and my character ...not the like the 'method' actors...
[14:35] Vooper Werribee: so being myself was actually quite a novelty and enjoyable expereince
[14:36] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:36] Hipster Triangle: yeah,believe it or not,I am what ya see,just me
[14:36] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:36] Vooper Werribee: I actually found myself being quite calme by the meditation sessions for example, even though all I was doing was sitting at my screen :)
[14:36] Varahi Lusch: and to Anastasia... when i came to the Guild we did not have any training
[14:37] Anastasia Horngold nods
[14:37] Varahi Lusch: but i had some background experience with meditation and had founf Inara very inspiring
[14:37] Vooper Werribee: But anyway ... my question is - do you think there are any dangers in mixing RL explorations of self and roleplay ?
[14:37] Varahi Lusch: so i was determined that if something was worth doing it was worth doing well ^^
[14:37] Varahi Lusch nods at vooper
[14:37] Hipster Triangle: yes,sometimes,I get way to involved
[14:38] Varahi Lusch: i personally do not think we have the choice vooper
[14:38] Varahi Lusch: we have one mind
[14:38] Reiko Soyinka raises her hand.
[14:38] Varahi Lusch: and i think sl is an experience of mind
[14:38] Cursa Charisma: Please wait, Reiko
[14:38] Varahi Lusch: so i dont feel there is any danger
[14:38] Varahi Lusch: as whether we empathose with our character or not the experiences we have will have an effect on us
[14:39] Vooper Werribee nods - that's a good answer - it's made me think!
[14:39] Hipster Triangle: what about the real feelings of those in SL?
[14:39] Dee Firefly nods thoughfully
[14:39] Varahi Lusch: in fact there may be a plus to it as we are fully acknolging what is happening for us
[14:39] Varahi Lusch: do you mean those around us Hipster?
[14:39] Falcon53 Neox: as I have had to learn
[14:40] Hipster Triangle: no,im talkin bout real people,with real feelings
[14:40] Cursa Charisma: Alright, let's let Varahi answer that
[14:40] Varahi Lusch: hmm im not sure i understnad the specifics of your question hipster
[14:40] Varahi Lusch blushes
[14:40] Hipster Triangle: not just a keyboard
[14:40] Varahi Lusch: well we are all real people in feeling
[14:41] Varahi Lusch: so in the training i do i take that in consideration
[14:41] Varahi Lusch: and being ready to support rl or sl feelings
[14:42] Hipster Triangle: they are one an the same
[14:42] Varahi Lusch: indeed ^^
[14:42] Hipster Triangle: we are real People
[14:42] Varahi Lusch: reiko had a question?
[14:42] Cursa Charisma: Actually
[14:42] Reiko Soyinka: Actually, at this point, I'd prefer to defer to emberzzz.
[14:42] Varahi Lusch: ok..
[14:43] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Reiko, you're next after Em
[14:43] Varahi Lusch smiles at her and turns to emberzz
[14:43] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: smiles.
[14:43] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: I was just asking about like, how you find with all the different goals your "students" (players) have
[14:43] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: what you see is valueable in keeping them retained .... especially in the framework of a "school"
[14:44] Varahi Lusch nods
[14:44] Varahi Lusch: well we all have different goals when we are in one place in rl work and school for example...
[14:44] Varahi Lusch: i find that some come because they feel the wide open nature of sl
[14:45] Varahi Lusch: and like some community and structure
[14:45] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: nods.
[14:45] Varahi Lusch: but also although i explained the structure earlier
[14:45] Varahi Lusch: i myself like to andlets face it
[14:45] Varahi Lusch: have to be flexible
[14:45] Varahi Lusch: people need to take things on in their own time
[14:45] Hipster Triangle: Friends?
[14:45] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: Well I personally have been to some classes and events, and I found that I was very impressed how you incorporated important SL knowledge with the rp.
[14:46] Varahi Lusch: and also some have a difficult computer and are gone for a month
[14:46] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:46] Varahi Lusch: thank you emberzz
[14:46] Hipster Triangle: sorry
[14:46] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: simply true Varahi.
[14:46] Varahi Lusch: personally i like to feel people can feel their own way
[14:46] Varahi Lusch: and if they just want the one time experience it is fine for me
[14:46] Varahi Lusch: if they on the other hand...
[14:47] Varahi Lusch: want me to manifest as the 'mother' of the house
[14:47] Varahi Lusch: i will do that
[14:47] Varahi Lusch: some peoples training i speed up or slow
[14:47] Varahi Lusch: when i see they have a preference for either
[14:47] Varahi Lusch: :)
[14:47] Cursa Charisma: Alright, let's have Reiko's question, and then Joan's
[14:48] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: :) thank you Varah.
[14:48] Reiko Soyinka: I'd like to mention that some recently published studies show that rote learning has merit...and this that your character repeats often can influence your real life thinking. I have experienced that. Done.
[14:48] Varahi Lusch: thank you Reiko, it is nice to know of that
[14:48] Varahi Lusch: :))
[14:49] Vooper Werribee: Would you be happy to share the details of that Reiko?
[14:49] Varahi Lusch: yes it would be great if you would
[14:50] Reiko Soyinka: I played a priestess in a different game...that which we "taught", to anyone who would listen, has changed how I view the world.
[14:50] Reiko Soyinka: done
[14:50] Varahi Lusch: :)
[14:50] Cursa Charisma: Perhaps, Reiko, you would like to give a talk here in the future on your experience
[14:50] Cursa Charisma: Alright, now to Joan's question
[14:50] Joan Vhargon: Varahi. Thank you for your presentation. I have a question about the customer's experience.
[14:51] Joan Vhargon: Part of what you are doing is training your companions to interact with other Avatar persons. Can you describe what happens during an average interaction between a companion and a another avatar person? That might help us envision what you are teaching.
[14:51] Varahi Lusch nods
[14:51] Joan Vhargon: **
[14:51] Varahi Lusch: when i recieve an application it stipulates what kind of experience the client requires
[14:51] Varahi Lusch: so there is no blurred line
[14:51] Varahi Lusch: (eek)
[14:52] Cursa Charisma: eek?
[14:52] Hipster Triangle: But,Who are we to Judge Others?
[14:52] Varahi Lusch: then i find the right Companion for the appointment, one who rp limits fits
[14:52] Hipster Triangle: there mind,there thoughts?
[14:52] Varahi Lusch: there are three main methods of interestion
[14:52] Varahi Lusch: interaction
[14:52] Varahi Lusch: sorry
[14:53] Cursa Charisma: (new word, yay!)
[14:53] Varahi Lusch: all appointments start with the tea ceremony
[14:53] Varahi Lusch: this gives the two a chance to get to know one another
[14:53] Varahi Lusch: during his/her training the Companion has learnt more about themselves
[14:54] Varahi Lusch: and has trained in having a balanced non judgemental mind
[14:54] Varahi Lusch: who can love the new qualities in the client
[14:55] Varahi Lusch: this will then be practiced with the client through the tea ceremony... dancing, massage and sex.. whatever has been agreed on by both before the appointment
[14:55] Varahi Lusch: some clients will be one off others longer term roleplay
[14:56] Varahi Lusch: and some will have short booking but request the same particular Companion each time
[14:56] Varahi Lusch: i have been making good effort to strength the guild with structure
[14:56] Varahi Lusch: so everyone knows where they stand
[14:56] Varahi Lusch: and once stood can then relax
[14:56] Varahi Lusch smiles
[14:56] Cursa Charisma nods
[14:56] Varahi Lusch: does that answer your question joan?
[14:56] Joan Vhargon: yes. Thank you
[14:57] Varahi Lusch: anyone else?
[14:57] Cursa Charisma: Alright, does anyone have a question waiting?
[14:57] Varahi Lusch smiles around the room
[14:58] Cursa Charisma: Alright, thank you very much, Varahi
[14:58] Anastasia Horngold: How many are in your group?
[14:58] Varahi Lusch: hmmm good question
[14:58] Varahi Lusch: ^^
[14:58] Hipster Triangle: raises hand
[14:58] Cursa Charisma nods to Hipster
[14:59] Reiko Soyinka: raises hand...
[14:59] Varahi Lusch: we have about 29 students at present
[14:59] Varahi Lusch: all at various stages
[14:59] Varahi Lusch smiles at Hipster
[14:59] Anastasia Horngold nods
[14:59] Hipster Triangle: it is better to have loved an lost,than to have never known Love at all
[14:59] Varahi Lusch: yes that is true Hipster :)
[15:00] Reiko Soyinka: Thats debatable.
[15:00] Varahi Lusch: one thing i have found as a polyamorous person in sl
[15:00] Varahi Lusch: which some of our Companions are obviously
[15:00] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[15:00] Varahi Lusch: is you never have to really say goodbye to anyone
[15:00] Thaiis Thei: Greetings
[15:00] BriAria Mirajkar: unless you kick them out of the guild.
[15:00] Varahi Lusch: hi thaiis
[15:00] Hipster Triangle: I meant that as a metafore
[15:00] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Thaiis
[15:00] Varahi Lusch smiles at Bri
[15:01] Cursa Charisma: And thank you, Hipster
[15:01] Varahi Lusch: you are always welcome as a client and a sister Bri... we spoke about this
[15:01] Varahi Lusch: :-p
[15:01] Cursa Charisma: And I believe Reiko had a question
[15:01] Varahi Lusch: i dont condone murder much... doesnt tend to be an expression of love
[15:01] Varahi Lusch: ^^
[15:01] Varahi Lusch: yes Reiko
[15:01] Thaiis Thei splutters her coffee
[15:02] Reiko Soyinka recovers from fit of giggles...
[15:02] Varahi Lusch sidesmiles at Thaiis
[15:02] Reiko Soyinka: No, I didn't...sorry. Done
[15:02] Varahi Lusch: :-p
[15:03] Cursa Charisma: Alright, Thaiis, as always, there will be a full transcript available here and at Medea's blog
[15:03] Thaiis Thei: thanks Cursa... its ungodly early here so I coudlnt make it sooner
[15:03] Anastasia Horngold: Thanks Varahi, that was interesting and informative
[15:03] Hipster Triangle: sayin goodbye,is the hardest thing,ive ever had to do
[15:03] Varahi Lusch nods at Hipster
[15:03] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:03] Varahi Lusch: it is very hard, and at the heart of many a drama
[15:03] Hipster Triangle: specially,if ya really care
[15:04] Cursa Charisma: Yes, indeed
[15:04] Reiko Soyinka: BEcomes easier with practice.
[15:04] Tillery Woodhen: and we're done just in time for me to make dinner
[15:04] Varahi Lusch: thank you all for listening
[15:04] Vooper Werribee: Thanks Varahi
[15:04] Calina Tereshchenko applauds
[15:04] Hipster Triangle: Reiko,seems cold
[15:04] Joan Vhargon: claps.
[15:04] Tillery Woodhen claps his hands
[15:04] Varahi Lusch: and do feel free to come to Saona for a wander or for some teachings and fun
[15:04] Dee Firefly: Thank you Varahi, really clear summation and most enjoyable
[15:04] Falcon53 Neox: thank you for for time and the insight
[15:04] Cursa Charisma: Alright, thank you very much Varahi, and now...
[15:04] Anastasia Horngold nods
[15:04] Varahi Lusch smiles
[15:05] Tillery Woodhen: i need to go myself. later all
[15:05] Varahi Lusch: it has been fun talking to you all today
[15:05] Reiko Soyinka smiles at Varahi.
[15:05] Cursa Charisma: I'd like to open the discussion to particularly ask for offers, requests, and suggestions for future events here at the Nexus
[15:05] Tabitha Diesel applauds varahi
[15:05] Varahi Lusch sits down ^^
[15:05] Thaiis Thei: maybe someone would like to talk about the SL 2 viewer
[15:05] Cursa Charisma: We're trying to keep this civil, Thaiis
[15:05] Cursa Charisma winks
[15:06] Anastasia Horngold: lol
[15:06] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: The new SL Vie-ewww-er
[15:06] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: you mean
[15:06] Cursa Charisma: That's the one, Em!
[15:06] CoolLuke Sands: chuckles
[15:07] Anastasia Horngold: How about techniques for effective/creative improvisation?
[15:07] Thaiis Thei: they have ballsmaking this much noise abotu releasing a beta!
[15:07] Falcon53 Neox: still using emerald must down load it and have a look
[15:07] Thaiis Thei: its strange Falcon, keep emerald
[15:07] Reiko Soyinka: Anastasia, that IS a good one.
[15:07] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: Until they ban emerld.
[15:07] Cursa Charisma: So, Thaiis, are you offering to give us a talk next week on the new LL beta viewer 2.0?
[15:07] Vooper Werribee: excellent suggestion, Anastasia
[15:07] Thaiis Thei: BWAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahaha
[15:08] Thaiis Thei coughs politely
[15:08] Thaiis Thei: No
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: Noted, Anastasia. Would you like to give the talk, or can you suggest a speaker?
[15:08] Hipster Triangle: yes,i need much to learn bout 2.0
[15:08] Anastasia Horngold: That's something I struggle with--I love the RP environments but don't do it very well
[15:08] Tabitha Diesel: we have to take off and take care of some things...have a wonderful afternoon all :)
[15:08] Anastasia Horngold: I don't have any suggestions for a speaker, I'm afraid, but I'll keep an ear to the ground
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: You're concerned mainly with improvisation, Anastasia?
[15:08] CoolLuke Sands: Take care all. We have to go
[15:08] Cursa Charisma: Thanks for coming, Tab, Luke
[15:08] Dee Firefly smiles , I need to go, best wishes to you all, will keep an eye on future talks here *waves*
[15:08] Hipster Triangle: RP is in the Mind of the beholder
[15:08] Anastasia Horngold: Bye guys
[15:08] Varahi Lusch: bye bye people
[15:09] Varahi Lusch: :))
[15:09] Thaiis Thei: bye
[15:09] Cursa Charisma: Thank you for coming, Dee
[15:09] Emberzzz Mendelsohn: bye guys.
[15:09] Hipster Triangle: whatever your mind can stand
[15:09] Dee Firefly: thank you, excellent forum :)
[15:09] Joan Vhargon: Bye
[15:09] Anastasia Horngold: Yes, since in these RP environments we are usually improvising
[15:09] Falcon53 Neox: I'm slowly coming back to RP so I have little to say
[15:09] Cursa Charisma: See you soon, Em
[15:09] Tabitha Diesel waves and poofs
[15:09] Anastasia Horngold: ...rather than having any kind of fixed script
[15:10] Cursa Charisma: We talked a bit about the relationship between pre-established and planned material and improv last week
[15:10] Anastasia Horngold: I'm sorry I missed that one--was sick. But I'll read the transcript.
[15:10] Cursa Charisma: Touch this poster behind me to get a transcript
[15:10] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:10] Cursa Charisma: np
[15:10] Open Discussion Nov. 22, '09: Anastasia Horngold, here is the transcript of this Nexus talk
[15:10] Anastasia Horngold: Got it; thanks
[15:11] Cursa Charisma: And the topic of *how* to improvise is a fresh one that deserves a talk
[15:11] Open Discussion Nov. 22, '09: Falcon53 Neox, here is the transcript of this Nexus talk
[15:11] Varahi Lusch: im gonna go sit on the top of a mountain i think
[15:11] Varahi Lusch: more teaching tomorrow
[15:11] Cursa Charisma: Was I standing in front of the wrong poster?
[15:11] Varahi Lusch giggles.
[15:11] Cursa Charisma: We appreciate very much your coming and sharing with us, Varahi
[15:11] Varahi Lusch: nice to share ^^
[15:11] Varahi Lusch: take care ya'll
[15:12] Joan Vhargon: Thank you again Varahi.
[15:12] Varahi Lusch curtsies
[15:12] Falcon53 Neox: take care
[15:12] Cursa Charisma: Everyone, if you have not yet experienced one of Varahi's tutorials, I urge you to do so
[15:12] Cursa Charisma: Welcome, Svetka
[15:12] Cursa Charisma: You just missed Varahi
[15:12] Svetlana Pleides: Salyut everbody
[15:12] Cursa Charisma: But we're talking about topics and speakers for future events
[15:13] Falcon53 Neox: must go I await the next talk
[15:13] Thaiis Thei: i'd be willing to do a technical talk....
[15:13] Cursa Charisma: Thank you for coming, Falcon, very good seeing you
[15:13] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, Thaiis
[15:13] Cursa Charisma: On building?
[15:13] Falcon53 Neox: we will talk soon
[15:13] Thaiis Thei: eveyone likes machines right?
[15:13] Cursa Charisma bows formally
[15:14] Svetlana Pleides: da.. love machine.
[15:14] Reiko Soyinka: I don't like machines that make noise.
[15:14] Svetlana Pleides whispers: machines.. :)
[15:15] Thaiis Thei: and I have seen so few workign ones in sl
[15:15] Thaiis Thei: I coudl do a talk abotu machine I have made
[15:15] Thaiis Thei: and how to do it
[15:15] Cursa Charisma: That would be excellent, Thaiis
[15:16] Cursa Charisma: And as speaker, you can set the time
[15:16] Cursa Charisma winks
[15:16] Thaiis Thei: bloody oath
[15:16] Cursa Charisma laughs
[15:16] Cursa Charisma loves the sound of Strine in the morning
[15:16] Thaiis Thei: I could start at about 4
[15:16] Cursa Charisma: 4pm SLT?
[15:16] Hipster Triangle: I'd like ta give a real talk on RP, because,i dont think some sont relize,its not for the weak at heart
[15:16] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, Hipster
[15:16] Thaiis Thei: it smells like.... colloquialism
[15:16] Reiko Soyinka: Agree Hipster.
[15:17] Vooper Werribee: Anastasia - I'm guessing you've thought a lot of about improv RP - would you be willing to talk about your thouhts o nthe subject - even if you're not going to tell us how to 'do it properly' :) ?
[15:17] Cursa Charisma: "RP - Not For the Weak of Heart", by Hipster Triangle
[15:17] Hipster Triangle: Its a Soul thing,been from my Soul,anyway
[15:17] Anastasia Horngold: "Colloquialism"--the new aftershave for real men.
[15:17] Cursa Charisma nods
[15:17] Calina Tereshchenko laughs
[15:17] Anastasia Horngold: I'm happy to share thoughts but I doubt it's enough for a real talk
[15:17] Cursa Charisma: OK, we usually have these talks on Sundays, in the afternoon SLT, but you can tell me the day and time that works best for you
[15:18] Thaiis Thei: anyday
[15:18] Hipster Triangle: Like I said,Not for the Weak at Heart,an Mind,smiles
[15:18] Vooper Werribee: I think it would be a great discussion-starter Anastasia
[15:18] Cursa Charisma: Well, Anastasia, some speakers have lots of personal experiences to share, but for a good discussion, all we really need is to introduce the topic and frame some of the important questions about it
[15:18] Thaiis Thei: what day/time works for everyone else?
[15:18] Hipster Triangle: sometime,leaves you very empty
[15:18] Cursa Charisma nods to Hipster
[15:19] Reiko Soyinka: anytime Sunday, SLT.
[15:19] Cursa Charisma: Next Sunday, March 7, at 4pm SLT work for you, Thaiis?
[15:19] Anastasia Horngold: I think I could do that.
[15:19] Cursa Charisma: Excellent, Anastasia
[15:19] Cursa Charisma: Hipster, is there a date and time you want to claim?
[15:19] Thaiis Thei: sure Cursa
[15:19] Joan Vhargon: I like 4pm. How is that for the europe people?
[15:20] Vooper Werribee: nicht gut!
[15:20] Hipster Triangle: Sunday,uh,8 sl time is great for me
[15:20] Svetlana Pleides: If you excuse.
[15:20] Vooper Werribee: 4pm is 1am for most Europeans
[15:20] Cursa Charisma: OK, Hipster, we've got Thaiis for March 7, would you like to talk on March 15?
[15:20] Anastasia Horngold: Bye Svetl
[15:20] Thaiis Thei: 4pm is 11 am for me
[15:20] Cursa Charisma: Peace, Svetka
[15:20] Hipster Triangle: yes,tyvm,
[15:21] Cursa Charisma: I got up at 6:30am for this one, hehe
[15:21] Anastasia Horngold: ouch
[15:21] Thaiis Thei: I didn't :)
[15:21] Cursa Charisma: Good, we have our next two talks locked in
[15:21] Cursa Charisma: Anastasia, do you have a date and time that would work well for you? Would March 21 be OK?
[15:21] Anastasia Horngold: Actually, yes
[15:22] Anastasia Horngold: ...believe it or not!
[15:22] Vooper Werribee: 2pm, 2pm, 2pm
[15:22] Hipster Triangle: I might blow peoples mind,or piss em off,i just tell what i see,ok?
[15:22] Hipster Triangle: I see the feel
[15:22] Anastasia Horngold: Anytime in the afternoon is fine for me--i'm close to SL time.
[15:23] Anastasia Horngold: So pick your best compromise between Cursa time and Europe time
[15:23] Vooper Werribee: 2pm would be good eh Anastasia?
[15:23] Cursa Charisma: OK, is 3pm SLT a decent compromise between Euro time and Far East time?
[15:23] Anastasia Horngold laughs
[15:23] Thaiis Thei: no
[15:23] Joan Vhargon: I'm off to the desert. Thank you all for a wonderful talk.
[15:23] Anastasia Horngold: Great minds
[15:23] Thaiis Thei: its evil
[15:23] Anastasia Horngold: Bye Joan
[15:23] Anastasia Horngold: 3 is fine for me
[15:23] Keepin' It Virtual: Calina Tereshchenko, the line between role-play and offline relationships is one of the dilemmas of Second Life
[15:23] Cursa Charisma: Great!
[15:24] Vooper Werribee: that's a nice line-up of talks
[15:25] Vooper Werribee: RP Nexus is rockin' :)
[15:25] Vooper Werribee: well, I gotta shoot
[15:25] Anastasia Horngold: Nice work, Cursa
[15:25] Cursa Charisma: Yes, Vooper, it's going well, and the thanks should go to Varahi
[15:25] Vooper Werribee: bye all
[15:25] Calina Tereshchenko: Take care Vooper
[15:25] Anastasia Horngold: Bye Vooper
[15:26] Cursa Charisma: Vooper's off to bed
[15:26] Hipster Triangle: safe paths ,everyone,till we meet again
[15:26] Cursa Charisma: But notice that he was here at 3:30pm SLT
[15:26] Cursa Charisma: Thank you, Hipster
[15:26] Hipster Triangle: ty
[15:26] Cursa Charisma: Welcome to the Nexus
[15:26] Cursa Charisma bows formally
[15:27] Cursa Charisma: Thank you all for today
[15:27] Anastasia Horngold: All this lovely midnight is making me sleepy--off to find some sunshine!
[15:27] Cursa Charisma: lol
[15:27] Anastasia Horngold: Bye all, see you next time
[15:27] Cursa Charisma: Thanks, Anastasia, and we'll chat about your talk
[15:27] Cursa Charisma grins
[15:27] Anastasia Horngold: kk
[15:27] Reiko Soyinka: bye Anastasia.
[15:28] Calina Tereshchenko: That was good. Thank you for this forum, Cursa. I didn't know it was here.
[15:29] Cursa Charisma: We started up last autumn
[15:29] Cursa Charisma: And had to stop listing with SL Events because we became a nice target for griefers
[15:29] Cursa Charisma: A bunch of grown-ups sitting around talking about playing make-believe
[15:29] Calina Tereshchenko: Nice....
[15:29] Cursa Charisma smiles broadly
[15:29] Cursa Charisma: Thaiis will be talking next Sunday at 4pm SLT
[15:30] Cursa Charisma: Hope to see you then, if not before
(transcript ends)