This is something that I had been pondering on, coming from various sources of origin - some good, and some not so great. For one not so great origin was the first time I was accused of 'directing.' This came from one of my exes on SL. It was during a time of frustration and confusion among us. The main thing was changes. Now, let me make this clear, I do see change as a good thing, for the most part. But it also depends on what the change is and how it can effect a person or affect the interaction of persons. This is something that I don't think many RPers think about too much, as self indulgences often are more at the forefront for a good many, rather than consideration for the stories at hand, or could be grasped if persons involved were not so stuck on selfish desires, but rather considered more holistic goals that could be achieved through cooperation and collaborative efforts.
To this end, I am not going to get heavily into a theory of holism, but, I do contend that the basic principle is key to the particular aspects of 'directing' as it pertains to RP as it does to the more general aspects of direction and movement as a whole in universal life in general. And the great thing is, this concept has been adequately defined already in the World English Dictionary entry of the term 'holism' in defining that "the significance of the parts can only be understood in terms of their contribution to the significance of the whole" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/holism).
So what does this have to do with 'directing'? Everything. You see, an actor in a play is one 'part' to the whole of the play. Yes, all actors are important to the play in as much as they contribute to the whole of the production. Even just laying there as a stump, or standing there silent and stoic, or as some timid wallflower at some dance on the stage, the person there on the stage is contributing to the whole imagery of the scene. If one were to wander from the foreground, and look to these particulars, an audience member may find themselves asking, "I wonder who that is?" or "What is that person doing there?" Essentially, in either question what is being asked is, "How does this part correlate to the whole?"
There could be a number of answers. The person may be dressed in period clothes, say, a lute player lounging around playing a subtle tune that may be heard along the path to the castle, or a man in a business suit pacing back and forth as he has a conversation on his cell phone, to which the audience does not hear, but can only guess what it may mean. Whatever the reason is, the particular of what is going on in the background of the scene aids in giving the representation of what is going on in the foreground as being something that doesn't happen in a vacuum, but in a living, breathing setting that the audience gets invited to view in the story unfolding on the stage.
RP is similar to that, but much more interactive. The 'actors' are both part of the scene and part of the audience. Directors also participate as actors, audience, and within the production of the scene - to put things in place to which the actors may choose to interact with. The problem is, RPers can sometimes be very selfish. Each one wants to be in that leading role, and few wish to be in the background of a scene - to just watch and not particularly be in the center of the stage of a scene.
Contrary to some people's beliefs, I am more comfortable with behind the scenes. While my characters have taken lead in certain aspects, I'm also happy just to contribute to the whole in some fashion, without having to be at the center of everything. Of course, from my perspective, I can be the narrator and give my view on the way I see things as going or having gone, but it is not the end all be all of things. It is just one perspective, just as another person's perspective in the same scene is theirs. Most of the times in my editing of any RP stories I have been involved in, they are generally in the 3rd person. Of course they focus on scenes I have been in, particularly because I'm not 3rd person omniscient, and thus unable to see the scenes of what others have done in a particular RP, unless they happen to share such things with me in the aftermath. But even so, this only shows what is great about RP - that there can be one particular story in production, but there are numerous other stories that come out of that production that has the potential for a great epic and adventure for all participating as a whole.
However, as much as this is true in a holistic sense, going under the basic principle that "the significance of the parts can only be understood in terms of their contribution to the significance of the whole," the quality and nature these productions and the stories that come from them still has to do with the quality and nature of the direction taken at the initial point of production. At the time that I was accused of being a 'director,' I think I took it wrong. Or, more precisely, I let the person who made the accusation have the power of persuasion to make me consider that directing was a bad thing. But directing itself was not the bad thing. The direction at the time was. Focus was lost. Too much was being changed, and the scene was falling apart. I had my contribution to that, and I suppose that still has a bit of a haunting nature for me. But, now, I can see that I had little to no control on these things. Aspects that people back then would not understand, nor seemed to care to, were taking away from the focus on the direction. I lost faith in many people then, both rightly and wrongly so. On one hand, I should know that faith in humanity is a bad deal, because people can and do change and can be unreliable. And let's face it, many people online, let alone in SL, an online community are often dysfunctional and very, to put it bluntly, flakey. Commitment to something is hard to get, and thus is why many good ideas for productions in SL RP can go south. Not all the components can or want to participate in the whole. But even so, directors still try to push productions to see if any of them do catch on and do that miraculous expansion into a multitude of amazing stories.
To be fair, though, to the online population, it is a reflection of the populace of humanity as a whole too. This I get a daily dose of with my work in real life. Out of all call I take at a call center, 10% at best actually are sales. Of those, I'd say maybe 40% actually listen the whole way through the script - from the introduction, the sales pitch, to the rebuttal, and actually stay on for the closing of the call. Another 40% to 45% will listen, or seem to be, but interrupt somewhere along the way, as well as through the closing (these are often the ones that will try to argue, more likely than not). And the last 5% to 10% will eventually hang up, to which, maybe they actually listened to the prior statement in the recorded portion of the call that told them that their card was activated and ready to use, and did not get confused by the additional portion that said, "please stay on the line to hear about your product offers." For the 5% that hang up before I have to start the introduction, I commend you for listening. For the other 5% that remain on, as well as for those that get angry at someone they believe has the audacity to sell on them, grow up and either clean out your ears, or get a clue and learn to listen better. It's not my fault that you didn't listen, nor should you be surprised by a sales agent actually (*gasps!*) making a sales pitch. :p
At any rate, the point, even to the rant paragraph above, is that, in whole, the ideal for directing is to be able to produce something that generates even more energy to the entire experience. While someone tried to tell me this was a 'bad' thing, to be directing, I just have to say, I'm sorry, but it wasn't the directing that was bad, but rather the direction of things at the time, as well as loss of focus on goals. This person may not like the concept of goals, but, the reality is goals are important. Without goals, there can be no direction, and thus people easily get lost. The parts fall apart, and the whole loses it's shape and becomes disconnected from itself. In essence, it becomes a collapsed universe. But, fortunately, new universes, and a new holism can come into being. As a director, I seek to find a way to help shape one of those new universes that has been cut off from the old one. And for those persons, both new and old, that choose to be grafted into this 'brave new world', I welcome you, and may we have many grand adventures in our stories, with many exciting scenarios and themes to explore.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Literary Humor: Call Me A Poet
Every now and then, OOC conversation does wind up going beyond the usual bullshit and gets semi intellectual. Humor still remains, and, I would say, that is a good thing. And to show the sort of stuff that I speak of, here is an excerpt from a recent discussion on poetry:
***** *****1: Well call me a poet.
***** *****2: Uh huh.
Iohannes Crispien: Well, if you've been waiting years to get poetry published, then go drink one's self into a stupor, die young, and then people publish you and tell the world how brilliant an unsung hero of literature you are, then you can call yourself a poet.
***** *****2: Except for the young part, it's too late for that for him.
Iohannes Crispien: well, there's always an exception to the rules.
***** *****1: Only in western cultures. In the east, it's common for a man of my years to write poetry.
Iohannes Crispien: But can still go into a drunken stupor and make all sorts of bawdy poetry that one day becomes canon of literature under some genre you never knew it was while writing it.
***** *****1: It's not required it be good poetry.
Iohannes Crispien: Have you seen what makes it into the canon these days? Indeed, no it doesn't!
***** *****1: Too true.
***** *****1: Well call me a poet.
***** *****2: Uh huh.
Iohannes Crispien: Well, if you've been waiting years to get poetry published, then go drink one's self into a stupor, die young, and then people publish you and tell the world how brilliant an unsung hero of literature you are, then you can call yourself a poet.
***** *****2: Except for the young part, it's too late for that for him.
Iohannes Crispien: well, there's always an exception to the rules.
***** *****1: Only in western cultures. In the east, it's common for a man of my years to write poetry.
Iohannes Crispien: But can still go into a drunken stupor and make all sorts of bawdy poetry that one day becomes canon of literature under some genre you never knew it was while writing it.
***** *****1: It's not required it be good poetry.
Iohannes Crispien: Have you seen what makes it into the canon these days? Indeed, no it doesn't!
***** *****1: Too true.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Story of the Felines
Note: This is a very rough draft of something that I had been inspired to start to write last night. It holds within it bits and pieces of other concepts and ideas I had for almost three years now, but with a slightly different twist. I'm not sure who, among my characters will be the narrator. I may just decide to keep it ambiguous and unnamed. Though, those that know my characters well enough may have some idea who might be most likely to be speaking.
At any rate, hope some of you who read this find it at least mildly entertaining or of some interest. It's still a rough draft, so don't tear it down too much, if you don't like it. :p
Also, don't get hung up on the title. It's bound to change eventually.
Approximate Page Count: 2
At any rate, hope some of you who read this find it at least mildly entertaining or of some interest. It's still a rough draft, so don't tear it down too much, if you don't like it. :p
Also, don't get hung up on the title. It's bound to change eventually.
The Story of the Felines
Approximate Page Count: 2
Approximate Word Count: 1486
Synopsis: Introduction to the story. A telling of a particular mythos, leading into concepts and ideas that may (or may not) have bearing or relevance to the underlying theme(s) of the story as it unfolds.
Theme Song: Canvas - Imogen Heap
Slow, hard, dark, weighed down love, black canvas
revolve within, you understand.
Fragile Earth where cracks in the temperature,
keep it cool to give, you understand.
Hijacked, lost track, light fades, another day left.
It's long shadows lure you in.
The more you look, the less you see.
So close your eyes, and start to breathe.
---
I have a story to tell. I want to tell you a story. Or, more to the point, I want to take you on a journey. A hero's journey. I must warn you. You will not like it. Not at first, at least. And maybe you won't like the ending. I don't know what you like for a story, nor where you would like to go. All I know is, that this journey goes where it goes, just like how the wind blows. Maybe that is fitting, being a Gemini. Like the brothers of ancient legend, Castor and Pallox. The one brother being a demigod, while the other just a mortal. And yet the immortal one chose to give a portion of his time in the heavens to his mortal half. And that was a story of brotherly love from the Hellenists. That one brother would sacrifice his time to descend into Hades so that the other could spend time exalted in the heavens. And this but one note in the story of the heroic. The stuff of legends.
Centuries, maybe even millenniae later, a similar tale of heroic deed and brotherly love is given to us in a more universal way. This one having the humble beginnings in Bethlehem, further east of the Hellenic shores. A child born, who was not merely known as a demigod, but became known as the Son of God, and God incarnate. Much was said of him in his temporal stay here among us, and after. But his love was a similar sacrifice, but not just to one brother. He visited Hades and brought from that pit many who would become his brothers through past faith in his Father, as well as, among those living, make brothers of those who accepted him, and believed.
But none of this matters. Or, better put, it only represents a small perspective of the journey. Of the story. It is something I have no ending to, because I am still on this journey, and still creating this story. Nor can I say where the beginning is. I can give a starting point at the particular place and time that this portion of a much larger story, and journey shall be noted. However, do not expect any times nor dates of when this takes place, just be happy that there is a place, and persons to which inhabit this place.
Setting. A woods. Not just any woods. But a woods with a particular creature that dwells in it. This creature is a cat. Not just any cat, like the four legged variety you see here among us in our particular shared reality in what we call the real world. But rather a humanoid variety, with like variety of origin of species, to which there may be at least two main sects that still live – the ancients, and the new breed.
The ancients are a particular sort. They have long standing traditions that date back to the time of the Golden Age. To the dawn of time. With that said, there are two denominations of this sect. The male denomination that has as its matriarch the Egyptian cat goddess Sekhmet. The female denomination takes their origins from the sister of Sekhmet: Baast, or Bastet as she is sometimes called. Both formed the society of the, the first humanoid cats, and they spread throughout the east and west, and left their prints in all areas of the world. But, eventually, the Golden Age died out, and the feline society nearly died with it.
Remnants of the Sekhmets and Baasts lived on. But most survived by hiding from humans when the Age of Man came to be. Ruins that used to be sacred to the Ancients became the new temples for Man. And eventually the feline features were diminished and altered to look more human. Even so, some humans could hear the whispering mews and purrs and scratchings of the cats, that some men came to revere cats, maintaining the dignity of the feline, and even praise them as divine.
However, some humans resented the ancient felines, and chose to abolish the way of the cats. They started the first known war between the humans and the cats. And though these original battles did end in treaty and alliance, the memory of Man is not very good. Thousands of years later, these once held divine creatures came to be hunted by humans of a militant age who wanted nothing more than the cat ears and tails to claim. Other humans were curious to what made these felines, and so robbed from the dead ancients the twisting spiral strands of their essence. And from these strands is born the New Breed.
To many of the Ancients, those that still live, the feline sect of the New Breed is a bastard child. For the New Breed is the product of the pure helix of the Felix that has been tainted with various abominable breeding mixes of the wild to domesticated four-legged cats, as well as the more impure strands of human essence. At least, to the Ancients, this is true, and they attest to it being proven even by humankind's own ancient texts that speak of a stain upon the strand of their species. So thus, the New Breed shares in that stain, and the darkness that veils it.
But to the New Breed, that knows not of the Ancients, or only bits and pieces mixed in the illusions of prejudices of Man, they only perceive what they can from day to day, and upon the whims of what they experience among humanity. The most common of experience is slavery. Slavery to humans. Slavery to the whims and will of masters made so by malevolence, and passing it off in the name of science. But does science dictate that cruelty should be the hand played against these creatures that have fallen, and not of their own will, but by the already tainted will of Man?
The Ancients do have pity for the poor beasts. Not for Man. The treacherous lot that violated what should have been time honored treaties. But for those felines of the New Breed. Yet pity does not mean acceptance. Nor understanding. If anything, it is a lamentation in knowing the past of this wretched New Breed, knowing their origins cam from the fall of loved ones – brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and many other members of a once proud and mighty race of the Days of Gold, before the world became cold and old, and Night and Day would meet and mingle in a never-ending twilight, where both Sun and Moon stood together in the same sky to watch on the land as all creation passes on by. When the heavens truly in that commingling looked like gold. And no one knew that the treachery of Man would one day end these great and legendary days of old.
Even so, this is still nonsense. It has little to do about this story. This journey, and our hero never saw these days. Much of them have passed from common memory, or are locked up in the mixed bag of the memory of poets and priests, or the data of research that has long since been covered in the dust and piling of classified files among men. Only the storytellers and record keepers of the Ancients hold in frail memory and decaying parchments of this time. And, unless the more pure helix of the Felix holds some osmosis power, the felines of the New Breed are all but lost to this grand history.
This does not matter. For the starting point of this story and the journey it tells is within the woods earlier spoken of. It's not even the beginning for this particular cat, or group of cats, but it is the beginning to this story and the journey that these felines take. They rest among the treetops in rustic housing, both quaint and cozy. It is among the few lands that is predominantly feline and free. The freedoms of these particular cats may come from being on a relatively remote mountain top. While in the spring and summer, it is quite clear and green, and even seems like a slice of the heavens, after the break of fall, and on into the winter, the place becomes so harsh that, for those not acclimated to such cold, it would be a near portrayal of if Hades had frozen over. But even so, the felines that live here call it their sanctuary, their asylum. And so, from here is the beginnings of the story of a hero's journey, and I shall tell you the story of these particular cats – the good, the bad, and all else that comes upon those that play a part in the pathway that these cats travel upon to reach their destiny.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Universality of Games
Games have been with us, likely, since humans have been in existence. Maybe further, depending on what we can take from the play that we perceive in animals and what that could tell us about the nature of proto-beings beyond our abilities to observe in this day and age.
Games are generally known as a structured activity that we do for fun, and may be educational as well. We try to distinguish games from work, claiming it not something we do for an exchange of goods, a salary, or any other form of compensation - and yet, we find value in games, and often do seek out a reward or enrichment of some sort for the participation in one. Thus, there can be confusion with regards to making a distinction between games and work, and often find elements within them that intermingle, such as people in online RPs that employ themselves to fictional jobs, or employees at team meetings where games are employed as team builders, or to give a certain symbolism or metaphor to work with to gain an understanding on the 'real' work.
Games are a universal part of the human experience, and, even in this age where the evolution of a game has come to be a creative force in a 'metaverse', we still find ourselves defining them in on whether they are fun or lighthearted, of a separate time and place, whether the goals are certain or uncertain, even a view that games are non-productive, even while being governed by rules. We claim that a game is to be fictitious in order to be a 'real' game.
Games can be more than that, can they not? I'm not saying to throw away the definition we have of games already, but to consider. Do games have value? If so, then what makes them rewarding or enriching, and do we really have to distinguish this quality of reward and enrichment from 'real' rewards and enrichment of work? Or, is this a matter of subjectivity that we put when we consider the element of 'fun' and what is 'not fun'? And if so, what can we say about the possibility of game becoming 'not fun' and a work becoming 'fun'? Does the work that employs our livelihood now become a game, and that when supposedly we employ to our entertainment now become a work?
Games, in reality are as much work as what we call 'work' or employment, and both games and work can have an element of fun, they can have reward to them, as well as the opposite effects of being 'not fun' and 'non-rewarding'. So, something else has to distinguish them than this.
Games are also considered fictitious. It is something that is different from the 'real world', and therefore does not have real world consequences, etc. and so forth. But yet, games do have rules and regulations and, therefore, must have penalties, or some sort of consequence. And, if they did not, then there wouldn't possibly be a way to lose, be disqualified, banned, disbarred, or whatnot. Some may say it's different because you can't go to jail just for losing a game. An easy quip would be that, in Monopoly, you can, but, no, in the long run, you likely aren't going to go to jail for losing in most games. Yet, in work, if you screw up, you may get fired, fined, disbarred, lose your certificates for doing business, and other qualifying factors that mean you 'lose' your work, but you may not still have done something illegal, or illegal enough to be put in jail for. However, there is work, and there are games that one can be put in jail just for participating in. If you are a professional cat burglar, you know that your work is not something you can hold any security of a 401 K in, and retirement generally is from getting caught and put in prison. Gamblers may be put in jail if caught in an illegal casino or other establishment that is not sanctioned by the law for such play. And certainly, cheating at Poker can get you a black eye or two, to say the least, just as going door to door as a salesman could lead to some roughing up in certain not-so-friendly neighborhoods. So, fiction or not there can be real life consequences to games, just as there are for work.
Games are not just one sort of thing. There is variety in games, and our development and growing complexity of gaming and technology used to create them also bring about new developments in defining them. To say something is 'just a game' anymore is to simply be ignorant.
Games can now be a part of the changing in consequences perceived, as well of the development thereof in social aspects of our daily lives. In a sense, they always have been. The Royal Game of Ur had to have been more than just a matter of 'just a game' for the people that played it, and even still play its modern variation. And that's among the oldest of games known in recorded history, dating back to 2600 BC. And people are still playing it, or a modern variation of it, such as Backgammon is claimed to be. Just think of how many societies and cultures may have come across this game or made its own variants of such a game to play, and maybe even traded and st up tournaments and other ways to gain rewards and the like, just to have an event to participate in. Considering that, is it any question that humanity's patterns really haven't changed that much in regards to what they decide to do with their games? Technology has changed, and variety has come with it, but, we still want places to play, events to participate in, and people to play with. Likewise, we still want places to do business, events to promote businesses and have people participate in particular products and services. Thus, naturally, where we have a place for games, we also have the 'agora', the shopping center, the place for the market. And, certainly, we have the industries behind those games and businesses that help manufacture and construct these places for interaction, whether it be physical or virtual. Moreso, there are places for people to live as well, or to give a place the life of the presence of those people in a virtual setting.
Games in the modern, virtual world, break many of the barriers that have been imposed on work, play, games, and what is 'real'. Cultures and societies that have physical barriers can now intermingle in the virtual environment, and interact in ways that can bot unite and divide them. Their ideas and desires are shared. Collaboration in various teams, committees, groups, and associations become possible in a way that is liberating in comparison to what they may or may not be able to do in the physical world, whether by physical or other forces that would not allow it. But, even so, are we truly free in a virtual world?
Wikipedia's entry on the concept of games in the online setting helps refine things a bit:
The values that are policed vary from game to game. Many of the values encoded into game cultures reflect offline cultural values, but games also offer a chance to emphasis alternative or subjugated values in the name of fantasy and play. The players of the game at the new century are now apparently expressing their profound self through the game. When they can play with their anonymous status, they are found to be more confident to express and to step out from the position they have never been out from. It offers new experiences and pleasures based in the interactive and immersible possibilities of computer technologies.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game)
Games, I would argue, have provided some of these aspects prior to the technologies now being used, and the innovations that come from them. But, even so, it is undeniable that online brings to it a different quality and nature that we are still trying to understand. After all, if things in the online environment can just be considered as 'just a game', then why do we get worked up over them? Why do we care what happens in thise games we play? If we can flippantly throw them off as something trivial, then what is all the 'OOC drama' all about? Why get pissed about the loss of something virtual? If there isn't something the care about in the metaverse, then why do we?
Just some thoughts....
Games are generally known as a structured activity that we do for fun, and may be educational as well. We try to distinguish games from work, claiming it not something we do for an exchange of goods, a salary, or any other form of compensation - and yet, we find value in games, and often do seek out a reward or enrichment of some sort for the participation in one. Thus, there can be confusion with regards to making a distinction between games and work, and often find elements within them that intermingle, such as people in online RPs that employ themselves to fictional jobs, or employees at team meetings where games are employed as team builders, or to give a certain symbolism or metaphor to work with to gain an understanding on the 'real' work.
Games are a universal part of the human experience, and, even in this age where the evolution of a game has come to be a creative force in a 'metaverse', we still find ourselves defining them in on whether they are fun or lighthearted, of a separate time and place, whether the goals are certain or uncertain, even a view that games are non-productive, even while being governed by rules. We claim that a game is to be fictitious in order to be a 'real' game.
Games can be more than that, can they not? I'm not saying to throw away the definition we have of games already, but to consider. Do games have value? If so, then what makes them rewarding or enriching, and do we really have to distinguish this quality of reward and enrichment from 'real' rewards and enrichment of work? Or, is this a matter of subjectivity that we put when we consider the element of 'fun' and what is 'not fun'? And if so, what can we say about the possibility of game becoming 'not fun' and a work becoming 'fun'? Does the work that employs our livelihood now become a game, and that when supposedly we employ to our entertainment now become a work?
Games, in reality are as much work as what we call 'work' or employment, and both games and work can have an element of fun, they can have reward to them, as well as the opposite effects of being 'not fun' and 'non-rewarding'. So, something else has to distinguish them than this.
Games are also considered fictitious. It is something that is different from the 'real world', and therefore does not have real world consequences, etc. and so forth. But yet, games do have rules and regulations and, therefore, must have penalties, or some sort of consequence. And, if they did not, then there wouldn't possibly be a way to lose, be disqualified, banned, disbarred, or whatnot. Some may say it's different because you can't go to jail just for losing a game. An easy quip would be that, in Monopoly, you can, but, no, in the long run, you likely aren't going to go to jail for losing in most games. Yet, in work, if you screw up, you may get fired, fined, disbarred, lose your certificates for doing business, and other qualifying factors that mean you 'lose' your work, but you may not still have done something illegal, or illegal enough to be put in jail for. However, there is work, and there are games that one can be put in jail just for participating in. If you are a professional cat burglar, you know that your work is not something you can hold any security of a 401 K in, and retirement generally is from getting caught and put in prison. Gamblers may be put in jail if caught in an illegal casino or other establishment that is not sanctioned by the law for such play. And certainly, cheating at Poker can get you a black eye or two, to say the least, just as going door to door as a salesman could lead to some roughing up in certain not-so-friendly neighborhoods. So, fiction or not there can be real life consequences to games, just as there are for work.
Games are not just one sort of thing. There is variety in games, and our development and growing complexity of gaming and technology used to create them also bring about new developments in defining them. To say something is 'just a game' anymore is to simply be ignorant.
Games can now be a part of the changing in consequences perceived, as well of the development thereof in social aspects of our daily lives. In a sense, they always have been. The Royal Game of Ur had to have been more than just a matter of 'just a game' for the people that played it, and even still play its modern variation. And that's among the oldest of games known in recorded history, dating back to 2600 BC. And people are still playing it, or a modern variation of it, such as Backgammon is claimed to be. Just think of how many societies and cultures may have come across this game or made its own variants of such a game to play, and maybe even traded and st up tournaments and other ways to gain rewards and the like, just to have an event to participate in. Considering that, is it any question that humanity's patterns really haven't changed that much in regards to what they decide to do with their games? Technology has changed, and variety has come with it, but, we still want places to play, events to participate in, and people to play with. Likewise, we still want places to do business, events to promote businesses and have people participate in particular products and services. Thus, naturally, where we have a place for games, we also have the 'agora', the shopping center, the place for the market. And, certainly, we have the industries behind those games and businesses that help manufacture and construct these places for interaction, whether it be physical or virtual. Moreso, there are places for people to live as well, or to give a place the life of the presence of those people in a virtual setting.
Games in the modern, virtual world, break many of the barriers that have been imposed on work, play, games, and what is 'real'. Cultures and societies that have physical barriers can now intermingle in the virtual environment, and interact in ways that can bot unite and divide them. Their ideas and desires are shared. Collaboration in various teams, committees, groups, and associations become possible in a way that is liberating in comparison to what they may or may not be able to do in the physical world, whether by physical or other forces that would not allow it. But, even so, are we truly free in a virtual world?
Wikipedia's entry on the concept of games in the online setting helps refine things a bit:
The values that are policed vary from game to game. Many of the values encoded into game cultures reflect offline cultural values, but games also offer a chance to emphasis alternative or subjugated values in the name of fantasy and play. The players of the game at the new century are now apparently expressing their profound self through the game. When they can play with their anonymous status, they are found to be more confident to express and to step out from the position they have never been out from. It offers new experiences and pleasures based in the interactive and immersible possibilities of computer technologies.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game)
Games, I would argue, have provided some of these aspects prior to the technologies now being used, and the innovations that come from them. But, even so, it is undeniable that online brings to it a different quality and nature that we are still trying to understand. After all, if things in the online environment can just be considered as 'just a game', then why do we get worked up over them? Why do we care what happens in thise games we play? If we can flippantly throw them off as something trivial, then what is all the 'OOC drama' all about? Why get pissed about the loss of something virtual? If there isn't something the care about in the metaverse, then why do we?
Just some thoughts....
Friday, December 3, 2010
Conversation about RP with Sekhmet
This came about last night with an old friend of mine. I've probably mentioned a few times this person. But anyways, I had asked Sekhmet about the Catwalkers, and then on into RP in general. It was a great discussion, and I asked if she would let me share it here on my blog, and she said yes. So here goes the discussion as follows:
Question: Did you ever ponder where you might have gone with things, with the CWs, if Sekhmet stayed?
Sekhmet: Nope lol. I would have gotten bored. There's no point to RP in SL.
Question: Why do you say that?
Sekhmet: Another way to look at it is, in SL, people RP or they combat in RP sims. They don't RPG
Question: Like in the whole dice and all that?
Sekhmet: It's not the dice. The dice are just a means. In today's computer world, the dices are all rolled by the server. But it's not the dice that make RPG good. Most of the time I GMed, people got boared with the dice quick. No, it's the challenge created by a plot.
Question: SL RP lacks decent plots?
Sekhmet: There's no GM so there can't be a plot. Making your own plot as you go cannot create a challenge other than one you already know about, and which of course invariably leads to drama and god modding eventually. I mean you can RP it. Which is basically theatrical improvisation. And can definitely be entertaining. But not my cup of tea. Not on a regular basis anyhow.
I prefer to be in a situation I try to overcome where I am not in control of the outcome. Correction, where nobody is in control of the outcome. lol. Therefore, a challenge needs to be put forth.
Comment: GMs become more of sim moderators, rather than putting out plots, but I would think freeform would somewhat make that possible, but, eventually, someone does step in and try to run the show
Sekhmet: True and not. Freeform is how you do it. RL is freeform. Nobody is telling you, "Sorry, can't do, your STR is only 12." Nobody is controlling what you say either, or how you say it. This last point is also better because overcoming the problematic is not dependent on the oratory skill of the player or how fast the player types.
Comment: Yeah, in RL, can't break into brackets to differentiate IC and OOC
Sekhmet: Hell, you could even do it all OOC. I mean if the plot does not catch your emotions enough that you want to be IC in the first place, the plot prolly sucks. The plot failed to include you as a character.
Players WILL be in character you know when? When the get into a point in overcoming the plot and they go "OH SHIT!" Then you know.
It doesn't matter how much IC or OOC things they said. At that moment you just know (As a GM), that they are in. They are feeling real emotions for something that doesn't exist
Question: So you mean, when they care about something that's just fiction?
Sekhmet: I mean it doesn't exist because it's happening here in VR. And most importantly, in their minds.
For instance, they just lost 10000cr. But it's not real money, yet they are pissed off. And no matter that they are pissd off. They hurry back home the next day after work to quickly log in and experience more of it. Just so they can feel. Make-believe.
Comment: Like reading a good book and wanting to know what happens to the characters, but, in the case of RP, you are the character.
Sekhmet: Exactly. And you're not in control of the book.
How you do it is easy. You take a bunch of people. You give them an amount of tools to use to solve the problem. You reward players with points or items. That's on top of emotions. The whole principle is as old as the world. Every MMO uses it. But SL is full of intelectual elitists who want to control the show so that it's all about them.
Question: More quest-based then?
Sekhmet: You can call it quests. It's just a word. Objectives. Goals.
Comment: I had an argument with one former friend about the necessity of goals, and she said there shouldn't be any, essentially. And, ironically (or unfortunately?) this same person happens to be the previous Matron of the CWs. <.<
Sekhmet: Right. Well, the reason some people don't want that is because goals implies there's a way to "win." And if here's a way to "win," there's a way to "lose." And some people are afraid of losing. Alternatively, they want to con you into thinking they won. lol
Comment: True. And, I suppose that's what happened,as much as I counted leaving the CWs of Midian a loss.
Sekhmet: There's a way around it. Around the problem. You need a multi-plot. Basically saying, "The plot thickens." And it gets so complicated that nobody is in control. Nobody fully wins. Some wins are team wins too. You make it more global.
Now, I am not saying RP in itself can't be interesting. I think the problematic is that people who RP want EVERYONE to RP.
Comment: But it's good to have variety. Yet, lot of people make it more singular. So would be interesting to see a more team style RP rather than just simply a leader leads and all must follow sort of deal.
Sekhmet: Right. Well,.variety doesn't work so well with RPers. Their sense of immersion is very tied with everyone staying IC. This is what gives them THEIR feeling. They get a kick out of RPing in itself. But I personnaly have a hard time pretending I'm an assassin if there's nobody to assassinate. lol
Question: Did you ever ponder where you might have gone with things, with the CWs, if Sekhmet stayed?
Sekhmet: Nope lol. I would have gotten bored. There's no point to RP in SL.
Question: Why do you say that?
Sekhmet: Another way to look at it is, in SL, people RP or they combat in RP sims. They don't RPG
Question: Like in the whole dice and all that?
Sekhmet: It's not the dice. The dice are just a means. In today's computer world, the dices are all rolled by the server. But it's not the dice that make RPG good. Most of the time I GMed, people got boared with the dice quick. No, it's the challenge created by a plot.
Question: SL RP lacks decent plots?
Sekhmet: There's no GM so there can't be a plot. Making your own plot as you go cannot create a challenge other than one you already know about, and which of course invariably leads to drama and god modding eventually. I mean you can RP it. Which is basically theatrical improvisation. And can definitely be entertaining. But not my cup of tea. Not on a regular basis anyhow.
I prefer to be in a situation I try to overcome where I am not in control of the outcome. Correction, where nobody is in control of the outcome. lol. Therefore, a challenge needs to be put forth.
Comment: GMs become more of sim moderators, rather than putting out plots, but I would think freeform would somewhat make that possible, but, eventually, someone does step in and try to run the show
Sekhmet: True and not. Freeform is how you do it. RL is freeform. Nobody is telling you, "Sorry, can't do, your STR is only 12." Nobody is controlling what you say either, or how you say it. This last point is also better because overcoming the problematic is not dependent on the oratory skill of the player or how fast the player types.
Comment: Yeah, in RL, can't break into brackets to differentiate IC and OOC
Sekhmet: Hell, you could even do it all OOC. I mean if the plot does not catch your emotions enough that you want to be IC in the first place, the plot prolly sucks. The plot failed to include you as a character.
Players WILL be in character you know when? When the get into a point in overcoming the plot and they go "OH SHIT!" Then you know.
It doesn't matter how much IC or OOC things they said. At that moment you just know (As a GM), that they are in. They are feeling real emotions for something that doesn't exist
Question: So you mean, when they care about something that's just fiction?
Sekhmet: I mean it doesn't exist because it's happening here in VR. And most importantly, in their minds.
For instance, they just lost 10000cr. But it's not real money, yet they are pissed off. And no matter that they are pissd off. They hurry back home the next day after work to quickly log in and experience more of it. Just so they can feel. Make-believe.
Comment: Like reading a good book and wanting to know what happens to the characters, but, in the case of RP, you are the character.
Sekhmet: Exactly. And you're not in control of the book.
How you do it is easy. You take a bunch of people. You give them an amount of tools to use to solve the problem. You reward players with points or items. That's on top of emotions. The whole principle is as old as the world. Every MMO uses it. But SL is full of intelectual elitists who want to control the show so that it's all about them.
Question: More quest-based then?
Sekhmet: You can call it quests. It's just a word. Objectives. Goals.
Comment: I had an argument with one former friend about the necessity of goals, and she said there shouldn't be any, essentially. And, ironically (or unfortunately?) this same person happens to be the previous Matron of the CWs. <.<
Sekhmet: Right. Well, the reason some people don't want that is because goals implies there's a way to "win." And if here's a way to "win," there's a way to "lose." And some people are afraid of losing. Alternatively, they want to con you into thinking they won. lol
Comment: True. And, I suppose that's what happened,as much as I counted leaving the CWs of Midian a loss.
Sekhmet: There's a way around it. Around the problem. You need a multi-plot. Basically saying, "The plot thickens." And it gets so complicated that nobody is in control. Nobody fully wins. Some wins are team wins too. You make it more global.
Now, I am not saying RP in itself can't be interesting. I think the problematic is that people who RP want EVERYONE to RP.
Comment: But it's good to have variety. Yet, lot of people make it more singular. So would be interesting to see a more team style RP rather than just simply a leader leads and all must follow sort of deal.
Sekhmet: Right. Well,.variety doesn't work so well with RPers. Their sense of immersion is very tied with everyone staying IC. This is what gives them THEIR feeling. They get a kick out of RPing in itself. But I personnaly have a hard time pretending I'm an assassin if there's nobody to assassinate. lol
Or even simpler. Pretending I'm a restaurant ownr if there's no cash in the register at the end of the night. I mean it's fun once, like playing a piece. But who wants to play the part of a restaurant owner day after day with no point whatsoever? What motivates you? Should you hire more personnel? Fire someone? Get a new menu?
Comment: Well, that's where at with the Insurance company. Sure, can go out and gain clients, or recruit, and actually hired someone who quit >.<
Sekhmet: Of course people quit. Why should they stay? What's for them to accomplish and is going to make a difference in their lives?
Comment: Well, that's where at with the Insurance company. Sure, can go out and gain clients, or recruit, and actually hired someone who quit >.<
Sekhmet: Of course people quit. Why should they stay? What's for them to accomplish and is going to make a difference in their lives?
Now, put a leader board out. That shows who made the most sales this week. And you'll see people get busy. Some will even get to hate each other for it. LOL! Bingo! Emotions. And the emotions will be so strong people will even forget it was a game, i.e. SL.
Drama. Isn't that what that really is?
Comment: Well, I had hired someone in administration. Gave them free reign to build up the administration side of things, but, eh.
Sekhmet: Did you give them clear objectives? And a reward if they succeeded?
Comment: Well, she basically was in charge of recruitment, and hiring the administration staff. So, she would have her say in the development of the office work side of things. But yeah, suppose needed more clear goals and objectives.
Sekhmet: Ok here's the trick. Close the insurance company. lol
Drama. Isn't that what that really is?
Comment: Well, I had hired someone in administration. Gave them free reign to build up the administration side of things, but, eh.
Sekhmet: Did you give them clear objectives? And a reward if they succeeded?
Comment: Well, she basically was in charge of recruitment, and hiring the administration staff. So, she would have her say in the development of the office work side of things. But yeah, suppose needed more clear goals and objectives.
Sekhmet: Ok here's the trick. Close the insurance company. lol
Open a publishing firm. Then make one of those SL magazines. But all in RP. About the world you RP in. Make a newspaper.
Comment: They already have a newspaper in Perdition though.
Sekhmet: Hmmm. Well, it's just an example.
Comment: But, could incorporate publishing maybe. Like for books or magazines. Play into the publishing business itself
Sekhmet: Maybe. Hmmm. Gun shop. And actually make guns. But RP it. Gas station.
Comment: Publishing is fairly similar to Insurance, actually. Same concept about how to do business, but, instead of assess risk, assessing marketability of books.
Sekhmet: Well ok, but why would people wanna buy insurance? Aside from pure RP reasons.
Comment: Well, Properties and Casualty - essentially homeowners and business properties, even vehicles. Then life for estates, heath for personal and group. Basically, providing a sort of realism to owning businesses and properties.
Sekhmet: Those are pure RP reasons. Nobody is actually in any danger of losing anything.
Comment: Had one place I insured catch fire.
Sekhmet: lol
Comment: But yeah, need good Rpers that don't mind taking such losses. Actually was both health and property on that, since she was in the building when it caught on fire.
Sekhmet: Hehe. Anyways. I think I was having fun as a Catwalker because as a player my challenge was to create and grow the group. And then I was enjoying coming up with plots for the gang to tackle. Like:
"Ok cats, we need more food... so 4 of you go sneak into the sushi shop and steal some fishies."
Of course I went to Baal and told him to put 3 cases of fish behind the counter. And Baal told the sushi owner guy that it was is supply for the week. So, of course the guy was not too happy when he caught a 'walker running off with a crate of his and started running after us. And the police got in the melee. And the whores bitched. And the people at the counter went, "Hey, how about my sushi?" And the dogs rented protection service to the sushi bar. And we walked around for a week with fishes in our mouths. lol. Brag, brag, brag.
Comment: Yeah, I see how it works. I'd like to get something like that going. The insurance can be a vehicle. Like someone buying a life poicy on husband or wife, simply to off them after a while for the pay out. Then you get the cops involved and all that.
Sekhmet: Go ahead and raise hell. Insure a business. And then hire an arson to burn it. lol
Then claim it was criminal so you won't pay until the matter is resolved. That is, if the police can catch the perp or find out who it is.
Comment: Hehe. Well, it would have been interesting if I got framed for the fire of the business that had the fire, but that didn't happen. But anyways, I have to head out. This discussion gives me a few ideas to go on. Maybe try them out in the upcoming weeks.
Sekhmet: Be my guest.
Comment:: If you're interested, plenty of openings for an insurance agent. lol
Sekhmet: lol Kinda busy right now.
Anyways, hope you all get something out of that. Having come to know Sekhmet is one of the cool opportunities I did have back when CWs was halfway decent to be a part of. I learned something about the history of the group that none of those cats in there now, and very few before then had such an opportunity to be enriched by.
Comment: They already have a newspaper in Perdition though.
Sekhmet: Hmmm. Well, it's just an example.
Comment: But, could incorporate publishing maybe. Like for books or magazines. Play into the publishing business itself
Sekhmet: Maybe. Hmmm. Gun shop. And actually make guns. But RP it. Gas station.
Comment: Publishing is fairly similar to Insurance, actually. Same concept about how to do business, but, instead of assess risk, assessing marketability of books.
Sekhmet: Well ok, but why would people wanna buy insurance? Aside from pure RP reasons.
Comment: Well, Properties and Casualty - essentially homeowners and business properties, even vehicles. Then life for estates, heath for personal and group. Basically, providing a sort of realism to owning businesses and properties.
Sekhmet: Those are pure RP reasons. Nobody is actually in any danger of losing anything.
Comment: Had one place I insured catch fire.
Sekhmet: lol
Comment: But yeah, need good Rpers that don't mind taking such losses. Actually was both health and property on that, since she was in the building when it caught on fire.
Sekhmet: Hehe. Anyways. I think I was having fun as a Catwalker because as a player my challenge was to create and grow the group. And then I was enjoying coming up with plots for the gang to tackle. Like:
"Ok cats, we need more food... so 4 of you go sneak into the sushi shop and steal some fishies."
Of course I went to Baal and told him to put 3 cases of fish behind the counter. And Baal told the sushi owner guy that it was is supply for the week. So, of course the guy was not too happy when he caught a 'walker running off with a crate of his and started running after us. And the police got in the melee. And the whores bitched. And the people at the counter went, "Hey, how about my sushi?" And the dogs rented protection service to the sushi bar. And we walked around for a week with fishes in our mouths. lol. Brag, brag, brag.
Comment: Yeah, I see how it works. I'd like to get something like that going. The insurance can be a vehicle. Like someone buying a life poicy on husband or wife, simply to off them after a while for the pay out. Then you get the cops involved and all that.
Sekhmet: Go ahead and raise hell. Insure a business. And then hire an arson to burn it. lol
Then claim it was criminal so you won't pay until the matter is resolved. That is, if the police can catch the perp or find out who it is.
Comment: Hehe. Well, it would have been interesting if I got framed for the fire of the business that had the fire, but that didn't happen. But anyways, I have to head out. This discussion gives me a few ideas to go on. Maybe try them out in the upcoming weeks.
Sekhmet: Be my guest.
Comment:: If you're interested, plenty of openings for an insurance agent. lol
Sekhmet: lol Kinda busy right now.
Anyways, hope you all get something out of that. Having come to know Sekhmet is one of the cool opportunities I did have back when CWs was halfway decent to be a part of. I learned something about the history of the group that none of those cats in there now, and very few before then had such an opportunity to be enriched by.
Monday, November 29, 2010
SL and Psychopathy
I suppose this was a subject to come up, but it seems an important one, even if an unpopular one. When we get down to the heart of it, it is probably something that's on the minds, and maybe has some effect on the soul or psyche of many of us who participate in SL. In essence, this subject is a matter of conscience - what it means, and how we consider and reflect on it in this virtual world or metaverse, or however one sees it.
At one point or time in our experiences on SL, many of us have certainly had certain conflicts with other people, and even felt like there was a sense about people being uncaring, or just plain careless and unable to respond or react to something in human decency. Is it just a matter of cultural differences, or the varying of expectations and personal views about what SL is that causes this clash, or is there more to it than that? Well, certainly there is, and, joking or not, we've all considered this particular idea, that maybe there are just certain people that are plain and simply psychopaths.
There might be something right and accurate about the assessment of psychopathy. The question that might be posed, though, especially in consideration to what is a common experience in SL, and even gaming itself, is how much of this is natural and how much is conditioned? But, on that, I would consider reading this, and you can tell me what you think:
At one point or time in our experiences on SL, many of us have certainly had certain conflicts with other people, and even felt like there was a sense about people being uncaring, or just plain careless and unable to respond or react to something in human decency. Is it just a matter of cultural differences, or the varying of expectations and personal views about what SL is that causes this clash, or is there more to it than that? Well, certainly there is, and, joking or not, we've all considered this particular idea, that maybe there are just certain people that are plain and simply psychopaths.
There might be something right and accurate about the assessment of psychopathy. The question that might be posed, though, especially in consideration to what is a common experience in SL, and even gaming itself, is how much of this is natural and how much is conditioned? But, on that, I would consider reading this, and you can tell me what you think:
Some claim it might be an aspect of people merely acting like animals. But even so, animals can be trained and conditioned somewhat. They are not under a human standard, but they do have standards, or at least can learn from mistakes, or otherwise die. For humans, we had that survival standard earlier in our world history, and, for those that live a more natural life, still operate on such. But as civilizations grew out of cultures, these aspects migrated and reformed into different aspects of what it means to survive in the modern world. So, basically, psychopaths thrive in social Darwinism, just like their predecessors survived, much like animals, on natural Darwinism.
Theologically, I come from the view of human being part animal (flesh, material, nature) and part soul (spirit, 'psyche'). As you read, you may notice that the view does come out that psychopaths seem to lack a soul, and therefore become essentially a machine. Other areas would say they are another form of human altogether. Either may be possible. If it is a trait of humanity, then it is something natural and a part of the animal that makes up humans. If that's true, it is also something that is ingrained in humanity and something that not only can come naturally, but also be conditioned, or at least refined.
How much does SL, or even gaming in general condition or refine would be the question. For me, Ayami makes good example, because, no matter what criticism is given, there appears to be not one shred of guilt or other culturally conditioned mechanisms there that make up out morals and ethics of what makes for proper decency or human interaction. Is it a matter that shi is a psychopath, or is it the aggressive, competitive nature of being a gamer that has been conditioned into hir, that shi will take over the Catwalkers no matter how destructive hir actions are to gain it?
Yes, I know this often can get turned into religious debate, and I did note my theological view on the make up of humanity. But I'm not going to argue on that. You can either believe or not believe in the theological elements. Yet, it would seem that theological and psychological arguments coincide on the aspect of a psychopath lacking in 'soul' or the human psyche, even despite the arguments on just exactly what that soul/psyche might be, and the where and how it originated and developed. There is something lacking in the psychopath when it comes to that element, and it is something that does do damage to people.
And I can't help but feel this statement having an echoing theme for me with regard to this whole business about the Catwalkers, Midian, and even SL in general:
"The truth - when twisted by good liars, can always make an innocent person look bad - especially if the innocent person is honest and admits his mistakes."
That's been at least one element of SL that I have had experience and shared experience with. Because, as much as we split SL out of reality, and let fantasies run wild in SL, we participate in the psychopath conditioning. It already separates us from the physical, yet replaces the material with virtual greed and lust. Many times, it feels like the spirit is being killed in order to fashion and reshape our virtual world into nothing more than mechanized, conditioned responses with no concept of shame, guilt, or conscience whatsoever.
That's been at least one element of SL that I have had experience and shared experience with. Because, as much as we split SL out of reality, and let fantasies run wild in SL, we participate in the psychopath conditioning. It already separates us from the physical, yet replaces the material with virtual greed and lust. Many times, it feels like the spirit is being killed in order to fashion and reshape our virtual world into nothing more than mechanized, conditioned responses with no concept of shame, guilt, or conscience whatsoever.
In some ways, we've pre-shaped this condition and environment for the psychopath by postmodern relativism, and the like that has done the damage to natural (even spiritual) human culture. But, on the other hand, maybe the deconstruction has been a necessity. Like, trying to separate and segregate in order to see the underlying illness. We kind of know what it is, but, like the psychopath, we'd like to forget what it is. However, unlike the psychopath, we can't. We may do bad things, but we can feel the guilt, but they can't. But yet, if the psychopaths of the world get their way, they will either try to root out conscience either by conditioning us to be like them, or, they might just weed out us, if opportunity comes and they see it more beneficial than conning us in a game of feigned civility.
I don't know. To be honest, my feelings are mixed on this. Maybe I'm just wondering if there's some merit to the conditioning. And if so, suppose that means a need to change what I've been doing on SL. In some ways I have, but, I don't know. It just seems like SL is too much of an environment made to be playing grounds for psychopaths. So the question becomes how exactly can you do anything in SL that doesn't condition one to such a way of doing things? How to keep fantasy and reality in check, and how to go about doing things, especially when it comes to RP and trying to make stories, and still be able to hold conscience and accountability. Especially when the 'rules' seem to imply such things should not be considered.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Podcast from the Creative Penn
I have recently had a friend from an author's group I'm involved with in the real world send me a link to a podcast and website by Joanna Penn called The Creative Penn. The podcast has an interview with J.C. Hutchins on his concepts of media interactions for his book Personal Effects: Dark Arts. You can hear the podcast here.
It's an interesting concept. Not new. But it gives ideas on how build interactivity around a book. Many of us as RPers already do this, but it's always interesting to hear about how there are real world applications to what many of us prefer to only look at in exclusively the walls of SL.
It's an interesting concept. Not new. But it gives ideas on how build interactivity around a book. Many of us as RPers already do this, but it's always interesting to hear about how there are real world applications to what many of us prefer to only look at in exclusively the walls of SL.
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