To OOC or not to OOC, that is the Question

I'm new to SL, although I've heard and watched SL since it's birth with some interest. I'm an avid gamer, never been all that much into PvP or first person shooters and am something of a role player. I've only been playing for a few days so I really haven't done that much experimenting, but I have a lot of experience with 3d rendering programs so SL building is second nature for me. More on that in a minute.

I've had many, many citizens of SL ask me "where am I from" and I am at a loss how to answer since I fail to see the relevance of revealing my RL location while in a virtual world. My avatar is currently a beach bum (Knarley, dude!), it was just the first thing I came up with toying with my appearance (and also a noobish kind of character to boot), so I pretty much stay in character and say, "from the beach, man!" "where's the surf boards?", which doesn't go over well most of the time. Is this the usual experience among SL citizens? Is role playing appreciated as an art form in SL? Perhaps I should fill out my profile?

A second question is my son is quite gifted as an artist and I'm trying to introduce him to working his skills on the computer. I've got him doing some simple bitmap work but he loves hand drawing card games and designing his own original avatars. He's recently watched me playing SL and he's had a real change of attitude about gaming from seeing what SL can do. I'm thinking SL would be a great way for him to learn about 3d rendering program principles early on (he's 13) but I'm concerned about the mature content and am reluctant to turn him loose with my account. I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $9.95 for a second account since I haven't even signed up for premium yet. I CAN create another email address for him to register an account with, but I'm not sure that's legit. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Some readers have posted that they are unaware of the meaning of the term "OOC", it stands for "out of character" which is what role players do when they drop out of character temporarily to visit the potty, answer the phone, etc., or to simply say something that is not in character.

A teen under 18 on the main grid is not allowed by Linden, so I wouldn't recommend you starting an account for him, you would be in violation and your account could be reminated. There is a teen grid available, at least until the rumored merging occurs.

I'm a new Roleplayer, and generally Roleplaying is conducted in RP areas. However,if you choose to play your SL Character a certain way, that's up to you I believe. You may want to put it in your profile that this is how you want to be taken. Your World, Your Imagination.

Until the grids are merged (per current rumor) your son needs to be on the teen grid.

As for OOC, a lot of people here play themselves if they are not in a dedicated RP sim. But then a lot of people assume a role in SL. Just give whatever answer you feel most comfortable giving.

I don't mind people knowing my RL location; it can be relevant regarding timezones, but not a lot else. As for RP... I'm usually just in SL as a version of myself, not someone entirely different (even if I look nothing like the RL me). I have played in some of the RP areas, in which case I make up a backstory and play it unless someone specifically asks me an OOC question. But as Brenda says: it's up to you.

The question I'm less likely to answer with RL info is "how old are you?", in which case I'm likely to answer "Just over a year."

The whole OOC thing is an interesting one that I've been giving some thought to recently... essentially I think that SL residents fall into two very broad categories - those that see SL as an extension of their RL, and SL as a "chat room on steroids", and there are those that see it as a role-playing environment (whether those roles are reality-based - the hot babe - or fantasy - vampires, furries, etc).

There is no right or wrong answer - I think SL is big enough for both.

The "RL-extension" people tend to get very upset when the RPers won't reveal personal information, and tend to assume that they are hiding something. After all, they in in SL looking for RL people to get to know and befriend. The escapism crown are looking for something that is as unconnected with their RL as possible, and get upset when the "RL-extension people" keep talking about their real lives.

Ok, I know I have over-generalised here, but I hope you get the idea.

As long as you know which category you fall into, are consistent about it (i.e. don't bug avies for RL info if you're not willing to give any up yourself), and are prepared to have people shun you as friends because of your decision, you will do fine. There are enough people in SL in both camps that you can make enough friends with people who share your style.

Oh, and based on what I have seen - when it comes to SL-dating or relationships, they work best when both of you fall into the same broad group. This is not a case where opposites attract and can often lead to some very hurt people....

Ok, I think I saw something about that teen grid, I'll see if I can find that again. But, would I have him set up a separate, independent account or an account that is a dependent or alt of my main account? I may find my answers when I look into the teen grid stuff.

His computer time is largely supervised anyway, we don't look over his shoulder all the time but he's not got a PC squirrelled in his room that he hides away with either. I like the idea of the teen grid. It sounds like they could easily be merged as long as the accounts could distinguish who's teen and who's adult.

About the roleplay stuff, I'll have to look for the RP areas and visit them. I went to the space museum last night. It's such a HUGE world, SL is, just amazing when coming from pure commercially created worlds as I have. I've been active in Star Wars Galaxies for about 4 years, and I'm Mayor in a major city on Naboo on one of the more populated servers. I still have an active account in Ultima Online, beta tested in '97. The griefing and trend in game design toward emphasis in PvP has steadily turned me away from those worlds.

EDIT: About the "big enough for both worlds, RL and RP" thing, I agree, I don't roleplay 100% of the time but usually do when around strangers.

On the roleplaying angle, SL is not really a "game" for many people who are here. I would say there are at least three kinds of people here: (1) people who see SL as an extension of their RL persona (*probably the biggest group in SL now with the population growth SL has seen in the past year), (2) people who see SL as a way to "be someone else" (short of formal "roleplaying" and (3) formal roleplayers (by that I mean people who consciously approach their avatar as a roleplaying "character", complete with a backstory, a distinct personality and the like).

The tensions arise when these three groups are interacting with each other. Group (1) generally doesn't like it when they are interacting with a (2) or (3) who doesn't fess up to not being in RL what they are in SL -- sometimes people are not annoyed as long as there are no real personal relationships formed, whereas others find the whole thing annoying. The Group (3) people tend to have RP identifiers in their profile somewhere, or hang out in RP sims and therefore have RP groups in their profile, so they are easier to spot. The real tension comes between groups (1) and (2), I think, because group (2) could be described by some people with the perspective of someone in group (1) as being "stealth roleplayers".

Well, even if I'm NOT roleplaying, I usually will go along with someone who is. We're all here to have fun, aren't we? I'm too old to get upset about things in RL, much less in SL.

EDIT: The bottom line is I need to fill out my profile ASAP, and figure out how to build a big "L" to wear on my forehead, LOL!

Victorria, I agree with your grouping - better than mine! I very definitely fall into your Group 2, but I make no secret about it. When I meet Group 1 people, I take pains to explain to them that Kalderi has no existence in RL and they shouldn't assume so. Some are ok with that, some aren't. Their choice.

Yeah, I'd have to go with group 2 as well, I have enough of being me in RL and I'm usually too exhausted to put a lot of thought into making RP a full time job.

Yes, but I would caution that SL is very, very different from a "game" like Star Wars Galaxies. In Star Wars Galaxies, no-one is going to confuse Naboo with real life. Whereas for many SL users, SL is a reflection of real life -- they recreate their RLs (or how they would rather want their RLs to be) in terms of real looking housing, real dance clubs, real music venues. So it's one thing in Star Wars to be tolerant of people who are roleplaying -- after all it is an environment that is clearly divorced from real life -- but SL is very different. There are some places in SL that are very, very much divorced from real life (including some Star Wars themes sims that you may want to check out where there is a lot of SW roleplaying going on), but much of the grid is more like a "faux RL" in feel and atmosphere.

I'm not a category (1), I am a category (2), so I am tolerant of roleplayers and RL extenders, but I do think that this has to be approached differently in SL than it would be in a venue that is 100% sci-fi or fantasy in nature.

*giggles* When asked where I'm from, I may answer with my RL state, my mental state or my home sim. My RL state.. I'm not too worried about. Given the quality of schooling in America, most kids/adults can't even FIND it on the map.

I've roleplayed in the past, but when in SL, I'm usually ME, no matter what form I'm taking. Each form is just an insane facet of my personality.

Hmm very interesting, Victorria. I'm not that big of a fan of Star Wars, it was the space sim, skill and crafting system that drew me to that game, although I am a sci-fi fan, but more of a Star Trek genre. But thanks for the warning, I'll take heed.

In Star Wars Galaxies, we have a lot of players who view the game as an accomplishment, something to "win" or "fail" at, and sadly I feel that many of these players have little in their RL to show for themselves other than what they've accomplished in this game. In my opinion this is a burden they place upon themselves even unknowingly.

One player recently accused me of "failing SWG" simply because I refused to PvP along with him. I've chalked it off to young players since Sony Online doesn't seem to have a problem with underage subscribers. But I'm not sure that's the case. I've also recently found a LOT of our city residents are in RL suffering from depression by their own admission. Not a pretty sight.

I have a successful career behind me, as well as ahead of me since I'm far from retiring, so I don't view these games as a means to scratch some kind of affirmation itch. So I play them for the enjoyment value. I also turn my back the minute I hear game bashing, and I hear it with every game. These games, and please excuse the expression because I'm not sure SL can be called a game, are for having fun, if you can't have fun, why play them?

Dancing on the border of in and out of character-ness is actually the most interesting part of SL for me. There are people who are so real, it hurts: there are others who are the diametric opposite of their RL persons - and there are those who slip in and out of character, jump between alts, run round stamping on local or global taboos - it's a regular zoo. The categories mentioned here are only basic simplifications of a huge and varied mish-mash of responses...

The rule is: there are no rules.

Heh heh, I agreed with your grouping Kalderi .. and then with yours Victorria

Bilbo is group one pure and simple. I brought three RL friends into SL so we are all group one actually. One of them has an alt like I who venture into group two, but not even with my extra alts have I made it to three.

I would point out though that many group ones are fine with dropping the curtain on revealing RL and remain friends. There are though also, many who launch straight into RL and have abject horror at anything less than full exposure. The borders just aren't alway as clear with some

You'll see some of that in SL as well -- I think it is part and parcel of the landscape of people who spend a lot of time online, in my own experience.



It's very true. My own perspective on that within SL is to have fun the way I enjoy having fun and give others who want to enjoy the venue differently the space they need to do that. In my own experience here, it mostly becomes an issue when you have people with different approaches interacting together closely -- that can lead to a lot of heartburn and drama. But otherwise, it can work very well.

I tend to stay mostly in character in-world, but even if I am not, I don't tell the average person where I am really from. It's none of their business. I'll often tell people I'm from Islandia, which is true, of course. They did not ask where my *player* is from. 'course, some people dun look at SL like dat.

I seem to recall it weas also once against TOS or CS to ask for RL information. Not sure if dat's still true.



Look into Teen Second Life for him.

Mari

You're going to have a great time here.


I'm interested to see not only a definition for the "group 2s" like myself but others in that category. I have only one friend with which I'm group 1 and that's because we've known each other forever.

EDIT: Additionally, I've heard that the content creation isn't as rich on the Teen Grid so if your son gets into creating stuff there, he'd have more room for showing his talents.

What a very interesting thread! Thank you for kicking it off Virtualis and a very warm welcome to SL.

When I first joined, I was definitely group 1 - the RL extenders if you like. Through a rather unfortunate experience I learned that yes, as has been stated, there can be friction between individuals within groups 1 and 2 if their motivations are not clearly stated from the outset.

But hey, my own fault. Not having experienced anything like SL before, I (like may others I'm sure) had to learn.

Since then I've discovered roleplaying. Wow. The opportunity to not only collaborate with others in the creation of a living drama 'in the now', but to explore ones use of language and ability to express oneself with the written word.

So now I veer towards 3 every so often.

Anyway sorry, I just wanted to say Hi really but wandered down some tangent or other! Perhaps in common with many people, my experience of SL is in a constant state of flux. It changes, winds and twists in new directions as I talk to and share ideas with with new people.

Some consider asking RL questions off the bat to be rude, others don't. I won't answer any RL questions until I get to know someone. And even then, it's more a case of my volunteering information as I see fit. There's a 1st life tab in your profile that you can provide basic info, such as timezone, and a note suggesting that others not ask about RL.

Bottom line is that it's perfectly OK to not provide RL information, though a polite explanation to that effect never hurts. And it won't put as many people off as a flip answer like, "The beach!" will.

Love.

Wow Kelly, if that was a tangent, I wonder what staying On Topic would have been like!
You're right about it winding and twisting. While we can say there are three groups there's nothing to say a group one won't meet a group three and just plain compromise!!

when people ask me where I am from and I do not feel like telling them my rl location

I simply say...

A sim, far far away.

some get the humor, some do not. Most just say thank you and walk away

heh

If folks ask where I'm from and I don't feel like telling them my RL location, I'll frequently tell them I'm from Myeolchi. That's the sim where I had my first home. I've never, ever had anyone follow up with "where is Myeolchi?".

Now I have a question, having read through this thread, I still dont know -- what does OOC stand for?

-Atashi

OOC means "out of character." The OP really should have explained that though.

ADDITION: Is it ironic to use the initials OP without explanation while chastising them for not explaining OOC?

OOC= Out Of Chararcter