Something
which really interests me, maybe even amazes me, in the study of human behavior
in virtual spaces, is how apparently paradoxal behaviors can emerge. For
example, what is referred as “drama”. “Drama” not like in a Shakespeare’s
masterwork, but “drama” like in “I used to really like you, but now that your
character tried to kill mine, I really hate you so much”. Especially in
immersive role-play environments (note that drama can occur in so many other
contexts, but in role-play environments, the disconnection is more evident …
for other examples of where and how drama can come, please go in the really
nice blog A is for Avatar at the letter D … for Drama, of course).
So, if
people go in an immersive role-play environment (such as for instance the
Gorean role-play of the Star Wars role-play of Second Life, which both provides
on regular basis excellent examples of role-play, and excellent examples of
drama), it is arguably to do role-play. In other words, to enact “imaginary”
characters in an “imaginary” setting, the setting usually being derived from a
science-fiction, fantasy, or historical universe. Role-playing is not a new
activity, but the visual support of immersive interfaces such as Second Life,
it becomes even more enjoyable. However, the bases are the same than for any of
the old table role-play games. With a few exceptions.
First, in a
table role-play game, one of the player is the “game-master”, or “story
teller”, the one who tells the story and describe the setting so other can
inhabit it. In an immersive non-directed environment such as Second Life, there
is not such a thing. Role-play SIMs will have Admin (people with out of
character powers, having a “out-of-character” police role, such as kicking or
banning the griefers, and so on), and GM (“game masters”, whose role is mostly
to settle the numerous disputes between players). And indeed, there are a lot (but
really A LOT) of disputes between players it seems … Second, in a table
role-play game, you KNOW or at least see the real players behind the characters
… those players are your friends, you are altogether to “enjoy” a pleasant time
and construct a common story. Well, in an immersive role-play environment, it
should be the same. But it seems it is not the case.
Indeed,
more than often, some disputes emerge between the players. Most of the time it
is based on the fact that people put themselves in opposition to each others,
and that, like in real life, nobody really wants to be the loosing one. But if
there is a conflict, somebody is likely to loose. And then, things go to drama.
My character is stronger, no it is mine, and so on and so on … Using a “meter”
(an attachment adding some systems of life points to bring more realism to the
role-play fights, and used theoretically to remove drama: if you lost the
metered fight, you lost it) does not prevent drama to occur AT ALL. I would
think that drama comes even more commonly in the SIMs heavily using meters (but
that is just a feeling from an “observer” point of view). The current answer
against someone calling you to create drama is that this people is “Godmoding”
(playing a character with God-like powers: my character is too strong, I can
not lose, I can not be beaten, etc …). Or “Metagaming” (using information and
knowledge your character is not supposed to have to foster your character
purpose … for instance, reading the Tags or profile of the other characters …
if your opponent write in his profile: I am a Vampire, directly attacking him
with Holy Water or any kind of weapon supposed to damage a vampire without
giving him the chance to actually give you role-play clues suggesting he may
actually be a vampire).
But now the
question remains … if everybody comes to enjoy, why this need to show that you
are the strongest? And why this need to develop your character at the expense
of others (who come here for the very same reason somehow)? That is simply
fascinating me really … Something even more interesting that I observed a few
time … When a new comer steps out of character in main chat in a role-play SIM,
immediately, dozen of GM, Admins, and older players will rush at him. If they
are nice, the new comer will receive a full lecture on how to role-play (by
people who may actually not have such amazing role-play skills … for having
observed kind of a lot of role-play settings and situations over the last few
years, I am always surprised to notice that those who come to you to claim: “I
can give you some advices on how to role-play” are often not the best
role-players). But more than often, they will simply threaten the new comer
with a kick or even a ban.
However,
and that strikes me by the contrast, I observed a few times that when people
get very respected in a role-play SIM, they can freely step out of character.
And then, everybody in the SIM seems to applause with two hands: “Look, he (or
she) is such a REAL role-player, he can allow to go OOC” (huh? That’s against
SIM rules, no? What if I go OOC? Oh, right, I am not a good role-player).
I somehow
would be very interested to study this phenomenon. What happens exactly during
the inter-individual exchange process … What are the initial steps of a drama
situation … usually they do not resolve nicely (people seems to get durably
hurt by drama), so how could we find ways to reduce the negative side effect of
such conflict-related resolutions? But then, how to experimentally study drama
without interefering with the process? (an observer can hardly come and ask
people: Hey, guys, fancy for a bit of drama? Let’s go, I observe you!).
Any
suggestion welcome …
