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Sometimes I can't find the right words to describe an emotion without naming it. Sometimes I want to make it -very- clear to the reader what kind of emotion my character is portraying. Terror comes to mind. In a heated situation, where life and death are measured by the nano-second, there just isn't time to take a few minutes to come up with the "right" 3-line emote. And so:
Sue screams, eyes widened in terror!
fits the bill. Otherwise, for all anyone else would know, she could just be battling a nasty bout of constipation, and not reacting to that hideous dragon she just saw looming overhead.
I believe there -are- universal physical expressions that are generally understood, and when you just can't find the words to emote it, mentioning them is acceptable.
Things such as a thoughtful gaze, a curious glance, cocking one's head inquisitively, a suspicious narrowing of the eyes...
If you're playing a human, in a game where humans are (for the most part) human.. then these expressions -are- universally understood and don't need to be expressed in 3-line emotes. Though I would try to come up with a variety of emotes to express them, I just don't think one ever has to hold up the roleplay for 5 minutes in the attempt.
Edited to add: I would point out that my opinion does not extend to emoting the "why's and wherefores" of the expressive emotes. Susie might be screaming with her eyes wide in terror, but if that dragon's shadow came and went already, I'm not going to let the readers know WHY she screamed in terror with an emote. My actions convey the -what- and character's speech conveys the "why."
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