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Jazuela · 07-20-2003, 11:12 AM

See now, if I had my character present when you emoted that, I'd have a few things, as a player, to say about it.

First of all, my character hates Los Angelos and thinks its sunset sucks. Who are you to force me to consider it otherwise with your emote?

Second of all, how is it that I magically know that your shivering is one of pleasure? For all I know, you might have just had a really scary thought and you're shivering with fear. Or maybe you're catching the flu and are shivering from sickness. Or maybe you just had an image of your lover's naked body and are shivering in pleasure of that image rather than the sunset.

Maybe that works great in some mushes, where you're allowed and encouraged to tell people how you feel and why you feel it nonverbally.

But I would never play a game that allowed and encouraged that, because it isn't even remotely realistic, not even from a fantasy-game point of view.

Tell me what I SEE when I observe you. Express your behavior, and let me decide why you're behaving like that. It isn't your place to force me to come to conclusions about your reactions to things.

My approach to the same scene would be:

Joe strolls along the street, his head tilted up to gaze at the brilliant purples and reds of the Los Angelos sunset. A slow smile creeps up on his lips, his body shivering momentarily as the rosey glow of dusk highlights his relaxed features.

This allows me to come to the same conclusion as yours does, without you practically ordering me to do so. In other words, it lets ME come to this conclusion, rather than you forcing it on me.

Edited to add: The same goes with pulses racing and hearts beating. Unless your skin is removed from your body, I can't see the blood pulsing in your veins. And unless I have a good view of your heart in your chest cavity, or my own body is pressed up against yours, I have no way of knowing how it's beating, and in fact the only reason I would know it was beating at all, is that you appear to be alive. Even that isn't always the case, if you're a vampire or "undead."

07-20-2003, 11:12 AM	#4
Jazuela Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New England Posts: 849	See now, if I had my character present when you emoted that, I'd have a few things, as a player, to say about it. First of all, my character hates Los Angelos and thinks its sunset sucks. Who are you to force me to consider it otherwise with your emote? Second of all, how is it that I magically know that your shivering is one of pleasure? For all I know, you might have just had a really scary thought and you're shivering with fear. Or maybe you're catching the flu and are shivering from sickness. Or maybe you just had an image of your lover's naked body and are shivering in pleasure of that image rather than the sunset. Maybe that works great in some mushes, where you're allowed and encouraged to tell people how you feel and why you feel it nonverbally. But I would never play a game that allowed and encouraged that, because it isn't even remotely realistic, not even from a fantasy-game point of view. Tell me what I SEE when I observe you. Express your behavior, and let me decide why you're behaving like that. It isn't your place to force me to come to conclusions about your reactions to things. My approach to the same scene would be: Joe strolls along the street, his head tilted up to gaze at the brilliant purples and reds of the Los Angelos sunset. A slow smile creeps up on his lips, his body shivering momentarily as the rosey glow of dusk highlights his relaxed features. This allows me to come to the same conclusion as yours does, without you practically ordering me to do so. In other words, it lets ME come to this conclusion, rather than you forcing it on me. Edited to add: The same goes with pulses racing and hearts beating. Unless your skin is removed from your body, I can't see the blood pulsing in your veins. And unless I have a good view of your heart in your chest cavity, or my own body is pressed up against yours, I have no way of knowing how it's beating, and in fact the only reason I would know it was beating at all, is that you appear to be alive. Even that isn't always the case, if you're a vampire or "undead."