FYI, here is my avatar...she's a gamer girl.
On my second excursion inworld, I teleported right to Information Island. I flew around looking at stuff, but no one was there.... I decided to look for a coffee shop, and I found one that said it was noob-friendly, but I didn't make it over to the coffee counter because there was a guy and a girl in there and they were...um...busy. Quit again.
Third time's a charm, right? I am back in the creepy coffee shop, so I use the map to "go home." I find myself in the middle of some sort of fight...Melina somebody-or-other was rude to a couple of other people (one of them is a cake. like a birthday cake?). Profanity is flying and Melina...I mean her avatar...is a nude woman with HUGE...never mind. Entertaining to watch her type, but I am starting to think I must have accidentally set myself up in a mature "red light" zone, so I quit again and consult my husband (more role-playing experience than me).
He swings in and shows me that I'm in a PG zone (like I thought) and that people are just breaking the PG (no bad language/nudity/soliciting sex) rules. Go figure. He figures out the controls pretty quickly and just walks around talking to people, most of whom ignore him. Then a guy comes over, introduces himself, says he's new and doesn't know what's going on. My avatar doesn't either, so we agree to be friends. Then Alix starts IM'ing me, asking am I really a girl? how old? I get the "nice ;]]" and I start hyperventilating and tell my husband to quit because I know where this is going. My husband thinks I'm the freak for freaking out...it turns out my inability to separate myself from my avatar makes it difficult for me to roleplay. I think I would be better at this if my avatar had a job to do, like answer reference questions. Walking around trying to make friends (and getting hit on) makes me feel creepy and weird. Stranger danger!!!
When I log in to my home this morning, some shirtless guy wants to bite me. In the spirit of roleplaying (and Twilight), I say yes. He's no Edward Cullen. Somebody tells me to report him because he's bothering everyone. I am excited to know what a "griefer" is!!
It turns out my "home" is some kind of noob ski lodge (found that out by eavesdropping on some disappointed visitors). I don't know if anyone else was "born" here, but it's a crazy place. Today I found out how to gesture...the "/repulsed" gesture includes me...I mean my avatar...saying "eeeeewww".
This is not the same guy from yesterday. This new avatar/guy gives me the creeps because his gun says "safety off" and he's gigantic. Either my avatar is a freak magnet (possible) or there is a high freak quotient in SL (I'm going with this one). Once again, I teleport to the safety and solitude of Information Island. I think I'll be hanging out here from now on.......
1 comment:
I laughed my way through this entire post...although I think you hit on an interesting concept with your line about separating yourself from your avatar. If anything, this practice is what gets people into trouble. Like getting involved with a female in SL only to find out it's really a male, etc. Which happens a lot in online environments. You can pretend to be whatever you want! There is wonderful freedom in that, but you have to remember that other folks are probably making stuff up too, possibly REALLY IMPORTANT stuff.
Anyway, very funny post--you were brave to venture back in! I think I'm going to hit SL up again tonight just for kicks, even though I already fulfilled the homework requirement. If nothing else, I want to get rid of that pink polka-dot dress.
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