On the IC/OOC debate

[tygernight]

Okay. I know everyone bitches and moans about keeping IC separate from OOC, never to mix the two, and for those who can't/don't/won't, there is much ridicule and derision.

Keeping these two separate completely is impossible. Keeping OOC feelings from affecting your IC reactions, that is possible. But really people, use your heads.

When we forge relationships in this game, when we create families, take bound partners, join clans...

We are committing to them in some way OOC as well. We begin to love not only the characters, but the humans behind them, and begin to feel empathy, sympathy, even love for both. There are many here who have taken trips to meet the humans of the pyres they became friends with. In the extreme, as in my case and Wynd's, we met OOC, fell in love, joined in every way possible and will not be separated IC nor OOC. Delphine met Coven online, though not in this particular game; they are now bound partners and married OOC. Tejas and ArchAngel are married OOC. DragonSlayer's human grieved for many months, when Sealioness's human died.

There is much of our humans invested in these characters we play. When a dear friend turns on Tyger, Dawn cries for that loss. When Seyda forced Wynd to choose between ingame Sire and the character played by her real life wife, Dawn held Jeannie, and brushed her tears away as she sobbed in anguish. And don't try to tell me you haven't had the same experiences. Each one of us has shed at least one tear in real life over pain suffered through this game. Each one of us has laughed, felt joy in real life over this game. That is the reason we play it; to make our humans happy. The two are inextricably bound.

Understand that. Learn it. Live it. And stop crucifying those of us who do understand.

[Frozen Nova]

Very well said, Dawn. Very well said.

[Invictus Janus]

This isn't even a debate. If you're insane enough to let IC bullshit affect your real life, then you're just...lost and in need of immediate help and sterilization. Get away from the computer, stand up, walk away and find something more important to do with your time. Crying over a fucking game is just stupid.

You can't be fucking serious.

[tygernight]

Do you not comprehend simple english, Janus (I forget your human's name)? People in this game begin to care about each other in the course of playing the game. It is not the game itself that any of us cry or smile over. You happen to be one of the few who are utterly uninvested in the people you pretend to care about as JanusDP. Most of us have something called 'empathy', and human emotions, which are gradually evoked as we cultivate ingame relationships.

Gods. How thick can you get?

[JokerofLust]

*Frowning she turns the page mumbling* I swear this is everywhere... ._.

[Lameth Lateralus]

Gods, I can't believe I'm agreeing. But honestly, when Lameth lost Vex as his brother, I damn near cried my eyes out.

~Josh~

[Invictus Janus]

Woo! +1 justifying insanity

[Anuk-su-namun]

Im just testing out my new sig >__>m

[JokerofLust]

New sig looks amazing! >.> [*coughs*]

[Anuk-su-namun]

Why thank you Lust. *Grins*m

[Kaelani]

...
Dawn.
Get a life.
Deeee...

...I love youuuu, you love meee, we're one happy familyyyyy...

He loves, sure he does!

[Labyrinth]

To be frank, I consider myself leaning more toward D's idea than anything else. I make very sure I have distinctions between any characters and myself, not only in their morals and attitudes, but also in their mannerisms and the like. It's mostly a defence mechanism. It also turns up in the friend relationships. Let us take for example Daly/Aaron and Laby/Me. Daly and Laby hate eachother, Aaron and I get along quite well so long as you don't bring up politics.