"Advanced" use of virtual worlds? (Re: [MUD-Dev] MMORP Gs & MUDs)

[Christopher Allen]

"Matt Mihaly" <the_logos at achaea.com> wrote:

> I think I have to disagree. Characters can't do things. The
> players do things. The player makes the decisions. His decision
> could be heavily influenced or even completely dominated by what
> he thinks the character he is playing would do, but it's still the
> player that is in control. It could hardly be otherwise. That may
> seem nit-picky, but it's illustrative of the barrier that I
> maintain roleplaying inserts between environment and emotion.

Though I can't do it myself, I have seen others do it. They can so
immerse themselves into a character that they approach being that
character, not themselves. I do agree that when I try to 'act' that
it does insert a barrier between environment and emotion. I believe
that is somewhat true for the Brechtian roleplayer. However, for the
true method roleplayer and actor something else happens.

There have even been some recent scientific studies on lying that
support this. Most people always show physiological signs when they
lie.  Some don't. There is some evidence to believe that for those
that don't, one of the things that is going on is that they somehow
trick themselves into believing the lie internally. I think I read
this either in a fairly recent Discover or New Scientist -- I'll try
to find the issue.

There is an interesting theory that says that all psychosis and
neuroses are overly strong manifestations of evolutionary talents
that have some survival value in them. For instance, very mild
obsessive/compulsive can actually be a good trait for a programmer
;-) It is my thesis that the ability to immerse oneself in a
character, not just an environment, can be a survival skill in
certain social situations. And in its overly strong forms can cause
psychosis and neuroses -- we've seen that too in games.

-- Christopher Allen



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