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

[Matt Mihaly]

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002, Ola Fosheim [iso-8859-1] Gr=F8stad wrote:
> "Koster, Raph" wrote:

> Anyway I think you know what I mean.  You can choose to use your
> whole brain or a subsection.  I sincerely doubt that other
> segments of the userbase get the same variety and intensity in
> their experience.  I.e.  multiple levels of emotional experience.

See, I'd say that roleplayers are using less of their brain, myself,
and experiencing less emotionally. A role is like putting on a
mask. It is comforting, and shelters you emotionally to some
extent. It is easier to endure humiliation, for instance, with a
mask on.

By far the highest level of emotional experience I've ever seen in
MUDs comes from people who are dealing with each other, rather than
roleplaying. It's players who met online, fell in love, and are
having a fight. Their emotions were not pretend. THEY were
infatuated with each other, not the characters. It's players who
have spent time ICQing and AIMing each other, and totally get off on
crushing their enemies, together. Etc. The roleplayers I see always
seem somewhat sedated. Calm and calculated in their behavior, which
is great for roleplaying, but doesn't make me think much of its
capability for emotional experience.

--matt

_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev