Does anyone still enjoy the game?

[Undine]

On a more positive note, I'll say that I unconditionally love this game. There are some moments that are so tense and crazy in the game (like a certain one yesterday), and I admit that they make me want to pound my head against the wall. But in a way I also love these moments, because just like in real life, the least informed people are the ones to escalate a situation into some crazy ordeal. It's a society simulator, and mob psychology still applies. These moments are the ones that plug me in and electrify me, and make me actually fear for the wellbeing of my character. For a brief moment, I feel so connected with my character that I might as well -be- them. It's a terrible and wonderful thing.

[ObsessedWithCats]

My solution to the times when my net feelings about the game aren't enjoyment is to go away for a couple of months and come back for a fresh start when I've achieved a bit of distance. I'm not going to get super old characters that way but it's been a good way to learn from my mistakes and keep things tidy, and I'm enjoying myself much more this time 'round.

[Marian]

For a brief moment, I feel so connected with my character that I might as well -be- them. It's a terrible and wonderful thing.

This is simultaneously the most wonderful thing about the game, and the worst. That feel of being completely inside your character's head, to the point where their moods and reactions are effecting your own, is not one I've gotten with any other game. I've teared up IRL, had adrenaline rushes, my heart pounding, shaky hands, to the point I had to force myself to step back and go do something else awhile because it's kind of scary how intense some situations can be. It's what creates everybody's crippling emotional addiction to the green, but I'm honestly not sure how healthy it is. There are those who definitely handle it better than others.

[nateflory]

For a brief moment, I feel so connected with my character that I might as well -be- them. It's a terrible and wonderful thing.

This is simultaneously the most wonderful thing about the game, and the worst. That feel of being completely inside your character's head, to the point where their moods and reactions are effecting your own, is not one I've gotten with any other game. I've teared up IRL, had adrenaline rushes, my heart pounding, shaky hands, to the point I had to force myself to step back and go do something else awhile because it's kind of scary how intense some situations can be. It's what creates everybody's crippling emotional addiction to the green, but I'm honestly not sure how healthy it is. There are those who definitely handle it better than others.

Seconded! (thirded? fifthd?) That is one thing I missed about this game, and why I returned. Some days it's a nice distraction, that does not require "epic amounts of time to play" like some other games, to feel a sense of advancement and progress. Some days you get Sucked in and it's Real, Green Life is Life. Those moments are totally awesome and worth it, and something I had not found even in more social online games.

[Snoopy]

I agree with being inside my character. I have been recently told ooc that I shouldn't do that and should quit the game. I think that messes with me more.

Some days the radio kills any joy I have for this game. It makes me question the supposed age suggestion, too.

[fireintherye]

Some days the radio kills any joy I have for this game. It makes me question the supposed age suggestion, too.

I was JUST thinking that and debating posting about it, actually. It seems to me that a lot of the mockery/conversation dealing with sexual actions should not be allowed... Minors playing the game are listening to the radio. If it's not permitted / strongly advised against in notes.... why should it be any more favorable over air where EVERYONE hears it? At least with a note, the likelihood of coming across it is far smaller.

Not to mention it's just nasty all the way around.

The radio has been a serious killjoy for me as well (or rather, the people on it?). I have notifications turned off for it on ALL characters that have to be around a radio.

[*Wiro]

I'm completely in agreement there. It's been unpleasant and I finally made the somewhat hard decision to turn off the radio entirely after a particularly vile broadcast of someone sharing their sexual experience with an ex-boyfriend or something like that on the radio. I don't play this game for that stuff and it honestly made me a little sad.

[iavatus]

So, let me just get this clear in my head. One person, publicly insults, attacks and defames someone on the radio. This is then responded to, by the attacked and their friends.
You then get on the forums, and say how OOC that is, to respond to something in character, in character.
Then, some more of the relationship is dredged up, and thrown about.
Once again, you come to the forums to say how everyone is at fault, and that it's ruining the game for you.
And then out it trots, cliche #8, think of the children.

Seems that you're deliberately leaving out how your own actions create, caused, instigated and propelled this. So yes, maybe the radio is killing your enjoyment, if your enjoyment is to have an echo chamber of your friends standing by your every action, without those mean and nasty people in the outside world shining a light on reality.

Now, I have no interest or stake in this, one way or another. Because, it's in-game drama, and at worst, it can be resolved ingame. But it's patently false, what is being said, compared to what has happened, and then pinning what occurs on anyone else.

[MonkeyPants4736]

I think a character talking about how alone and vulnerable a character is before letting everyone on the radio hear him unzipping his pants is going too far.

[Marian]

I'm completely in agreement there. It's been unpleasant and I finally made the somewhat hard decision to turn off the radio entirely after a particularly vile broadcast of someone sharing their sexual experience with an ex-boyfriend or something like that on the radio. I don't play this game for that stuff and it honestly made me a little sad.

Agreed, that's starting to get pretty disgusting, and it's been going on for days. I think I'm finally starting to get on board with some of these complaints about the radio. Most of the time I just filter it out but there's been a lot of concentrated vileness from one particular character lately (ironic, and just a little like a sick mind game when you realize who the player is and read some of their recent posts... ) and all the gory details of someone's relationship drama is not the kind of thing I want to read logging in first thing in the morning, especially when it's spilling onto the forums at the same time.

[Wolfsong]

Explicit stuff should not be on the radio, because explicit stuff (violence and/or sex) requires consent - consent that cannot be given by everyone automatically who listens to the radio. That means that, while you can talk about being violent, or talk about things of a sexual nature, you should not do so in a graphic manner, or in any manner that could be seen as explicit. Everything should remain PG - or, at the very least, PG-13. It's just that simple. If people are being sexually explicit over the radio, or are going into too much detail about violent acts, then report it to the PD.

Edit: That said... I don't know the situation at all. I haven't had a character sit in front of a radio for awhile now.

[Marian]

Explicit stuff should not be on the radio, because explicit stuff (violence and/or sex) requires consent - consent that cannot be given by everyone automatically who listens to the radio. That means that, while you can talk about being violent, or talk about things of a sexual nature, you should not do so in a graphic manner, or in any manner that could be seen as explicit. Everything should remain PG - or, at the very least, PG-13. It's just that simple. If people are being sexually explicit over the radio, or are going into too much detail about violent acts, then report it to the PD..

I still remember the days of sex slave chat right after I rejoined. If that didn't cross any lines as far as the consent rules go then I doubt anything recent has. It's mostly been the pure concentrated spite involved that's made it unpleasant to read through IMO...though really not so much even that as the player making it clear it's not just an IC thing for them, and while it was still ongoing.

There's a reason for that 4 day rule, kiddos. Many reasons, but giving yourself a chance to cool down emotionally before you make a scene on the forums is a big one.

[iavatus]

There's a reason for that 4 day rule, kiddos. Many reasons, but giving yourself a chance to cool down emotionally before you make a scene on the forums is a big one.

But .... people are being WRONG on the internet now. How could I possibly wait 4 days. That gives them 4 days to forget about meeeeeee and my drama to spread their hateful, hateful lies. Because, of course, we spend every minute worrying about what the internet-equivalent on a game on the internet is blathering about.

In other news, explicit radio wasn't explicit. Unpleasant, yes, but not explicit. And again, started by the person complaining about it now.

[Wolfsong]

I think there's a difference between what gets overlooked by PD, and what is acceptable according to PD. Sex slave chat sounds right up there in the "reportable" category IMO. It's not so much even "think of the children" as "think of their parents' lawyers."

[Marian]

It's not so much even "think of the children" as "think of their parents' lawyers."

I might just have to sig this. And not just here.