OOC: For All the Joy Stealers

Before I begin let me state simply that this is my opinion, voiced on my own behalf and not directed at any particular person. Feel free to disagree, debate, etc. If you know me, you will know I don't care. ;)

Some things in RP should go without saying, but sadly there is no manual for this one. Perhaps we need an "RP for Dummies" book, to be read and shared by all gamers. What would it say? First and foremost, unless there are preset rules, you cannot expect anyone in the game to follow the same set you yourself choose to follow. You will inevitably wind up disappointed if you do. People do not read minds, nor do they always agree or even respect others. Sad, but true both on and offline. If there are in fact written rules you can expect them to be broken. Painful but equally true: people will be people, and people often suck.

Indeed, nine of out ten times things that hold true for real life will also turn up in RP. For example, things will not go according to plan. If you have a brilliant storyline planned out and it involves other people, it will fall to pieces, or they will completely fail to meet your expectations, or the entire thing will take some completely unexpected turn. Believe me, I could give you countless examples that had my usual partner-in-crime aggravated and left me frantically rewriting and trying to work around mistakes or misposts by others. Yet these issues are simply part of interaction and socialization, for humans and vampires alike.

It is regrettable that the one benefit which draws most of us into RP-- the one thing that can sometimes make it so much better than RL-- is often the very thing that backfires. Simply put, we forget that RP is just that, play, not real. It is merely a game for our amusement, used to unwind or express our more creative sides. Yet all too often people overlook that most important point. They get so wound up and involved that they cannot see beyond it. Yes, it is a wonderful way to express your inner self or those secret longings-- but you absolutely must remember that the myriad of other players are all doing exactly the same thing. You would not see eye-to-eye in person, nor will you online. With every game there will be plays that nobody agrees on. One person or side will always cheat or claim injustice. Both may be right, or neither. Does it really matter? Of course not.

Yet... the bickering and mockery and whatnot continues. I know I must sound like a broken record but it must be said yet again, so take notes, dears. If anything going on in the game truly bothers or disturbs you, if you find yourself unable to draw that OOC-IC line and stick by it, perhaps you need to rethink your involvement. If you have hit the point where it is not as enjoyable as it was, then take a break and send your vampire on vacation. Some time back I did exactly that, as some will recall. I got tired of the continual arguing and whatnot, bored with hearing the same old lines dressed up in different words... and I left. No clan or RP stuff until I was good and ready to come back and was told the dust had settled. Did I miss a thing during my absence? Nope. Same names, same games-- everything just as it was before the fighting that drove me away. My vampire simply came back controlled by a happier, more laid-back person. So if you need to, shut the computer down and completely forget the game exists for a while, secure in the knowledge that it will still be here when you return. (Eh, what's that? You can't do that? Hm, could be a sign...)

That said, on to the matter at hand. To be blunt, I am sick and tired of hearing about it because I did not sign up for this sort of petty disagreement and continual, pointlessly negative garbage. No one person or even side is guilty. It takes two to tango and at least that many to argue. I personally could care less about the situation and think it beyond obvious that there will never be a mutual agreement. My suggestion? Forget about it and move on. I have left other RP arenas for precisely that reason in the past. People failed to see that a line must be drawn, a point reached where everyone either agrees to disagree or puts things aside and walks away like sensible adults. If you don't like the way the story is written, create your own. No point in debating it or disrespecting each other. If you don't like the rules of whichever group, leave. No, don't just stop posting and lurk, reading and getting angry-- truly leave. Hell, do more than leave, be proactive-- go off and make your own group. That's what a couple of us did, creating a group specifically for stories or any other sort of friendly RP. Yes... RP can be friendly. Shocking, I know, yet take a look at a quote from our very short list of rules:

1. You may post anything you wish here; the ONLY exception being OOC stuff, guild movements, etc. There will be none of that.

2. NO clan fighting or politics here. This is for the enjoyment of us all.

Too bad more places can't work that way. Still, for those that have forgotten in the heat of battle and the clamor of angry voices-- there is still joy and relative peace and harmony to be had on the boards... but only when we make the mature decision and leave the bickering behind.

Oh yes, on behalf of my vampire... She pretty much shares my view of the issue. As you all know, she generally does whatever suits her. Which generally does not include getting into arguments with others, inside or outside of her clan. Few things mean very much to her, fewer still upset her. She does not set out to make enemies and has a certain level of respect for everyone in general. There are only a handful of vamps she truly dislikes, perhaps only one or two she would raise a hand to in anger. To her, the war is just that. War is not a personal vendetta for the duty-minded soldier. Should she meet any of the vampires that have attacked her or that she has attacked outside of battle, C would probably be her usual courteous self, as I try to be toward other players. Then again, that's just us...