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The Steampunks of New Babbage Group – W…T…F?

About this time last year i remember having to clamp down with a notice about how the Steampunks group is G rated, not mature, and not adult, but some morons decided to treat it like an adult chat group.

Earlier on during Sunday afternoon SL time this was the kinda conversation that was going on…i’ve blanked out the names…

[2012/05/13 10:28]  (xxxxxxx): why do i keep meeting people online that insist their alternate chars are real and then saying they have schitophrenia or someo other exciting mental issue irl, but adding that they dont listen to their therapist and refuse to take meds, because they are bad and they feel fine with their “so called disorder” x.x

[2012/05/13 10:29]  (xxxxxxx): is there a term for people that pretend to have serious mental disorders to make themselves seem more interesting?

[2012/05/13 10:30]  (xxxxxxx): youve met at least one in here that isnists their imaginary friend is really real and those therapists dont know shit

[2012/05/13 10:30]  (xxxxxxx): Because, xxxxxxxx. They’re really teenagers or lonely adults that have to OMFGWORSTLIVEEVARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR to gain sympathy, because they know in RL they’re boring losers that couldnt hold a job painting fences

Setting aside the fact that some people in the Steampunks group may actually HAVE mental health disorders but keep it quiet, and setting aside the same fact that the group is supposed to be PG rated and related to Steampunk and New Babbage…what the hell kinda conversation is THIS to have in a group which is supposed to be the fu***** front door for visitors to the city state?

I recently read a blog by a well known person in the steamlands, I wont mention the bloggers name, but the blogger said that certain city based group (blogger didnt mention which city) chats was starting to become a little bit too personal…a little bit too on the edgy side.  The blogger pointed out that new folks joining this city based group would look at the conversation and wonder if they have walked into a god damn kindergarten or insane asylum.

I left a comment in the group saying things wasnt really all that bad…and then the conversation above started.  I didnt catch that particular convo, but i sure as hell did catch the aftermath of that convo which happened a whole four hours later in which a well known visitor got their wires crossed between this convo and an medical based RP that another well known resident was doing…drama ensued and the original posters of that first convo i pasted here….was of course nowhere to be seen.

I’m simply gonna ask this question…which relates to the original blogger i was chatting about up above.

Is this the kind of conversation you want to read if you have just joined Steampunks and are thinking “hmmm…maybe i will buy land here”.   Ask yourself that question…each time you are having a convo in the Steampunks of New Babbage group.

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38 Comments

  1. Mr Tenk Mr Tenk May 14, 2012

    I agree. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and if this is the one they got, you’ve just chased someone out of town. Permanently.

    There is way too much talk about medications and health issues going on in chat, then throw roleplay in with that (remember that people are bouncing in and out constantly and HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE CONTEXT OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT) and it makes Babbage look like a place you should run away from as fast as you can.  Folks with mental issues in real life are just part of the landscape of the internet. I don’t think I’d be able to tell if you were roleplaying or not either. I don’t think they realize just how draining it is on everyone else when they are venting their health issues. People have moved out over it.

     

    Stop it. Now.

  2. Sky Melnik Sky Melnik May 14, 2012

    This continually baffles me. Setting aside the inevitability of conflict, especially in SL (or any internet forum), I am taken aback by how people choose to treat others on a daily basis. And no, I do not just mean in group chat. That type of thing not only drives new people away, but older residents as well. I know it will never completely go away, we are human, and yet I only have so much patience for nastiness in my leisure time.

    We have the Steampunks ‘group joiners’ up in our builds…it is sad I sometimes cringe when I suggest that new people to town join the group. I want so badly to be proud of our fair city: not only the builds, but also the people.

    And thank you, Mr. Tenk and Vic for speaking up about it.

  3. Mr Tenk Mr Tenk May 14, 2012

    Mr. Gears did apologize for being the case that proves the point last night, he also said this, which some folks would be wise to take to heart:

    “I think there’s room for all sorts of plots in your city.  But the public chatroom probably isnt the best outlet for em.”

    Level of publicity, folks. Keep it appropriate.

  4. Nathaniel Lorefield Nathaniel Lorefield May 14, 2012

    Where am I when such things go on? I’m not really sure, but up until now I’d never heard of things like this going on. Maybe I’m lucky that I didn’t see this sort of thing in chat before, but I don’t know if I can properly express my disappointment at this early hour. I do think that this is something that needs to be taken care of though, and I do hope things improve.

  5. Ceejay Writer Ceejay Writer May 14, 2012

    *deep steadying breath*

    Victor was being kind and not mentioning that it was my blog with the ranty post.  I’ll out myself.  I had bottled up some stuff and just let it all loose in an entry last week.  I will clarify now that yes, Babbage chat prompted some of that post, as did another Steamlands city set in the Pacific Northwest, AND a very large region not at all related to the steamlands but known to contain excellent beaches and magazine headquarters.  These are all city chats I like to have open when I’m inworld, along with other group chats.  But that day I hit a cumulative moment of Arrgh.

    And keep in mind that sometimes I get peeved because I care.  If I didn’t, I’d just walk away.  I love Babbage. Always have, always will.

    And with that, here’s my vent, if interested.  http://www.ceejaywriter.com/?p=1068

  6. Glaubrius Valeska Glaubrius Valeska May 14, 2012

    In my many years in this dark world, and wide, I have found the best advice for public discourse is simple: be mindful.

  7. Mr Tenk Mr Tenk May 14, 2012

    bit of chat snippet i got today from a very longsuffering and proper resident who likes to roleplay:

    “and personally, I find it just mind blowing when a person bounces in and out of IC and OOC in group chat. I just want to swear at them and tell them to get the hell over themselves… it boggles the mind and I’ve been in Babbage awhile… I can only imagine how a newbie person would be”


    • Ceejay Writer Ceejay Writer May 14, 2012

      It can be confusing and annoying when you don’t know from one minute to the next if someone’s IC or OOC.  This should be basic if you consider yourself a roleplayer. How can we know who you are if you can’t keep it straight yourself?   Practice some diligence, and it may even improve your actual roleplay!

       

  8. Tepic Harlequin Tepic Harlequin May 14, 2012

    Oh dear…. in City chat i do kid around a bit, enjoying light-hearted banter, and do slip from IC to OOC depending on what is being talked about or what questions are being asked, often without using the brackets – mainly because i don’t remember to use them! On the whole, i hope context makes the difference clear, a quip from an unchin’s point of view should sound different from a comment about a build or event – if not, i am always happy to clarify.

    Most newcomers i meet not in chat, but in the streets, where i generally greet them IC. Once i know they are new, i direct them mostly here, as here is where they can learn about the City and the events we hold at their own pace (one day i should read more of the wiki, it’s always interesting..).

    I have heard some things that are not considerate or pleasent on the chat, it reminds me of overhearing conversations on public transport when the speakers don’t believe you can understand their language.. saying hello to them in it as i leave usually results in some shocked looks! It’s almost as if some people do not realise they are talking in a public forum, and if they are reminded, they are usually rather shamefaced afterwards.

    Also, i am one of those who does sometimes take medication that makes the world a pink and fluffy place – in-world i wil usually wear a sign, and in chat i will try to mention it so people know i am not my… errr… usual self! So far this has worked well for me, no idea how it works for others!

    • Grendel Footman Grendel Footman May 14, 2012

      half the time I dont pay as much attention to group chat, other half I
      may be ooc or I may make some comment that could be taken IC, but
      generally I don’t RP in group chat, I may give occasional comments in response to something someone said,  health and personal issues, I try to stay out of

       

      and
      group chat isn’t the place for discussing medical issues anyway, it’s
      like those commercials where they have a nice, long, conversation over
      hemhroids, ED, or that ‘not so fresh feeling’ right in the middle of the supermarket, noone really wants to know
      about that.  it’s like saying ‘Hello” to someone and they start right in with a power point presentation about their goiter.

       

       

      and my medication, liquor and tobacco, I self medicate, it’s really bad, especially when the pink elephants come in.

  9. Toshiro Tigerauge Toshiro Tigerauge May 14, 2012

    Some of the comments in the origional chat were mine, if they caused offence to people with mental health issues irl, i apologies. I was actualy venting my annoyance at people online in another group FAKING having issues to make themselves more exciting.I had no idea of drama over that conversation hours later, or o f people rping themes of mental issues at all.

    In general the point Victor makes about keeping the group chat friendly is fair, and everyone should do that from here on in.  Ill be trying to do that in future.

    But i would add that this is not a small or recent issue, this has happened a lot in the time ive been in babbage, and some of the parties that were innocent and outraged on this occasion, have been guilty of the very same things ceejay mentions in her blog rant on others. Frankly a LOT of babbagers need to think about their conduct, even some of the ones on soapboxes at present.

    In the two years or so Ive been in town, Ive seen more snarky comments about people in the sims than I can remember. How many of you have joined in the casual flaming of someone in a really bad david Tenant avatar innocently exploring the town for instance? More than may care to admit it. And people playing certain themes have at times been actively harrased right out of the city by babbagers that considered themselves to be somehow helping maintain a standard.

    Ive seen many occasions where babbagers that really should know better have joined in, and sometimes led the public ridicule of newcomers. One occasion that was the final straw that made me leave for nearly a year was when someone mistakenly posted a negative comment about a SL users profile in group chat instead of an IM, and a group of old time babbagers proceded to make fun of said users profile, without ever having met the guy. The person being flamed (and he got roasted!) was never there to hear the jibes. the person that mistakenly posted in the wrong window left the chat and never returned to babbage.

    The list could go on, but basicaly my point is only this, people in babbage are at times casualy callous to others, and its sometimes old guard babbagers as well. often they dont even seem to realise they are being unkind. Somthing we all should think about in future.

  10. Jonathon Spires Jonathon Spires May 14, 2012

    50% of the time, I just turn group chat off when I am online.

    “Beneath me, this awful city, it screams like an abattoir full of retarded children.” – Rorschch’s Journal, the Watchmen.

  11. Maddox Sinclaire Maddox Sinclaire May 15, 2012

    I’m being completely OOC here. I usually stay out of the chatroom when I’m online, mainly because I don’t know whether I should be OOC or IC in it. I treat IMs like OOC, mainly because no one else can see what you and the other person are saying, so it doesn’t matter unless you’ve agreed to RP in that IM.

    As for being nice about people with mental problems… That should go without saying. If you’re going to be mean about people different than you, do it where no one can hear. Keep your rudeness to yourself. I mean, I roleplay a psychiatrist. There are some times I know what I’m rping, I’ve taken plenty of Psych classes. But really, I’m not a shrink. I’ll be the first person to tell you, I should probably see one myself. But, alts are just other facets to the online experience. They should be different people in-game with different personalities or they’re no fun. And being someone with only one alt, it’s kinda fun for me. She was my first account way back when I started SL and I’m just now (after 5 some years) am getting interested in building and texturing.

    It only takes one thing to spark an interest. It takes lots of cool things to keep one.

    And besides, keeping OOC and IC straight is kinda simple. An IM to the character, and ask the typist if they’re keeping things OOC or IC oriented. Sometimes just asking is the best way to know.

    I don’t know if this is where the convo was going, but it’s my two pennies. ^^

  12. Ashiko Kuroe Ashiko Kuroe May 15, 2012

    Yes… Because people are never thrown off by the elitism and outwardly and arguably fanatical prudishness of certain SL city groups to a point that they create seperate accounts in a paranoid effort to nary meet the two together and suffer what would become the UNENDING GODDAMNED JUDGEMENT of one of the communities.

     

    And about the mental disorder crap. I have a few. Depression mostly. Hospitalized twice for suicide attempts. Countless breakdowns, self esteem issues (shocker), ect.

    My most recent attempt was in 2010, in which I swallowed three months worth of antidepressants, a half gram of ACC codeine, and some other goodies to give myself a stroke. Tried slashing my wrist for good messure. After puking a half digested stomach full of phamacudicals, hallusinating for days, (And since we’re talking about mature shit here not being able to get it up for a week.) I noticed a loss of memory, words not coming to mind. Going to a blank in mid sentance. And horrid spelling and typo errors on the computer. 

    Oh sure I got some plots of land in Babbage about a year after. Considered RP plots and getting involved in the community. But there was always the fear. That one little bit of a typo. One little forgetfulness. One little breakdown and personal life distracting from it to a point that I let my guard down. One little mistake would have some elitist vulture take a pot shot at me.

    Fortionately I’ve done a lot of recovery since then. Made new wonderful caring friends and become a part on a few communities on SL. I still occasionally do things in Babbage with my friends there. And still show some folks around. I might return again, but I doubt now, especially now, if I’ll be more involved than when I had my old plots.

     

    Sure… Adult conversations might dissuade people from buying land in Babbage. But I think that blowing every little minor mistake into some huge moral crusade and superiority contest does a far better job of that.

  13. Jedburgh30 Dagger Jedburgh30 Dagger May 15, 2012

    OK folks, I hate having to put the mod hat on, but let’s tone it down a notch.  This is a topic that obviously has struck more than a few nerves.  The way we move forward is keep it civil.

    Consider this a friendly warning to express an opinion, but to be nice.

  14. Edward Pearse Edward Pearse May 15, 2012

    I realise that there are cultural differences between the typists behind the people in New Babbage. But forgive my ignorance, in what way is the conversation posted here “Adult” by any stretch of the imagination?

    Inappropriate? Maybe.

    Inane? Probably.

    Adult? Not that I can see.

    Of course, I’ve been banned from a chatroom for saying something was “damn cold”. My incredulity at being told that damn was still a swear word to people in the 21st century was enormous.

    • Victor1st Mornington Victor1st Mornington May 15, 2012

      I didnt say in the original post that it was Adult, i said that last year i had to clamp down because the chat was going adult.

      The emphasis on this post is not so much the rating, its the content of the chat going on.  If you have a read at all of the terms of service and more especially the community guidelines which aint “law” like the TOS, that convo above…and convos like it which have been creeping up more and more could get the group closed and the owners banned plus the admins given a warning.

      The steampunks group is rated General…which means that teens in SL can join it.  Now considering they cant actually get into the city’s actual regions…but get into the group, i think a fair point of discussion for the town hall is to set Steampunks to Moderate.  Linden Lab left the interpretations wide open when it came to General rated groups and regions which means if enough complaints was sent in about a group or a region, they would simply look at chat logs for the group, or the content on the ground over and entire G rated region and pick out something that they could construe as worth suspending or banning over.

      The G rating is a very very fine line…M rating, not so much.

    • Jedburgh30 Dagger Jedburgh30 Dagger May 15, 2012

      Not here proper Ed.  Started about Steampunks in-world, and devolved a bit later here, but everyone is calmish now.

  15. Polenth Yue Polenth Yue May 15, 2012

    I don’t know many people in Babbage, so my reaction to this was based on the words rather than knowing the personalities. And I know I’d have been hurt if I’d been online during the quoted discussion. I’d have seen it as an attempt to shame and exclude anyone who isn’t neurotypical.

    Which is why, when this discussion was linked to as an example of elitism, I assumed the elitism being pointed out was by the quoted people. It took a bit before the penny dropped and I realised it was Victor who was said to be elitist, for calling out the conversation.

    At some level, you could say that any form of setting boundaries and rules is elitist, as it will always exclude someone. But without boundaries, you’ll end up with a group of people who don’t care about anyone, because everyone who cared has left. Sometimes we’re not going to agree about where the boundaries go, but that doesn’t make it wrong for someone to want to discuss behaviour they think crosses the line. For me, I’d hope the public chat could be kept friendly and welcoming for all, because I’m one of those who does care and would leave if it the group decided boundaries were for other people.

  16. Victor1st Mornington Victor1st Mornington May 15, 2012

    One point about Tosh’s post…

    In the two years or so Ive been in town, Ive seen more snarky comments
    about people in the sims than I can remember. How many of you have
    joined in the casual flaming of someone in a really bad david Tenant
    avatar innocently exploring the town for instance? More than may care to
    admit it. And people playing certain themes have at times been actively
    harrased right out of the city by babbagers that considered themselves
    to be somehow helping maintain a standard.

    Yeah, i admit, im the first one to slag off tennoobs.  The main Doctor Who group with its four thousand members slags off tennoobs as a past time.  The US based Who Island group slags off tennoobs.  Hell, as a “forfeit” for myself, i degraded my avatar to a tennoob avatar for a whole week, im wearing it everywhere right now, and im the laughing stock of the Dr Who community…but it got a lot of money in for Relay for Life.

    There’s a reason that i target those tennoobs…that reason is simple.  Over the past 4 years of being a co-owner of the Dr Who Expo (Katrina sim), the average Abuse Report and ban rate per week is around 6.  6 different avatars…banned from Katrina, Abuse Reported, and banned from Second Life as a whole…every week.  Why?

    Cause those tennoob avatars, 90% of the time have kids averaging 12 years old controlling them.  TWELVE years old.  Out of the other 10% about 3/4ths of those are the same 12 years old’s who got banned, coming back with “thedoctor390243723198723 resident” screennames.  Out of the general herds of tennoobs, obnly about 1% of them are legitimate aged people.  It;s easy to tell those apart from the other 99%.

    First of all, the 1% doesnt rez 750 prim consoles in public land over new babbage which spills out into folks parcels.  At one point during every single long school holiday I am returning 1 or 2 consoles a DAY in various parts of New Babbage.  The kiddies dont do it in the Dr Who regions now, cause they know I’m there.  They started looking around for open build areas with high auto returns (anything over 30 minutes basically) so they could land squat.

    Secondly, the 1% doesnt walk up to you, say “HAI IM DA DOCTORZ!!111!!!!” and proceed to rez a blue police box (ALWAYS the freebie blue police box) right ontop of your head.  Or alternativley rez a Novatech T70 ontop of your head, then rez the console out the back which then goes into your parcel and chews up all your prims.

    Thirdly, the way the 1% acts is more subtle…they take time to look around, they stop at buildings, look for the entrance, walk in, explore, click on notecard givers, say a general “hello” to folks who walk up to them and generally act more adult.  The other 99% always run, they run into walls, run into other avatars…once they find another avatar they either start begging for money, start begging for consoles, start rezzing consoles ontop of everyone, or jump into a flyable police box, and then proceed to fly it right into a group of people or a building…get out of the blue police box and claim the building they flew into belongs to them cause their police box is in it.  That happened 2 days ago actually..i caught a tennoob in scotties portlands books place, he flew a police box right in, and then claimed the building and the land it was on was his…until i told him what region in the dr who community i own…and he teleported straight out.

    We still give out that freebie tennoob avatar in Katrina.  Ya would think we dont since its the cause of a lot of problems.  However that tennoob avatar has become an early warning for us, when we see one we immediatley think “look out, probable 12 year old we need to ban again”.

    Now that may sound harsh, but in that same region (katrina) if you use the teleporter which is right next to the freebie tennant avatar, you can go to the actual main freebie store, where there is Doctor Who based avatars which are of much, much better quality…now that 1% i talked about ealier?  Eventually, they end up with those better avatars.  However the vast majority who are underagers, who wants things now, held to them on a plate…they dont take the time to look.

    The tennoobs who visit New Babbage, out of the ones I have seen its always the underagers…because that same day, ive had to return their 600 prim Tennant console, or 750 prim Smith console from Port Babbage or Clockhaven…it always seems to be port or clockhaven they go to for rezzing.

    • Ceejay Writer Ceejay Writer May 15, 2012

      A question – possibly silly but I must ask.  Can an *object* be banned from a sim?  If you know that certain toys are being misused often in Babbage, can they simply be disallowed?  Might be a more elegant solution, IF it were possible.

      • Victor1st Mornington Victor1st Mornington May 15, 2012

        If that was possible, it would make a lot of peoples lives a lot more easier….

    • Toshiro Tigerauge Toshiro Tigerauge May 15, 2012

      Im aware there are idiots in freebie avatars, and often those people are young or simply new and dont know the rules, But Ive never seen someone with a tardis ask for money in babbage, perhaps Im lucky, dunno. I would respectfully suggest that you have set a honey pot for flies at your who sim, so get swamped by new people acting annoyingly.

      Those that come to Babbage may or may not be annoying, but surely shouldnt be assumed to be because they have a free avatar. They did find us somehow, so theres some initiative been used. Ive met about three people in the time ive been in Babbage that say “Hello! Im the doctor!” and if they are having fun running around the city looking for Rose or whatever, good luck to them. When someone tells me they are a character from their fave TV show I dont feel the need to take their toys away, I just say “But ofcourse you are!” and get on with my day.I cant stand girl Genius personaly, but we had the entire cast here at one time it seemed, I just avoided being around them doing their thing.

      Id suggest that there is a small bit of prejudice there about people playing timelords, perhaps the people doing it feel justified by their experiences, but its there none the less. There have been issues with littering, less these days it seems as scripts get more reliable on tardis’s.

      Frankly there are some prominant Babbagers that just dont like or want them here, and that isnt cool. The same sort of reaction has been thrown out at people playing Fae. Im aware of a past altercation between Mr tenk and a player of uber Fae chars that ended badly, but thats THEIR business, not the basis for more prejudice from others.  Ive grumbled about demons and fairies when their roleplay has started getting to reality shaking levels and drowning out the steampunk theme, but am not of the opinion they shouldnt be here either. All things in moderation.

      The elitist charge people are alluding to is exactly this kind of thing. We have some people making judgment calls on reigning in or slapping down visitors based on their personal experiences, not city policy. And then the snarky commentry in the group chat with people cheering on the hostility because the person getting it isnt “one of us” If Mr Tenk wants tardis’s set on fire on sight and fae thrown from the walls, THAT is city policy. If he doesnt issue that memo, its personal prejudice and needs to stop. Because it doesnt matter why someone has a bad experience when they visit babbage, they wont be reading this blog, they will just be telling everyone they meet that they got a frosty reception here.

      Id add this isnt aimed at victor just because its in a reply to his comment, some of the “keep the riff-raff out” attitudes are shown by a lot of others, and its why people go away feeling babbage is a hard place to break into sometimes.

      • Victor1st Mornington Victor1st Mornington May 15, 2012

        You should be a politician Tosh, nice job on twisting the arguement round and blaming everyone else.

        It’s not a case of some high up folks wanting rid of timelords.  Do you know the history of the city?  Specifically the founding members?  Do you know that a quarter of them are all timelord roleplayers?

        Do you also know Tosh that in each of the populated regions of the city, Wheatstone, Clockhaven, Academy, Canals, New Babbage and Babbage Square that there is at least 2 timelords in EACH of those sims with land?  Out of those about half of them are regular roleplayers?

        It’s not a case of prominent babbagers not wanting timelords here…because about half of the prominent babbagers ARE timelords/ladys

        • Toshiro Tigerauge Toshiro Tigerauge May 15, 2012

          I know there are several in the city, i also know that more recent ones have come and been made unwelcome. Im not just talking about timelords, thats just one group that do get a rough ride from people in town and its not founders of the city, timelords or otherwise doing it.

          My first time in babbage meeting some residents, one thats very prominant and not a founder was rude and snarky to me, to the sniggers of her companions. that was my first impression of Babbage folk.

          I dont even want to be in this converation anymore. Once the rent ends on my house I dont think i even want to be in the city anymore.

    • Grendel Footman Grendel Footman May 15, 2012

      I remember picking up tardises tennant avi’s kept rezzing almost daily back when I owned the cemetary. 

  17. Kristos Sonnerstein Kristos Sonnerstein May 15, 2012

    Speaking out of character on the issue of singling people out and ostracizing others from cliquish groups, I will say I have felt that on this particular account in town. I will not name names, I’m sure people know who they are who OOCily hate my character for whatever weird reasons they imagine.

    That being said, just as this city is opt in for rp, it is plenty big enough that if you run into this kind of OOC based hostility, as dissappointing and hurtful as it can be to have people fester something towards you, you can OPT OUT. The city is more than big enough to just walk away and find someone else who does OOCily like your character and you enough to rp with you or hang out even, OOC or IC. You always have options, and even if you are sure someone is being hateful and being subtle or not so subtle about it, you can choose to opt out, to walk away and ignore it.

    If you do not like someone’s behavior, you can always walk away. I’ve heard several people complain about this or that person’s behavior, and it’s usually about the same very few people. I admit I have my own complaints, but seldom will I voice them, because, guess what? There’s plenty more people to befriend.

    Always remember, you can just walk away. Ignoring a problem won’t make it go away, no, but nor do you have to deal with it and keep smashing your face into that brick wall that apparently will never change. As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. This philosophy applies here. If someone has made up their OOC mind about your IC character, you can’t force them to change it. You can either deal with the OOC and sometimes IC consequences of their hate or just ignore it. I’ve seen too many people who just sit and let someone’s dislike against them fester and infuriate them until they leave the town and maybe come back in a few months or never again at all. There really is no point to this. We’re all here to have fun, enjoy our free time and do amazing things. There’s no sense in letting someone else’s caca get under your skin and infect you.

    I’ve rambled more than long enough on this, haven’t I? Well, here’s hoping someone reads it and takes note. I don’t know what people imagine of my character, it’s obvious a few really don’t get him at all, that’s fine. We can’t get along with everyone in the world even if there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to. That’s why the world’s as big as it is, walk away and find someone you do get along with.

    • Grendel Footman Grendel Footman May 15, 2012

      good post kristos

      I know there’s people in Babbage who hate my characters and some of the things I do, but, since im not breaking any rules or the covent, I just fail to care, sucks that they may have an interesting character, plot or RP themselves that I may of gotten involved, but there’s alot more people I do get along with to really be too bothered.

  18. Kristos Sonnerstein Kristos Sonnerstein May 15, 2012

    And as a side note, sometimes it can be very very disappointing when someone OOCily hates your character for reasons they can’t even seem to define, or even avoid a place simply because that particular character is about. Especially disappointing when you like that person OOCily and find their character interesting and wish to interact. But you just can’t force a person to change their mind, nor should they have to change it. Life is disappointment. But if you harbor some bad OOC sentiments against someone’s character, just try to keep in mind this character may be important to their player in some way, try to be civil. It’s one thing to take IC crap, it’s another thing to know someone’s IC is affected by dark OOC sentiments. And to reiterate a point people have often made, communicate OOC. If you’re uncomfortable around an IC character, IM the person OOC, let them know as nicely as you can that you’d rather not interact. There’s no need to be hostile IC over an OOC distaste for someone. Sometimes communication can help avoid the IC awkwardness and discomfort and festering suspicions.

    I know I’ve heard second hand from someone that someone else avoids a place because I’ve been there ICily. Learning this way can be both hurtful and confusing. I know I for one would rather know from the person themselves and try to clear up any confusion or misconceptions that might be causing problems.

    • Ceejay Writer Ceejay Writer May 15, 2012

      This is all good thoughtfodder for a roleplay discussion.  We all know that roleplay is more than simply creating a character.  The trickiest parts are separating IC from OOC, not letting emotions wash back and forth between typist and character (and between anothers character and their typist) and such.

      However… it is a digression from the original issue which is behaviour in the very public Steampunks of New Babbage chat and the impressions we give visitors/potential neighbors.  

      I think there’s a roleplayers group in New Babbage too (not sure if it’s active but it sure sounds useful).  I’d be curious to know if much roleplay is going into that group or if the main Steampunks group is bearing all the burden of community interations.  (I know the Engineers group, but it’s not problematic and used as it was intended.)

       

  19. Bookworm Hienrichs Bookworm Hienrichs May 15, 2012

    I think this discussion has strayed from its original intention.  I don’t believe Victor’s intention to be elitist, or calling for censorship.  I believe his intention was to get people to use some common sense in regards to the Steampunk chat.  Please remember that the group chat is public, not private.  If you wouldn’t want what you’re saying to be, say, broadcast over the PA system of your local grocery store or high school/secondary school, then you probably shouldn’t be saying it on Steampunk chat.

    Frankly, I think New Babbage is in a spot of difficulty now.  We have a lot of land standing vacant, and have for some time.  That land needs to be filled or, sooner or later, the city will, at the least, contract.

    We. Need. More. People. And if we’re going to attract more people, we need to put our best feet, or feet-like appendiges, forward–in the sims, on the group chat, and here on the website. This–and I’m referring to the entire discussion; I’m not singling anyone out–this is not our best foot.

    • Ceejay Writer Ceejay Writer May 15, 2012

      Yes.  What Book said! 

      And my probably last word, as it’s all been talked to bits and if you don’t yet get it, just re-read this entire thread again. 

      There’s a time and a place for everything. The Steampunks chat is NOT always the place.  Consider the many venues available to you. Email? private IM? another group closer to your topic? Twitter? Plurk? the BAR?  Screaming into your pillow? A RL friend or relative? and yes, often Steampunks chat IS the right choice for your message.  But just take a short pause to think about where you will release your words into the wild before actually speaking.

  20. Mr Tenk Mr Tenk May 15, 2012

    Getting back to what started this all in the first place, i had a talk with some of the people involved in the roleplay centered the on asylum build, and told them to keep the topic well away from chat because its an issue some folks really deal with in real life, and furthermore, they’d prolly find that roleplay in general works a lot better when you keep it less public. the person’s intent was only to help arnold’s build shine.

    addressing Tepic’s concern, there is a difference between roleplaying in chat and using your character’s voice in chat. i’m not going to say more on that because there is that 5% reading this with no social sense at all that will note what i say here and come back at me playing rules lawyer. 5%, you need to turn off the computer and go get some solid real life experiences.

    moral of the story is: for the love of gawd, keep your roleplay out of group chat.

  21. Mr. Arnold Mr. Arnold May 15, 2012

    I had actually crashed when that argument started…I still have very little context for who said what or when the asylum came up in chat or how it was misinterpreted, especially since we were at the Wilde hospital at the time this was occuring.  But that’s irrelevant.  Vexing to me personally, but irrelevant to the bigger issue.

    Steam chat just isn’t the place for that kind of talk. It’s too easy for people to misunderstand, especially if they’re new to town.  We saw quite a few visitors in town tonight at the Gangplank, at least two were new…(though we’re pretty sure one was the guy looking for Lapis).  I wouldn’t have wanted to have scared them off by causing the kind of drama that we’ve experienced the past few days while they were looking around town.  Blog posts, pictures, and video’s are much better for letting people know what’s going on with rp without someone mistaking it’s intentions.  There’s no need to create drama because someone misunderstood something that they would have understood if it was on here instead.

  22. Sheryl Skytower Sheryl Skytower May 15, 2012

    I miss all the good stuff… *wanders off to steal more of Victor’s excellent cimmommmommm buns from Brunel Hall*

  23. Jedburgh30 Dagger Jedburgh30 Dagger May 15, 2012

    OK kids, by order of the boss, this thread is over.  I think we’re to the point of making more heat than light.

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