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[hops]

Blurb

So... this is not actually a game. Or a freeform roleplay, even. I have this idea in my head that might be a little weird and hard to describe.

I don't even know how I would summarize it, but my best attempt would be:

Roleplaying is a collaborative storytelling project with a fourth wall.

If we were to treat the setting of a story as a simulation, then the characters are game pieces within that simulation that move under the whims of their players. However, (if the players playing said characters are good roleplayers) there is an IC/OOC segregation. To the character, they're a real person with hopes and dreams, personality, fears, and love. To the player, it's all make-believe.

But as we can see in textual medium, there's another "roleplay" that also occurs: emoting. Sure, there's no "character" save for our online persona, but we're creating an enriched setting through symbols. Somehow, "c:" seems much more evocative that you're smiling (even if you might not be doing so physically, you're doing it mentally) than typing "I am smiling right now."

I'm trying to see if we can do that deliberately, creating a simulated environment where our "character" is just our avatar, an extension of ourselves into the fictional visualization we have created, where we know it's all an illusion, but keep it going anyways.

If we can get over how cringy that is, I think it would be a cool way to create virtual environment for socializing and presentations.

I'm thinking that, as a proof of concept, I want to recruit a few people to volunteer their "avatars" into a simulated setting of my avatar guiding everyone through a few "interactive" exhibits in a museum.

Also, it would be nice if somebody who can parse what the hell I'm saying could help me rewrite this in a more comprehensible form.

[King Zultan]

The whole thing seem interesting but I'd like a little info.
What is the social experiment part of this hole project, also could you offer more info as to what will happen in this game?

[FallacyofUrist]

This is one of the most interesting game concepts I've seen in a while. Though I admit I don't understand the concept myself. Not exactly. What... a pseudo-roleplay with no fourth wall? Am I getting it right?

In any case, while I'm not sure I understand my avatar well enough to roleplay as her(maybe one of these days I should do an avatar change, I've had this one for quite a few years now), I'd be happy to help you GM. Or help with this game/social experiment in other ways. Whatever those may be.

It's weird, but I'm down for weird.

[hops]

I just want to mention that I read the questions, I'm just still thinking of how to answer most of them.

In any case, while I'm not sure I understand my avatar well enough to roleplay as her(maybe one of these days I should do an avatar change

This isn't what I mean. In this situation avatar just mean whatever you "look" like in the space. They act like you. Or at least, they act like you if you're aware that you're acting like yourself.

[King Zultan]

Does this mean we don't use our forum avatar and we pick an avatar for this game or do you chose one for us?

[hops]

You pick your own avatar.

[hops]

Anyways, answers.

What is the social experiment part of this hole project, also could you offer more info as to what will happen in this game?

1. I guess by "social experiment" I mean "socializing experiment." In that whether or not we can have a comprehensible socializing session with this.

2. We're just going to roleplay, more or less.

[FallacyofUrist]

"Alright then. Time for the strangest field trip of my life, I guess."

I swing my backpack over my shoulders, adjust my glasses, and attempt a smile.

"When do we start?"

[King Zultan]

So are we just going to start this or are we going to set up a character first?

[hops]

I'm still figuring out the optimal prose for this, so there will probably be some shifts here and there.

An Atrium in... Space?

The atrium is surrounded by glass panes, seemingly thicker than they look, or just apparently very strong, as outside you can see stars and nebulae twinkling just outside in vivid, beyond-real details.

Golden-brown particle streams of a vast dust nebulae stretch beneath the transparent floor, fogged by glowing whiteness that served as this room's illumination.

Glass cases of various trinkets and models are placed in the spacious room, their details obscured by the faceless crowds of NPCs in casual everyday wear, though some of them stand out to you as various characters from within your dreams.

Cinder is here, a monochrome male with bunny ears, holding an empty notepad. He waves at FallacyofUrist, and presumably anyone else present.

"Hi! Thanks for participating in this experiment. As you can, uh, see, I'm not so great on details right now, but hopefully we can improve that as we go along!"

He flipped through the empty notes for a bit.

"I really should've prepared some surveys and actual notes..."

He jerks a laconic thumb to a pair of large, glass sliding doors that have totally always been there, leading to another room.

"Anyhow... that's the entrance to the, uh, museum I guess? I'll be generating details on various dreamscape demonstrations as you guys explore. Try to keep track where everyone is, so that multiple people can interact. Also... I think it would be more immersive if we used walkie-talkies instead of telepathy..."

He waved to the receptionist's table, which was actually unstaffed. It just has a big pile of nondescript walkie-talkies on the table.

[King Zultan]

"How come most of these people don't have faces, its kind of creepy."

I look around for a second then go over to the windows and stair out into space.

"Look at all that space, I wonder if I can see Earth from here."

I then turn around and say, "Hay do we need to get the walkie-talkies now, and can we touch the exhibits?

[hops]

Cinder scratches his chin.

"Well... I guess I was going for the vague dreamy aesthetic, but I can see why that'd be creepy."

He joins Zultan at the observation window, "Well, can you see Earth from here? Anyways, it really depends on the exhibits. Some of them are guns you can shoot people with so obviously those ones can be touched."

[King Zultan]

"Not sure if I can see Earth, as there is too much space and I'm not sure where it is I'm even looking." I then pause for a second and looks out at space. "The thing with guns sound illegal, but also kind of metal so that means I have to do it, I guess you lead the way to the adventure." Waits for Cinder to lead him to whatever is about to happen.

[FallacyofUrist]

I walk over to the walkie-talkies and pick one up.

"This'll be handy. Right. When do we set out? Or are we going to wait for some others to arrive first?"

[RoseHeart]

（。々°)

PTW