The 'Line'

[𝐊𝐀𝐓 ᴀᴋᴀ 𝓡𝓮𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓹𝓮𝓻]

The Line

Knowing what the Line is, and knowing how to stay on the safe side.

The Line is that invisible barrier that separates your fantasy game life and your real life. When you have been playing the game and role-playing for awhile it's very possible for that Line to become blurred, allowing you to slip over it. Sometimes, most times, without even realizing it.

Who You Are, and Who They Are.

While there is the obvious Line blurring of someone who role-plays a warrior in the game thinking that in real life they are that same character able to leap off buildings and whatnot without barely a scratch, there are subtle things that people may not be always aware of.

Crossing Things We Know OOC to Our Character.

As players, there are things we find out and know, out of character. We need to be very careful to keep what WE know as a player, and what our character knows on the right side of the Line. Failure to do this may drastically harm a role-play and cause a lot of bad feelings. It's also considered in some circles to be 'god modding', for your character to 'just know' certain things they otherwise should have had NO idea about.

Please take care when learning about peoples characters on an OOC(out of character) level (through MRP, character histories, stories etc). Never take what you learn out of character, and pass the info on to your character. If you're never sure, just pretend to have a conversation with your character and ask them 'how did you know about...' whatever.

Additionally, when you suspect someone of doing this, try to remain calm and remember, it may have just been an accident. Speak to the person OOC and find out what happened.

YOU Are Your Characters Puppet Master.

We are all our own characters Puppet Masters. While role-play can, and usually does decide much of what is happening to your character at any given time, YOU as the player have the final say. When playing your character we must all remember that we control their strings. In the end, no matter how the character is, it's what WE want to happen. What we ALLOW to happen. Don't loose sight of that.

In any situation, any, you as the player are always in control. With enough imagination, anything is possible, your character CAN act 'outside the norm' for any reason you can fathom. While it's important to try and stay true to who your character is, remember in the end, in the very end, you guide their hand and their heart. And ultimately, that becomes something they would do.

Emotional Reactions Are Ok.

When reading a book, or watching a movie, or even listening to a powerful song there may be an emotional response if whatever it was, was good. Same holds true to role-play.

When you sit down in your chair in front of your computer, little cup with drinkage within reach, maybe a bowl of munchies too, and login to your role-play character, you are strapping yourself into the ride that is their life. You are experiencing everything with them. Being that close, your mind linked with essentially their mind, separated by a fine Line, it's so easy to be affected by their emotional highs, and lows. And just as it was natural to react to that book, or movie or song, you may react to what happens to your pixel creation on the screen. It's ok. Means the role-play is/was good.

What's bad, is when you start blurring the fact that you are your characters puppet master and the fact it's ok to react to what your character feels that you BECOME the character, and your actions out of character become twisted and you start sending hateful messages to players, or making your character act fueled by information you have out of character, or you even make your character feel toward someone else's character (negatively, positively, what have you.) because that is how YOU feel behind the screen either toward the character or toward the one playing the character. Gets kinda confusing doesn't it? Sure does.

No one is Perfect.

No one is perfect. No one is immune to blurring the Line. It happens to everyone. The key, however, is to know the signs. In yourself, in your friends.... Being open to listen when they come to you and bring it to your attention and be just as ready to go to them, if you feel it is they who are blurring. Even if you're not sure about your friend, or even yourself, ASK. Be ready to hear the answer. Communication is key. Always.

Be ready to help them, and be helped.

Depending on how far the Line was crossed, you may only need a day or two to clear your head and get things back into perspective, or you may need much longer.

Being aware of the Line when you strap yourself into your character will help ensure how often you blur it will be less and less.

Good luck out there, enjoy the ride.

PS: If you wish to use this information on your own guild/web site, please feel free. BUT please also credit this site and the Cheshire Cats.

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