A rant on rape, ICly.

[Etmosril]

All right. I'm not adding much more, but for my own peace of mind, I'd like to say it (especially after the related scene tonight.)

You are perfectly within your rights to play a raping character as long as it's not discussed OOCly ingame. All fine and good so far, especially for the people in favor of it.

However. I actively refuse to roleplay with any person (not just character) who does this. Why? It's my choice, that's why. It would only be discrimination against said people if the act was involuntary, which it isn't. As I've said - you make your choice, I make mine.

There is no malice intended. This is simply a way of preserving the good times I have while roleplaying. I find it very difficult to enjoy myself sometimes.

[BountyHunter]

I would like to say something about this...

Despite both characters involved directly in the RP consenting, that does not make it right. The people who are indirectly involved with it both IC and OOCly are often the ones whom are most affected. When I hear about it, when I see it happen, when my characters are affected from it happening to their friends, it affects me.

I do not choose to hear about it, I just do. Every time I do, I get sick, I feel like I want to throw up. But I cannot stop this. I cannot stop what happens to other characters and I cannot stop those characters crying. It simply makes me sick, sick and sad. There is nothing I can do to stop it affecting me.

That is simply it. This type of RP has the potential to overflow and hurt other people.

It does to me.

[Vind101]

*claps hands together* Well then... I guess everyone knows me from the first Shadovarn event as the person who raged about it. Alright now I will give my opinion i'm sure some of you have RPed with me heard, and it's bassically repeating what everyone says.

The RP is private, behind closed doors. There must be consent of the 2 parties for this to occur. If the RP is forced onto another. I honestly think the other should just walk out. If you go through an RP you absolutely dread. Then why do it? I mean it's a video game. You play it to relieve your stress not build it up. (That's a qoute from Miah btw) Anyways. I enjoy trying to free the slaves. ALways have been, aas of recently i've had to spend all of vind's money... just to get scammed by Tavren.

My official opinion is, if everyone sticks to the rules. Doesn't brag or talk about it OOC. I see no problem.

[Cepht]

When I rp its done with the goal of producing a story cooperatively. The story is best when its enjoyed by everyone. People will continue to rp with you when the stories that evolve are enjoyable. This, in my opinion is where the focus needs to be. If your character is a bad-ass then its your responsibility to do what you can to keep the victims entertained without pissing them off. Why? Because by making their character submit to your character they are giving you something. They are doing you a favor so that you may enjoy playing your role.

This is easier done it smaller groups and quite difficult in large groups.

Out of courtesy for fellow players who find such things upsetting, it might be good to make modifications to suit them. Its possible to drag a character into a secluded spot and then leave moments later with a simple agreement as to what transpired without actually role playing it. While this might still be seen as distasteful, at least the story can progress without upsetting anyone.

[Xigo]

I was going to write a big paragraph or two on this, but I figure this one line sums things up properly.

IC =/= OOC

I personally do my best to keep my OOC feelings away from IC actions. Personally, I hate rape. I hate slavery. I hate racism. Yet I can tolerate them in game because...well...I seperate IC from the OOC. When I see such unspeakable things done to a character, I will mutter to myself 'Oh, that's terrible', but ultimately, these are characters we talk about. They're not real people. So immediately after muttering those words I say 'This is a great opportunity to develop a character'!

Just don't let things that happen IC effect you OOCly. That's all we can really do to stop ourselves from being offended.

Regardless, I personally feel this thread has gone on long enough. It should end...sometime soon, please.

@Cepht: It's not as though the people who play these characters are inconsiderate. Binkie, for example, has often told people they could stop the RP before it gets to the rape part. It's funny to me how these people with such despicable characters are some of the politest players I know OOCly.

[Miah]

Gegerally the upset seems to come not from the character's involved, but from people, IC and OOC talking about it. Therefore I say to solve that issue, or at least lessen it, character's both IC and OOC need to start using discretion when talking about this kind of stuff. If you absolutely must talk about it IC, refer to it as "attacks" rather than "Rape". IF your discussing it IC, realise if your in the middle of a public place, in real life, you would never just talk about it, because its just not the done thing. talking about what happened to someone in that can if traumatic instance would be done in private, not in a public area.

The same goes for the people actually directly involved. Those who carry it out, be discreet, don't brag openly about it in the middle of a crowded area, as your not only asking for trouble, your potentially overshadowing some more light hearted RP, and thus taking away from their experience. No true rapist would walk about and brag about it like it was nothing. Guards may be quite moral-less in cases such as in booty bay, but they could only feign deafness for so long.

Little things like this would lessen or stop the impact that it is apparently having on some of the players, and out of respect for them, I hope they would do so.

[Wuvvums]

I'm just a bit sick.. of how I can't rp with Binkie half the time without people trying to sabotage his bike, or try to physically block him from leaving, or stalking him and so on. We were just having some arena rp and even then the whole town followed us and talked about how my character needed to be protected, even though she very thoroughly owned him, and then got to keelhaul them.

And OOCly I had to tell people I didn't want them coming on my ship. I was a bit worried they'd come off the teleporter.

And Xigo has a point, there's a lot of things that go on that we would abhor in real life. I for example use a character that maims people and hurts little animals, but if I heard about someone doing that IRL I would be sickened. In the end it's a pretend world. Also, while some people have been allowed to skip scenes, they were also allowed to not even have them to begin with. No one will rape your character if you don't want it.

[Cepht]

I didn't mean to point the finger at anyone. Sorry if it came across that way.

[Wuvvums]

I don't think it did. It's alright.

[Reigen]

To what Xigo said. Yes, very yes.

IC =/= OOC.

I live on that fact, and it bothers me a great deal when people OOCly harass others for IC actions. It's happened to me often enough.

Yes, this is a distasteful topic to most people on here. I fully understand that. But when it gets to the point there people -not even involved- make it more of a big deal than the characters involved, it just gets out of hand.

As to what wuvvums said, about people trying to stalk Shavovarn. It also sickens me that you dislike something so much OOCly, that you have to MAGICALLY know where someone is at any given time so you can go hunt them for your own OOC satisfaction. Several times while RPing with Shado I've gotten whispers of people saying they can be there to help me kill him. I'm sorry, unless you have a good reason to be there ICly, I'm telling you to go away and mind your own. So help me if one of those people decided to show up anyway...Just leave him and whoever is RPing with him alone unless otherwise said, or you really have a reason to be around there ICly. That's not that hard, is it?

If you don't like it. Don't deal with it. Choose not to RP with us then as I know personally I won't mind, nor care. That is your choice, I'm not going to make a huge deal out of it.To all those offended, I apologize. We're not trying to make light of a horrible and tragic event, but we also are not pretending it doesn't happen.

[Also sorry if this post feels like it's attacking someone. It is not. It's all I have to say about the subject and the reactions I've seen.]

[Nexi]

Feel free to bring up any questions or concerns in private to the staff.

Locked.