So, maybe you should keep the sensitive topics to yourselves... Or at least warn other people before diving into traumatic shit that you know not everyone is comfortable with. Because every time I roleplay with you, it's like walking through a lovely field of tall grass and sunflowers, but it's FILLED WITH FRIGGIN SNAKES.
I will agree with you 100% on a few things here. There are those of us who have been RPing together for a couple years now, and we're very comfortable with each other. We know what *we* like in our RPs, and we know what boundaries not to cross for *us.* So it doesn't always occur to us that other people might not like the heavier topics. Quite often we do tend to keep to ourselves, simply because we don't always like fluff n' stuff RPs. There is a reason that we're often to be found on rooftops or in dungeons and sewers. (And it isn't just the kickass graphic glitches or the thrill of taunting the GM-guards to 'port us out.)
Let me ask you something though. How many times have you ever heard someone come up to one of us and say "Hey man, I'd love to RP with you, but I'm really not up for dark and creepy tonight. Could we go a bit lighter, maybe?" I've never heard it myself. But I'd like to think I'm at least marginally considerate enough that if someone asked me nicely/politely/at least without sarcasm-ly I'd at least think about it.
What I do see happening a lot is someone walks up, in the middle of an already on-going, and typically serious, conversation and tosses out a random greeting or comment, without pausing to listen to what is happening. Now, a new player? (And in these situations, you can pretty easily tell if someone is new...) For them, my character will usually deadpan, stare at them like their nutters and ask them, albeit reluctantly, if they need help with something.
This is where players like Zalya and Mariana are leagues above and beyond me with sending /tells and talking to the players, trying to make sure they know it's not personal, only IC, and being all-around friendly. I'm shy. I don't like sending strangers /tells. I don't really even like to approach characters I don't know the players of. Deep down, I'm still that little girl in pigtails who got pushed down on the playground and sat in the sand crying until her mommy picked her up. But I am at least willing to try and reach out to someone to make sure they aren't upset by it.
Back to the above... I'm not a big fan of established characters walking up obliviously into things and not reacting ICly. I suppose I expect a bit more from them. Some players, like Elrbye (I know I butchered that spelling. Where are you, you giant hulking menki?! You know you want a cuddle!), Sacho, and Monala are just amazing at walking up, giving a realistic greeting/intro, and then observing and jumping in with the reaction. I give them mad props for going with the flow.
So yeah, all of that to say... what Volki and Illysia said just now? Nice, polite, not accusatory, or abrasive. THAT type of comment or request? Yeah, you say that, and I'm more than willing to tone my RP down to play around you. I have no problems compromising so that everyone can have fun. And I'm pretty sure that the rest of the dark and gritty crowd (aside from Rigwyn, who we all know couldn't get his mind out of the creepy-scary-gutter :p ) would be willing to tone things down on our main scaries, or use more jovial alts for the benefit of all, at least occasionally. No, we're not going to all start using the organic hemp wash ( Ven, wink-wink-nudge-nudge) and switching to vegans (that means you, Ikon), but we're not unreasonable. You will always catch more flies with honey-scented flypaper, and being nice about it makes us more inclined to be accommodating.
Now then, I have a menki to shave, a diaboli to snatch the dreds off and two klyros to turn into a matching pair of boots. Toodles!
