Ok, so…during a fairly recent period on FK, in Market Square…errr CENTER, pardon me, this is what basically happened for a couple of hours:
A dozen or so characters came and left, intermittently, with at least three present pretty much at all times. Liora attempted to generate actual roleplay. Thaien, identically-drab son of Thanasis (Faith Leader, Former Faith Leader), Lylena (hand-folding Faith Leader), Gwain (omg…see ‘Irrepressibly Drab And Awful’), some other character whose one “individual” characteristic is “says everything from behind a cowl”, some other character whose one “individual” characteristic is “tries to sleep with every female character in the game” (I think he also plays another fav of mine, but not sure…Casimir, who actually has TWO “individual” characteristics: “Slowly moves a talon up and down” and “Speaks in a wind-affected voice”), and some other characters who are too lazy to even have that one characteristic all engaged in…chat. No character, no characters, no roleplay, no personality. Nothing. Just chat. IN CHARACTER. The equivalent of what you’d see on most RP MUDs (REAL roleplay-enforced ones) ooc chat channels.
A fairly accurate representation, IMPO:
“How go things?”
“Fine, yourself?”
“Very well. I just (insert name of hack n’ slash accomplished recently).”
“Great. So…have you seen (insert name of established generic character) lately?”
“No. Last I saw them they were with (insert name of romantically-linked other established generic character).”
“(insert generic witticism here)”
“(laughter and smiles)”
…Repeat…
I’m not joking.