[Syeburn]

Unpopular opinion time.

Events suck. They're so lame and boring and none of us could write a better story than one that develops organically between characters and players through day to day interaction. SL2 provides little intrinsic motivation for me to have that kind of story. There is never any motivation for me to take my character or development seriously because no one is going to hold me to a standard. Vaguely-Jokey-Reference-Character is just as valid as a seriously written character because however serious and important I am ICly has absolutely no bearing on what I can and can't actually do in the videogame.

I think a lot of these roleplay problems that have been described are knock-on effects of this primordial game-design sin Dev comitted when he made SL2 closer to an MMO than a hardcore roleplay game. This isn't to say that the roleplay on SL2 sucks and is incapable of being good, but I do earnestly believe that some of the core mechanics of the game actively discourage some of the aspects of roleplay that the community is now realizing are necessary for long term story-telling. There is very little player agency. I am capable of gaining power in only the most superficial of ways.

When I introduce my friends to SL2, I always have to temper their expectations. This isn't the kind of game where you can become king, or the strongest, because all the kings and the strongest people are already written by Dev. Wherein other games in the roleplay genre, great lengths are gone through to emphasise the nearly limitless options that a player can make, SL2 is more notable for the things you CAN'T do rather than can. Sure, individual events might allow you to explore the lore or do things that might seem impactful, but very rarely if ever will these events permanently alter the course of the game, or provide some kind of impact outside of the event. Any role or rank I acquire in SL2 is entirely superficial. I cannot acquire legendary artifacts, I cannot become the strongest hero in the world just by exploring it. The game itself does not foster these ideas and adventures, and the onus becomes on the players themselves to try and make this happen through events, rather than them being game systems that players can actually interact with.

Villanry, something that is usually self-motivated by characters wanting power, money, fame or wealth is only possible in SL2 if the PLAYER is the one motivated towards evil. There is never a reason to attack or rob a player for resources that could much more easily be obtained by interacting with the MMO side of the game than the RP side of the game. I can never assassinate the king of anything, so why bother becoming the worlds greatest assassin aside from fulfilling the wishes of other players who's characters are without conflict?

It really feels like SL2's intention, as a game, isn't to let you do whatever you want and make YOUR story but rather to participate as a small piece of a pre-existing world/story. I do not think Dev is willing to make the broad, sweeping and core-altering changes necessary to shatter the illusion and bring actual consequence to roleplay on SL2. Doing so would shatter the very ideallic and peaceful 'anime slice-of-life with occasional drama' feel that is so unique to the game and is the only reason why I can imagine the game has stayed successful in this state for so long. It's certainly the only draw I feel to the RP.