More about Tivo
Mar. 31st, 2004 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoThis is partly a response to a posting dated March 16th, made by 
paladin_leopard in his own journal.
1. Yes I have a primary character. His name is Tivo on both Furrymuck and Tapestries. He is Altivo on WildSpirits MUSH. It was shortened to the nickname for use on Furrymuck originally, before I ever knew of that silly trademark for a digital television recording device. No, the character has nothing to do with television, and in fact I don't like television and rarely watch it. Altivo, of course, is the horse in the Dreamworks animated feature Road to El Dorado, the one who is smarter than either of his human co-stars. Yes, people who first knew me from the MU* environments call me Tivo in real life and no, I don't mind that. I haven't always been known by that name, though. My original canine character was named Fuffle, as in Kerfuffle, and that name dates back to my use of it in printed personal ads as long ago as 1977. I used it on dialup BBSes in the 80s, and kept it when I first came to Lambda Moo and Furrymuck in the early 90s.
2. My primary character is a horse, a Clydesdale to be specific. He takes either quad or bipedal anthropomorphic form, depending on what is needed. On Tapestries the quad form is winged, like Pegasus, for reasons I may someday discuss. WildSpirits would not permit the Clydesdale, since he was historically inappropriate to the theme, so Altivo takes the form of a mustang pony there. My choice of an equine character goes back to my early affinity for the horse as a symbol and protagonist. I've mentioned playing make believe games in which I was a horse as early as 4th grade (age 10) and I believe I wrote my first fiction about horses when I was in 7th grade (age 14.) The quad Clydesdale is natural in appearance and ability, except that he can speak of course. The anthro form is more human in gesture and physical ability, but still quite horselike in his emotional behavior.
3. Tivo/Altivo is most certainly me. He shares my love for quiet, my need for gentleness, my wants for the 'herd' (to not be alone, but to share life with others who are like myself.) I'd like to think Tivo is what I would be if I woke up one morning somehow transfigured into a horse. No, I don't think my RL body resembles a horse much.
4. Yes, I do have some alternate characters. Most exist because of the necessities of specific RP. This is especially true on WildSpirits, where realistic behavior and capabilities are required absolutely. The alts on Tapestries came to exist to serve the needs of specific friendships. One of them has taken over the helpstaff duties of primary Tivo, who has gone into seclusion due to a broken heart. More about that some other day. On WildSpirits, probably most people know that the alts are played by one player. On Tapestries, fewer people know. No one in RL has ever addressed me by the name of any alt.
5. No, I do not shift freely between various characters. I have first created and identified strongly with the Tivo character in all settings where I participate. Any alts are used only as adjunct characters to forward specific RP plots, or to meet the needs of specific friends and relationships.
6. My alternate characters are no more fantastic than my main persona. In fact, they are mostly less fantastic. The only exception might be on Tapestries, where one is a unicorn mare. But on Tapestries, Tivo is a flying horse, so the mare is still no more fantastic than he is. I am constantly aware of the issue of emotional bonds with my characters, and try very hard to avoid putting anyone in a situation where they might be hurt. This is especially true since I've been on the receiving end of such situations. But it doesn't mean that I avoid emotional involvement. In fact, that type of involvement is probably what keeps me playing.
7. Oh yes, I certainly have had 'crushes' on other characters. Sometimes it turns out to be an attachment to the purely fictional character, and once that becomes clear, it has been fairly easy for me to adjust and deal with it. In other cases, it grows to include the players themselves. I do not consider this 'unhealthy' in any way, but I do think it requires great caution and care to avoid hurt to either party. When such a relationship is 'translated' into the RL plane, it may well have to polarize into another form. One may be lovers with someone in VR, while in RL it translates to some other form of close friendship, for instance. My strongest experience with that will require an entire journal entry of its own, someday.
8. My characters are never intended to be sexy except in subtle and ordinary ways. I do not stress sexuality, but rather personality. The WildSpirits Altivo, in particular, has inspired a number of artistic efforts. All have been somewhat different from each other, but each has captured at least some elements of the character as I intend him. I have some art ability myself, but I am a very slow worker and rarely show my art to others. Tivo on Furrymuck or Tapestries has never been drawn so far as I know, by anyone. I have never commissioned artwork of my characters, mostly because I don't have the money to spend for such things.
9. I am a word person. I like visual imagery painted in words, though I do think a description should be designed so that it doesn't scroll off the screen before it can be read. If that means putting parts of it into separate details or levels, that's fine. I am a published writer (in a small way, but my publication list does cover two pages) so I enjoy using a text medium. I am not a grammar nazi, nor a spelling nazi, though there is a level at which failings in those areas do distract me enough to make interaction difficult. Certainly I prefer a reasonable degree of literacy in my RP partners.
10. I can do traditional, strict IC and OOC divisions. WildSpirits demands this at least part of the time. However, it is not my preference. I like to mix OOC and IC, as if my character were living in my real world and reacting to the human craziness that surrounds him on a daily basis.
11. Mucking is probably my main mode of online expression, aside from extensive e-mail correspondence with friends. I have never cared for IRC, I don't play other types of programmed games online, I don't frequent talkers or chatrooms. I do maintain web pages of various sorts, but they tend to remain pretty static once built. This livejournal concept is relatively new to me, and I haven't decided what I think about it yet.
paladin_leopard in his own journal.1. Yes I have a primary character. His name is Tivo on both Furrymuck and Tapestries. He is Altivo on WildSpirits MUSH. It was shortened to the nickname for use on Furrymuck originally, before I ever knew of that silly trademark for a digital television recording device. No, the character has nothing to do with television, and in fact I don't like television and rarely watch it. Altivo, of course, is the horse in the Dreamworks animated feature Road to El Dorado, the one who is smarter than either of his human co-stars. Yes, people who first knew me from the MU* environments call me Tivo in real life and no, I don't mind that. I haven't always been known by that name, though. My original canine character was named Fuffle, as in Kerfuffle, and that name dates back to my use of it in printed personal ads as long ago as 1977. I used it on dialup BBSes in the 80s, and kept it when I first came to Lambda Moo and Furrymuck in the early 90s.
2. My primary character is a horse, a Clydesdale to be specific. He takes either quad or bipedal anthropomorphic form, depending on what is needed. On Tapestries the quad form is winged, like Pegasus, for reasons I may someday discuss. WildSpirits would not permit the Clydesdale, since he was historically inappropriate to the theme, so Altivo takes the form of a mustang pony there. My choice of an equine character goes back to my early affinity for the horse as a symbol and protagonist. I've mentioned playing make believe games in which I was a horse as early as 4th grade (age 10) and I believe I wrote my first fiction about horses when I was in 7th grade (age 14.) The quad Clydesdale is natural in appearance and ability, except that he can speak of course. The anthro form is more human in gesture and physical ability, but still quite horselike in his emotional behavior.
3. Tivo/Altivo is most certainly me. He shares my love for quiet, my need for gentleness, my wants for the 'herd' (to not be alone, but to share life with others who are like myself.) I'd like to think Tivo is what I would be if I woke up one morning somehow transfigured into a horse. No, I don't think my RL body resembles a horse much.
4. Yes, I do have some alternate characters. Most exist because of the necessities of specific RP. This is especially true on WildSpirits, where realistic behavior and capabilities are required absolutely. The alts on Tapestries came to exist to serve the needs of specific friendships. One of them has taken over the helpstaff duties of primary Tivo, who has gone into seclusion due to a broken heart. More about that some other day. On WildSpirits, probably most people know that the alts are played by one player. On Tapestries, fewer people know. No one in RL has ever addressed me by the name of any alt.
5. No, I do not shift freely between various characters. I have first created and identified strongly with the Tivo character in all settings where I participate. Any alts are used only as adjunct characters to forward specific RP plots, or to meet the needs of specific friends and relationships.
6. My alternate characters are no more fantastic than my main persona. In fact, they are mostly less fantastic. The only exception might be on Tapestries, where one is a unicorn mare. But on Tapestries, Tivo is a flying horse, so the mare is still no more fantastic than he is. I am constantly aware of the issue of emotional bonds with my characters, and try very hard to avoid putting anyone in a situation where they might be hurt. This is especially true since I've been on the receiving end of such situations. But it doesn't mean that I avoid emotional involvement. In fact, that type of involvement is probably what keeps me playing.
7. Oh yes, I certainly have had 'crushes' on other characters. Sometimes it turns out to be an attachment to the purely fictional character, and once that becomes clear, it has been fairly easy for me to adjust and deal with it. In other cases, it grows to include the players themselves. I do not consider this 'unhealthy' in any way, but I do think it requires great caution and care to avoid hurt to either party. When such a relationship is 'translated' into the RL plane, it may well have to polarize into another form. One may be lovers with someone in VR, while in RL it translates to some other form of close friendship, for instance. My strongest experience with that will require an entire journal entry of its own, someday.
8. My characters are never intended to be sexy except in subtle and ordinary ways. I do not stress sexuality, but rather personality. The WildSpirits Altivo, in particular, has inspired a number of artistic efforts. All have been somewhat different from each other, but each has captured at least some elements of the character as I intend him. I have some art ability myself, but I am a very slow worker and rarely show my art to others. Tivo on Furrymuck or Tapestries has never been drawn so far as I know, by anyone. I have never commissioned artwork of my characters, mostly because I don't have the money to spend for such things.
9. I am a word person. I like visual imagery painted in words, though I do think a description should be designed so that it doesn't scroll off the screen before it can be read. If that means putting parts of it into separate details or levels, that's fine. I am a published writer (in a small way, but my publication list does cover two pages) so I enjoy using a text medium. I am not a grammar nazi, nor a spelling nazi, though there is a level at which failings in those areas do distract me enough to make interaction difficult. Certainly I prefer a reasonable degree of literacy in my RP partners.
10. I can do traditional, strict IC and OOC divisions. WildSpirits demands this at least part of the time. However, it is not my preference. I like to mix OOC and IC, as if my character were living in my real world and reacting to the human craziness that surrounds him on a daily basis.
11. Mucking is probably my main mode of online expression, aside from extensive e-mail correspondence with friends. I have never cared for IRC, I don't play other types of programmed games online, I don't frequent talkers or chatrooms. I do maintain web pages of various sorts, but they tend to remain pretty static once built. This livejournal concept is relatively new to me, and I haven't decided what I think about it yet.
