Exploring Second Life: Role-Play Communities

To get a taste of the sort of role-play that can occur in Second Life, I visited an area called Avalon. In order to ensure I blended it, I picked up a new avatar (I selected a dragon) before entering. The entrance area has a castle with important resources for new visitors, as well as a variety of decorations to help set the tone. Signs posted information about the areas rules, including the dress code, as well as information on quests and how to obtain a "skydiver chicken". There was also a table with a few simple, free outfits for those who are not dress appropriately on arrival.

Outside of the entrance castle, the creators of Avalon have built a medieval village. In the village, I encountered several NPCs (non-player characters controlled by the game) who gave me hints about quests that could be found in the area.

I was excited to find a griffon at the edge of the village that I was able to hop onto in order to explore the region more fully.

As I flew across the landscape, I found many elements typical of high fantasy, such as a dragon players could fight. I found myself teleported out of the region when I flew too close to the dragon and caught on fire.

After getting the fire put out, I returned to Avalon for a bit more exploration. I stumbled across a fairy ring, complete with giant mushrooms and a cozy campfire. I could see not far off, however, the dragon responsible for my earlier mishap, so I didn't stay too long.

I followed a hidden path to make my way behind a nearby fortress where I found a fishing game.

I also found references to the legends of King Arthur. The specter of Lady Gwenivere appeared in a meadow before a waterfall, but when I approached to try and speak with her, she disappeared. On the edge of a lake, I also found a massive sword plunged into an anvil.

While I did not encounter any other players during my exploration, Avalon is clearly designed to support the immersive, collaborative storytelling that is central to a role-play experience. Because Avalon can only be reached by portal, other regions are not visible, making it easy to ignore their existence for a while. The rules laid out in the constitution of Avalon focus on how to preserve the illusion of a medieval fantasy world, rather than the typical forms of netiquette in such documents. Unlike the role-playing serves in a typical MMORPG, players visiting Avalon in Second Life have the opportunity to engage in open-ended exploration, with few specified goals or quests. The constitution even mentioned avenues for players to take an active role in adding to the space. This allows players interested in role-play to bring their own creativity into the game in ways that are not often available.