Elle's Guide to SL Sims...of the Fuuuuture!

I recently had a discussion about the futuristic sims of SL and here are some of my faves...

Suffugium
This cyberpunk sim is laid-back and filled with interesting, talented regulars. A fantastic build unto itself, explore its buildings, get lost in the sewers or chill at the basketball court and listen to music. Look out for those probes!Extropia Core
Most futuristic sims I came across were dystopic or post-apoc in feel. Extropia was like a retro breath of fresh air in that space age optimism kind of way. Home to Sophrosyne's Salon--where the audience is as interesting as the topics discussed there on Saturdays--Extropia is a bright shiny Tomorrowland vision of the future and well worth a visit...
The Wastelands
This collection of post-Apocalyptic sims is renowned for not only the ingenuity of its citizens and builds, but their true individualism and talent. Not to mention, where else can scavenging turn into survival of the fittest?
Future City
Like a Blade Runner vision, Future City's multilayered, sky-grazing, incredible builds will have you coming back to see it again and again...Please open officially soon! PLEASE.
Insilico
The future is now and evolving at this new high-in-the-sky cyberpunk build. Keep an eye on it as its community grows...
Midian City
Gritty dark urban RP and one of the best builds on the grid to me...
City of Lost Angel's
One of the now biggest (with new sims recently added), oldest and "baddest" of the dark urban future RP sims where demons, angels, lycans, vampires, humans and everyone else roam and use the CCS combat system. When the RP's good, the RP is good there. And if you're squeamish or think you should have lots of limits or if you don't think something bad could happen to you here, why the hell are you there?
Toxian City
Like CoLA, a dark urban future sim, but personally I found the RP a bit easier to get into as a newcomer. Wear an observer tag or go ahead and put on the DCS combat system and jump right in. Maybe you'll even get to join the rest of the citizens in trying to take down one of Toxia's infamous toxic waste monsters...
Space Colony Necronom VI
This futuristic sim is set on a space station filled with slaves, cyborgs, crew members, aliens, traders and pirates. Very much a mature sim and RP experience, but it also has a very interesting HUD called NeMit, which allows you to accomplish missions without necessarily being a part of the overall RP.

Thoughts About RPing

Last night got me thinking. In RL, I am a published writer. Outside of immersing myself in the characters I create and their worlds, I have never had any experience with roleplaying--whether online or traditional like D&D. It wasn't until I came inworld that I thought I would try, thinking it would be fun. For a little over a year now, I have been a citizen of Caledon. Is that RP? It doesn't have rules notecards or weapons systems or anything like that, but for the most part yes, it is. As a Caledonian, you take on a persona of a resident of a re-imagined "polite" Victorian era, whether you are peerage, merchant, Steampunk, or any other assorted "character" you can dream up. In New Toulouse, I speak and behave just like a 1920s flapper.

When I decided to give RPing in Toxian and CoLA a try, it is like I knew what to expect from being diligent and actually reading the rules and notecards, yet didn't know quite what to do when I got there. Hell, after 2 weeks of visiting both, I still don't to some extent. Although I can write, I'm not used to essentially describing everything that we are doing and when you're new and alone somewhere like that, where do you even start? Especially when it is so divided by factions.

I remember when I first started in Caledon--the confusion, the ignorance, the fear of saying or doing something idiotic...it was all very intimidating, but look at me now. But at least there, someone's not going to pull the trigger because you said you noticed them. These cities are dark RP. It's a bad place with bad people and bad things happen. I knew that going in. I find myself having to truly think like the RL city girl I am, something I haven't done in a long time inworld. The adjustment has been hard to make. I wanted a different experience inworld, and I sure am getting it. Things I have found out:

1. I can shoot a gun, but no...I decided that since I like and am familiar with melee fighting and since I'm an angel, I think my character should use a sword. However, inworld being glitchy and rezzing it in my crotch or not at all defeats the purpose.
2. Should I not respond when confronted negatively? Although I am of a "nothing" level? I shouldn't pay attention to levels and names as I'm not supposed to know that anyway. I am no jerk, but I have to be willing to deal with the result of that.
3. I hate not knowing and feeling stupid because I don't know exactly a) what's going on and b) exactly how to use the weapons system. I have been trying to observe and learn rather than just jumping in.
4. Can lag, server issues, and fighting co-exist? Do I need to be noncom more often in a combat sim just because my computer and inworld itself won't keep up? How is that perceived?
5. I've got a way with words and can tell a great story if given the chance, but I am unsure still during RP (see #2 and #3)
6. Defeat doesn't bother me. As my friend Tele says, "A warrior tastes dirt many times and gets up again anyway."
7. I am out of practice and need to train again.
8. I like it despite it all, and keep going back and trying anyway.

Angel RP: "What Madness This?"

In Heaven an angel is nobody in particular.
--George Bernard Shaw

I roamed the streets of the City of Lost Angel's, like Toxian its streets bleak and dark. I only know of one place to start in such places and made my way to the nearby church. As I stood there so uncertain, two others arrived--a woman and a man. The man, after greeting me, said "Seraphim, are you crazy?" and drew his sword. My eyes widened I was so taken aback.

"Crazy?" I retorted with a scowl. "How so?"

"Angels and seraphim are hard to play."

Before I could get my bearings, I was engaged in a full swordfight in the street, the sounds of our blades slashing and clanging ringing in the night. I was not moving well, my feet and body as if moving through sludge. What has happened to me upon my arrival on this plane? I was defeated before I knew it, slumped against a wall.

"I am not mad...Angels are hard to play," he said to me again as he healed me.

I looked at him defiantly as I sheathed my dual blades and said, "I understand that and that is why I am willing to take on that challenge..."

"Good girl," he said, disappearing into the night...