​sidhevair

Mythopoetics in Virtual Settings

​Things to keep in mind:

• While there are many games online and many are available to you in the context of virtual worlds, some of the worlds themselves are not intended to be approached as games. Rather than "games", these are nascent virtual communities which form around shared tastes, interests, goals or ethics. It's like: all apples are fruit but not all fruit are apples.

• There are people behind the "cartoons" of the avatars you encounter, just as you exist behind your computer screen and the eyes of your avatar. Avatars are people with real feelings and are as diverse and differently intending as people you  encounter in what we in The Sidhevairs call "The Outworld". The people behind other screens can be hurt and "virtual tears are real tears". Treat those you encounter with the same caution and respect as you do the people you meet in your daily lives. Some are out to scam you, or trifle with you for fun, but others are wanting to share the beauty of what they love about virtual worlds with you. So take some time to figure out who is talking to you. Trust your instincts.

• People who have built homes or other virtual 3D structures in virtual settings often see these as private. Treat what you encounter "as if" it were as real as the buildings you pass on any walk through a neighborhood. Knock before entering somewhere, or call out and ask if it's ok to visit. Don't trespass in private spaces. The Sidhevairs mostly have an open door policy so unless the door does not open, feel free to explore if nobody answers. This is often not the case in other parts of virtual worlds.

• Virtual worlds give far-flung people access to all sorts of ideas and creations. People with similar interests and likes tend to find one another. Make use of your search bar and keywords to hop about and explore.

• Just as there is everything under the sun that you can imagine created in virtual worlds, there are those who have varying interests in sex and nudity. Some areas in the wider virtual landscape may ban or encourage nudity or sexual behavior. There are also all sorts of "between approaches" to the issue of cybersex or wandering about naked.

The Sidhevairs are clothing optional in the sorts of places where you might expect to find people unclothed in the Outworld. This  usually means in the privacy of someone's home, or out in corners of Nature in and around spas, rivers, pools, or other waterways where someone might choose to skinnydip.  Usually, if you come upon someone who is naked that you don't know, they will quickly put something on to be polite. Just because someone is naked does not mean they are asking for cybersex or silly come-ons. Overt sex play in public spaces and pushy sexual behavior will get you asked to leave and in many cases such behavior will result in your avatar being permanently banned from entry to the Lands.​

New to Virtual Worlds?

The video below takes a geeky-academic look at virtual worlds and video game technology as it relates to fantasy quests and mythopoetics.