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Names, locations, and affiliations have been changed to keep it civil with those involved. All recaps are personal opinions of the author of this article. Any conversations are direct re-counts from documented interactions. Events occurred over a 15 day period including prep to last login. This experience is 100% authentic.

Skype Convo ​

[8/10/2013 10:39:14 PM] John Doe: "sarah" was like a seed ​

[8/10/2013 10:39:21 PM] John Doe: planted ​

[8/10/2013 10:39:29 PM] John Doe: and everything grew around it, a lot by itself ​

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Index ​

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Chapter 1 ​

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It was exactly what you think it is. You never want, you never need. You are never alone. But you are also the last person talked to in a really bad game of Telephone about you. You are the center of drama even when you are sleeping. You are put into positions of leadership without any of the responsibility. You can speak your mind to the point of insults without repercussion. You get quadruple the amount of chances. You get hit on once an hour. You are expected to respond immediately to everything, even if it has little to do with the game. You are required to prove yourself. You are held to a ridiculously high and low standard all at once. You are the center of adornment and despise. It is tiring. It is sexist. It is intriguing. It is all true. ​

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But we will get into that, first... ​

Let me give you a little history about me.

Disclaimer:

The Prep

My Story

Baby Steps

The basic idea here is to see if starting at 0 as a girl is different than 0 as a guy.

I was playing into the assumptions each gender has toward each other online and so you will see stereotypes at any given point. This is something I would do, but as a "girl" it gave me much more power to point out or use these stereotypes to my advantage. Ultimately there really is no difference in those that want to play a game, but guys don't know that.

What are girly accents?

=)

lolol

hehe(guys say haha)

Hiya!

Heyyyy! (Adding extra letters to anything reallllly.)

>.< japanese emotes

Acronyms: fuck my life, LMK, ETC

I had to be assertive, the more I was assertive instead of trying to pussy foot around being a girl and being cutsie, the more it was believable. Most guys actually did the cutsie shit for me. I just needed to listen to it and react when they tossed it out. I.E “You are a cutie” to which I could say “Awwww Thanks hun! =) =) =)” You wil see below in some of the conversation examples that most guys really did change the way they talked and took care of the "girlie" talk for me. It is because they were talking to a "girl". This still blows my mind(haha).

Prove Yourself

John Doe 2

some people are askign if you are really a girl



Sarah

ahhaha

Where?



John Doe 2

just through messaging to me

I am saying as far as I can tell. lol

i do not care either way you are pretty cool lol



Sarah

haha



John Doe 2





Sarah

Was I adding too many smileys in guild chat?



John Doe 2

naw

that shows girliesness



Click to expand...

Extra info on The Prep (Move your mouse to reveal the content) Extra info on The Prep (open) Extra info on The Prep (close)

Even though I seem to know the game I portrayed that I was still getting my ass handed to me, losing items to thieves and dying, but making a joke out of it, being a good sport. The simple change here was not raging like a 14 year old child made me seem like a girl. I know that sounds stupid, but it isn't the norm for a guy to joke about what others take as serious business. I now have a hook in. They saw I am trying to play the game, but I am also not "that good" so they could come in and "rescue".



I threw in a couple more comments that reinforce I am a girl but can kick it with the guys(joking about the "perv"). I talked about the "Old Days" in the game and BAM, I now had street cred.



I then tossed the reel and went fishing, throwing in as much information as I could to see if I could pull the "I am a girl, give me free shit" card. I talked about housing, not having one, effort put into finding one, but masking it with other topics and my love for decorating, which was a truth(remember I stick to stories I can backup, I love it).



Now just to drive home being a "noob", I talked about my spell book which was not complete and shitty weapons as being awesome(the tell tale signs of a new player). All of this laid the ground work for someone to say "here take this amazing item" to replace what I "thought" was good.



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What happens now?

"Hey baby, send me a pic and I will buy you a house" Click to expand...

"Prove it" Click to expand...

Tits or GTFO(get the fuck out) Click to expand...

​

John Doe #1

The Flood Gates Broke:

Even though they can embody the avatar of a hero slaying dragons and accomplish Epic achievements, they still get nervous around the opposite sex.

Examples of our conversations

Sarah

Hi!



Jul 26, 2013 6:59 PM

John Doe

wow it really is you



Sarah

Haha

Click to expand...

----At this point I was given full access to everything he had, WITHOUT asking for it, and then he logged out letting me have free reign----

John Doe

okay i'm out

don't uo cheat on me while i'm gone

John Doe

little upset that you uo cheated on me with those pks

but we'll get passed it





Jul 27, 2013 6:44 PM

John Doe

you on?



Jul 27, 2013 6:50 PM

Sarah

I am on but in a macro spot for archery apparently

Someone ported me here and I am not moving till I am 100





Jul 27, 2013 6:50 PM

=P

John Doe

Is it the rotting corpse place? There's koreans that will roll through evert so often and gank macroers



Jul 27, 2013 6:51 PM

Sarah

Nah some obsidian place.

Jul 27, 2013 6:52 PM



John Doe

Huh. Awesome. I don't suppose you could gate me in?

Jul 27, 2013 6:53 PM



Sarah

I don't have enough magic for gate

Jul 27, 2013 6:55 PM



John Doe

That's alright. I'll just... I dunno... Hang out I guess...

Jul 27, 2013 6:56 PM



Sarah

Well what ya want me to do!?





John Doe

Feel bad about it.

Heh.

Jul 27, 2013 6:56 PM



Sarah

I can see that. You are so whiney

Jul 27, 2013 6:58 PM



John Doe

And needy. Clingy, too. You're going to hate me.

Jul 27, 2013 6:58 PM



Sarah

=)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence

Jul 27, 2013 6:59 PM



John Doe

Now what's that supposed to mean?

Jul 27, 2013 7:03 PM



Sarah

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexy

Jul 27, 2013 7:04 PM



John Doe

Oh you're smooth.

=)

Jul 27, 2013 7:04 PM



Sarah

BTW those houses are still the step before idoc!

Jul 27, 2013 7:05 PM



John Doe

I'll just hand over that deed next time we meet up, because i don't want you to miss that spot

Jul 27, 2013 7:06 PM



Sarah

Wait you bought another!/

You are crazy! =P

Jul 27, 2013 7:07 PM



John Doe

Yeah I thought I told you

Jul 27, 2013 7:08 PM



Sarah

Nopppe

Jul 27, 2013 7:08 PM



Sarah

Wanna go to a dungeon together to raise skills?

Jul 27, 2013 7:10 PM



John Doe

Are you asking me on a date?

Jul 27, 2013 7:17 PM



Sarah

pfft

okay i'm outdon't uo cheat on me while i'm goneJohn Doelittle upset that you uo cheated on me with those pksbut we'll get passed itJul 27, 2013 6:44 PMyou on?Jul 27, 2013 6:50 PMJul 27, 2013 6:50 PM=PIs it the rotting corpse place? There's koreans that will roll through evert so often and gank macroersJul 27, 2013 6:51 PMJul 27, 2013 6:52 PMHuh. Awesome. I don't suppose you could gate me in?Jul 27, 2013 6:53 PMJul 27, 2013 6:55 PMThat's alright. I'll just... I dunno... Hang out I guess...Jul 27, 2013 6:56 PMFeel bad about it.Heh.Jul 27, 2013 6:56 PMJul 27, 2013 6:58 PMAnd needy. Clingy, too. You're going to hate me.Jul 27, 2013 6:58 PMJul 27, 2013 6:59 PMNow what's that supposed to mean?Jul 27, 2013 7:03 PMJul 27, 2013 7:04 PMOh you're smooth.=)Jul 27, 2013 7:04 PMJul 27, 2013 7:05 PMI'll just hand over that deed next time we meet up, because i don't want you to miss that spotJul 27, 2013 7:06 PMJul 27, 2013 7:07 PMYeah I thought I told youJul 27, 2013 7:08 PMJul 27, 2013 7:08 PMJul 27, 2013 7:10 PMAre you asking me on a date?Jul 27, 2013 7:17 PM Click to expand...

---Conversations that he had with himself, the less I talked the worse it got----

Jul 28, 2013 2:36 PM

John Doe

sorry about yesterday. was watching fights



Jul 28, 2013 2:36 PM

John Doe

i wasn't being a very good uo boyfriend. =/





Jul 28, 2013 9:31 PM

John Doe

i know. i'm sorry

something came up

don't uo break up with me



Jul 28, 2013 9:31 PM

John Doe

it'll break my uo heart Click to expand...

----Him asking me for a picture with his name in it, that I ignored-----

Jul 29, 2013 3:13 AM

John Doe

i'm not thinking you're ripping me off, or are going to



Jul 29, 2013 3:13 AM

you're taking it the wrong way..

i'm sorry



Jul 29, 2013 3:44 AM

John Doe

you're just literally unbelievably attractive.



Jul 29, 2013 3:45 AM

John Doe

=/



Jul 29, 2013 3:45 AM

John Doe

well goodnight then Click to expand...

And with that stay tuned for Chapter 2! ​

Passing disclaimer: