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[PracticalTechnicality]

Apologies, wall-o-text.  Tl:Dr - the problem isn't alts, it is the use of easily discarded characters as a vector for trolling.  Edit that shit out of your life if it bothers you - it will make you feel much better.  read full post for proposal, skip to last two paragraphs for 'RP Framework' semi proposal.  Watch this space for thread you can indulge your sickest fantasies of critical evaluation (if it is constructive, subject to moderation with gifs [by the mods.  I am not a mod], I take no responsibility for which gifs, unless it is Morwen, at which point we share a lot of gifs. )  Thank you. 

I have an alt (Kyllsa) who everyone knows is me, who I play more than Ava now.I hope people dont mind? =(

Both characters are distinct enough to be treated as separate characters. Well, in my opinion anyway. It's the sock-puppet type alts I have issues with.

This is pretty much why I used to just have Solarienne and Aelisha, my other alts were a compromise driven by needing real time market data and having not other reliable tools (EC isn't real time) to get it - so RPing on those chars was basically a waste of time for me and anyone involved. 

I have recently cut down to just Aelisha, as Sol's personal arc has played out pretty much - she got her military -> pirate -> sansha sympathiser streak and is pretty happy to just operate as a war hound for Aelisha as a result of said decisions and the isolation (deserved) that they bring.  Ael has far more reason to talk to people, though I still lack time to really get engaged beyond a bit of pleasant Summit exchange from time to time on her favourite parts of the cluster/cultures (she might have taken herself out of the Fed, but you can't take all of the Fed out of the girl - cultural appropriation in the name of 'I like it' is a big part of how she pays her respects to other cultures). 

Arguing against 'alts' is fallacious, IMO.  Poorly developed characters, that clearly exist to wrap and agenda in skin so thin it might break if you poke too hard, are the issue.  These tend to be alts as invested roleplayers tend to have a character they care about so much they will not jeopardise its name on the altar of a mad whim.  However, those other two or more character slots...  Those facilitate all kinds of 'for the lulz' or even genuine but misplaced agenda pushing to the point of repetition. 

Alts are a necessary evil for some portions of the game; guaranteed security logistics (cyno jumping is a BIG trust issue, especially with JF), market checking at high speed and so forth all mandate the use of alts to remain competitive and/or secure.  As a result there exists the possibility for abuse; straw man RP alts being one example.  The neccessary evil of alts is really an issue for another thread (one in which I will inevitably point out that the only way to have a marginal chance of change is to pressure CSM reps on the topic of travel-security and market viewing among other issues that demand a 1:X ratio of player to characters).  My point here is that the fact they are there can lead to the temptation to just throw them into the fray - well meaning or not. 

There is no cure beyond self-censoring and blocking out anything that makes your RP untenable.  There may, however, be a palliative: we lack communal lore projects these days.  Yes, core lore modification is spitting into the wind, especially now that CCP has effectively monetised the lore (Source etc basically mean that publishing large tracts of free lore is cutting their own sales - they won't do it much).   But we exist in our bubble.  The capsuleer bubble with all its cultural baggage from 'our life before'.  How are we reinventing ourselves?  Are we?  What customs do we transport into our lives and do they survive contact with the 'higher levels of cluster life'? 

Is it possible that we can mitigate the 'alt problem' (or as I'd say the transparent char problem) by cooperative building a loose framework of 'in my house we do this'?  It may, in the case of well meaning but misguided agenda-chars, provide a means by which they can look into our 'houses' and get an idea about which metaphorical furnishings they have in common and which they have in a unique capacity. 

As I am pretty vocal in various channels (most private) about my annoyance concerning navel gazing instead of action, I will commit to putting together a short proposal in the appropriate section this weekend, the aim being to propose a very loose, accommodating framework in which players may describe their cultural legacy and modifications brought on by their capsuleer lives.  If we cannot manipulate and modify the core lore, then it is the microcosm of our lives we should investigate, followed by voluntary (or solicited) cooperation to bolt our ideas at their points of commonality while still preserving our rightful unique insights. 

[Katrina Oniseki]

I don't really have a problem interacting with alts. I rather enjoy it most of the time. New faces, etc.

I have a problem playing alts. I can't manage to get nearly as invested into a different character as I am in my main. It just feels empty.

[Elmund Egivand]

I don't really have a problem interacting with alts. I rather enjoy it most of the time. New faces, etc.

I have a problem playing alts. I can't manage to get nearly as invested into a different character as I am in my main. It just feels empty.

That's one reason why I do not use alts.

[Arista Shahni]

For me, I play Ari because I am a woman and it is easy.  She is to be a "Base Archetype" I've used for  years in RPGs, LARPs, etc. 

Here is open proof of my lazy.

Arist is as old as many EVE characters -- but I didn't start RPing here till 1.5 years ago or so. 

Bearing-open tiiiime!

Here's "Arista".  Thre are variations based on situations, life stories, and backdrops but .. yes.

Her Archetype is "Leader".

Forum RP:

The templar turned on her heel as the knock came, moving to the door and opening it.  She smiled briefly at Flaminya, but only briefy - enough to give the woman a hint that the visit was not necessarily meant to be a social one.

"Thank you, Lady Debaco, for coming as quickly as you have.  Please; come in and sit down."

Lunhilde leads the mage to the dining hall and offers her a chair; she herself stands, leaning on the small bar in the room.  She begins to speak little opening fanfare.

"I am afraid I may need your assistance in the coming days, perhaps something in the nature of scrying or divination.  This is not something I wanted to go to the Concordium with; not because of their outrageous pricing, but more due to the nature of the issue.  It appears that Aldanar has gone missing.  None of the usual reports have come back, there is no word on the streets, and he has not been seen in his crafting guild for quite some time.  Due to his..  other occupation", the templar makes a face, "there is a possibility of foul play.  That other occupation is the main reason why I need to keep this under wraps.  As it is her Majesty's loyal scribes struck our old guild name from the rosters due to our connections in Freeport, and it took a lot of coin going over a lot of hands to get outselves re-established.  Is any of this making any sense?"

Jared is older.  Much older.  I'd been writing stories about "people like him" since being an author in high school/college (when I started getting published and winnng awards is when I count 'authorship') trying to both finish the novel and fine-tune him into a "real boy" -- which though I can make up real boys fairly easy in stories now, they need DEPTH in RP so that they can't be divined by other RPers as a puppet of a cross-dressing player.  His EVE background is about 10x longer than Ari's.

His archetype is "Soldier".

Story segement:

"By the Shell's fair eyes it's hot", Jared muttered without glancing at his compatriot. His eyes instead still calmly skimmed the crowd, which continued to do its best to keep a respectful distance without directly paying attention to his presence.
   The man's fellow nodded once, briefly reaching up under his helmet to scratch around the chinstrap made uncomfortable by the heat. "Aptly named, this day", he answered, "best for.."
   The pair paused as one, leaving their trailing legs slightly behind them as if preparing for something expected. Moments later, a man punctuated the space directly in front of the them in his quest to move quickly through the crowd. As if the spot of uncrowding lent him a sense of relief he paused briefly before realizing just why that space was present, and shoving through the crowd ahead of him, he was swallowed again among the swarm of people in the street.
   "Manners.." the first sentry spoke the word simply, almost amused, and glanced over at his partner as if looking for a reaction.
   However, his partner seemed preoccupied still with the space in front of him, his distinct cloud-grey eyes distant and looking for something that clearly was there no longer. Finally he shook his head slightly, as if clearing a thought or a memory. "Jared, I think.."
   Jared frowned. "Not likely, my Lord. He's Northborn most likely by his clothes and way, unless.."
   Jared's partner shook his head again and began to walk, nearly surprising him into being a half-step behind, and definitely surprising the people in front of him who were running quickly out of places to casually sidestep to. "You're right. Not likely. Later, when the roads are not so full of little ears... even blackbirds can talk."
   Jared chuckled, slipping back unto stride with his partner as they continued down the street. "Always full of your mother's wisdom, my Lord."
   "And sadly my father's pessimism, aye, I know. The jest is old."

/weeps

MY LIFE IS A LIE

[PracticalTechnicality]

Similar story for Ael (the 1.5 years of RP bit) Arista.  I had plenty of RP moments with a few close friends and people I met in early days (Pre-Dominion) nullsec rambling, but never got involved in the 'xXCOMMUNITYXx' until relatively recently.  At which point TS-F snatched up my combat main and Ael turned into an isk printing machine.

It's a weird cluster sometimes.

[Arista Shahni]

Yay ISK-printing!

[Shanty Anzomi]

I don't really have a problem interacting with alts. I rather enjoy it most of the time. New faces, etc.

I have a problem playing alts. I can't manage to get nearly as invested into a different character as I am in my main. It just feels empty.

I feel this way too :3

[Aria Jenneth]

I don't really have a problem interacting with alts. I rather enjoy it most of the time. New faces, etc.

I have a problem playing alts. I can't manage to get nearly as invested into a different character as I am in my main. It just feels empty.

I feel this way too :3

Likewise.

[Gaven Lok ri]

I have flirted with actually developing voices for my alts. Currently they are pretty basic retainer characters for Gaven, so their existence is part of his character. It is just that playing any of them long/often enough to develop a real personality for them never seems to happen, so they stay pretty one dimensional. So yeah, basically what Kat said.

[Aldrith Shutaq]

I've found that maintaing believable, fun to play and interact with alts is made a lot easier by not relying on in-game interaction to develop their characters. Just like any good RP character, they should have a past, a future, and a present that goes well beyond what they do when you are logged in. This puts the burden of proof more on the player rather than the game, since you have to show people this depth with less interaction, but just having those complex backstories and background lives gives even seldom played alts a fighting chance with well-established mains. Just make sure you don't go overboard with 'showing off' the cool character you made. Let people discover them on their own.

In an RP sense, a good character is a good character, alt or not. Make sure to play them as they should be, however: separate and unique from you main and any other alts you have.

[Jace]

I've found that maintaing believable, fun to play and interact with alts is made a lot easier by not relying on in-game interaction to develop their characters. Just like any good RP character, they should have a past, a future, and a present that goes well beyond what they do when you are logged in. This puts the burden of proof more on the player rather than the game, since you have to show people this depth with less interaction, but just having those complex backstories and background lives gives even seldom played alts a fighting chance with well-established mains. Just make sure you don't go overboard with 'showing off' the cool character you made. Let people discover them on their own.

In an RP sense, a good character is a good character, alt or not. Make sure to play them as they should be, however: separate and unique from you main and any other alts you have.

I couldn't sum up my opinion on the issue any better than this. 

[Demion Samenel]

I've found that maintaing believable, fun to play and interact with alts is made a lot easier by not relying on in-game interaction to develop their characters. Just like any good RP character, they should have a past, a future, and a present that goes well beyond what they do when you are logged in. This puts the burden of proof more on the player rather than the game, since you have to show people this depth with less interaction, but just having those complex backstories and background lives gives even seldom played alts a fighting chance with well-established mains. Just make sure you don't go overboard with 'showing off' the cool character you made. Let people discover them on their own.

In an RP sense, a good character is a good character, alt or not. Make sure to play them as they should be, however: separate and unique from you main and any other alts you have.

I couldn't sum up my opinion on the issue any better than this. 

Sums it up very good yes, a character is a character alt or not.

[The Scythian]

Some people's alts are better than some other people's mains.

[Nissui]

Some people's alts are better than some other people's mains.

Or sometimes their own. 

[Jace]

Some people's alts are better than some other people's mains.

Or sometimes their own. 

Quoted for trueyness.