PART 7 - SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES
As with any activity in life, there are basic guidelines and principles that you must follow to achieve success. Were a sports team to simply run wild on the field without rules or structure, basic principles of their approach, they wouldn't be very successful in achieving their stated goals. Our stated goal is to find long term friends that are like minded and desire a broader and more rich enjoyment of their Second Lives. Here are some very simple principles to follow to achieve that stated goal.
1. NEVER RANDOM BITE REQUEST ANYONE
The single most important lesson that vampires lose sight of is the art of respect. This means accepting all for who they are, in whatever form they express themselves and respecting them for what they each individually bring to the table. The bare naked truth is that vampires do not exist in any realm without their human counterparts. Too often clans are interested in growing their numbers and such things, and fail to retain respect for the human contributions to their cause. To randomly approach a human fresh victim you've never met before and simply proffer a "Bite Request" is short-sighted and rude. Many find it so overtly offensive that some areas have banned Bloodlines play within the realms of their entire SIM. It can be seen as a form of unwanted harassment, and not unlike the annoying calls from telemarketers, can drive many to simply "Reject" the request of all vampires on the basis of guilt by association.
That's the precise reason I do not bite request anyone that I do not deeply care for, or know on an interpersonal level. The fact is, of all my souls collected and minions who Lieged to me only one was ever solicited by me directly. And even that request by me was to a friend I'd grown very fond of, and felt a deep sense of reverence towards. Parenthetically, some clans refer to their human counterparts as "Blood Dolls", rather than how the Haud Pluvia Horde refers to our human members as "Beloved" family. But that issue will be discussed in further detail in another section. It's of the highest importance to remain respectful in all your dealings with others and bring credit upon the lifestyle you've embraced. Every action you take and every word you speak influences how others perceive all of us, and what you do or say today will have positive or negative ripple effects throughout the realm. Remember, each person that has a bad experience is statistically more likely to tell three friends about it than even one person about a good experience.
2. KNOW THE BLOODLINES SYSTEM COMPLETELY AND INTIMATELY
There are few things that sadden me more than meeting a Vampire or Lycan that has been in the Bloodlines Realm for a while, yet still knows nothing about the system. In fact, it's nearly embarrassing when I meet a year old Vampire that has no idea how to restore a Human's Humanity with Apples. Look, we all could stand to learn more about the game, but the basics should come naturally from you due to your own research and knowledge. This type of skill and knowledge base lends itself to your credibility, and further it communicates your seriousness to others when you are involved in an activity such as hunting. If it's embarrassing for me to meet a year old Vampire that doesn't know anything about their own game, imagine the perceptions of the person you're speaking to during your hunt. There are many resources to turn to for information about Bloodlines Game Play. An excellent place to start is on the Bloodlines main webpage, reading the Game Guide (http://www.slbloodlines.com/guide).
3. KNOW YOUR HUD
You must be able to use and navigate your Bloodlines Thirst HUD Attachment with ease to be successful at hunting. Everything you do as a Vampire or Lycan depends on your knowledge and use of your HUD. Just as a Soldier's success on the battlefield depends on his or her knowledge and use of their weapon, so too can your success be measured as a hunter by the knowledge and use of your HUD System. There's only one way to learn your HUD, and that's to use it. I never detach my HUDS. My screen is always active with both my Thirst and Rage HUDs. When in public I use them to keep myself reminded of their functions. Wear your HUD, and while you're out and about in public, use it to scan others around you. Just be sure that you are on a SIM that will allow your HUD to function. Thankfully, Bloodlines has also prepared basic instructions for the HUD.
For Vampires please visit (http://www.slbloodlines.com/instructions/thirst)
For Lycans please visit (http://lycan.slbloodlines.com/instructions/rage)
4. KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS
This principle is extremely important to you as a "hunter". You wouldn't walk off into the forest to hunt bears without first stopping by the Ranger's Station to get a map and some general advice on the land would you? Okay, that said, every SIM you port onto has information available about their rules and restrictions right in your viewers information bar, and often they supplement this information with note card dispensers, and signs. What is the Rating of the SIM you are on? Is it PG, Mature or Adult? Are scripts allowed on the parcel? This will determine if your HUD will function or not, so very important. Is the SIM combat enabled? Can damage be dealt on that SIM. Look the list of what you can learn is endless, the point I'm trying to make is this: Don't just port onto a SIM and think it's okay to start hunting away. Some SIMs in fact ban Bloodlines Play throughout their SIMs. Are you on a SIM like that? If you're not in the habit now of knowing what's going on around you, get into that habit as soon as you can.
Tomorrow I'll try to delve into a topic of knowing whom you're interacting with at all times. I'll try to explain further the various categories of "Scan" results that are possible from your HUD, what they mean, and what is required of you or them in order to interact with them.
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