No Commoners Allowed in Second Life's Virtual Versailles?

There's an incredibly detailed virtual recreation of Versailles in Second Life (as I blogged last week), and someone who read about it visited the palace and was met with a vexing response by the French royalty roleplayers already ensconced there:

"I was really excited to learn about this place and couldn't wait to visit on Saturday for there grand opening," writes Bellahyae Enchanted. "It ended up falling on a special day in my family, so I asked my sister to go instead of me and we would enjoy seeing her character at the special occasion they were having. She wore a lovely stripped Baroque gown."

That's when the trouble started:

"I only mention [the gown] because once she got to the event hall, within 15 minutes or less she was told that she was not dressed in 'grand attire' and politely told that if she wanted to say, she has to wear one of there outfits. All of this was done in a thinly veiled meanness that surprised me. My sister handled it beautifully, respectfully telling the lady that she did not visit to change, and left. But it's a shame that this kind of behavior is allowed. But I wanted to leave these words here as well as this: it is not fair to mistreat someone like this. Anyone wiling to go be warned; they do not want you to visit in anything that will show anyone up. So dress down, say 'yes ma'am' allot and kiss up. As for me, I will be sure to avoid visiting in the future."

On the one hand, this seems like roleplay taken way too far. On the other hand, if you're roleplaying as Versailles courtiers, that's pretty much how they'd treat someone who wasn't properly dressed for the occasion. You could say they're just over-acting, but then again, last time they literally lost their heads over that behavior.

Anyway, click here to visit: Just dress properly, peasant.

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Comments

[Supporter]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

[Ugh]

F the frog-eaters.

[Issa Heckroth]

Top story! Roleplay sims have rules!

In other news, water found to be wet. :P

This is far from abnormal behavior for a roleplay sim.

[Aliasi Stonebender]

Most RP Sims have provisions for OOC visitors, though.

[Ariel]

I don't see how this incident at Versailles is any different from the many modern venues in SL that require formal dress and ask you to leave if you're not wearing formal attire. A lot of them are far less polite about it than these people at Versailles. Oh yes -- now I see the difference. At Versailles they are kind and polite enough to provide you with proper attire so that you can attend and enjoy the event without personal expense. Stop trying to blame the people who are trying to accurately recreate history when the person to blame is the visitor who didn't follow the clearly publicized dress code for the event.

[Georgia]

Yes RP sims do have attire rules, especially in historical rp sims and sims based around courts. Just like in RL if you showed up to a white tie event wearing street clothing you would be wildly underdressed. This applies in SL as well.