dialog?

[sleezyscoundrel]

While perusing SL, I notice from time to time, some participants chatting with some fairly complex dialog. For example, instead of simple responses such as "Viola blinks and blushes...", it will read as "Viola blinks and blushes as her friend begins to take liberties with the porterhouse steak". I am simplifying this because this forum is probably not A rated. Short of believing the writers are proficient in writing styles, is there a suggested area that one could utilize instead of coming across with "hi", "hello", "I'm OK"...short answers that could equate to grunts and groans. Something that could be actual conversation.

BTW, when I mention dialog, I am speaking of two-way conversation between avatars and not computer dialog.

[Darren Scorpio]

You are talking about role play. You can find many role play sims that cater to all kinds of lifestyles and such. Or you can find a friend who is a good role player and RP in your own house whatever you want. 

[Rolig Loon]

Hehehe... You just haven't been hanging out in the right sims yet.  I am always around people who get into long, drawn-out conversations.  I helps if your friends are either good typists or (like me) not embarrassed by making a zillion typos a minute.  Frankly, I think people who use Voice a lot tend to be the worst conversationalists.  IMO, typed chat forces you to get to the point, without a lot of "er"s and "ya know"s, and it encourages you to pay closer attention to what other people are typing.

I'm not sure what to suggest, but you might try looking for groups that share one of your interests, or maybe events where discussion is expected..... like book discussions, for example.  

[Lindal Kidd]

The subject of emoting...techniques for getting across more information than simple declarative sentences can convey...is a complex one.  My colleague Wendyslippers Charisma teaches a class in emoting at Caledon Oxbridge University.  If you're interested, drop by and check the schedule for her next offering.

One way to "improve" on text as a communications medium is Voice.  But there are many (myself among them) who don't see it as much of an improvement.

Chat emotes can be triggered by typing "/me" in front of your text (without the quotes).  "/me smiles and passes you the plate of cookies" is rendered as "Lindal Kidd smiles and passes you the plate of cookies".  Some viewers allow you the option of using a colon : instead of /me, which has saved me thousands of keystrokes over the years.

Some who are into more formal roleplay (or are just wordy buggers) type long emotes such as the OP describes.  Some who don't think or type quite as fast write up notecards with pre-typed emotes, and use Copy (CTRL+C) and Paste (CTRL+V) to transfer them to chat or IM.  And some who are less than creative BUY pre-written emote cheat cards on the Marketplace and cut and paste THOSE (yeck!)

Chat emotes describe what you are doing or thinking or feeling, rather than simply relaying what you are saying.  They add spice and fun and a measure of emotion to the text medium.  They should not be over-used; I like to alternate emotes with "spoken" text.  Above all, don't use them to describe what the OTHER person is doing, or how they respond to your action.  In roleplaying, this is called "god-modding" and is frowned on as Very Bad Form.

Very short emotes can be expressed with asterisks:  *Gasp!*, or "/me gasps!" convey the same meaning.

Emotes and speech can be combined by using quotation marks:  /me spins around angrily. "Why did you poke me!?"

There are all sorts of roleplay areas in SL, from dark urban post-apocalyptic worlds to sylvan settings where the Fae dance merrily.  Search "roleplay" to find some that suit you.  For less formal roleplay, the Steamlands (Caledon and other steampunk areas) are filled with people who are sort of at least partially "in character" at all times.  Put on a Victorian outfit, and greet those you meet with a "Good day to you, Professor Kidd".  You''ll likely get back an in-character response.