Hello, just finally had a chance to catch up on the last few lists I received before deciding I didn't have time to read.
Likewise a caper story with Avon and Vila might turn out to be a consensual shared hallucination they are using to speed-train each other in their respective skills, because Avon would be seeing through Vila's eyes and feeling through his fingers as he handled his lockpicks, and Vila was shadowing Avon's movements through computer screens. The cross-skilling would be valuable and if they had the equipment and trust, they very well might try it. But the rebel-cheering enthusiast might feel let down that no power plant was really blown up in the making of this shared hallucination.
Actually, I rather like that idea. Though I'd certainly like it much better if it was clear from the outset that this *was* a virtual caper.
Yes, that's the problem. The very first cyberpunk story I read, the entire novel was a shared hallucination and the real situation wasn't revealled until the final chapter. I felt robbed.
(But then, maybe I don't count as a "rebel-cheering enthusiast," if that's meant to contrast with "character junkie.")
Not in an either/or sort of way, but simply someone who's primary love is to cheer for the rebels vs. the evil menace. Finding out they hadn't really scored the victory they had appeared to would be disappointing.