The_Rev Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Strange connections Every now and then something happens that makes you see things a little bit differently. Not a major change, not a paradigm shift, but a change nonetheless. I play World of Warcraft, which for those who don't know is a massively multi-player online game (MMO). It is a fascinating game for many reasons: it has a fairly advanced internal economy, it has involved group dynamics, it sucks various people in through various different types of rewards (pets, mounts, weapons, even clothing). Unlike many games from the early history of computer gaming, it is a profoundly social game--to succeed at the highest levels you have to coordinate with at least 9 and often as many as 24 other people. Often you communicate by voice in a voice over internet protocol system like Ventrilo. Over the course of quite a bit of time in the game, I have gotten to know some people fairly well. Perhaps well enough to call them friends. One of them, Dusty, who in game most often went by the name Leymonty, became a good friend. We chat about his life in college, my life in California, our mutual concerns about future jobs and career directions. We talk about family, closer to home friends, the weather, all sorts of things really. And we have for about 2 years. Last month a little before Thanksgiving, I heard while we were playing that he was coughing rather loudly. I jokingly said he should consider taking up smoking if he was going to cough so much, and he admitted that he had pneumonia. He was on antibiotics for it and the doctors said it was a fairly bad case, though not awful. After the raid was over I wished him well and told him "no more coughing" in my best big brother voice. I logged in the next day and his friend from college told me that he had died, presumably of a pneumonia related pulmonary embolism . At first I thought that the friend was playing a joke in very poor taste. Then, what an obnoxious irony to have my last words to him be "stop coughing". He never listened to me before. So after an initial shock, I then found myself crying over a person I had never met. I didn't even know what he looked like until I saw his obituary! This had happened once before, with Andy Olmsted. But that time I had become friends with him over political discussions, so for some reason it seemed acceptable. This time I was crying over someone I had met in a game. Was I crazy? No. I wasn't. What could be more natural than becoming friends with the people you spend time with over a mutually enjoyable pastime? Why would I try to deny that a person who shared his problems and joys with me, and I with him, could be close enough that I would mourn his passing? At first I was ashamed to admit that I was so shaken by the death of a person I knew first 'in-game'. But now I realize that I'm merely admitting to having a connection with someone. A connection based on a mutual common interest, built up by sharing time together, solidified by sharing our fears and loves and concerns with each other, continued by actually caring about what happened to one another. Maybe that isn't such a strange connection after all. RIP Somebody Risso knew in game died. Mountain bike accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Indeed Nays, a lad from Wales who was in BOTS. It's mad, you play with people, speak to them on Vent, then a while later they're dead. I think there's still a certain stigma attached to having "internet friends" despite the fact collecting friends on Facebook is probably the social phenomenon of the 21st century, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggaman Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Indeed Nays, a lad from Wales who was in BOTS. It's mad, you play with people, speak to them on Vent, then a while later they're dead. I think there's still a certain stigma attached to having "internet friends" despite the fact collecting friends on Facebook is probably the social phenomenon of the 21st century, Who collects friends on Facebook though? I either went to school, Uni, or worked with everyone on my friends list. The only people I haven't met on it are those from VT on there. I don't class people from WoW as my mates. Sure I talk to them in guild chat, however I wouldn't disclose any personal information with them. Plus I would never consider them friends as such. I don't think that it is wrong if people do that. However, I never would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Imagine if a regular poster on VT died. How would you feel? I wouldnt expect myself to dress in black and keep my curtains drawn for a week, but there would be a pang of sadness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jondaken Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Indeed Nays, a lad from Wales who was in BOTS. It's mad, you play with people, speak to them on Vent, then a while later they're dead. I think there's still a certain stigma attached to having "internet friends" despite the fact collecting friends on Facebook is probably the social phenomenon of the 21st century, Who collects friends on Facebook though? I either went to school, Uni, or worked with everyone on my friends list. The only people I haven't met on it are those from VT on there. I don't class people from WoW as my mates. Sure I talk to them in guild chat, however I wouldn't disclose any personal information with them. Plus I would never consider them friends as such. I don't think that it is wrong if people do that. However, I never would. I know loads of people who would class people as friends through facebook even though they had never met. Be it via a mutual friend or jsut common interests, it does happen, and it happens alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red5 Posted December 18, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted December 18, 2009 Indeed Nays, a lad from Wales who was in BOTS. It's mad, you play with people, speak to them on Vent, then a while later they're dead. I think there's still a certain stigma attached to having "internet friends" despite the fact collecting friends on Facebook is probably the social phenomenon of the 21st century, Aye. Doomtrain. Very sad indeed. Quite a surreal moment for those of us who never actually met him in 'RL'. Had a rather solemn gathering for him ingame, which didn't seem as odd as it sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviramsey Posted December 18, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted December 18, 2009 Imagine if a regular poster on VT died. How would you feel? I wouldnt expect myself to dress in black and keep my curtains drawn for a week, but there would be a pang of sadness. The closest we've come (AFAICR) is kimmie's son... knock on wood that we don't have anything like that for quite a long while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Randy_Villan Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 www.worldofwarlcraft.com Anyone having problems signing in today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 worldofwarlcraft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted December 19, 2009 Author Share Posted December 19, 2009 www.wow-europe.com is what you want mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Who collects friends on Facebook though? Oh, only about 99.99% of the people who use it at a rough estimate I'd say. My niece has something like 600 "friends" on there, I reckon she probably can't remember who a quarter of them are, at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jondaken Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 www.worldofwarlcraft.com Anyone having problems signing in today? Since when did VT'ers become hackers? ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I had a great program once, you could do all sorts of things with it. Teleport, run at 1000% speed, scale vertical walls etc etc. I had such good fun arsing around with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAZZAM Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Anyone remember that real old ingame funeral for a player who died irl?And all those horde came to gank them at the ceromony it was held at winterspring if i remember correctly. What were peoples thoughts of that? Me i woulda never of done that ever and im a big pker i never understood why u would want to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 You mean this? One of the funniest things I've ever seen, I was laughing that hard it started to hurt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Randy_Villan Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 That is genius. How stupid are the people arranging it? I'd be more suprised if no-one gatecrashed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 That is genius. How stupid are the people arranging it? I'd be more suprised if no-one gatecrashed it. Yes, let's arrange an online funeral in a contested area on a PvP server, I'm sure the other side will lay down their arms for the evening and let us quietly mourn our departed friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 "Nice day for a funeral" lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 When the video cut to the Alliance tearing through Timbermaw Hold, I started crying with laughter. "i aint no god damn son of a bitch", hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCLaura Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 DING! Level 60 & DING! Level 61 last night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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