[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia Ever wonder if the entire thing was just staged, by both sides?

Yes I was thinking along those lines. The fact that there is a recording from the mourners side made me think there could have been some special powers to have some sort of omnipresence and see remotely, or else there was a spy at the funeral, or possibly the whole thing could have been staged for whatever reason (e.g. free controversial advertisement?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by K2Grey I don't feel attending this online funeral is less meaningful than attending the funeral of some relative who you met 2 times in your life.

Good point.

I see very valid reasons for showing respects to a deceased e-teammate/e-friend. The fact that the friendship is established through the internet is irrelevant, friendship is friendship. However, I also see extremely strong reasons why NOT gathering to show their respects in a virtual world which is plain and simple an open battlefield (the game is called "World of Warcraft" after all) full of enemies that would profit from your virtual destruction. It was truly a terrible choice of a place for showing their virtual and real-life respects to their friend.

Think about it. It would make no sense for a basketball, baseball, football, ot whatever competitive sport team, to mourn a teammate right in the middle of a competitive match, expecting the opposing team to simply stand by and not take advantage of it. That is exactly what happened. Just think of nature in real life. If zebras started mourning deceased zebras in front of lions, you know what the lions would do: take advantage of a highly profitable situation. In a world of hunger and strong competition and ambition, in which survival of the fittest laws rule, the word compassion hardly applies towards prey or enemies.

 

[Jasper994]

I agree that it would have made a lot of sense to have some people standing guard at least...

 

[Budley007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasper994 We're not talking about family and friends from where you live. We're talking about people that he spent a lot of time with that could live across the country or even in another country. We're talking about a quick ceremony to pay their last respects to someone they knew online whom they played with quite often. Why do you guys seem to have such a hard time understanding this? I'm sure that if one of the more prominant members here past away, there would be a thread about it and a large number of people here would stop in to say a few words. If the person were really popular, I'm sure some people would take the time to say a lot. There are a number of people here that I have met and that I consider friends that don't live in this state. Some don't even live in this country. If one of them were to die, I'd sure want to pay my respects even if I couldn't travel to the funeral.

I understand your point, Jasper, but to make the leap in comparison between a "memorial thread" and a WoW "e-funeral" is just beyond my abilities. Memorial threads are commonplace and what I personally would consider appropriate and tasteful. This other thing was just a little too bizarre for me to take so seriously. I can't see the comparison, but to each his own.

When it comes right down to it, I guess everyone participating in the WoW funeral video, (both protagonist and antagonist), have paid accounts and used them well within the bounds that Blizzard enforces. The tragedy and comedy of the event are both apparent, but let's not forget that anyone's judgement on this is purely subjective.

 

[Elec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra Yes I was thinking along those lines. The fact that there is a recording from the mourners side made me think there could have been some special powers to have some sort of omnipresence and see remotely, or else there was a spy at the funeral, or possibly the whole thing could have been staged for whatever reason (e.g. free controversial advertisement?)

Somebody edited together "recordings" from two different people, one at the lake and one with the group charging there to attack. The guy at the lake was probably ok being there because everyone either thought he was there for the funeral and wouldn't do anything, or figured there was 1 of him and lots of people from the opposing faction and they could handle him if he tried anything.

Aside from that, the one guy at the lake may have been a rogue, and one of their abilities is that they can stealth and walk around more or less invisible to other players (which is really annoying when somebody you couldn't see kills you).

 

[kyrie]

Here, then, is a prime example a sort of cultural divide (read: ignorance) that happens all the time, everywhere in this world. To some extent, everyone must view the world from their own narrow perspective, and I don't see any problem with that. However, it is a fact that each and every one of us also engage in at least one activity (headphones), that is viewed as bizzare or ridiculous to a majority of the population. And if those people refuse to take you seriously for what you do, how would you feel? If you could yourself take such ridicule from others well without a complaint, then in all fairness you are also free to ridicule others for their antics. Otherwise though, you are nothing but a hypocrite. Of course, there is nothing "wrong" with being a hypocrite either, as long as you realize that you are one.

 

[mjg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyrie However, it is a fact that each and every one of us also engage in at least one activity (headphones), that is viewed as bizzare or ridiculous to a majority of the population. And if those people refuse to take you seriously for what you do, how would you feel? If you could yourself take such ridicule from others well without a complaint, then in all fairness you are also free to ridicule others for their antics. Otherwise though, you are nothing but a hypocrite.

I'm at total ease with people not understanding or thinking i'm odd for enjoying audio stuff... I take it quasi seriously myself, I enjoy it, I don't look at it as way of living. Anyone who takes themselves or what they do so seriously, imo, needs to get a grip. Yet, it takes all kinds, and for whatever it's worth I treat people the same... I don't look at myself as a hypocrite, but chances are, I am a hypocrite. I can live with that.

 

[daycart1]

I think the funniest part is where the rogue sneaks up to the dead guy and whacks him off in just a couple of hits.

 

[Kirosia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 I think the funniest part is where the rogue sneaks up to the dead guy and whacks him off in just a couple of hits.

I think that particular maneuver is known as "the reach-around".

(sorry, couldn't help it har har)

 

[daycart1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia I think that particular maneuver is known as "the reach-around". (sorry, couldn't help it har har)

Oh, I get it.

No, I think WoW is still rated PG.

 

[wnewport]

If only Leeroy were there.

"All right chums, I'm back. Let's do this...

LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEROYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY JENNNNNNNNNNNKINSSSSSSSSSSS!"

I couldn't resist.

 

[Budley007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyrie Here, then, is a prime example a sort of cultural divide (read: ignorance) that happens all the time, everywhere in this world. To some extent, everyone must view the world from their own narrow perspective, and I don't see any problem with that. However, it is a fact that each and every one of us also engage in at least one activity (headphones), that is viewed as bizzare or ridiculous to a majority of the population. And if those people refuse to take you seriously for what you do, how would you feel? If you could yourself take such ridicule from others well without a complaint, then in all fairness you are also free to ridicule others for their antics. Otherwise though, you are nothing but a hypocrite. Of course, there is nothing "wrong" with being a hypocrite either, as long as you realize that you are one.

If not taking this event as seriously as you feel I should, then so be it. I'll accept any label you care to pin on me. Hypocrite, narrow-minded, ignorant, insensitive, etc... I'll also sleep very well tonight knowing that I'm all these things and more.

Anything else you think I left out feel free to post here or PM me if it will help you get through this apparently traumatic subject. Also, don't forget to put my sig on ignore. I'd hate to contribute my opinion here in the future and unwittingly hurt anyone else's feelings.

 

[K2Grey]

Being narrow-minded or a hypocrite is nothing to be proud of.

 

[lewtz]

Gonna give a itty bitty tidbit of insight into guilds for your non-MMORPG-players. So maybe you can see why they would hold an onine funeral for a deseaced friend. (Going to try and keep it simple)

In most online games you need help from others at some point. It could just be help from some constant friends you made to grind out some experiance killing monsters to level... or help on a quest that requires you to go into a dungeon to kill some big monsters, or help from people to go kill someone who has been killing you.

Most ANYTHING amazing in these games requires teamwork and cordination. It could be the teamwork of a group (5-6people), up to some of the largest guild raids in Everquest requiring 72 people. Some of the events can take 30min to complete, to old school EQ raids that would take a whole weekend (30+hrs, with people rotating on sleep). When you spend as much time together online as some of these people do, working together, following the leaders directions, accomplishing goals that better the guild, and allow everyone to move on.

You might spend 6 hours on a raid, with 50 people, to work through an area and kill a big monster that only drops 4 pieces of loot. So 46 people are not getting anything, they are there for support, and to help better the guild. As every person who gets stronger, makes the guild stronger. You win encounters, and you die together. The bonds that form for some people are amazing. I still have a couple people from my online gaming days that I truelly respect as leaders and friends.

Guildleaders and officers are seriously running organizations day in and day out. People in guilds get in fights, bitch, moan etc. But they end up getting people to become friends, and if not friends, atleast be able to tolerate each other enough to work for ythe betterment of the guild.

When your online for 5-6hrs a day, going through some of these stressful (yes online games can be stressful, where if 1 person screws up their job, 5hrs of work by 50+ people, can be ruined, and you don't want to be that person), you form bonds with these people. It is inevitable.

You guys bashing these people for "pixels" need to get a grip. It really is no different then any other hobby, except you can form friendships. I would have went to some "online funerals" of people I "saw" more then my parents, before I would hjave went to a RL funeral of a relative I had seen three times, or a friend of a friend.

I respect these players for having the online funeral for a friend, most if not all of them knew only online. But I also find it hilarious they got owned, but thats the nature of the beast.

 

[kyrie]

Quote:

If not taking this event as seriously as you feel I should, then so be it. I'll accept any label you care to pin on me. Hypocrite, narrow-minded, ignorant, insensitive, etc... I'll also sleep very well tonight knowing that I'm all these things and more. Anything else you think I left out feel free to post here or PM me if it will help you get through this apparently traumatic subject. Also, don't forget to put my sig on ignore. I'd hate to contribute my opinion here in the future and unwittingly hurt anyone else's feelings.

Clearly you're the one who's taking this too confrontationally.

I'm definitely not hurt in any way (I don't play WoW, or any MMORPG for that matter), and I was just trying to give an objective opinion the topic. Sorry if I somehow insulted you in any way. My comment (despite coming right after yours) was not directed towards you in particular.

 

[granodemostasa]

the way these games are being explained it reminds be of HS marching bands where 300 people compete as one unit....even if it was an extracurricular we took it very seriously.
i got a question: if one's character dies does the game start all over? how would that work with these large "guilds"?