Sharkbait's Local Spot

It's not funny, humorous, or amusing but it is a sign of what we've become. The suffering of other people is not a form of entertainment.

The real life version of this is the protesters that show up to the funerals of the soldiers from Iraq.

Good point. When I look at it that way I feel horrified and embarrassed. And of course, sad for the people who were mourning.

Then I realize, that for me, the metaphor and symbolic meaning of the actions in-game don't cross over into real life.

You could make the point that for some people the metaphoric symbolism DOES carry over into real life, and for that reason alone the actions of Serenity Now are mean, insensitive and dispicable. But that would go against the premise of the game, which I feel both sides have 'violated' in a sense.

I believe that if we attempt to map the metaphor onto reality, then the real-life equivalent would be an attempt to hold a large peaceful funeral in the middle of a war zone, and announcing it to both sides, when there is no established rules of conduct for this type of thing. Of course it's wrong to invade, but it is definitely not surprising within the context of the game. In that context I find the video funny. As far as reality = NOT funny. I can separate the two I guess. Should I though?

These are the things that have made me think about this for quite some time. It's an interesting construct.

As long as they believed the funeral participants were taking it seriously then it was over the line. The loss of a friend, and how they are mourned, is not for entertainment, even if they are geeky. The purpose of posting the messages about what they were doing and why was to make the point about the loss of a friend.

When the game becomes important enough for someone to exploit that, it's time that person no longer plays.

And the military analogy would be the the red cross, and we don't fire on that as long as it appears legitimate.

None of the people who say this is "funny" ever take the time to consider that a lot of people that probably knew this woman in game probably couldn't pay their condolences to her in any other way. I know a lot of people in WoW, and if one of them died, an in game funeral would probably be my only way of showing respect. It would have said a lot more for the SN guild had they shown up and paid their respects too, despite being on the "other side".

Just because you know a person online doesn't make that connection of friendship any less real. To lose someone you only knew that way, and to have your one act of closier be inturrupted in such a cruel way is truelly a tragedy.

I agree with a lot of what you say. Having been addicted to the game for quite some time, I have forged several friendships with many people that I would consider just as valid and meaningful as "real-life" friendships.

But if the only medium upon which you can host a meaningful and emotionally heavy event such as a funeral is in a online role playing game, then you need to be aware of the potential situation you are creating and take the necessary precautions to make sure that the event is a place where people can truly pay their respects. And of course, you need to be prepared to deal with the constraints that the game could impose. It is unfortunate that the funeral hosts did not recognize this and do what was necessary. The funeral needed to be held in a neutral zone in a remote place, with the announcements and statements saying something to explain the situation and ask for respect and pardon, since this is not typical or expected of most people in a game environment.

This does not excuse the behavior of SN, but what they did IN-GAME was not wrong as defined by the rules of the game. Where they 'broke the rules' happened outside the game. Conversely, holding a funeral in-game is not technically a wrong thing to do, but it needed to be done in the right context. No one can expect players who log onto a game looking to escape or have fun to temporarily comply by a newly defined code of conduct based on a situation brought into the game that has real life import and implications outside of the game. People assume that the consequences aren't real. For many, bringing this type of morality into the game violates the rules.

This is what makes this situation so interesting. It can be argued, justifiably so, from many sides. The intentions of the funeral guild were good. Their handling of the event was not well-planned.

I don't mean to slam the funeral hosts or the people who are mourning the loss of their friend. Oftentimes in a philosophical conundrum it is very obvious to see one side of the situation, and not so obvious to see the other side. This is what I'm trying to illustrate here. Not everybody who thinks the video was funny is misunderstood. But some might be ;-)

first off let me begin by saying that WoW is just a game. i understand that people fordge real friendships in-game and the loss of life is never funny....

ok i watched the video and found it very funny. you are playing a PvP game, you hold a "funeral" for someone in a contested zone and you are surprised when someone crashes it? I, myself, wouldnt expect anything less from the people i PvP with. i play eq2 on the pvp server and if someone from the other alignment was to have a funeral and i didnt know them, i would probably do the exact same thing. not out of disrespect to the dead, but because it is a GAME on a PVP SERVER where you KILL OTHER PEOPLE. things people tend to forget about the game is that it is just a game, nothing more. if i were to die and my friend in-game were to hold a funeral in-game for me and someone crashed the funeral by killing everyone in sight including me....i would laugh forever.

I agree. Completely. And I'd probably do the same. For me, it is just a game. And I would be laughing forever in my grave to have caused so much uproar.

This is one of the funniest things that have ever happened on the internet. Sure, it is very sad that the person died. However, I can just imagine all the false soul-searching and intraspective, self indulgent faux misery that many of the hanger on "mourners" were indulging in. It's always the same when someone dies: so called "friends" come out of the woodwork to be especially upset. Even more so if the deceased is a female in a male (geek) dominated environment.

And let's not forget the stupidity of the arrangements: the "funeral" was held in disputed territory and all the "mourners" seem to be woefully unprepared. Their mistake.

And finally, the game is called warcraft not touchy-feely craft. It is set in a medieval fantasy world torn apart by war. There have been many examples throughout real history where exactly this type of incident has happened.

The "mourners" may have wanted a quiet "meaningful" service, but why should their online enemies respect that?

"I am under no obligation to follow the orders of my enemy."

Ok...how are people SO blind that they think this video is funny. What the hell are you people?! Seriously, "Oh so kool they totally Pwned dem tis the 1337!!!!!!111ONeONE!!" mantality losers in these games. Plan and simple, it was a bunch of middle schooler virgins that thought this will make them the "Hot Topic" on the web, and you all play into them like puppets, at the expense of a in game mourning of respect to a fellow player of the game. Serenity Now, losers...people that fine the video funny because of the contant, losers.

Wow...wheres the humanity...

seriously, no one should get all high and mighty over this happening, condemning people for what they thought was funny. There arguments are sound, this should have been held in an area that was neutral and no fighting takes place. They were asking for it. To the people who made the video, good work, hilarious, i had to rewatch it a few times because it was that funny.

The bullshit people will say to defend morally decrepit attitudes..people who wouls stoop to this are the same kinda people who would bomb Federal Buildings or condone school shootings..plain and simple it IS a game thats why you dont get so wrapped up in it you need to kill mourners for the outrage value..if you do than you are taking this game waaaaaay too seriously..they shoulda respected the mourners and found others to attack..somehow I doubt everyone of their in game enemies were at the funueral..it was just a case of punks being punks with no respect for anything..with any luck, their funeral will be next and no one will mourn

May I ask why people are expecting morality in a game that is based on "killing" other people...mostly strangers at that. How is that the epitomy of morality? That is the point of playing on pvp. You attack, kill and loot the bodies of other players. The girl who died obviously enjoyed this aspect, so why disparage those people who were upholding the side of the game the woman enjoyed? It could be argued that they were indeed honoring her favorite pasttime. I don't play WoW. If I did I wouldn't play on a pvp. If these people wanted to pay their respects to their online friend (and I have some on my game), they shouldn't have done it where they could be attacked.

That is too funny. I thought all computer game players were a bunch of social dorks and misfits. This video gives me faith, cause this is some funny shyt. With the church music going and then it flops back to the band of raiders. good editing

I don't play WoW, though my friend has been trying to get me to for the last month. I just came across this video a couple weeks ago and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. Laughing conjoined with the whole 'I can't breath my sides hurt' feeling. I understand the anger coming from those who attended the service, but get over it. Like most of the comments above me, it's a game: the goal on a pvp server is to kill people. Whether they are interested in fighting back is null and void. Mad props to the SN guild. If I ever start playing I'm going to look them up and try to join.

I have watched the the clip and i personaly find it a lil funny... BUT i here there is going to be a masive war i dont know where or when but ppl from my server are talking about moveing to
the server where it happend and showing the ppl who did this a lesson or 2 but if there is going to be a masive wat i would like to see it!!!

These guys are total jerks. Of course they can't put themselves in the same situation, perhaps if someone they know dies it will take that to recognize the significance of a memorial, and the utter disrespect they demonstrated. Faceless and hiding behind computer screens, they crave attention and recognition and attempt to steal it from the actual focus of the event. The only reason being is that it was *intentional* and set up to interrupt a RL-event.

The folks who conducted the service should have picked a different venue than a combat-zone of a game server, but it does not excuse the INTENT of the idiots who interrupted them.

For those of you that find it offensive, at least take comfort in the fact that the obviously distorted individual(s) who created this video will be chained by their own psychoses. You can't be that much of a freak and actually know it until its too late.

Every person that made the stupid comment about the funeral being somewhere else you have to pay attention. It was held there because it was a favoite place of the person that had passed away. You shouldnt have to replace her favorite place with something else just because "things" like this exist. I say "things" because they obviously arent people.. most human beings have heart and they did not. Even the dogs have more respect for things care about.

And for you who are saying its just a game... you are correct. Try palying the game before you judge though. These people talk to each other day in and day out. They become very good friends over the course of 60 levels. No one says that they love each other but over a course of time you grow a bond. Other then that it wasnt "ALL" a game. I mean.. cmon people... this girl died. Have a friggen heart.
I would also like to know what is funny about it. The Horde were all dressed up for a funeral. The majority were wearing armor that was worthless against attack and wore no weapons. They were dressed up.. for the occasion. How ghey would weapons have looked on a video you were sending to the dead persons family? Which is what they were doing by the way. The video was more for her family then it was for the players there. Knowing all this.. how the hell is it funny that Serenity Now walks in with all their epic gear and wipes these people? First of all, Horde had not chance with no gear and weapons... so how cool are they that they actually defeted them? It was no challenge.

this proves, to me, the depravity possible to some people when they can screen themselves from any real repercussions(sp?). it's true. people do things online they would never dream of doing in a face to face situation. people are saying it's just a 'game'. what it is very easy to forget is that behind the pixels on your screen are real people with real feelings.

Real people with real feelings. Yes, that is why I feel so guilty when I masturbate to all those poor depraved men on internet porn.

Realize you formed an online relationship, never once considering you would ever see the person in real life because you would have to "go out of your way." The she dies, online funeral, gets ruined, and your mad. Go fuck yourselves. Its a game. I come on to play. The only time I talk to ANYONE is start a group or raid.

hmmm...depraved men on internet porn. yes, another good example of the desensitization of this generation. thank you.

That is fucking hilarious, lmao, i wanna join that guild and raid social events like this. Free Honor FTW

K guys i would have to say i have watched this video like 10 times... if u think about it it is kinda sad but y WOULD U HAVE A FUNERAL IN A CONTESTED ZONE if i had a 60 on that server i would so be there to pwn all teh noobs like come on it may have been her funeral but what do u think she would have done if someone else had died from alliance and had a funeral in that spot she would have been in on a raid it was a great video and took alot of time and thought the timing of ppl showing up then the rogue starting it so many heals did u see any Alliance die ... no its was Freaken AWSOME.. no disrespect

It really wasn't all that funny - until peole who were involved or horrified chirped on about how awful the act was.

It was a really good idea to include a few of the more emotional e-mails at the beginning of the video. Otherwise it'd just be another n00b pwnkill, and who really needs to see another one of those. But high kudos for creativity - two thumbs up.

well i feel bad for this guilds loss of a friend and a co-player but why would they hold a mourning session in a full pvp area of the game.you are just asking for an ambush even if this was a serious moment for these people.they should of been in a town where there are chapels and such for peaceful meetings.i'm sorry but they got what was expected in a pvp server.

You know what the funniest thing about all of this is to me? That the whole controversy surrounds what the Serenity Now guild did in the game.

None of this would even be possible if the guild didn't videotape it, edit it, and broadcast it all over the internet. Isn't that the real 'atrocity' (if there is one to be had)? Who cares what happened in the game! It's a game! If anybody should have anything to complain about, it would be the fact that the guild took an in-game event and made it a public real-life event for entertainment value. Much the same way that the mourners took a real-life event and made it an in-game event for closure purposes.

What I hear a lot of is "oh it's so stupid for them to do this on a PVP server" and "oh it's so lame SN raided them".

I just think it's funny, I have yet to hear about how awful it is of SN to tape and broadcast the raid. Logically, this is what you'd expect. It's not the raid behavior that is so disrespectful, it's the aim of reducing it to public entertainment in light of the woman's death.

Personally I don't agree with either opinions, but if I did get mad over what SN did, I'd direct my anger in the appropriate place. Think about it people.

Ok. After thinking about this for a bit, I have to take back my previous comment. At first, the idea of crashing a funeral is offensive to me, as it is a lot of people who found out about this. Conversely, a lot of people say "lighten up, this is a game." and so it is. I think the longer discussion is that perhaps this is an appropriate event for this universe; this fits how the WOW world operates and was an example of a good game.

In Baghdad, suicide bombers attack funerals of people killed by suicide bombers. That is terrible, of course. But this is a game in which monsters roam and characters are revived with a click of the mouse. It doesn't hold the same rules as the real world. People enjoy role-playing, either good creatures, or bad ones. There is nothing wrong with pretending you are an orc. If you hear there is an elf funeral, your orcish ways would demand you go trash it. The people perpetrating this aren't necessarily assholes in real life. They may have seen it as simply a good opportunity to capitalize on a game event.

What becomes unclear to me is when I ask the question, was this a funeral for the real life person or the persons WOW character? I'm not sure if any of the woman's real-world-lets-get-dinner friends were there. They may have well been mourning the character of her; especially if that is the only way they knew her. But the line is fuzzy in some games like WOW when you aren't role-playing per say, and it's more like an online representation of yourself in a game world. Where did the real woman end and the character begin?

I think that differs for different players. But getting too emotionally attached to your character strikes me as being unhealthy. Confusing reality with the fake game world seems also unhealthy. So I'm going to have to side with the "this was alright" side of the discussion. This was just part of game play. A funeral in a game world is a game piece or game event, just like anything else. It doesn't show disrespect towards the real life person.

I can understand the idea of virtually mourning a virtual character sounding ridiculous. It does to me. If you are role-playing a touchy feely sensitive group, it would make sense to do this. If you were role-playing a tough violent gang of thugs, it would also make sense to go and kill them when they are most venerable. So the heart of the issue reflects everyone’s assumption about what you project into MMOs. Some people see it as a reflection of themselves in reality and are offended by this attack. Others see it as purely a fantasy game world and cheer on the attackers.

I hope to see this as a game that will always remain fantasy and not cross over into reality. With that in mind, it would be extremely inappropriate for her guild to have a funeral to mourn her real life person instead of her in game character. If they were attempting to honor her real life person, the guild holding the funeral was in the wrong. So I don't think the game makers should punish or outlaw the behavior of the attackers. You should keep your real life and your fantasy life separate. Blurring the line between the two is unhealthy. We should just all get used to the fact that this is "just a game."

test

Es un juego no rompan las bolas, en todo caso que se vayan a su entierro, y no hacer mediante el juego ese tipo de cosas son estupideces, muy infantil lo del entierro en el juego.

hah dont be a pube. U gusy are too sensetive to get it. WOW is a role playing game. when they crashed the funeral, they were roleplaying @ their finest

and i congratulate them.

Id do it myself if i oplayed WOW

Okay...i just was told the story of: The winterspring massacre, from one of my fellow guildys. I questioned the credibilty of the story after all it sounded a little far fetched, especially. he directed me to your site, after watching the video i have to put in my 2 cents.

it is unfortunate that there are circumstances where others amuse themselfs from others misfortune. i think its agreed that every one belvies some where in thier heats that this is wrong...and probably should not have happend.

On the other had...this was a pvp server, so a battle ground it is all the time! but this is a game! and it should remain a game...some are takeing it to far, in that respect. i agree with some that this game should remain a fantasy role playing game. Unfortunate? Yes. Commical? a Little. would it make a good movie? I think so.

omg. the video is so funny. i laughed so hard i think i pee'd a little.. ohh man.. thanks for putting this thing up..

The tragedy is that every one of those characters IN GAME also exists OUTSIDE OF GAME and clearly knew the funeral was for someone who existed in both places as well. Despite this they directly chose to disrespect everyone outside of their own circle. There is no justification for this choice except moral insensitivity. Those who made the choice to participate in the attack can not use "rules of the game" to justify their own immoral conduct. Had the situation been reversed, and the attackers been attending a real-life funeral for a friend/family member, they would be indignant and inconsolable at the insensitivity.

What I find interesting is that the majority of people object to what Serenity Now did IN GAME, but HARDLY ANYBODY is complaining about the fact that they capitalized on it outside the game, by creating and broadcasting a video of their exploits. Why is that? Is it because if they didn't create this video for all of us to think about and/or get outraged by, we'd have nothing to talk about? Is it that we think it's acceptible because they have constructed a platform upon which we can decide to take a stance?

If I were to get outraged by anything, I think the bigger atrocity would be their making and distributing of the video, knowing that it capitalizes on the death of a human. Isn't that more premeditated and malicious than raiding an in-game funeral?

That's great. If I played WoW, I'd be in that clan...

Pff, anyone who finds that funny are completly sick, or they just don't understand. They may be doing a funeral in a game, but how else are they meant to do it if they didn't know her in any other way? The girl who died obviously enjoyed WoW and her 'online friends' had to pay some respect.
Depending on how much you play, a online friend can be just the same as a 'real life' one.

lawl this vid was teh funnyzorz. I lmao so hard. lawl. roflcopter. All you whiners should QQ some more, it is a fucking pvp server so expect to get ganked. Nubs.

i think it was totally wrong, as someone said above, the opposing side could have came to pay there respects and organised a war event to condole the death but they have to spoil it for people,who cares if the people who turned up are geeky or not, they are people not objects. although its a game, its a MMORPG and you play the role plays of RL(real life) so the best thing they can do is appologise. it was not fair. uncalled for and completely idiotic. If they want real pvp Tell them to download a game like Wolfenstein Enemy territory and ill show them the meaning of WTFPWNEDKKTHXBAI?? [ac]Ant!dote

and if its a pvp server, then they must be a shit clan if they have to "gank" to gain control, once again just showing how crap they really are **Question to shit clan**- How would you feel if your mom/dad played a MMORPG and then died, you organised a funeral and i came and WTFPWNEDKTHXBAI OWNED ONEONEONE111!!!!!1111!!one211!1 hmm? you wouldnt feel any emotion because it would be the last time they can have chance to pay there respects only to be taken away by me ganking them.... hmm... think about what you have done. or just simply knock on my door and ill wtfpwnyou, 6 feet under.

I guess the biggest question I have is that if they didn't want any trouble then the guild having the funneral would have had it in friendly territory. If you do it in friendly territory then there would have been no problem or oportunity for the other guild to cause havok. Nuf said... u do things in contested territory and you get people that are going to get a kick out of ganking, hell it's a pvp server that's the appeal and I don't begrudge anyone that does it. The guild should have known this and expected this. I think it is hillarious.

The funeral was stupidity. They just sat around waiting to be ambushed. IN CONTESTED ZONE! Perhaps she would have wanted it in the map, but they should have at least had some guards in case of attack. Maybe some patrols.

It seems pretty obvious that the people organizing this funeral didn't think it through, but even so, I also find it to be such a lowlife thing to do.

The only reason why this raid was pulled off, was because SN knew that it would hurt.

FOR THE ALLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done guys, keep it up.

Very good video, if you need this kind of acts to feel good with yourself you should buy a life. I'm horde but i had done the same thing.

I personally found the video to be hilarious. Any guild that holds an event like this in a PvP contested zone on a PvP server is retarded. You are basically asking for trouble. And 2nd, its a game for gods sake. Had i been on that server playing alliance, i would have crashed it too. Better planning and this situation and so called "grief" by the friends of the deceased could have been avoided. I laugh at everyone who thinks videogames mean so much, think again. When i come home after work or im tired, i log on to WoW and really could care less about what my enemy is feeling when i cut him down. Enough qq, get over it.

Best wow video ever when scatman kicks in and to all of the people whining about how this is so bad get a clue THIS IS A GAME. if your to dumb to think to host the funeral in a non contested zone when you know the type of stuff that goes on in wow(you wanna hear the craziest stuf you ever heard listen to general chat in a major city)thats there fault. I feel bad that anyone dies and i dont know all the causes but if she had a stroke sitting in the cpu for 7 days in a row might not be the best for u. alliance FTW

it is sad that tish things had to happen. if a friend dies you go to pay some respects, in this case the distance between made this encounter in a ficcional world. they were people mourning the loss of a friend a communicaton media given the circumstances. they posted the coments just like you post an obituary, this was not a game, was the goodbye of a friend.

The people that raid the funeral obiusly read the post and were aware of the importance, but tought that was just a game, lacking of any emotional sensitivity for a dead person and there friends, they cause no real harm, but was a tremendous lack of respect, to a woman and that she love it, and her friends.

the video is kind of funny if were an onrol situation, but the game this time was just a mean to show the grieve for the loss of someone they loved and respected.

this things souldnt happen

you seem to overlook that global networks today force us to different social interaction than 10 years ago.

most people apply the same morals and standards towards others to social interaction via email, forums, comments, newsgroups, irc, msn whatever as they would if you were meeting face to face.

i am required to work closely with people i have never met face to face yet i reckon i have gotten to know some of them over the years. if you hear that one of them died or lost his wife that still gets to you in a way.

some people might be taking this too far by extending it into their private life but who am i to judge them? their business. doesnt mean i have to make fun of them.

in that sense what annoys me about this video is not that they had a funeral, or that the funeral was crashed but rather that the funeral guests didnt ass rape them hard when they saw them coming.

they were attacked by a gang of 5?

not really into wow so i dont fully understand how the pvp system works but yea that would have been the reaction i would have expected.

1. Should never have a WOW funeral in a PVP zone.

2. (not my quote but I can't remember) "What more fitting tribute could there be to the life of a PVPer than a massive guild war erupting over her lifeless corpse? I'm a PvPer and I'd be damned proud to inspire that sort of carnage with my last life's breath."

3. For the people that don't understand having an online game funeral for a real person instead of going to the real funeral: Wow is a game played all over the world, maybe some people couldn't get to the actual funeral.

4. Once again, why did they do this in a PVP zone?

You know, even on Christmas soldiers from both sides laid down their arms and let each other celebrate the holiday. SN could have shown the same courtesy. There is enough pvp killing that they could have said "Not today" and let the horde have their funeral and then gone back to fighting tomorrow.

You know even on Christmas German and Allied soldiers stopped killing eachother long enough to celebrate the holidays. In battles soldiers commonly called a truce to collect the dead and wounded. SN could have said "Not today" and left the Horde to honor their friend or even offer their respects, to a fallen enemy who probably gave them a good fight now and then. You can always continue the war tomorrow

No the real life version of this isn't war protestors showing up to soldiers funerals, because those aren't online, or hilarious, and this girl probably did jack shit. At least soldiers are fighting for something. She's fighting because she's bored as shit and without a life. Please.

Why dont you people understand that this isnt just a game: its a war. WoW is at the point where calling someone alliance(or horde) is an insult. Hatred has more or less completely taken over WoW. Ive played for years and Ive seen Alliance and Horde both do terrible things. The only thing I can compare it to is the Holocaust.

How in the hell can you relate a computer game to our soldiers? How dare you insult men and women of the armed forces dying for a cause by relating them to a fucking computer game? I understand it was disrespectful, but IT IS A GAME. Did any of those people go to the real funeral? Oh it was too far to travel? Guess they weren't that good of friends then, because if someone I loved died I would sell everything I owned to attend their funeral. Paying your respects online may be your way of making yourself feel like you knew that person or whatever, but next time make a plan and think it through. You people are rediculous.

I agree, if this truly was a friend, they would of paid respects in a safe zone, or in real life. It's a game, and if your going to roleplay the good side of the life in WOW, your going to get the bad side as well.

When acting as if your game life is your real life, you'll often times find they mirror each other. You make friends, you lose friends. You love people, and you will hate people.

There is no rules placed on either side unless it is by the people, and in which case, if there is rules against it, you better be able to back them up because there is always others who will challenge these rules.

I found the video hilarious, and if your going to spin it off as "we were roleplaying a funeral in the game" then you can just about admit that it would of gone the same way if the USA held a funeral for a soldier in Iraq. It's not pleasant to think of it like that, but try as we might, us humans are animals.

Learn to laugh, cuz if you can't, you'll do nothing but cry.

I find this sad on many many fronts. First that there are people who knew the circumstances and attacked anyway. Second, that the horde had an funeral. Frankly, I really don't know which is worse.
If I died in RL, I would hope to GOD that I wouldn't be mourned in game like that. I play the game... I play the game A LOT. But it's just that... a fricken GAME!
And the comment about 'The real life version of this is the protesters that show up to the funerals of the soldiers from Iraq' is fricking hilarious... it's not even close, so please only speak when you know what you're talking about.

i think this is really funny, also i think the people saying its like a suicide bomberin iraq, or protesting a military funeral are fucking retards. was she military? no she was some lady that prob had no real life so she sat at home all day and played WoW and had a stroke. it just seems like they were asking for a raping when they put it on the forums. i would have loved to been there for the raid!

Anonymous, I've published your comment here because I think it's important to keep a record and let people voice their opinions. However, if you don't understand the many ways that what you wrote is offensive, I would ask that you re-read your words and come back to it from time to time. Hopefully at some point you will gain some understanding.

(This has nothing to do with your opinion on the WoW video, but entirely to do with the method in which you state it)

Hilarious shit, would've done the exact same thing.

I play WoW and was horrified by what I saw. I just recently saw this and discussed it with my guild members. We all agreed it was disgusting.
WoW may be a virtual world. But we interact with real personalities. I have helped people cope with problems and solve issues. WoW is just a vehicle by which real people can interact with eachother.
As stated before, many people probaly could not attend the funeral and payed their respects in this way. I think the online funeral was creative, thoughtful, and a respectful idea for those that could not have otherwise attended.
Why do you find this funny? Because its online or in a virtual world? I hear most people say this was a game. The act of respect was conducted in a game. But that still does not take away the the "respectful act" or the attrocities conducted that day!

I think it's "funny" because the funeral planners unknowingly set up a metaphorical construct that polarized people who don't normally think about these issues when playing a game. The outcomes and reactions allow us to see where each one of us draws the line between a reality with consequences and a game without consequences.

Had the funeral been held in an uncontested zone, free from the possibility of in-game rewards from the other faction, this construct would never have occurred. But as is, it was set up perfectly, pretty balanced on both sides—the sides being:

A) a real-life event held in the depths of a virtual world

B) a virtual world made very real.

As you can see, at this point, I don't have an opinion about who was right or wrong. I'm not on a side. I think the events themselves are interesting, from a sociology perspective.

OMG THAT WAS HILARIOUS! I wish i could have joined in the fun lol

why winterspring?! they were asking for trouble by holding it in contested area. If it was that serious of a issue maybe they should have held it in a major city.

yes, in retrospect, a very bad choice. They held the funeral there because she liked snow and fishing and this was one of her favorite spots with both.

It's odd that so many post "What we have become". Instead of looking at the situation as a whole, most of the people that think this video is wrong, have more issues then those who "Ruined" this funeral. So lets take a step back and see why I say that.

Does anyone see that this is a game????? This actually does NOT fall under the Greifing policy by Blizzard either. Lets get the facts straight.

1.) Some lady died of a stroke in REAL life.
- Okay sorry that happened. However, many people play that game and have died. Natural causes, freak accidents, etc in life, and they go unnoticed or something is made of them. In this game or any online game. Remember "Snowy"? If not then you have no reason to post if you have no clue about that persons tragic death and online rememberance.

2.) It was ANNOUNCED on PUBLIC FORUMS!
- Well DUH! If it had not been for that post for the WORLD to see then this would have never happened. For those of you saying "Oh it takes one person to see them and report to people about some happenings." PLS! This was a PLANNED RAID with so much advance notice. There is no way this would have been pulled off if they were tight lipped about it and mentioned it to those who mattered.

3.) PvP Server
- Sorry again folks, but its PVP. If not SN, someone COULD have stumbled upon the funeral and reported in chat to get a group to get some free kills. The thing is they would have no idea (Not everyone who plays the game reads the forums, dont be so dense) what was going on. Get a small group, kill a few people, Funeral ruined, the small Ally groups gets killed by the 30+ funeral members, and the Ally has no idea why so many Horde there. So the chance of a ruined funeral was very well realistic on a PVP server.

4.) This video has made that funeral favorite. Okay maybe not in the correct way, but look at it people. Someone died, they had a funeral for her in game, if this didnt happen, she would just be another person no one knew, cared about, and left in peace. This video is POPULAR! She will live on as long as this video is around, and has MORE people who feel bad she died then those who went to her in game funeral! Why? Look at the post here "Thats messed up! I feel Sorry for her! ETC!"

She has MORE people who know of her real life death then anyone can imagine. She has a built up legacy because of what happened. She will forever have a video of the events in game on her funeral day. Admit it, she has more friends now then she could have imagined world wide. All because some group ruined and in game funeral. Without them, there is no video, and you people who feel bad for her, would'nt know her story. If anything, you should thank SN for what they did. Without them, she is a face that played a game, and left as fast as she joined. No one would have known her story.

Get over it, and see the real issue at hand. Its a game. If you dont want the world to know something, then dont use a media that allows for such information to be viewed by others.

Common sense folks, use it.

Some people would hack youre account in REAL world so you that you can understand what criminal behavior realy is.

Everyone getting pissed off about this really needs to look at their life very closely. It's a game for chrissakes! It's a false reality like SecondLife and if anyone's such close friends with this woman then why didn't they go to her real funeral? Real life beckons...

Oh, and all of the people equating this action with dead soldiers from Iraq, terrorism, and real life crime are impossibly... in a word... lame.

It is fucking hilarious end of.

While it is true it was a game, you can't say that a player of world of warcraft ( and a friend of her's) did not go to both funerals. Also the funeral would have been way better protected had the Horde mourners kept their weapons (perhaps unequiping them), also everyone telling SN they suck or they rule, they only did this to make themselves look great and instead created a huge wave of pity for this girl so from a (slightly twisted angle) they have honored this girl.

not for nothing but this just illustrate what we have become yes you are under no obligation to follow the opposing factions wishes , and yes it is pvp and yes its name is warcraft however this could have been a carry over from the actual real funeral and the only way that some of her freinds could get in contact as i heard they were all over europe as many of my freinds are scattered over diferent states, everyone seems to forget as brutal as it is for me to say so funerals arent only for the dead , they are gone but funerals are mostly for us to face our greif to say our goodbyes and to try to come to peace within ourseves and ju7st becauseits a game whos to say ones intrests are wrong ? and thats its just a game , maybe thats what she loved for some reason she was not able to physically go out for one circumstance or another you are just like me we dont know! really all you guys cheering these douche bags where is the decency ? its easy to hide behind a keyboard and screen , i wouldnt trust any of you in real life in a situation where i couldnt see you, and as a reply to one of the comments i saw just because you can dosent mean you have to, as in the comment thats like putting a lot of gold around your neck in real life and saying dont rob me? i guess you were brought up wrong , how many people would you have robbed if you seen them on the street and they looked not as tough as you or how many girls would you have raped? so most of us see things of that nature as bad but my question to you is you knew it was a time of mourning for them forget about alliance or horde side they where all WoW players such as yourselves was it too much for you guys to afford to just give them their time?

I think its just funny. If your gong to honor someone because you really mean it, then don't do it on the internet. Honoring someone on the net is a half ass honor number one, and number two. this "funeral" was just a novelty for the people involved. They thought hey! , we can have a virtual funeral, awesome! well what I say to that is that if your going to do something don't half ass it and do it from your computer. What do theses online funeral organizers expect? this was going to be some beautiful ceremony like in real life? And all the people there were going to be crying in front of their computer screens. Thats what you get for having a funeral in a fantasy war simulator video game, Stupid!

I just saw the video a few days ago. I cant stop watching it. The scatman track makes it twice as funny. Great editing. As far as my opinion- It is a game. Like someone said before- Send flowers or something to the family. Holding an in game funeral is quite frankly a little creepy and you should probably double check how firm your grip on reality is. This video is epic and Im sure Im gonna watch it a dozen more times today.

I'd say its somewhat anti-social behavior on SN's part, which should be anticipated with such games. Maybe its cause I don't play but I didn't think it was funny or horrible. It was.... interesting?

Three words:
ROLE
PLAYING
GAME