Virtually Unbelievable

Computers

For some people Online gaming has become the new reality.

Yesterday while playing Guild Wars, I had some player accost me and wrongfully accuse me of "purfing", which I think is "perving"(which means Ogling someone). (correct me if Purfing means something else) The player proceeded to swear at me and call me a few choice names. Then the player said that her/his boyfriend was coming and then, wait for it.......
guess what he said...?
"Don't look at my girlfriend" ..... (am I in the Twilight Zone?)

I would have dismissed it as a stupid prank or some weird re-enactment of a typical real-life social scenario, but for the fact that this player called me a "D**khead" and a "W**ker". This player was serious. Her boyfriend's avatar proceeded to stand in front of my avatar and attempt to look menacing. Need I say more...

Perving in the virtual world, if u think about it, is just weird and incomprehensible. Everyone in this virtual world has a limited number of faces and types of clothing to choose from, so even if you completely suspend your disbelief and forget that that you are looking at an expressionless cartoon character, you would be looking at a multi-copy clone anyway.

Do these people really lose touch with reality to such a degree?

Another amusing virtual incident concerns a virtual plague. In the online game "World of Warcraft" a plague transmitted by a new foe, has been spreading further than anticipated. Those not killed by the plague after battling the new foe, happened to infect other players and Non-player characters in many parts of the world. Those too weak to resist the plague died.
TheRegister
BBC - Deadly Plague Hits Warcraft World