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Researchers study 'World of Warcraft' plague
ABC News ^ | 8/22/2007 | Reuters

Posted on 08/23/2007 3:19:57 PM PDT by Domandred

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Being a WoW player I remember when this plague hit back in 2005. Thought this article was interesting that came out yesterday.
1 posted on 08/23/2007 3:19:59 PM PDT by Domandred
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To: Domandred

Yep. My pet was one of the main carriers on my server. Took our whole guild to cure it all.


2 posted on 08/23/2007 3:22:42 PM PDT by SpinnerWebb (Islam... if ya can't join 'em, beat 'em.)
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To: Domandred

do those who suffer from the plague have special rights? Just curious as to the level of realism. South Park’s episode on World of Warcraft is one of their best.


3 posted on 08/23/2007 3:23:18 PM PDT by cdcdawg
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To: Domandred; SpinnerWebb

World of Warcraft is a feeling...

http://www.purepwnage.com/media/Pure%20Pwnage%20vs.%20denwO%20-%20WoW%20is%20a%20Feeling%20%28club%20dance%20remix%29.mp3

...who needs a social life?


4 posted on 08/23/2007 3:32:08 PM PDT by SaltyJoe ("Social Justice" for the Unborn Child)
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To: cdcdawg
do those who suffer from the plague have special rights? Just curious as to the level of realism.

No special rights lol. Level of realism though was interesting.

The day started relatively peacefully and a guild just got back from killing Hakkar (the boss that gave the disease). Someone's pet was infected and they pulled it out in Orgrimmar(one of the capital cities). The pet then started infecting people. Soon people died.

People not knowing exactly what was happening would stick around and try to figure it out, either out of curiosity or the "cool" factor...same people that stop to look at car crashes on the freeway.

More people were infected. The disease would rapidly kill low level characters (children) but high levels (adults) would also be killed, it just took longer.

Transport from capital to capital is easy. No biological contaminate checks. Soon infected people were traveling to other capitals and infecting there. More people died.

Smaller towns that also had transportation to them were also being effected, though not as quickly as not as many people hang out in the smaller towns and villages. They are more rest stops on the way to an adventuring area then a destination.

By the end of the week when Blizzard finally had to hotfix the problem capital cities were nearly ghost towns. Going to one pretty much guaranteed a fast or slow death depending on your level (age).

An interesting week, but looking back now I think it's probably a pretty good model what would happen in a serious disease outbreak.

5 posted on 08/23/2007 3:32:58 PM PDT by Domandred (Eagles soar, but unfortunately weasels never get sucked into jet engines)
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To: Domandred

it seems like a very fun and engaging game. Not a good idea for me, the poster-boy for ADD. Has anyone tried dispensing comdoms to control the outbreak? LOL


6 posted on 08/23/2007 3:38:13 PM PDT by cdcdawg
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To: Domandred
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
7 posted on 08/23/2007 3:39:34 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Domandred
"Someone thinks, 'I'll just get close and get a quick look and it won't affect me,'" she said.

I'm not sure the "stupid" factor is an accurate model. People will take all kinds of risks in an online scenario that they would never take in real life. Granted, there are a few truly suffering from the "Stupid Factor," but most people behave very differently when they are really putting their own life at risk.

8 posted on 08/23/2007 3:42:03 PM PDT by The_Victor (If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
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To: Domandred

Speaking of virulence, Warcraft did have 6.5 million players - about a year ago and a half ago. It’s a bit over 9 million now, I believe.


9 posted on 08/23/2007 3:43:02 PM PDT by Sandreckoner
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To: SpinnerWebb
Took our whole guild to cure it all

Nerd.

10 posted on 08/23/2007 3:43:17 PM PDT by Dead Dog
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To: Domandred

WOW, I generally never survive more than 3 minuets in the games I play. But I just spawn again, reload and charge in.


11 posted on 08/23/2007 3:47:23 PM PDT by usurper (Spelling or grammatical errors in this post can be attributed to the LA City School System)
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To: The_Victor

” but most people behave very differently when they are really putting their own life at risk. “

Not so —

“Can’t happen to me” is a common attitude among us humans who spend more and more of our lives as spectators via tv or online — some begin to treat all experience as ‘virtual’.....

Perhaps ‘stupid factor’ isn’t the most accurate descriptive phrase — ‘denial factor’ may be closer.....

My $0.002


12 posted on 08/23/2007 3:50:31 PM PDT by Uncle Ike (We has met the enemy, and he is us........)
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To: SaltyJoe

My son is totally addicted. Today he is suffering withdrawal symptoms because I unplugged the computer (and hid the plug).


13 posted on 08/23/2007 3:54:30 PM PDT by luckystarmom
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To: Uncle Ike
I didn't know there was a coin smaller than a farthing . . .

I guess that might be the value of a Haitian centime by now . . . .

14 posted on 08/23/2007 3:56:54 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: AnAmericanMother

An Aussie friend of mine used to complain about the exchange rate between, as he put it, “The U.S. Dollar vs. the Australian Peso.”


15 posted on 08/23/2007 4:00:47 PM PDT by Triggerhippie (Always use a silencer in a crowd. Loud noises offend people.)
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To: Uncle Ike
“Can’t happen to me” is a common attitude among us humans who spend more and more of our lives as spectators via tv or online — some begin to treat all experience as ‘virtual’.....

I would say the online world is far more awash with the "can't happen to me" attitude. Mostly because if it does happen to you, it doesn't really matter.

FWIW, it did say that the attitude does exist, I just think the online model will not be accurate.

16 posted on 08/23/2007 4:02:10 PM PDT by The_Victor (If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
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To: The_Victor

” I would say the online world is far more awash with the “can’t happen to me” attitude. “

Do you ‘cheat’ the speed limit by a little bit on your way to work in the morning?? Squeeze that last bit of yellow out of the stoplight??

Do you, even occasionally, ‘supersize’ your greaseburger?

I don’t mean for this to come across like it’s about ‘you’ — I’ve smoked cigarettes for over 40 years, even though I’ve known the risks for the better part of those years....

“Can’t happen to me” is more pervasive than you seem to be willing to credit — we all engage in dangerous, to a greater or lesser degree, behaviours daily with exactly that rationalization.......


17 posted on 08/23/2007 4:12:07 PM PDT by Uncle Ike (We has met the enemy, and he is us........)
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To: Domandred
Not an expert on the subject.

Can players interact almost seamlessly? i.e. Can people from various place around the world form a team and work through the game together and communicate with each other?

18 posted on 08/23/2007 4:14:16 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: SaltyJoe
According to this BBC article, "State of Play: Winning friends" gamers do have a social life.

Internet video games seem very interesting.

19 posted on 08/23/2007 4:16:22 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( What is your take on Acts 15:20 (abstaining from blood) about eating meat? Could you freepmail?)
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To: Jedi Master Pikachu

Yes, Yes, and Yes


20 posted on 08/23/2007 4:18:14 PM PDT by jacquej
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