mourning
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The internet is making public grieving acceptable again
Grieving used to be a public affair, but it was gradually suppressed in the 20th century as psychology made those outward displays socially unacceptable. Death and loss were things you were supposed to deal with privately. Well, public mourning is back -- and you largely have the internet to thank for it. As The Atlantic notes, the deaths of David Bowie and other famous artists in recent months (including Alan Rickman, Glenn Frey and Scott Weiland) have shown that social networks are quickly becoming mainstays of the grieving process. Those profile pages, mentions and hashtags enable a sort of connected wake, a place where everyone can share their fond memories with fellow sympathizers.
Ask Massively: We don't need another hero
Welcome back to Ask Massively. This week, I'd like to address a common gripe about Massively's coverage of sunsetted games -- specifically, City of Heroes. Even before the game closed down, some commenters were expressing annoyance that we were daring to cover the closure. Now that it's gone, these same commenters are irate at the fact that we didn't seal up the coffin and pretend that the whole thing never happened. That's just not how it works.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Requiescat in pace, City of Heroes
Sometimes I know about things before other players do. Friday was not one of those times. Friday I heard the rumor, and I dismissed the whole thing as being patently ridiculous... and then the reports poured in, and I could only stare with horror. City of Heroes is going to be shut down. Later this year. November 30th, less than three months away. For me, this isn't just a game closing. This is a huge chapter in my professional life coming to an end. Covering City of Heroes has been a major part of my writing for the site over the past three years. To think that it's going to be gone soon is just... baffling. So this is a column written in mourning. It's going to be disconnected, and for that I apologize, but there are a few things that I think should be put down right now. Next week I can start in on the process of creating a tribute; this week, it's about sadness.
North Korea makes using a cellphone a war crime during 100 day mourning period
Dear Leader may have blessed his subjects with the gift of 3G in 2008, but in his death he is taking it back... at least temporarily. As part of the country's 100 days of mourning, cellphones have been banned within its borders. If you're caught pulling out a portable to make a call, send a text or get directions to the nearest statue of the departed dictator you'll be charged as a war criminal -- that means serious time in a labor camp or death. Fun! Then again, in a nation where the average income is about $1 a month and cellphone ownership is a highly restricted privilege, we can't imagine too many people have anything to worry about. Sadly, this also means there's one less way to get information out of the already hard to crack territory.
Drama Mamas: When friends feign death
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. I can totally understand feigning death to escape from a horrific family life, organized crime or a group of extremists with an irrational vendetta. But fake your own demise in order to get out of playing a video game? Really? Hello Drama Mamas, I'm not sure if anyone else who plays WoW has this same problem, but I unfortunately do. I've had two WoW friends "die" then come back after a few months with the stories of: "My cousin stole my computer and told people I died," and "My parents took away my internet and told my friends I died." Now I have another WoW friend who died this past summer. I believed this death with the details his brother was giving, until I started to get outside friend requests from my friend's name. Is there a point where we should just stop believing the stories of friends dying in WoW without outside proof? Should I mourn and then be happy when they suddenly reappear? Thank you for any advice you give. Doubtful Mourner
Mourning for China
Apparently it's natural disaster season in Asia. The massive cyclone that hit Burma () on May 3 has taken an estimated 78,000 lives with an additional 56,000 missing. Last week (May 12) an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale shook parts of china. The death toll for that quake has reached 34,000 with the body count expected to rise. Many of the quake victims have been children, as least 6 schools collapsed while classes were in session. It will take weeks, months, or even years to sort out the amount of damage caused by these events. The Chinese government has declared a mourning period for three days for those injured, missing, and passed. This includes the closing of movie theaters, web portals and television stations. The9, who services World of Warcraft in is participating in the blackout as is Shanda Interactive Entertainment, host of the World of Legend game. If you are helping out, there are a number of charitable organizations taking donations to assist in providing relief to victims in Asia. Studies show that making donations to such organizations actually help to boost your own mood in addition to helping those who are in need.
Chinese decree on mourning curtails MMO play
Out of respect for the over 32,000 lives lost in the recent Sichuan earthquake, China has officially decreed a 3-day period of mourning, during which no entertainment media may be offered. This directly affects players of World of Warcraft, to name one game, as the Chinese distributor for WoW, The9, is complying fully with this edict.Massively extends its condolences to the surviving families of this tragedy.
