World of World of Warcraft: the future of gaming

The Onion nails the future of videogaming in this clip on World of World of Warcraft, a new videogame that allows you to play at being someone playing World of Warcraft. Link (via Wonderland)

[#1 posted by tallulahcrackersJ , June 12, 2008 8:28 PM]

cheers to the Onion! we're all avatars in the Mega Game. are you ready to wake up and play? EMAG OF EFIL

[#2 posted by Jaan , June 12, 2008 8:38 PM]

They already did this joke on Mad About You, when Paul was hired to make a documentary called The Making of The Making of Titanic.

[#3 posted by Glark , June 12, 2008 9:03 PM]

Awesome! Not not snazzy video but we did a similar thing here.

[#4 posted by Bonegnawer , June 12, 2008 9:20 PM]

oh god, it's like Second Life @.@

[#5 posted by OriGuy , June 12, 2008 9:31 PM]

Bill Moyer's Journal on PBS reports that the NSA is monitoring Second Life and World of Warcraft, looking for "terrorist activity". It's discussed at Balloon Juice. Note that the video is from Hulu, which doesn't stream outside the USA.

[#6 posted by igpajo , June 12, 2008 10:14 PM]

I once imagined a paper and die role playing game called "Life" where you'd role play as a character living a normal life. It'd be almost real time. You'd have to roll every time you crossed the street, stuff like that. But the rule book would be HUGE!!

[#7 posted by japroach , June 12, 2008 11:18 PM]

IGPAJO:
Somewhat recent example, which I thought was good: http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/comics/2008-03-13-DexterityRoll.jpg

[#8 posted by Piet Stoaling , June 13, 2008 12:11 AM]

Oh, my goodness. How is it possible to get so excited that a keystroke sounds like..... wait for it.... a KEYSTROKE!!!??? This is pointless! Why play a charecter playing a game? Surley it takes awa a level of realism by adding another interface between you and the actual game!. I think it is a silly, money making scheme, and those who get suckered in by it are just gullible!

[#9 posted by Jack , June 13, 2008 12:11 AM]

Surprised nobody mentioned The Sims as a reference point.

[#10 posted by eustace , June 13, 2008 1:35 AM]

Oh come on! This echoes my favorite XKCD!
http://xkcd.com/244/

[#11 posted by Kieran O'Neill , June 13, 2008 1:52 AM]

#8: To quote the venerable Takuan, "For some, irony involves a board."

"many of whom say they spend hundreds of hours playing the game every week..."
ROFL!

[#12 posted by Paul , June 13, 2008 3:09 AM]

@PIET STOALING

I really hope you are being ironic

[#13 posted by strider_mt2k , June 13, 2008 4:40 AM]

Ahhh, I love some absurdity in the morning.

Makes me want to talk to someone about watching them watch someone make some coffee.

[#14 posted by snackcake , June 13, 2008 6:20 AM]

Didn't Dwight Shrute already do this on The Office?

[#15 posted by Munkcy , June 13, 2008 6:23 AM]

Reminds me of a scene from Futurama. I believe it's from the second episode, the one where they make the delivery to the Moon, and you see Bender playing "Virtual Skeeball" and then the video pans to the right and you see Amy playing "Virtual Virtual Skeeball."

[#16 posted by Torley , June 13, 2008 6:30 AM]

+1 for Second Life

I thought this Onion clip was brilliantly done and delicious in its recursiveness. Now I'd like to see one, taken to extremes, with Zlad-like video feedback effects.

I always thought it's cute when the members of your would-be simulacrum had their own little games to play with, whether it's Barbie with a Game Boy or another game-within-a-game diversion.

Related clip some of you may be interested in, LucasFilm's Habitat:

» http://youtube.com/watch?v=VVpulhO3jyc

[#17 posted by Aneurysm , June 13, 2008 9:10 AM]

Though the Onion writers may have though this concept to be a joke of their own creation, there is a bit of reality in it.

I met a guy at PAX 2005 with a Warcraft PnP sourcebook who said that he met with friends in WoW to play the PnP Warcraft game. And yes, he was serious.

I find this fractal geekdom disturbing.

[#18 posted by desp , June 13, 2008 9:35 AM]

This immediately reminded me of the following Penny Arcade strip:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/09/27/

[#19 posted by frankstendal , June 13, 2008 10:02 AM]

Also done in an Escape Pod story: http://escapepod.org/2007/09/20/ep124-save-me-plz/

[#20 posted by Antiglobalism , June 13, 2008 11:10 AM]

Vd gms r fr lsrs wh r t frd t prtcpt wth rlty.

[#21 posted by Antinous , June 13, 2008 11:16 AM]

Video games are for losers who are too afraid to participate with reality.

You mean like posting in comment threads?

[#22 posted by Jaxx , June 13, 2008 1:42 PM]

This makes me think of a video series that's being made over at mydamnchannel. Shrinky linkie (warning: language)
http://tinyurl.com/3mhdcd

[#23 posted by Mantari , June 13, 2008 2:54 PM]

#11: I caught that, too, and was going to comment on it here. I confess to multiplying 24*7, just to make sure, before I posted.

[#24 posted by ltoop , June 15, 2008 4:51 PM]

I find it really amusing, since I registered WorldOfWorldOfWarcraft.com to make a little flash game about a year and a half ago. Never actually found the time to do it, though :(

Anyone who wants the domain to do something with it, contact me ... I'll give it away to a good owner!