So I was in a long term relationship with someone who died a few years back. Most people my age haven’t yet had the experience of losing a spouse (or anyone at all, in some cases) to death, so while I received a lot of sympathy, there haven’t been any people in my friend circle/age cohort who can really empathize with what it’s been like to lose somebody.
Going through my deceased partner’s physical belongings after their death was one thing, but as a terminally online person, my late partner also had a extensive virtual existence. One of his hangouts was Second Life, and last week I finally got around to accessing his second life account for the first time since his death. I inherited all of his accounts when he passed, including what had before been our shared steam account that we’d both make purchases on, and unfortunately I have become familiar with the feeling of animating his digital; ghost at times. People used to occasionally message asking if I was him. Or asking what had happened to him. Or asking if I was a ghost. I received one such message while I was logged into second life collecting this information.
In the replies I might talk further about grief and death in the age of digital ghosts, but for now I just wanted to share this old log from 2009 that I found on his account.
The first thing I need to explain is that my partner was a grifter and a griefer online, for fun and profit. He’d seduce/con people on second life into sending him money, he’d use skype credit’s to make untraceable prank phonecalls where he would talk and the rest of the skype call would listen and laugh. I cant defend this, and while I wouldn’t partake myself, I enjoyed hearing about the escapades from the sidelines, thinking myself better than the people he was con-ing.
It did get me to thinking about the nature of “griefing” in online games, especially in sandbox worlds like Second Life. Yesterday’s prank phone callers are today’s zoombombers. In a game with more clear objectives, a griefer might get joy by blocking their team from completing an objective, in a game with no objectives you have to get more creative. (its interesting to me that creating a “open mic night” in second life also opens you up to the kinds of hecklers you might get at a real open mic.)
Sometimes griefing is just refusing to play the game as expected, and playing a different game entirely. A game he liked to play with his Second Life friends was called “Two Dots”. The game was simple, you zoom out your map and look for a location where there were only “two dots”, meaning two individuals by themselves on the map. They would then teleport to the two dots and start harassing them. When I say “harass” I mean, “start a conversation”, but usually in second life when two people are alone, they are often seeking privacy so they can do something sexual together, and aren’t too excited about having uninvited guests ruin the mood. Unless one of the two people is an owner of the land you’re on, they have no way to get rid of you except by leaving the area themselves.
My late partner and his friends played “two dots” frequently, until one of them had the good idea to download a hot air balloon, and let the artificial winds take them where they may. One day they assembled a “crew” and began a short-term mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before! (Kino No Tabi was also a favorite show of ours and you can see a bit of that concept here, as well.)
These are the voyages….
I’m going to post the logs in their entirety here, just so that they can once again exist online somewhere. There is some sexual content, some un-PC words, and some misspellings that I’m leaving in the document unedited, and I apologize for those in advance. I welcome whatever discussion this might spur, whether it be about grief or griefing or role-play or emergent play in sandbox spaces or whatever.
Science Officer’s Log Book of Foreign Lands
Description: The official log book of foreign lands traveled to.
As recorded by Science Officer Narcissus Mint
Members of the Expedition :
Meif Ling as Captain of the Expedition
Foran Luik as Security Officer
Loki Calamity as Navigator
Naoto Monacular as Medical Officer
2009-03-09 16:50:00
Land of Gerstle
We encountered two shamans with the ability to teleport, and or turn incorporeal through a ritualistic dance. They seem to be a hostile tribe untouched by modern technology and became very hostile at the sight of a hot air balloon. A dark-skinned shemale threatened to down the craft as we were interrupting some sort of mating ritual.
2009-03-09 17:09:00
Land of Hooper
We disembarked the hot air balloon to find a tribe of people that seemed to be frozen in time, and or petrified by some sort of spell. On further investigation we found a book, that also seemed to be stuck in time, as it stood, assumingly defying gravity, on end. All attempts to communicate with the natives proved futile. They shall be forever trapped by whatever force holds them.
2009-03-09 17:45:00
Land of Deimos
We came across a strange area which appeared to not speak our language. They all were dancing while they talked among themselves in their native tounge, I believed they began to grow tame… Thus they began to speak our language, we inquired of the sign that was posted, reading “Pakhuis Hangplex” and we were informed by one of the locals that it is an area where they hang themselves “for the sake of it”. One began to laugh maniacally. Sensing danger, we had no choice but to flee as they began to converse in the tounge once more.
Note : The Chief Medical Officer determined they did infact have AIDS, that was also a reason to flee.
2009-03-09 Time unknown
Land of Carlovitz
After being shot down by natives, we landed ontop of what seemed to be a dwelling, as our balloon was being repaired, I left an away team inside the structure. Inside we encountered two people who seemed to be engaged in a ritual which involved being naked and standing next to eachother. They were forceful in the way they wanted us to leave immediately, they said it was against their local customs for anyone to enter a building without being invited in. They informed us that we were “stupid stupid people”. We fled quickly, fearing more harassment from these strange individuals.
Note: Our captain recieved communication at around 17:54:00 from the male inhabitat he was amazed at our expedition, as he has never seen explorers before. They are more uncivilized than previously thought.
[SEE ATTACHED MEDICAL OFFICER’S ADVENTURE LOG]
2009-03-09 17:38:00
Land of Sonogno
Upon landing we were greated by the first civilized people thus far on the journey. They seem to be living an Agrarian lifestyle, where they are self-sufficent and create their own products to sell, most likely at a market. They hold friendly fencing tournaments with eachother as well. They seemed to be dressed in 1600’s mediterranean garb. They seem to be friendly, not only to strangers such as our team, but to all people in the immediate area. Our first encounter with non-hostiles.
Note : They also taught two of our team members how to fence.
2009-03-09 18:08:00
Land of Callisto
We found, what seemed to be an abandoned temple, but soon it was discovered to have a secret entrance, in which two travelers rested. As they were also travelers, we did not survey them. Unable to gain any information, we continued.
2009-03-09 18:16:00
Land of Mimas
It seems to be a land in which there was once great technology, but now nothing remains but a shrine to either their victims, or models of cyborgs. We came across a shrine detailing hundreds of faces (models?) of cyborgs. In the corner of the area, a conspicuous hole was discovered, leading to an underground catacomb. Within the dark halls, two cyborgs were encountered, obviously old models as their translation devices were hardly working. My professional assesment is they have been left to deteriorate by their creators.
Final Overview :
Every region that we visited has completely different customs and cultures. Seemingly, the less civilized, were also the most hostile. 33 percent of the civilizations we encountered this day were engaging in some sort of mating ritual unique to their people. 16 percent, or one of the areas were visited were only deemed hospitable to us, although the shrine we visited was hospitable, they were merely travelers, so we did not get to meet those who actually reside in that area. Overall more research is needed in order to learn more about this vast and strange world, so the expedition must go further, and to new lands.
Medical Officer’s Adventure Log:
Naoto’s Adventuring log.
23:00
Day 1. Carlovitz 31, 41, 38 SuS OCean View
After being shot down by an animal named Ayamo Nozaki, we crashed into two natives’ house.
No herbs were to be seen and the natives did not seem to be sick with a disease.
It seems as if natives from this land do not want to talk when they are not wearing clothing, strange indeed. But I have marked the coordinates just in case we happen to come upon this land again. Here is what happened-
[16:06] Meif Ling: Mr. Mint, please have the logs reflect that after taking damage, we have been forces to land.
[16:06] Narcissus Mint: Confirmed.
[16:06] Meif Ling: Mr. Luik, you will remain with me as we repair the balloon
[16:06] Foran Luik: Roger
[16:06] Meif Ling: Mr. Mint, please lead an away team.
[16:06] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:06] Narcissus Mint: Let me update the log, incase I am slain by the natives.
[16:06] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:07] Narcissus Mint: Okay, let’s go!
[16:07] Loki Calamity: Aye!
[16:08] Loki Calamity: Er…
[16:08] Meif Ling: Mr. Monacular, please accompany them
[16:08] Meif Ling: In case anyone is hurt
[16:08] Terra Wind Rider 1.1 whispers: Pilot is no longer seated. Stopping the balloon.
[16:08] Terra Wind Rider 1.1 whispers: Meif Ling has requested control of the balloon.
[16:08] Meif Ling: Right, in lieu of my Monacular, please accompany the away team, Mr. Luik
[16:09] Meif Ling: Remember, keep your weapon away. Don’t scare the natives.
[16:09] Foran Luik: Affirmative, sire.
[16:09] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:09] Naoto Monacular: Okay
[16:09] Foran Luik: There seems to be no safe way down
[16:09] Loki Calamity: We may just have to jump.
[16:09] Naoto Monacular: I have an idea.
[16:09] Narcissus Mint: This porch is but a small drop.
[16:09] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:09] Squibble Marioman is Offline
[16:10] Naoto Monacular: WAIT
[16:10] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:10] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:10] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:10] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:10] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:10] Naoto Monacular: OKay
[16:10] Loki Calamity: Clever!
[16:11] Naoto Monacular: I feel bad for intruding.
[16:11] Naoto Monacular: But this is for the good of science
[16:11] Narcissus Mint: They opened fire!
[16:11] [KAMUFLASH] Eckert AK-74: Rifle ready. Say ‘rifle help’ for a help notecard
[16:11] Naoto Monacular: unsafe
[16:11] [KAMUFLASH] Eckert AK-74: Safety lock disabled
[16:11] Naoto Monacular: clip off
[16:11] [KAMUFLASH] Eckert AK-74: Clip and 30 bullets limit disabled
[16:11] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:11] Narcissus Mint: Is this our team?
[16:11] Meif Ling: Now now, that may have been unrelated to these inhabitants.
[16:11] Loki Calamity: Let us explore further.
[16:11] Terra Wind Rider 1.1 whispers: Pilot is no longer seated. Stopping the balloon.
[16:11] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:11] Loki Calamity: Are you sure, Mr. Monacular?
[16:11] Narcissus Mint: They are aware of our presence.
[16:12] Upper Rear Deck Door whispers: Naoto Monacular is at the door
[16:12] Leigh Perenti: can we help yo u
[16:12] speedycat Shostakovich is Offline
[16:12] Foran Luik: Sir, I might reccomend that we simply knock on the door. These natives appear to have some kind of tradition of knocking before entering
[16:12] Meif Ling: Nonsense!
[16:12] Narcissus Mint: We are scientists exploring the land, we were shot down.
[16:12] Leigh Perenti: yes and we are naked
[16:13] Leigh Perenti: so if you dont mind
[16:13] Leigh Perenti: get out
[16:13] Janek Burner: nice exploring
[16:13] Janek Burner: enjoyed your trip
[16:13] Naoto Monacular: Naked?
[16:13] Leigh Perenti: omg
[16:13] Leigh Perenti: do you see clothes
[16:13] Naoto Monacular: I do not.
[16:13] Leigh Perenti: so leave
[16:14] Leigh Perenti: then we are naked
[16:14] Loki Calamity: Perhas… it is their custom to dress… or not dress… this way.
[16:14] Narcissus Mint: That could be so.
[16:14] Naoto Monacular: I am unaware of this tradition, is it not okay to talk to natives when they are not clothed?
[16:14] Loki Calamity: We must learn more about this inteesting tradition of theirs.
[16:14] Leigh Perenti: let me explain it simple
[16:14] Narcissus Mint: Please do.
[16:14] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:14] Leigh Perenti: private property so get out
[16:14] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:15] Loki Calamity: Don’t mind me, I am just taking down notes for our logs.
[16:15] Janek Burner: i think you have to learn a lot
[16:15] Loki Calamity: Go on, please.
[16:15] Leigh Perenti: yeah its called manners
[16:15] Leigh Perenti: so when someone says go and yr not welcome you leave
[16:15] Narcissus Mint: I think it is best to go.
[16:15] Leigh Perenti: yeah i think
[16:15] Naoto Monacular: I guess.
[16:15] Narcissus Mint: We shall leave this place.
[16:16] Leigh Perenti: bye then
[16:16] Loki Calamity: Mint, record for our logs.
[16:16] Leigh Perenti: see ya
[16:16] Narcissus Mint: If we stay, we could be isolated from the expedition team
[16:16] Foran Luik: I’m almost done with the repairs, sir
[16:16] Master Bedroom Door whispers: Naoto Monacular is at the door
[16:16] Upper Rear Deck Door whispers: Narcissus Mint is at the door
[16:16] Naoto Monacular: Perhaps we will come at another time.
[16:16] Leigh Perenti: you beter not!!!
[16:16] Naoto Monacular: I have marked the coordinates in case they are clothed the next time we come.
[16:16] Leigh Perenti: or ill break ya air ballon
[16:16] Upper Rear Deck Door whispers: Naoto Monacular is at the door
[16:16] Upper Rear Deck Door whispers: Naoto Monacular is at the door
[16:17] Foran Luik: Finished
[16:17] Meif Ling: Excellent!
[16:17] Meif Ling: Mr. Mint, what do you have to report?
[16:17] No room to sit here, try another spot.
[16:17] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has drawn a weapon!
[16:17] Anson & Deeley shotgun final 2.2: Foran Luik has holstered their weapon!
[16:17] Leigh Perenti shouts: GOOD BYE