Second Life Event Interrupted by Flying Penis Attack

Second Life Event Interrupted by Flying Penis Attack

December 21, 2006
There was some animated mischief afoot when former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner visited massively multiplayer online game Second Life earlier this year.

But nothing like this.

CNet's Daniel Terdiman reports that an in-game interview he was conducting with a well-to-do Second Life purveyor of virtual real estate was interrupted by a griefer who launched a disruptive flying penis attack.

Terdiman's account raises all sorts of issues about the manipulation of in-game economies and social interactions in the virtual world. From the article:
On Monday, Graef visited CNET's Second Life bureau for a discussion about her business, how best to set up businesses in Second Life and the nature of competition there.

Unfortunately, as the interview was commencing, the event was attacked by a "griefer," someone intent on disrupting the proceedings. The griefer managed to assault the CNET theater for 15 minutes with--well, there's no way to say this delicately--animated flying penises.

...the interview was attacked again, and the protester even managed to crash the entire server on which Chung's theater is held.

Airborne manly equipment aside, Terdiman's interview with Second Life real estate magnate Ailin Graef of  Anshe Chung Studios is fascinating and worth a read. Sadly - or perhaps fortunately - we have no screen shots of the event. Use your imagination...

GP: Thanks to Valleywag, where we first stumbled upon this story.
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Submitted by Hannah - December 21, 2006 at 8:19 am -0500
This was on SomethingAwful today too... so freakin' awesome. Almost makes me want to play the game.
Submitted by Nightwng2000 - December 21, 2006 at 8:19 am -0500
So what are you saying GP? That someone on Second Life was being a real Di....

You knew someone was gonna say it, didn't you? :)

nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Submitted by G-Dog - December 21, 2006 at 8:27 am -0500
Man. This actually makes me want to play the game now. If crazy crap like this happens at any time, it sounds fun.

I'd make a silly avatar, like a Weiner dog on roller skates with a satellite dish coming out of my eyes, and just explore the world, waiting for the inevitable "Flying Hitler heads sining Bette Midler" attack.
Submitted by Hannah - December 21, 2006 at 8:40 am -0500
Gil: If the site you're pimping lacks flying penises, I don't see the point. Second Life is an incredibly boring game without all the weird stuff from the goons and all the other griefers.

Also, Room 101 gets major bonus points for the name. If I had the 3D modeling or scripting skills, I'd be right there with them.
Submitted by -Jes- - December 22, 2006 at 8:48 am -0500
ROFL @ SilverStar.


Seriously though, that crab has made history!
Submitted by Roger's doom - December 22, 2006 at 4:22 am -0500
BWAHAHHAHAH
Submitted by Porno Spectacular » Blog Archive » Second Life E - December 21, 2006 at 11:50 pm -0500
[...] Original post by GamePolitics [...]
Submitted by theshroomguy - December 21, 2006 at 11:38 pm -0500
It would of been funnier if somone assinated her character too.
Submitted by SilverStar - December 21, 2006 at 9:52 pm -0500
Beware the GIANT ENEMY PENISES which will strike the server for MASSIVE DONG, crashing them! o.o
Submitted by finaleve - December 21, 2006 at 3:12 pm -0500
If i had the coding, I'd do the same exact thing but instead with the opposite gender's. It'd be raining...well ya know.
Submitted by Kajex - December 21, 2006 at 2:22 pm -0500
I'm sorry.

But you can't just read this article without laughing. I'm sorry. It's immature, but it's so freakin' funny...
Submitted by King James - December 21, 2006 at 1:51 pm -0500
So...does this mean Second Life just got wanged?
Submitted by Grahamr - December 21, 2006 at 2:15 pm -0500
"Second Life Event Interrupted by Flying Penis Attack"

*Dies*
Submitted by Jabrwock - December 21, 2006 at 12:59 pm -0500
@-Jes-, Gil

I figured as much for SL's official reaction. I was thinking more of the general public. Would they understand that this is akin to a protestor bursting in on live coverage, or would they pull a Superbowl and try to hold SL accountable for content not 100% under it's control...

(as an aside, in Canada they just have to put a disclaimer saying it's live, and they have no control, so if something happens, tough. ;))
Submitted by Ohma - December 21, 2006 at 12:35 pm -0500
Well, if R-101 actually have a pont they're trying to make, then that's fine that they're protesting whatever it is that they don't like in game (though still a pretty dickish way to go about it). If they don't, then they're just a bunch of giant flying dick-tards.
Submitted by Henry - December 21, 2006 at 11:03 am -0500
Something Awful has an article of the 'attack' here: http://www.somethingawful.com/index.php?a=4336

It has screenshots, and video.
Submitted by Vladimir - December 21, 2006 at 10:53 am -0500
Oh God.. I wish I had been there.
Submitted by -Jes- - December 21, 2006 at 10:36 am -0500
The second one Jabrwock.

Usually, when a sim-spamming attacker (using anything from multiplying dildoes, million-poofers and whatnot) is caught, reported and found guilty, the scumbag is permabanned, both on IP and mail-adress.

PheonixZero: well I suspect that it multiplied on a few sec's delay (most sim-nukes tend to do that).. So the first (few) active one would most likely have rezzed properly, texture/color and all, and the rest would look just like it.

What's kinda sad though, is that you can actually find shops that sell Sim-nuking briefcases.
Submitted by Gil - December 21, 2006 at 10:22 am -0500
At least they didn't multiply...
Submitted by PHOENIXZERO - December 21, 2006 at 10:04 am -0500
Wait.... SL was up and running long enough for this to happen? I'm surprised.... I wonder if the plying penii showed up first as untextured shapes and stayed that way for several minutes on the overloaded server, heh.
Submitted by Gil - December 21, 2006 at 9:37 am -0500
I'd believe the second one, Jab. I'm sure their Terms of Service would enlighten us better in this matter, though.
Submitted by Jabrwock - December 21, 2006 at 9:19 am -0500
Now here's the real question. Can SL be held responsible for distributing images of the flying penises to all the computers/players present? Or will this be treated the same as some lunatic showing up to a public intereview wearing a penis costume and throwing penis dolls at the camera before the editor cuts the feed?
Submitted by Gil - December 21, 2006 at 9:16 am -0500
It's not just SL minus flying johnsons, it has it's own spirit and fun to it. I simply bring it up because it's in the same vein.
Submitted by Mysticgamer - December 22, 2006 at 10:20 pm -0500
And still this is more dignified than regular politics.
Submitted by Terminator44 - December 21, 2006 at 7:13 am -0500
Flyinig penises? You can actually do that shit on Second Life? Too bad it's too late to ask for that game for Christmas. ;)
Submitted by Gil - December 21, 2006 at 7:38 am -0500
That's why I prefer There.com

Stuff has to be approved by someone to get in world and they're no scripting. It's harder to make items this way, but no flying penises. The world's kept nice and PG13.
Submitted by Salen - December 21, 2006 at 7:43 am -0500
Sadly, I'd like to say I'm suprised, but I'm not. You know, if you're gunna hold a serious interview, you might want to find yourself a nice private sim that griefers can't teleport to, before you go forth with it. Or at least make a nice space that autoreturns stuff that isn't your own stuff. That works too.
Submitted by Gil - December 21, 2006 at 7:43 am -0500
There.com is purty http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xho7DZE5Ato

There.com - No Extra Appendages http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwRFEWjng_M

Okay, I'm done. Is there any indication this kinda stuff doesn't happen on the SL teen sever? *cough*segregation?*cough*
Submitted by copy this blog » Copyright of an Avatar - January 6, 2007 at 7:43 pm -0500
[...] ZDNet is reporting that a virtual land owner in Second Life is sending DMCA takedown notices to persons using screen shots of the now infamous, to put it bluntly, flying penis attack at a CNET interview with that person. There are several problems with this tactic, as ZDNet notes. Although the person has copyright in their Second Life avatar, that does not mean that they can control all uses of their copyrighted work. They certainly can’t stop fair uses, of which the reports including screenshots almost certainly qualify as. [...]
Submitted by Northern Voice Gave Me the Plague | DarrenBarefoot.com - February 28, 2007 at 7:57 pm -0500
[...] UPDATE: #2: Add to that list Tim, Lauren, Brad, Jason, Brian, Keira, D’Arcy, Robin and Arjun. That’s 20 freakin’ people from one conference. That’s it, NV 2008 will only occur in Second Life. That’s assuming, you know, we can avoid the flying phalli and grey goo. [...]
Submitted by Infotropism – The Uncanny Valley - July 9, 2007 at 4:22 am -0500
[...] @desc Uncanny Valley as You are standing in a wide valley. Streets criss-cross each other in all directions, and a profusion of buildings in a mind-numbing range of architectural styles cluster around you. When you look at them, your gaze seems to slide across their surface, as if the texture of the bricks and wood were somehow slick and insubstantial. People pass by, all well dressed and with unusually clear skin. A flock of flying penises — all identical, in a fetching shade of Barbie(tm) pink — flutter overhead. [...]
Submitted by Stropp’s World - A Blog about World of Warcraft, MMORP - August 1, 2007 at 3:41 pm -0500
[...] I don’t know about Second Life though since I’ve never played it. From what I understand, players can create almost anything in the game. This means there is a lot more scope for evil mischief. Maybe the terrorists are planning on sending a million flying penises to disrupt the next sitting of Congress or the Australian Parliment. As that Dwarf in the Burning Steppes says, (I can’t remember his name) that will certainly scare the children. [...]
Submitted by Gargansarian - August 30, 2007 at 6:48 pm -0500
The plural of penis is penes - like crisis, thesis, ellipsis ...
Submitted by Jason Genetics - September 1, 2007 at 5:36 am -0500
absolutely hilarious though.
Submitted by Wildcat-Watch » Blog Archive » CNN Launching Wei - October 29, 2007 at 4:10 pm -0500
[...] Oy vey. Expect a lot of news about flying penises. [...]
Submitted by Snakes in My Ass! » Blog Archive » Second Life g - November 15, 2007 at 4:07 pm -0500
[...] PS: Don’t be scared if you encounter your first furry or manage to walk into a phallic thunderstorm…just be nice! [...]
Submitted by Electoblog » Siempre nos quedará Second Life - February 8, 2008 at 12:24 pm -0500
[...] Por un lado, el PP parece dispuesto a sabotear los debates en televisión con Zapatero. Por otro, Gaspar Llamazares se siente excluido y reclama un debate a tres. La única salida es que todos acepten la invitación del líder de IU para que el debate tenga lugar en Second Life. En este mundo virtual, y gracias a la tecnología 3D, pueden salir mucho más guapos, contar con la participación de directo de cientos de periodistas espasmódicos (porque no sabrán cómo controlar sus avatares) y arriesgarse a recibir una lluvia de penes de color rosa sobre el escenario del debate, algo que ya ha ocurrido en un par de ocasiones (una travesura de programadores experimentados con mucho tiempo libre). [...]
Submitted by Citizen Game » Flying Cigarettes, Talking Condoms and - April 12, 2008 at 2:44 pm -0500
[...] The mind reels. You think Second Life is freaky? This is going to take flying e-pensu to a whole new level. Home will not be nearly as hackable as SL in terms of geometry (one needs a dev kit and Maya to actually sculpt spaces), but frankly I think a company like Durex will be more than happy to out-weird the minor gimmicks we’ve seen in other virtual spaces. [...]
Submitted by Overscope - April 30, 2008 at 1:21 am -0500
Late April Bullshit from Blackboard...

I must seem like some shrill Communist the way I hate on Blackboard (the software and the company.) Sorry, it’s like paying half your income in tax to support the needy and watching your money go to your wife- and child-beating loud alcoholic as...
True
Submitted by socialmaker - February 11, 2009 at 5:32 am -0500

People are addicted to any kind of games thats a fact. I don't blame people for buying real estate (in a game) with actual money and all that i mean it's their money in the end... but protesting with flying penises ? thats original at least. I think the idea was to draw attention and by god they did it. marire penis

Ne quid nimis.

Re: Second Life Event Interrupted by Flying Penis Attack
Submitted by eddiepetosa - October 8, 2009 at 3:59 am -0500
I just wonder how come it took so long for me to read the story. I guess I should come check gamepolitics more often. It's truly a funny story. The question that still remains in my mind is what else can this guy do? If he managed to get this done, perhaps he can also read our credit cards or steal our secondlife accounts. __________ Eddie Petosa - linux dedicated servers programmer.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 02/09/10 at 03:31pm
DarkSaber: Hm, Bioshock. Not that Zippy likes to beat the dead horse by ranting about it for TWO $&%£ING YEARS!
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:30pm
DarkSaber: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.173063-Bioshock-yet-another-zippy-rant
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:26pm
Valdearg: @DS: Link!! LINK!
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:20pm
DarkSaber: Although, unsurprisingly, he's just being called an idiot alot and criticised for being as illegible as always.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:18pm
DarkSaber: Oh good lord, I just found Zippy on The Escapist.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:14pm
Valdearg: IE: Male body/Female Mind or Female Body/Male Mind.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:13pm
Valdearg: @Zip: TG == Transgendered/Transsexual.
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:09pm
DarkSaber: Forget it Zippy, it's an abbreviation of a big word and so would be wasted on you
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:07pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:....TG?
Posted 02/09/10 at 03:02pm
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Posted 02/09/10 at 02:50pm
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:18pm
Valdearg: I do agree that it shouldn't be legal. That's for sure.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:14pm
Valdearg: @AE: Doubtful. Again, it's perfectly legal.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:48pm
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
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