Trama

Sheldon introduces Penny to online gaming, however she refuses to quit after becoming addicted.

Penny is having an emotional meltdown about her stay in southern California. She hasn't had an acting job in two years, she hasn't had a raise at the restaurant during that time, and she hasn't had sex in six months. In her frustration, she accidentally swallowed a fly and got her car key stuck in her apartment door lock. Not being able to get into her apartment until the locksmith shows up, she waits with Sheldon in his apartment, where he is playing Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (2008) on-line. Sheldon lets her try the game, and she enjoys it so much, she gets hooked. He's created an on-line video gaming monster, she who is playing 24/7 and who looks to Sheldon - 24/7 - for advice on every move. As the guys and Leslie postulate what is the underlying cause for Penny's addiction, they come to a conclusion of what Penny needs to get her out of this funk, and the guys do whatever they can to help her get it.—Huggo

Penny experiences a no good horrible very bad day that forces her to conclude that her life is a failure. While locked out of her apartment, she waits for the locksmith in Leonard and Sheldon's apartment and becomes curious about "Age of Conan," the game that Sheldon is currently playing. Sheldon teaches her how to play, but she soon becomes addicted, bothering Sheldon at all hours of the day and night with annoying questions about the game. To get her away from the game, Sheldon takes measures to set her up with someone but is goes nowhere. Finally she sees the light when she accepts and invitation from Howard.—Jerry Roberts

Sheldon lets Penny wait for the locksmith in his apartment after she accidentally locks herself out (she puts the car key in her apartment door). Penny, frustrated at making no progress in her acting career (she drove 2 hrs for an audition, waiter an hr for her turn, only to be told she looked too mid-west for the part) and not having had sex for six months (and ate a fly while coming up the stairs)

Penny becomes curious on seeing Sheldon play Age of Conan (AFK is Away from Keyboard). He helps Penny get started; she buys the game and soon succumbs to video game addiction, annoying Sheldon by persistently asking him for game tips night and day (even during his meeting with Gabelhauser (Mark Harelik), when he & Leslie are fighting over time on the university super computer. She even calls Gabelhauser's landline when Sheldon wont answer his cellphone). She is being invited to Black castle conquests by a group of Hungarian Barbarians, and Sheldon thinks they are just trying to use her as dragon fodder as she is only a level 35 warrior yet

The guys put corn starch over a cellophane and put it over a loudspeaker and crank up the bass to make the corn starch dance. The non-Newtonian liquid acts as a solid under the percussive action of the speaker.

In desperation Sheldon asks Leonard for help, who tries to talk with her in her apartment, but she practically ignores him. Leonard gently tries to explain that it is natural for people to seek validation and a sense of accomplishment in the virtual world, when they do not get the same sense of achievement and accomplishment in the real world. He tries to tell Penny that the Dopamine hits she is getting while playing the game are not real. Leonard then tries approaching her character within the game, but she merely beheads his character as she is annoyed by his constant interrupts

After listening to Leslie in the Caltech canteen, Sheldon is convinced that Penny needs to have sex to relieve her stress and restore her regular life. He first tries to get the guy at the next table to date Penny, but the guy misunderstands and thinks that Sheldon is asking him out for sexual intercourse. He is gay, and writes his phone number on Sheldon's arm.

Sheldon then attempts to fix Penny a date with the aid of an online dating service (He asks her profiling questions while she is playing the game.. Things like whether she is outdoorsy or likes to initiate sex (on a scale of 1-5)), but fails (Penny is dis-shelved and looks nothing like her profile picture.. she is dressed in oversized slacks and has Cheetos in her hair). A guy named Tom even accepts the profile invite and arrives at Sheldon's apartment, but is horrified to see Penny and runs away.. In the end, Penny is horrified to realize she has accepted a virtual date with Howard, and promptly stops playing, thus overcoming her addiction.

Title reference: Penny becoming addicted to playing the computer game Age of Conan set in Robert E. Howard's universe of Conan the Barbarian.