Re: RealID (mmo controversy of the year)

spades07

If anyone remembers this Blizzard had plans to impose RealID on their forums and ingame- where it received a heavy reaction, and strong criticism.

But 6 months on(?) was this reaction over the top? Were people just fighting for the comfort of anonymity? To explain I'll bring up Facebook- everybody is familiar with facebook, and the majority of internet users in the US, and the UK use it. And via this- millions play facebook games where their ID is attached. So why was there such a big yazoo about Blizzard's plans? Surely their plans were just extending that idea. Was it the concern in a time where facebook privacy was a lot more open? Or is it still as 'horrific' an idea as it was then?

gordiflu

The difference is that facebook's purpose is exactly that, exposing yourself to the public. An MMO's purpose is another one. When you get a facebook account you know what you are getting into. When your MMO decided exposing my ID, which was not public before, that was not expected.

I don't use facebook. But if an MMO I had been playing for years suddenly decided that I had to expose my identity in order to keep gaming I would have to quit, which would be very annoying if I still enjoyed the game and had my friends in there, etc.

donkeys

-I doubt "the majority of users in the US and UK use facebook"

-People willingy use facebook, that doesn't give Blizzard (ANOTHER COMPANY ALTOGETHER) the right to put my name online. Regardless if I use Facebook or not. They have no right at all.

The outrage was more than justified.

Kalmarth

Dont you have to agree to let people see your real ID? so you can still have friends list with just Toon names on it, Real ID is only if you want that person and there friends to see all your toons?

And if so then its 100% your fault if you let someone have your Real ID?

Sorry for the questions I quit playing before Cata, WoW burn out and not feeling that pull to go back

donkeys

Originally posted by Kalmarth

Dont you have to agree to let people see your real ID? so you can still have friends list with just Toon names on it, Real ID is only if you want that person and there friends to see all your toons?

And if so then its 100% your fault if you let someone have your Real ID?

Sorry for the questions I quit playing before Cata, WoW burn out and not feeling that pull to go back

This is how it works now.

Blizzard's plan was to put a name under every forum post and everyone inside the game would be able to see who you were.

There would be no option to turn it off, and it would be retroactive. So every single forum post or activety on the WoW forums, even from years gone by, would now have a name attached to it.

Ecabana

Originally posted by spades07

If anyone remembers this Blizzard had plans to impose RealID on their forums and ingame- where it received a heavy reaction, and strong criticism.

But 6 months on(?) was this reaction over the top? Were people just fighting for the comfort of anonymity? To explain I'll bring up Facebook- everybody is familiar with facebook, and the majority of internet users in the US, and the UK use it. And via this- millions play facebook games where their ID is attached. So why was there such a big yazoo about Blizzard's plans? Surely their plans were just extending that idea. Was it the concern in a time where facebook privacy was a lot more open? Or is it still as 'horrific' an idea as it was then?

Facebook can be *turned off* at some point where only your friends see you and your status and in the end, it is me who decide which picture I put, what thing I say on it etc. It's no secret that they wanted to make Real ID a social portal for their games and in the form, I like the cross-server chat with friend and the tools they were offering. The problem I had with the Real ID was the : What if.

What if at some point when you type somebody name in Google and it shows that the guy killed X raid mob yesterday at 1am on his Y character. I don't care if my friends know that, I care if my boss who doesnt play knows it tho, or future employer for that matter.

jpnz

I think it came down to 'choice'.

In facebook you choose what info to put in there (I haven't used facebook but this is my understanding) and who sees what.

In WoW you weren't given the choice.

Axehilt

Amongst all the other Cata stuff, being able to see my real friends online (and what servers they're on) is one of the better new features honestly.  Without it, I wouldn't have hooked up with a bunch of my friend from the last game company I worked for. Now I'm in their guild playing with them almost every night.

Fantastic feature.

Now regarding requiring it to be visible on forums...that'd be another matter entirely.  It's one thing to hook up with friends using realID -- it's something entirely different to be forced out of anonymity.

Thus far I haven't felt forced out of anonymity in the slightest (but I also don't post on the WOW official forums.)  So I've experienced only good things (strongly positive, even) regarding the feature.

whilan

I don't see what knowing someones name is going to do for the game. I don't need to know the warlocks real name.  If he is indeed that much of a friend where i'd like to know his name, i can always ask for it myself.  I don't need the game doing this for me.

I don't like a game where it tells someone my real name.  Now i know it's optional, which places it from flat out wrong in my book to borderling okay/not okay.  I still don't like the feature in there because they could stealth remove the idea a little bit at a time until they get it in anyway.  I"m not a fan of slippery slopes but this is one where i can see something bad coming down the road.  If a company even attempts this in any form, it's a big no in my book.

 

Thats my view of it of course, i just don't like things like this, makes me weary faster then a broken quest on raid day.

Hoplites

Originally posted by spades07

If anyone remembers this Blizzard had plans to impose RealID on their forums and ingame- where it received a heavy reaction, and strong criticism.

But 6 months on(?) was this reaction over the top? Were people just fighting for the comfort of anonymity? To explain I'll bring up Facebook- everybody is familiar with facebook, and the majority of internet users in the US, and the UK use it. And via this- millions play facebook games where their ID is attached. So why was there such a big yazoo about Blizzard's plans? Surely their plans were just extending that idea. Was it the concern in a time where facebook privacy was a lot more open? Or is it still as 'horrific' an idea as it was then?

I don't use facebook, and I doubt the majority in the U.S. use facebook, and let me say I quit WoW the day they announced it, and have not looked back since then.

Its still a terrible idea, which should never be forced upon any gamer.  Period. That essentially is a red line in the sand no game company should go.

 

Wicoa

It was a fiasco designed to cover up the creeping number of complaining players on the forums who had their accounts hacked through a security breach at blizzard.

+1:> Its still a terrible idea, which should never be forced upon any gamer.  Period.

Zoulz

There is so much misconseption surrounding realid. First, it was never forced upon anyone. You always had the option to opt out of realid entirely. Second, you never automatically started seeing people's real names in the game. You only see your actual friends whom you have a mutual friendship with (both have accepted to become realid friends). You can still add random players to your friend list but they will remain anonymous.

The forum thing was an entirely different matter, which Blizzard in the end decided to change back due to player feedback.

I have had only good experiences with realid. It's a really successful addition to the battle.net platform. I enjoy being able to chat with my friends who play starcraft 2 for instance.

Axehilt

Originally posted by Hoplites

I don't use facebook, and I doubt the majority in the U.S. use facebook, and let me say I quit WoW the day they announced it, and have not looked back since then.

It's actually not too far off.  The numbers I found:

• 
  Facebook: 500 million active users * 30% from US = 150 mil
• 
  Google: US population: 307 mil

There's probably a significant number of fake/duplicate accounts, but still...that's pretty damn close to half the country using it!

Hoplites

Originally posted by Zoulz

There is so much misconseption surrounding realid. First, it was never forced upon anyone. You always had the option to opt out of realid entirely. Second, you never automatically started seeing people's real names in the game. You only see your actual friends whom you have a mutual friendship with (both have accepted to become realid friends). You can still add random players to your friend list but they will remain anonymous.

The forum thing was an entirely different matter, which Blizzard in the end decided to change back due to player feedback.

I have had only good experiences with realid. It's a really successful addition to the battle.net platform. I enjoy being able to chat with my friends who play starcraft 2 for instance.

Sorry to disappoint as you are completely misinformed, but there was no opt out option unless you stopped playing the game or stopped posting on their forums.  But if you want tech support, and need to forums this is where the dilemma many customers were faced with unless you stopped playing their game(s) completely.

There was a way for you to see people's real name because of a certain mod because of how lax the security of real ID was, so I am not convinced it is safe at all, especially with cyber stalkers, and identify theft seekers.

No, what you are describing was the initial stages, and purpose of realID, not what Blizzard was proposing, which was to expand upon realID so EVERYONE could see your real name, not just friends.  It started off with just real friends when first put in, and we had Blizzard's assurances, but then they announced their planned expansion of realID for everyone which caused the backlash.

As for facebook, and I haven't seen any hard evidence to suggest that half the United States population uses it, and frankly that is very unlikely. 

 

Zoulz

Originally posted by Hoplites

Originally posted by Zoulz

There is so much misconseption surrounding realid. First, it was never forced upon anyone. You always had the option to opt out of realid entirely. Second, you never automatically started seeing people's real names in the game. You only see your actual friends whom you have a mutual friendship with (both have accepted to become realid friends). You can still add random players to your friend list but they will remain anonymous.

The forum thing was an entirely different matter, which Blizzard in the end decided to change back due to player feedback.

I have had only good experiences with realid. It's a really successful addition to the battle.net platform. I enjoy being able to chat with my friends who play starcraft 2 for instance.

Sorry to disappoint as you are completely misinformed, but there was no opt out option unless you stopped playing the game or stopped posting on their forums.  But if you want tech support, and need to forums this is where the dilemma many customers were faced with unless you stopped playing their game(s) completely.

There was a way for you to see people's real name because of a certain mod because of how lax the security of real ID was, so I am not convinced it is safe at all, especially with cyber stalkers, and identify theft seekers.

No, what you are describing was the initial stages, and purpose of realID, not what Blizzard was proposing, which was to expand upon realID so EVERYONE could see your real name, not just friends.  It started off with just real friends when first put in, and we had Blizzard's assurances, but then they announced their planned expansion of realID for everyone which caused the backlash.

As for facebook, and I haven't seen any hard evidence to suggest that half the United States population uses it, and frankly that is very unlikely. 

 

Do you even play WoW? The opt-out of RealID thing is available even now. All you need to do is check a box on your account page and your out. The addon you speak of which enable people to see real names in the game was a fake. It never worked.

The controversy was the forums. If you wanted to remain anonymous you could not post on the forums. Because that would reveal your name. That was the backlash which caused the community to go bananas and what Blizzard backed on. Other than that realid is exactly how Blizzard intended it to be. And if you want to put on your tinfoil hat and scream "Conspiracy! Blizzard is secretly taking over the world". You go ahead and believe that, but don't go around promoting your fear onto others.

Blizzard has NEVER announced any expansion to make everyone see your realid in game. Not then, and not now. Please provide some evidence of this claim.

AutemOx

So what can you see using real ID anyways?  Peoples names in real life?  lol.

spades07

---

Originally posted by Axehilt

Originally posted by Hoplites
I don't use facebook, and I doubt the majority in the U.S. use facebook, and let me say I quit WoW the day they announced it, and have not looked back since then.

It's actually not too far off.  The numbers I found:

• Facebook: 500 million active users * 30% from US = 150 mil Google: US population: 307 mil

There's probably a significant number of fake/duplicate accounts, but still...that's pretty damn close to half the country using it!

---

Don't forget I said 'majority of US internet users too. I don't think that is a stretch at all to say that.

spades07

---

Facebook can be *turned off* at some point where only your friends see you and your status and in the end, it is me who decide which picture I put, what thing I say on it etc. It's no secret that they wanted to make Real ID a social portal for their games and in the form, I like the cross-server chat with friend and the tools they were offering. The problem I had with the Real ID was the : What if.
What if at some point when you type somebody name in Google and it shows that the guy killed X raid mob yesterday at 1am on his Y character. I don't care if my friends know that, I care if my boss who doesnt play knows it tho, or future employer for that matter.

---

that's a valid point I suppose, out of the other posts that are perhaps more 'hysterical'. I'd assume what you were doing would not show up, but the fact you're a WoW player and some employers prejudice about that I think that is valid for not wanting RealID.

spades07

---

Originally posted by whilan
I don't see what knowing someones name is going to do for the game. I don't need to know the warlocks real name.  If he is indeed that much of a friend where i'd like to know his name, i can always ask for it myself.  

---

Yes that's very correct. All I'm saying is facebook you can see what real names are playing what games- and what is really inherently the difference? It's to that regard, some of the reaction was hysteric, but you are right this information is not really that necessary. Other than trying to make people more aware there are real people behind the keyboards type of thing.

Ie. asshole who killstealed my mob! vs 28 year old chef from Darlington with one kid who accidentally hit that mob.

pierth

Originally posted by Zoulz

Do you even play WoW? The opt-out of RealID thing is available even now. All you need to do is check a box on your account page and your out. The addon you speak of which enable people to see real names in the game was a fake. It never worked.

The controversy was the forums. If you wanted to remain anonymous you could not post on the forums. Because that would reveal your name. That was the backlash which caused the community to go bananas and what Blizzard backed on. Other than that realid is exactly how Blizzard intended it to be. And if you want to put on your tinfoil hat and scream "Conspiracy! Blizzard is secretly taking over the world". You go ahead and believe that, but don't go around promoting your fear onto others.

Blizzard has NEVER announced any expansion to make everyone see your realid in game. Not then, and not now. Please provide some evidence of this claim.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/07/07/wow-real-id-system-security-flaw-found/ Intended? No, but typical Blizzard incompetence seems to have brought up more bugs and flaws- how novel!

 

The things that got me mostly about the proposed Real ID system before it was instituted was that it would be retroactive on forums, there was no opt-out (at that time- because it was bound to bnet which you also could not opt out of), and the fact that Blizzard's security is completely awful. The other thing was until the Friday they announced it was being delayed or halted (I don't recall the wording) they deleted hundreds of negative posts regarding the system, basically telling players (just as in the BNet merge) that they could either get used to it or gtfo.

 

I could expect this from SOE, but there's a reason I don't play their games anymore, either. This attitude got all but about seven people in my guild to cancel our accounts, and we've not gone back. I'll personally never play another Blizzard game because of it.

 

edit: added the italicized