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World of Warcraft maker to end anonymous forum logins

See man, you're not even playing the game anymore and folks are still pestering you for gold. You can't win for loosing.

ROFL. True. I have to admit though, I was so bored I was befriending the little chinese gold farmers, talking them into letting me port them to Theramore and just leaving them there.

And that's when I wasn't responding to them with, "what are you wearing, you naughty little yellow sex pig?"
 
I uh... gotta source if you know what I mean. ;)


Gold sellers can be good friends.... except for them always trying to sell you gold.

:p

I've always wondered if a hunter could misdirect the Cenarion Emissary in Org on to the gold farmers...
 
Moderator's Warning:
Guys, the threads got an actual news story in it. Lets keep to that topic and not "WOW" general conversation. There's the arts & entertainment forum for that
 
Can you split the thread? Because I believe the news ceased being news when Blizz said "Right then; never mind".
 
I assume moving the thread is a possibility?
 
Moderator's Warning:
Can't seem to find a split posts option in VB4, and the news worthy application of the story has since been rectified by the company. Since the last few pages have turned into general chat rather than discussion of the OP, thread moved
 
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So, WoW started requiring Battlenet names, which are actual e-mail accounts....and the World didn't end.

I even tried to find someone's personal info from the Armory and the Forums....not happening.

Yeah, it shows my actual name to me when I log in...but so what? No one else can see it.
 
You thread necro'ed to beat up on a strawman that had nothing to do with what the thread actually was talking about.

That's....oustanding. Really, great job there.
 
You thread necro'ed to beat up on a strawman that had nothing to do with what the thread actually was talking about.

That's....oustanding. Really, great job there.

I do try. It's nice when someone takes notice. Thank you :mrgreen:
 
You thread necro'ed to beat up on a strawman that had nothing to do with what the thread actually was talking about.

That's....oustanding. Really, great job there.

If it was a tangent, why is this the only thing your OP was talking about?

BBC News - World of Warcraft maker to end anonymous forum logins



I know I'll get some boos and hisses for posting a story about Video Games in breaking news but I know there are a number of players on the forum, over 11 million world wide, and I think this may be a negative trend that starts heading elsewhere.

For those that don't know Blizzard, the makers of WOW, are coming out with a highly anticipated game called Starcraft II in the next few months as well as the first major expansion in a few years for the highly successful World of Warcraft with an additional game from their other successful franchise (Diablo) set to launch sometime in the near future. In preparation for all this they have moved to a universal login called "RealID" that would allow someone access to any of the games they own when signing into an online account.

No real issues there, nice and convenient.

However, the recent news that is making headlines not just in gaming blogs like Kotaku and Joystiq but even on the BBC is that they're going to be using their RealID system to display peoples real name on their forums.

Now, the argument for this from some is that its a private company and forum whose usage is a privileged. On the flip side of this WOW is not a one time payment system but a continuous subscription with benefits, one of which is supposed to be ability to use the forums. More so the forums are not "optional" if one needs customer support, technical support, bug reporting, and other relatively common functions of gaming customer service. This creates an issue where to even be able to properly report an issue with the game one must sacrifices their private identity to the viewing of every other person playing the game with them.

Unlike a situation like Facebook which also has real names displayed, this is not something you can choose who gets to see it. Additionally one must take into account the interaction that's going on. Like most things on the internet forum discussions can get extremely heated. However add to that a game where much of it is predicated off the notion of interacting, if not fighting against, other real people and you have numerous situations where emotions can take over far more than would be likely from a closed in facebook account.

Blizzard suggests this is to reduce the amount of "trolls" on their forums, hoping to shame them into not trolling by showing their real name. However, accusations are of a more commercial nature. Activision/Blizzard recently signed an agreement with Facebook that would allow for information swapping, thus giving the potential for significant advertising benefits by matching ones real ID to ones facebook account to generate data to use as an incentive to sell targeted advertisements for significant gains. Additionally South Korea recently made a law requiring online communities of over 100,000 people that operate in SK to have to show a users real name. Youtube was the first to be challenged with this and ended up blocking SK posters from making comments until they relieved an exception. Its unlikely Blizzard would do such a thing as SK makes up a significant market base for their upcoming Starcraft II release. The more than a decade old original Starcraft is still played routinely in SK, to the point that there are professional leagues there for it. So it appears to many that the suggested "stop trolling" argument is simply a cover for the company putting peoples privacy in jeapordy in exchange for further profit.

The question is how ethical is this, how legal is this, how likely is it to cause problems, and is this a sign of things to come. Will a greater move to remove anonymity from the internet be made over the next decade, tearing down the 4th wall between the user and cyber space?

To me this reeks of a horrendous idea. With a user base as large and varied as WOW mixed with the potential for heated situations you significantly increase the chance for essentially real life griefing. There are undoubtedly players now that have zero qualms with griefing players that have PVP'ed them, pissed them off on the forum, won an item they wanted, took a kill they were trying for, etc. What percentage of these type of people will take the opportunity to take it a step further if the ability to get the name of the person who earned your ire is readily and easily available?

Silly mod forgot what his own thread was about :lol:

They ended anon log-ins...and not only did the World not end, but the recent x-pac and Blizz are doing great. No one's tracking anyone down and raping their dog as you predicted.
 
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If it was a tangent, why is this the only thing your OP was talking about?

Silly mod forgot what his own thread was about :lol:

Silly Jerry, forgetting to look up the word "context" in the dictionary and thinking that simply stating a word that was in the OP makes it on topic.

The issue was not the fact they were having you log in with RealID, wouldn't even be the issue that it displayed your RealID which is an email address

The issue was that they were going to display your ACTUAL NAME on the forums...not your RealID.

Seriously, you've got a bone to pick becasue your ridiculously off topic strawman thread necro got called out but you're just making yourself look foolish.

The highlighted things you cherry picked even shows that your point is ridiculous and a strawman: "they're going to be using their RealID system to display peoples real name on their forums."

Real name Jerry, not email address.

They ended anon log-ins...and not only did the World not end, but the recent x-pac and Blizz are doing great. No one's tracking anyone down and raping their dog as you predicted.

Except they didn't end anon log-ins. The blizzard forums does not say "John Doe" when I post, my user name is not "John Doe". At most its an email address, and "JDizzle158" is far differen't than "John Doe". And even then...I'd need to go home and check this...I'm pretty sure even in game your RealID is not broadcast to other players but something you have to give out to another player for them to have.

Seriously, just fail. Give up while now rather than continuing this pathetic display, because even your strawman seems to be beating you.

Displaying someones email address != displaying a persons real full name.
 
If it was a tangent, why is this the only thing your OP was talking about?



Silly mod forgot what his own thread was about :lol:

They ended anon log-ins...and not only did the World not end, but the recent x-pac and Blizz are doing great. No one's tracking anyone down and raping their dog as you predicted.

Jerry, I hate to rain on your parade, but the proposed changes never took place. The player base was so vocal on the subject that Blizz/Activision never went through with it.
 
Silly Jerry, forgetting to look up the word "context" in the dictionary and thinking that simply stating a word that was in the OP makes it on topic.

The issue was not the fact they were having you log in with RealID, wouldn't even be the issue that it displayed your RealID which is an email address

The issue was that they were going to display your ACTUAL NAME on the forums...not your RealID.

Seriously, you've got a bone to pick becasue your ridiculously off topic strawman thread necro got called out but you're just making yourself look foolish.

The highlighted things you cherry picked even shows that your point is ridiculous and a strawman: "they're going to be using their RealID system to display peoples real name on their forums."

Real name Jerry, not email address.



Except they didn't end anon log-ins. The blizzard forums does not say "John Doe" when I post, my user name is not "John Doe". At most its an email address, and "JDizzle158" is far differen't than "John Doe". And even then...I'd need to go home and check this...I'm pretty sure even in game your RealID is not broadcast to other players but something you have to give out to another player for them to have.

Seriously, just fail. Give up while now rather than continuing this pathetic display, because even your strawman seems to be beating you.

Displaying someones email address != displaying a persons real full name.

My real name, not my e-mail, but yes my real name is displayed in the upper left hand corner on the tab displaying which character I've chosen to be my posting avatar, when I log in.

I'm the only one who can see it. No one else can see anyone els's real name. No one else can see anyone els's e-mail address. I even tried to find personal info, while logged in, on another random toon. Not happening.

QQ all you want, Bliz went to RealID anyway...and the world didn't end. You're no better than some guy on the street with an end-of-the-world sign, ringing his bell & telling everyone to repent. Hey guess what else, the world isn't going to end on 2012, either.

Except they didn't end anon log-ins.

Oh so it's that you don't know what an anon log-in is.

See, an anon is someone who doesn't have to give any contact information of any kind. With anons, there is no registered e-mail, no over-seeing Battlenet account...non of that.

DebatePolitics.com, for example, has no anons posting in it's forum. DP would have to allow unregistered guests to post for anons to be here.

You've always had to give information to Blizz in order to play & post, so Blizz never had anons in their forums. The only thing that changed is the addition of battlenet now also having your info. That's it. You weren't an anon then just as you aren't now.

The whole "we want to stop the trolling" nonsense was just that.
 
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Jerry, I hate to rain on your parade, but the proposed changes never took place. The player base was so vocal on the subject that Blizz/Activision never went through with it.

I know they never took place...that's what I'm say'n. Names & e-mail addresses are not displayed like everyone was worrying about when Blizz went to RealID.
 
My real name, not my e-mail, but yes my real name is displayed in the upper left hand corner on the tab displaying which character I've chosen to be my posting avatar, when I log in.

I'm the only one who can see it. No one else can see anyone els's real name. No one else can see anyone els's e-mail address. I even tried to find personal info, while logged in, on another random toon. Not happening.

Right, which is not what anyone...or at least I...was complaining about. I never complained that they were going to RealID. The issue was they were going to actively display for everyone to see peoples real names. They backed off that policy after all the outrage occured.

QQ all you want, Bliz went to RealID anyway...and the world didn't end.

Where's Dorothy and the Tin Man, since you obviously have the Scarecrow along with you.

Please point out where my complaint was that they were doing RealID? I even stated, in regards to the universal login "No real issues there, nice and convenient."

The issue was singularly with them DISPLAYING peoples real names for all to see.

You're no better than some guy on the street with an end-of-the-world sign, ringing his bell & telling everyone to repent. Hey guess what else, the world isn't going to end on 2012, either.

What? Because I said something was bad, and enough people said something was bad, that it caused it never to happen? How is that any way comparable.

Strawman jerry. Go look it up. Its all you're doing, and pathetically I might add.

Oh so it's that you don't know what an anon log-in is.

See, an anon is someone who doesn't have to give any contact information of any kind. With anons, there is no registered e-mail, no over-seeing Battlenet account...non of that.

I know what that is. I never, not once, stated that I had issue with them tieing the login to the game to their RealID. I have no problem with a forum requiring people to sign up, or even giving their real name to sign up.

I have an issue with them displaying someones full name to everyone. That was my only issue. That's not happening. You're strawmanning.

DebatePolitics.com, for example, has no anons posting in it's forum. DP would have to allow unregistered guests to post for anons to be here.

True. However, unlike what blizzard proposed and then withdrew, you're not forced to post here at DP under your real name.

You've always had to give information to Blizz in order to play & post, so Blizz never had anons in their forums. The only thing that changed is the addition of battlenet now also having your info. That's it. You weren't an anon then just as you aren't now.

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Spell it with me.
 
I know they never took place...that's what I'm say'n. Names & e-mail addresses are not displayed like everyone was worrying about when Blizz went to RealID.

No, its what everyone worried about when Blizzard specifically said "We're going to dispaly your real name on the forums".

Its what cause the big uproar, and this thread, and what Blizzard eventually withdrew.

The issue was never singularly about realID being used. That's just your worthless...say it with me folks....strawman.
 
Right, which is not what anyone...or at least I...was complaining about. I never complained that they were going to RealID. The issue was they were going to actively display for everyone to see peoples real names. They backed off that policy after all the outrage occured.



Where's Dorothy and the Tin Man, since you obviously have the Scarecrow along with you.

Please point out where my complaint was that they were doing RealID? I even stated, in regards to the universal login "No real issues there, nice and convenient."

The issue was singularly with them DISPLAYING peoples real names for all to see.



What? Because I said something was bad, and enough people said something was bad, that it caused it never to happen? How is that any way comparable.

Strawman jerry. Go look it up. Its all you're doing, and pathetically I might add.



I know what that is. I never, not once, stated that I had issue with them tieing the login to the game to their RealID. I have no problem with a forum requiring people to sign up, or even giving their real name to sign up.

I have an issue with them displaying someones full name to everyone. That was my only issue. That's not happening. You're strawmanning.



True. However, unlike what blizzard proposed and then withdrew, you're not forced to post here at DP under your real name.



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Spell it with me
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No, its what everyone worried about when Blizzard specifically said "We're going to dispaly your real name on the forums".

Its what cause the big uproar, and this thread, and what Blizzard eventually withdrew.

The issue was never singularly about realID being used. That's just your worthless...say it with me folks....strawman.

I love how I can make Mods troll their own thread :lol: You're so passionate about your games :mrgreen:

Look n00b, I necro'd this thread to give an update. Blizz instituted RealID, they don't display any of your personal info public, life is good. Not sure why you chose to load your diaper, but, hey, it's your diaper you can do what you want with it. Don't like it? To bad. I think you're just mad because the DP gamers hijacked your thread and forced you to move it to another sub-forum. You didn't get what you wanted out of this thread and you're still crying about it. What's posted is posted :2wave:

Oh, and as to this....

True. However, unlike what blizzard proposed and then withdrew, you're not forced to post here at DP under your real name.

DP couldn't stop anyone from using a pen name if they wanted to. Whatever verification for ID you'd require, I could fabricate.
 
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I love how I can make Mods troll their own thread :lol: You're so passionate about your games :mrgreen:

pointing out your worthless tactics in the argument isn't trolling.

Look n00b, I necro'd this thread to give an update. Blizz instituted RealID, they don't display any of your personal info public, life is good.

So you gave us an update.....that was known and already stated in this thread months ago.

Wow, thanks Jerry. As I said, that thread necro was definitely needed.
 
I love how I can make Mods troll their own thread :lol:

Moderator's Warning:
If you feel some one is 'trolling", please use the report post button. Do not cry about it inthread.
 
I'm sorry I gave the impression I wanted the trolling to stop.
 
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