Is the Armory site an invasion of privacy?
by Elizabeth Harper 
Mar 1st 2007 at 5:38PM
While I think it's a cool feature, some players are up in arms over Blizzard's newly-implemented Armory character profiling service. The complaint? That players don't want cross-faction players knowing what gear and specs they have and thus gaining a potential advantage in PvP. Now, it's my opinion that this doesn't matter quite as much as some of the threads about it suggest, for several reasons:
- There's not much reason to expect you'll be singled out amongst the many players within a single realm or battlegroup. And even if you are, what is the probability of a player having all of your information on hand when they encounter you in PvP, and being able to make use of it? (It's not as though they'll have time to look it up whenever they see you.) The exception to this would be very high-ranking players whom people may make specific study of.
- Knowing your precise talent build only says so much about how you play -- a shadow priest can still heal and a holy priest can still surprise you with a mind blast. And in PvP situations it's assumed that you'll have one of a few variations on an optimal PvP build for your class, already suggesting your strengths, weaknesses, and abilities to your opponents.
- By someone familiar with gear options, gear can be guessed at with simply a glance. Especially considering that most players are aspiring to the same high-end gear and are all somewhere along the same path to achieving it.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ragbar Mar 1st 2007 8:34PM
I don't see what the big deal is.
Ok, so they see your gear, big whoop. In the world of PvP, gear only matters if you have 2 players with equal skill.
Seeing someone's talent build doesn't really matter either. Because A) you know players from the other faction so you know thier build after fighting them a few times. And B) it takes what, one fight to figure out what someone's build is? maybe 2?, and finally C) Anyone can look up anyone else's information. It's available to everyone, therefore it's only a disadvantage to those who refuse to use it.
Ehrgeiz Mar 1st 2007 5:54PM
You have got to be kidding me, I can see your gear I know what you have and I don't need the armory to tell me. Can people just not bitch about something for once?
priest Mar 1st 2007 6:00PM
It's not an invasion of privacy because this is a game and Blizzard owns the whole thing, whether it's your shield, your race or your build. It's all Blizz's property, intellectual or otherwise.
Besides, any half decent player will identify your equipment the moment they see it and probably understand your build within seconds.
No, it's just more of the same old crap that fills the forums. Whine, whine, whine.
Roguerhunter Mar 1st 2007 6:14PM
I agree it doesnt matter what your talents are you can find that info on any website etc... What counts here is Skill and being on top of your game. Every move you make or every counter you fire back with is the determination on how the out come of the fight will be. Wether your a clicker or a macro fanatic it depends on your style.
Look at it this way Blizzard is like the Military we bound into a contract there is no privacy were just a figure number is some way, shape or form.
We dont rent to own here k! Not a rent a Center. Dont get me wrong I aint bashing on the Military cuz I am in it but your old enough to commit to something you better not complain and step up to the plate like a responsible adult and learn to adapt and that life is a "B" at times!
HOOOAhhh!!!
Mervo Mar 1st 2007 6:53PM
My biggest concern isn't PvP, but rather goldfarmers/traders looking at it as a data source to better glean what they should target for sell and trade.
Olmacter Mar 1st 2007 8:27PM
I think the armory is a idea, there is no reason for complaining. But if people really care that much blizzard should just have you allow a certain character profile to be on the site.
Olmacter Mar 1st 2007 8:41PM
^^^a great idea^^^
Kazia Mar 1st 2007 11:04PM
Though I personally don't care about the armoury that much, I can see both sides. The simple solution that will make everyone happy really is just provide a check box on the site that allows you to turn on/off one of your charecters from being displayed (ie. a check box for each char you have).
Is it really that hard?
James Mar 2nd 2007 11:02AM
I'm with the guy about why people just cannot stop bitching for once. Its a great tool, and I swear, people are still pissed off. Game programming must be one of the most thankless jobs out there.
iamdexx Mar 1st 2007 11:44PM
i would have to agree with 8.
People will complain - but giving them the opt out option cant be too difficult can it? Give them the choice and they will have nothing to complain about.
Personally i think the armory will be wicked - a nice way of checking gear etc without having to log on
RogueJedi86 Mar 2nd 2007 12:59AM
Could also be a decent way to find someone of a particular profession skill. Need a blacksmith to make you something? Search the profiles for your realm and find a few.
I know I'm enjoying looking around it, seeing the gear of my guildies and friends, and their stats. Simply inspecting someone in-game won't tell you things like their stats or professions or rep. Nothing to be secretive over. We still have our inventories and currency secret. Not to mention the tactics in our heads.
Druid dude Mar 2nd 2007 10:27AM
WoW has reached a new height of people whining about ridicuous things.
Wamphyri Mar 2nd 2007 2:35AM
Ha! I checked the EU site and was disappointed that I couldn't access any of my characters - it told me that perhaps the player hadn't been online for a while . . . when I'm not at work, I'm on WoW!
I think it's a good idea and, if they add the option to not show profiles it should stop the whingers whinging.
Until they find something else, of course.
rogueurboat Mar 2nd 2007 8:23PM
violation of privacy:
Yes.
some people don't want their gear seen, for tons of reasons
homant Mar 2nd 2007 8:54AM
If other battle groups have a similar makeup as Reckoning; You'll see the same players. A lot. There are so few people in the BGs now, that if you stick to WSG, for example, you're practically in a X-realm premade every evening.
Once this service gets fully up and running (mostly error pages so far), I will definitely use it to check out whos got the best Flag running gear, which hunters have SS, who's got the PvP Glove/Set bonuses, and who's got the talent points stacked in healing.
If you know which toons to follow for a flag gra, or which opponents to Focus Fire at the start of a match; it's a HUGE advantage (assuming half your team doesn't die in the midfield on the way over :/
)
-Gritz
Avonturier Mar 2nd 2007 9:39AM
Maybe showing the active buffs is a bit to much.
I remember people sometimes giving me remarks like 'you got noob gear!' because I didn't care so much about epics. Now that will be extended with 'noob skills, proffs, talents, reputation'-remarks if you choose an alternative playing style...
I think the best thing about the armory is that you will be able to see whether that guy advertising enchants does indeed have enchanting as a profession.
Karl Mar 2nd 2007 10:49AM
I love the idea and hope Blizzard sticks with it. I like to show off my accomplishments to friends and foes. One of my friends is on another realm, and he can show me the cool loot he takes from Kara now. Good idea.