Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
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The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBlizzard's responses on the Real ID situation
by Adam Holisky 
Jul 6th 2010 at 10:15PM
We provide all three responses after the break.
If you're interested in contributing to the discussion on Blizzard's forums, you may do so at the 11,000+ thread. Don't create a new thread though, it'll just be locked. And try not to fall into the trap of responding too harshly... Blizzard has been banning a lot of people today.
NethaeraQuote:
Will the Real-ID opt-out that we can set for our children's account also keep them from posting on the forums?
Will the Real-ID opt-out that we can set for our children's account also keep them from posting on the forums?
You will be able to set up Parental Controls to disallow a minor from posting.
DryscOne important point which I don't believe has been relayed yet is that the switch to showing RealID on the forums will only happen with the new forum systems we're launching for StarCraft II shortly before its release, and a new forum system for World of Warcraft launching shortly before the release of Cataclysm.
All posts here on the current World of Warcraft forums, or any of our classic Battle.net forums, will remain as-is. They won't (and can't) automatically switch to showing a real first and last name.
All posts in the future on the new forum systems will be an opt-in choice and ample warning will be given that you're posting with your real first and last name.
All posts here on the current World of Warcraft forums, or any of our classic Battle.net forums, will remain as-is. They won't (and can't) automatically switch to showing a real first and last name.
All posts in the future on the new forum systems will be an opt-in choice and ample warning will be given that you're posting with your real first and last name.
NethaeraJust to respond to those that don't think we read through all of these responses and threads, we do and have been. We will continue monitoring feedback as well.
We put a lot of thought into this change and have a long-term vision for the Real ID service and wanted to make sure that we communicated ahead of time and very clearly as to what will be changing and how. Keep in mind that posting is optional, and we recognize that some players will choose not to utilize the Real ID feature in game or post on the forums and support everyone's individual choice on using or not using it.
This is obviously new ground for us and for you as well, but we want to make sure we're creating a great social-gaming service that people will want to use. We just want to make sure that if people are sharing feedback, that they keep it constructive, and yes, as I said, we are reading.
We put a lot of thought into this change and have a long-term vision for the Real ID service and wanted to make sure that we communicated ahead of time and very clearly as to what will be changing and how. Keep in mind that posting is optional, and we recognize that some players will choose not to utilize the Real ID feature in game or post on the forums and support everyone's individual choice on using or not using it.
This is obviously new ground for us and for you as well, but we want to make sure we're creating a great social-gaming service that people will want to use. We just want to make sure that if people are sharing feedback, that they keep it constructive, and yes, as I said, we are reading.
Filed under: Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 25)
Superthrust Jul 7th 2010 1:59AM
This is far worse than adding "Ads" to the forums. I will GLADLY accept the ad's any day than this crap.
Seriously. I've had the worst luck with jobs. And we have all read countless articles online about people being fired by their employers because they played wow...
They want to kill the forums, no doubt. They don't wanna host them anymore OR make it a paid service...or something...
Mark my words...This has the stench of Activision and Bobby Kotick all over it...
Cyanea Jul 7th 2010 2:36AM
@alja
Spoken like a middle-class white heterosexual male.
Merlian Jul 7th 2010 6:31AM
I think this comic sums it up :)
http://www.cad-comic.com/cad/20100707
Bronwyn Jul 7th 2010 7:33AM
I'll admit that I have had the same thoughts as Superthrust more than a couple times.
This is ridiculous, though. I'm upset because I LIKED posting on the forums. And now I won't, because, frankly, I don't feel like bandying my name about on a GAMING FORUM with no control over who is going to be able to see it. And believe me I am not the most private person when it comes to my name. But frankly there is a whole different atmosphere in gaming- I would not share my real name on WoW (unless I already knew the person) any more than I'd post it on 4chan. Ridiculous.
Also, to the people who are saying "Forums are optional so just stop posing." That's not good enough. I LIKED posting on the forums. This isn't an appropriate trade-off.
Mellorn Jul 7th 2010 10:31AM
@Bronwyn
I feel the same way. I've enjoyed posting on the forums, even with the occasional troll. I really don't see how the Real ID system is going to be beneficial.
Iirdan Jul 7th 2010 10:43AM
Thank you Adam. While I am very angry over this decision (and even moreso angry at being banned for a week for posting an anti-RealID post in the thread), I feel very bad for the blues. They're only community managers, and the decision doesn't rest on their shoulders. Bashiok was being very, very kind in revealing his name as a way to *hopefully* lower some of the animosity, but he underestimated some posters.
It's one thing to attack the idea, but its another thing to shoot the messenger.
Lee Weaver Jul 7th 2010 11:40AM
You are all missing the bigest loophole. just make a new battle net account. They are free, and do not have to be tied to a WoW account. use what ever fake name you want. Heck you could put in your toons name if you wanted. and then post with that.
Just do not post with your battlenet account that has your real info in it and you are set. play their game, but play it your way. get this word out to eveyone. no one seems to get this.
crazeman Jul 7th 2010 12:21PM
@Lee Weaver
I doubt creating a new battle.net account would actually work. Currently if you don't have an active WoW subscription, you will be unable to post on the forums. Chances are, they will maintain the same policy for the new forums.
What I don't really understand is why they can't just use a global screename and tie it to your account. It seems like to me that Blizzard has big plans for battle.net and hopes to expand it to be a social networking service such as facebook.
farseer-lolotea Jul 8th 2010 2:02AM
@ Tyr: Considering the recent rash of frivolous bans, plus the lack of any real effort to actually DO anything about the trolling, I somehow doubt that raising the level of discourse is much of a concern for them.
That said, they are likely to kill the forums. Which, sadly, won't be much of a loss.
Skyhoof Jul 6th 2010 10:26PM
Thaaaaaaaat's more like it, WoW.com :)
Birk Jul 6th 2010 11:13PM
Man, I find that to be a gross overreaction. The forums are not a critical part of the game... so why does it prevent you from playing it if you choose to avoid the forum?
Sir Broose Jul 7th 2010 12:02AM
We're not just talking about forums where people gather and complain about nerfs. This applies to the tech support forums or newbie advice forums - everything. I've never posted on a fanboi flaming thread, and never will, but I have posted in the tech support section a couple of times. But I won't again, if this happens.
Also, if the information I read on another site is accurate, this change will apply to Blizzard employees as well (I suppose to make it fair for all). Talk about dangerous. My name appearing next to an innocent post about nothing all that important to anyone but me, might not actually hurt me much, but IMAGINE if the real names of every Gamer Master were known. Talk about real potential for IRL bad stuff to happen...
Oriflame Jul 7th 2010 12:17AM
Birk
perhaps people aren't so much concerned about the forums (where you can easily opt out), but the fact that this went:
- posting every achieve with a time on the armory
- posting my real name to my friends friends
- posting my real name to the forum
- ???
- Profit
This is the big new trend for Blizzard, and they are doing it like a wrecking ball. Every big company you work with (google, your cell phone provider, your internet provider, your employer, your insurance provider...) has tons of information on you you don't want on the web but most of them don't open up new cashes of that data monthly with total disregard for the preferences of their customers.
This makes people nervous, and rightly so.
We should all be nervous about more than this.
Hoggersbud Jul 7th 2010 12:38AM
>Medical professionals, educators, law enforcement officers, legal personnel, these are just a few of the people who CANNOT AFFORD to draw aggro to their real legal names.
Speaking of this, many members of these groups DO have protections for the exposure of their names. Legal ones. I know in many places, judges for example, don't have to pay to have their home phone numbers or addresses unlisted, and can even get it redacted from public records.
Angus Jul 7th 2010 12:45AM
If they want to make our names mandatory, they should go the full step. Make the character you have played the most in the last week also show up, with no option to remove that.
And then make it so the Blues all have the same situation.
Let's drop all the anonymity. Let's let the people that you make mad know exactly who and what your main is. By their logic it will make it a lot nicer forum atmosphere.
I also bet GC would never play again.
Terrant Jul 7th 2010 9:33AM
@Total I couldn't agree more about your point about young people. Sure, I might be careful with my real name on the Internet now, but I remember when I was 14, hotheaded, and foolhardy. I definitely wouldn't want my nerdraging accessible for everyone to see with a web search 10 years from now.
Maddeh Jul 7th 2010 10:34AM
"The moral of the story is simple: given a name, it is scary easy to find out stuff about people. Given $10 and a few minutes, you can pretty much do anything you want."
And that's why people are afraid.
fladne Jul 6th 2010 10:26PM
"will be an opt-in choice"
VERY IMPORTANT INFO that was not included in the original posting about the new system.
Silent Jul 6th 2010 10:30PM
"you're posting with your real first and last name"
Still a part of the deal.
slunk Jul 6th 2010 10:30PM
"All posts in the future on the new forum systems will be an opt-in choice and ample warning will be given that you're posting with your real first and last name."
Analyzing their statement, the post is "opt-in". Posting under your real name is not an "opt-in", if you choose to post.