Alert for S/Os of current gaming addicts

I think it's a good step for them. Gamers need to be held accountable for their rediculas attitude and behavior. No more keyboard tuff guys. I don't support games, but as a former wow player, the forum had become useless. Anything you posted would get trolled spammed and cracked on for no reason. My 2 cents.

While I see your point and understand what you are saying. Blizzard isn't trying to objectify and endanger anyones family. They are simply making users accountable. I just can't seem to justify being totally against this.

I hate wow and it ruined my life for a long time. I would have given anything for wow players to be more accountable in their actions. By which I mean not use annonimity to fuel racisim and rage, have child preditotors stalking children. It's harder to lie when you arn't wearing a mask of a toon. That's the positives I see to this. Of course you listed all the negatives. and I agree, with and see your point to a certain extent.

"Mr Brand said that one Blizzard employee posted his real name on the forums, saying that there was no risk to users, and the experiment went drastically wrong.

"Within five minutes, users had got hold of his telephone number, home address, photographs of him and a ton of other information," said Mr Brand

The post and topic has since been removed from the Blizzard forum."

This. I know of two folks I would classify as addicts who have suddenly announced they are quitting WoW. While I was never a forum "troller" so to speak, I would be very alarmed to have any of my *past* posts now suddenly include my real name. Many of us found our way to our bottom being helped by the appalling behavior of the other addicts we kept company with--I especially do not want my name attached to *past* posts somehow showing up in the archive searches that those I ran with could now get ahold of.

I also think it's more akin to publishing the real name of every person who enters a bar or liquor store, casino, etc. Addict gamers will find their consequences without this kind of release of personal data--and the consequences for parents, and those who are underage are especially high.

Frankly, I don't see how they can release the identifying data of a minor.

I am also wondering if this will drive some addicts to EverQuest or similar?

And yes Catherine, I agree with you that this likewise destroys the anonymity of the *affected loved ones*.

I never played WoW, do people actually have to use their real information when playing that game?

If so that's *self edited* insane. Even I have had my times where I would have driven for 8 hours with a group of other gamers to kill some jerkoff on the game, had I known who or where they were.

Heck I guarantee my first guild would have done stuff like that just so the guild could move up the rankings. (although perhaps WoW has a perfect community compared to the one I played..)

I suppose noone should post on the forums anymore then, huh?

Here is the entire article. I think this is worth posting, so we don't loose the contenct:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10543100.stm

World of Warcraft maker to end anonymous forum logins

A row has erupted after Blizzard - the publishers of the popular online game World of Warcraft - announced that users on its site forums would have to post under their real names.

The firm say the move is to put an end to heated online arguments and topics started purely to cause trouble.

But users reacted angrily, citing concerns about safety and privacy.

Blizzard said they would start implementing the changes over the next few months.

A post, by Vaneras - one of the site community managers - said that the forums had become " a place where flame wars, trolling and other unpleasantness run wild".

"Removing the veil of anonymity typical to online dialogue will contribute to a more positive forum environment, promote constructive conversations, and connect the Blizzard community in ways they haven't been connected before," the post continued.

People talk

Blizzard's new system - Real ID - means that users will have to post under their real first and last name.

The firm said it will implement the changes over the next few weeks, with the StarCraft II forums - a section dedicated to the forthcoming real time strategy game - making the switch by the end of the month. The World of Warcraft forum will change soon after.

Continue reading the main story

Within five minutes, users had got hold of his telephone number, home address, photographs of him and a ton of other information

Jim Brand Gamer Send us your comments

In addition to users now posting under their own names, the site will allow others to rate post and interact with other users, creating a "social-networking platform".

"As the way gamers interact with one another continues to evolve, our goal is to ensure Battle.net is equipped to handle the ever-changing social-gaming experience for years to come," the post by Vaneras went on.

The online community was swift to respond, with more than a thousand replies in less than 24 hours; the majority of which expressed their displeasure at the move.

"I can't even begin to fathom why you would do this", posted one user, while another wrote that it seems "like someone who likes Facebook came up with it, while being blissfully unaware that an awful lot of people deliberately avoid Facebook".

Real worlds

One World of Warcraft player, Jim Brand, contacted BBC News to say how disappointed he was over the change.

"I have been using the forums for over five years, reporting bugs and trying to be helpful. Now, to have the privilege to help people on the forums I have to reveal my real name; I'm dead against it," he said.

"I work in a charity and deal with governments officials. If they do a search and see I am a gamer, it could affect my employment prospects," he added.

Although most social networking sites have links to a person's real world name, gaming sites have always used anonymous handles.

There have been a few rare cases of online gaming disputes spilling out into the real world, and users are mostly reluctant to reveal personal details, given that video games can sometimes elicit strong emotions.

Mr Brand said that one Blizzard employee posted his real name on the forums, saying that there was no risk to users, and the experiment went drastically wrong.

"Within five minutes, users had got hold of his telephone number, home address, photographs of him and a ton of other information," said Mr Brand

My thoughts on this - it is great! One of the reasons gaming has gotten where it has today, is because it is a fantasy world. There is no accountability in them. Anyone can do whatever they want in them - lie, cheat, steal, with no consequences. In "real life", you cannot do that because people "know where you live!" I hope they do this. It will bring reality into gaming, which will make people more accountable. To know how many people playing are actually minors is also a good thing. I know the family members will recoil, as Catherine said. They (the family members) did not "volunteer" to be involved in the gaming world. They are already picking up so much in "real life", after the gamer because the gamer is too busy playing games to do anything else. To know, for real, who you are playing will definitely bring a new aspect into the game that has never been there before! We will see if they really do this! Liz

That's exactly my thoughts lizz. Gamers need to be aware of their actions. Accountablity would have been a major thing in getting me to stop gaming.

Just another thing to search for when doing interviews. We already check out people's MySpace, Facebook, etc...

Joe

I agree that gamers need to be held accountable for their actions (as I am currently holding myself accountable for things I'm not proud of ...)

This should not come at the cost of the safety and privacy of a gamer's family and friends.

Unfortunately, Blizzard has retracted their plans. The article at http://www.escapistmagazine.com/... (WARNING: There is a WoW screen shot) says:

Quote:

According to a message written by Blizzard CEO and cofounder Mike Morhaime (posted by Blizzard community manager Nethaera) in a post on the World of Warcraft forums, all plans to incorporate RealID into the forums are hereby off the table: "We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums."

I am actually not surprised that they made this reversal. In addition to the large amount of negative feedback that Blizzard was getting, I believe that there is also a risk of civil lawsuits such as if any particularly intense arguments escalate to somebody using the real identification system to find and injure, or even kill, the other person.

Glad thats over with. They made a good decision.

What they should do is just have it so Blizzard the co.has your real info like they do now when you create an account with them, that way the joker or jokers that are causing grief online can be reported via a ticket by the victum if they still use those,and delt with by real world laws..of say slandering,harassment ,and racisium. Im sure alot of those trolls and hecklers in game would stop after seeing a realworld fine in there mailbox oneday,but then again there would prob be so many complaints filed on this that it would be overwhelming to the co.and law inforcement agencys.The thing that grabbed my attention to this post was why all of a sudden did blizz even contemplate that idea of real name identification.The only reason i saw was, because the online community like Lizz, and all the others have said is getting really bad,and rampit with people just doing wahtever they want with no accountability.Also in my opinion the petophiles and other less desirebales may have the co. on alarm, and maybe Blizz realized they need to address this somehow.Thats just my two cents.

All they would have to do is have a forum moderator that could banish abusers.

"Be civil or be out!"

Yes, they would need to pay an employee to moderate the forum and banish abusers.

Don't the gamers pay a lot to open these accounts and for their inventories and "levels?"

They won't want to lose that. If Blizzard required a credit card number for identity verification then that would require minors to make their parents aware of their gaming, wouldn't it? That could be a benefit as well.

Serena

P.S. I mean, of course, that the gamers should be posting anonymously to protect their identities from enemies that they are "warring" with and psychotic players and criminals and pedophiles.

lizwool wrote:

My thoughts on this - it is great! One of the reasons gaming has gotten where it has today, is because it is a fantasy world. There is no accountability in them. Anyone can do whatever they want in them - lie, cheat, steal, with no consequences. In "real life", you cannot do that because people "know where you live!" I hope they do this. It will bring reality into gaming, which will make people more accountable. To know how many people playing are actually minors is also a good thing. I know the family members will recoil, as Catherine said. They (the family members) did not "volunteer" to be involved in the gaming world. They are already picking up so much in "real life", after the gamer because the gamer is too busy playing games to do anything else. To know, for real, who you are playing will definitely bring a new aspect into the game that has never been there before! We will see if they really do this! Liz

I agree Liz. Privacy and safety is important, but the thing that bugs me about the fantasy is world is the lies the addicted players tell one another. The young guys who my wife plays (who are half her age) have no clue she's a married woman with three children. I assume they thing she's just one of them with no life and no responsibility. Maybe that's just a personal problem, but I know it bothers others here too. I think I mentioned the story about her surgery recently where she wasn't on the game for a few days and told her "friend/s" that she was away at the beach or something. If these people were true friends that gave a crap about you, wouldn't you treat them that way and tell them the truth. It's a horrible world - and I know all of this stems from the "escape" - but it's pretty messed up I think.

Not to steer this post in anouther direction,but i agree with you Gratefuldad.On the part you said about if they are real friends why lie.I noticed when i first left wow,and started using real world logic again,as opposed to the ingame logic that the other players used.I could see alot of the faulty,unlogical thinking ,and acts that went on in there that me,and the other people used while playing.I also agree with you Serena,there should be alot more moniters or something in place that can deal with the nasty spamers,comments,threats,and sexually offencive talk that go on in those forums.