Quote: Original post by Sneftel

Quote: Original post by supamike
If not, they have very angry customers - people tend to react badly if you mess with a service they've paid for even if it's within your right to do so under T&Cs. They might end up losing more due to cancelled subscriptions than if they just refunded for the banned period.

Blizzard already suspends people (without refund) for in-game impropriety. This would just be an extension of that policy.

On a mass scale. Suspending every one from playing means you get no money (I know they wont suspend everyone, but if they encourage people to NOT buy their products). Look at SWG with the NGE. I foresee this going wrong in the long run, if it even goes live. A Blizzard employees name was revealed (by himself) and within minutes people who tried found a TON of information. Now obviously not everyones name will be targeted, but let's say you say the wrong thing to the wrong person...

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool

Quote: Original post by Sneftel
Blizzard already suspends people (without refund) for in-game impropriety. This would just be an extension of that policy.

On a mass scale.

Just the opposite. WoW is a lot more populated than its forums; it's likely that far fewer people would be suspended for their forum actions than already are for their in-game actions.

Quote: Original post by Sneftel

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool

Quote: Original post by Sneftel
Blizzard already suspends people (without refund) for in-game impropriety. This would just be an extension of that policy.

On a mass scale.

Just the opposite. WoW is a lot more populated than its forums; it's likely that far fewer people would be suspended for their forum actions than already are for their in-game actions.

I shouldnt have used a play on your words. I could care less about suspensions. I am talking about if you have no population, you have no crime, no problems, and NO INCOME. If decrease the player base, you'll have less trolls and less money. Sure, the "simple" trolls who do very silly things wont post, but those were never the problem. The problem is, this is actively going against your player base. Privacy is something we all hold at least a little bit dear, including gamers.

Edit: to reaffirm, I could care less personally. I try not to troll because I imagine people are next to me in real life and I try to be respectful. In my younger days, I would, but I also thought no one could touch me. I thought hacking was fake, locating me based on a name was impossible, etc. I also reveal my name frequently, but I CHOOSE to do so, and I can always CHOOSE not to.

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool
I am talking about if you have no population, you have no crime, no problems, and NO INCOME.

The hell? You really think WoW's entire player base is going to quit if Blizzard starts suspending forum trolls? Even though they're already suspending in-game trolls and everyone's cool with that? Not sure how to respond to that. I disagree.

Quote: Original post by Antheus

Quote: Original post by Nytegard

As long as users don't have access to your email, ip address, location, or anything else to tie to your name, I think the overall percieved predjudice of this is overblown. Maybe because of where I live, I don't know. The people I think who would be affected the most would be women.

You don't need any of that. Best part is - when going after a name, you don't even need to go after the right person - someone with same name may get blasted for no reason at all.

This blog demonstrates the issues, including the possibility of perhaps getting the wrong person.

But the Blizzard moderator already has a tie to his name, which is his job. Google the name and job, and you pretty much get everything else. There's a bit of an over reaction in the sense that people believe they have a unique name in real life. Do you honestly think if you see John Smith, you're really going to be able to find out much about him if that's all the information you have?

In no way am I for this change, and I honestly believe they'll end up reverting it after a lawsuit, but unless you're female, I doubt you'll notice much difference.

The Blizzard employee made a stupid and rash decision, giving away too much information when people are looking to make an example of someone to fight this change. I do think overall that trolling will go down, because of people's irrational and mispercieved viel of anonimity being lifted. It won't go down much though to warrent any change. But I don't think harrassment will go much beyond what it currently is. The reason is accountability in the legal sense. Johnny's mom won't be too pleased when she finds herself in financial turmoil after being sued because he decided to take being a prick to a whole new level off just harmless (yet annoying) trolling.

Quote: Original post by Sneftel

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool
I am talking about if you have no population, you have no crime, no problems, and NO INCOME.

The hell? You really think WoW's entire player base is going to quit if Blizzard starts suspending forum trolls? Even though they're already suspending in-game trolls and everyone's cool with that? Not sure how to respond to that. I disagree.

Ok, sorry, let me re-state. At some point, if they make a bad decision, they will make less money. I used an extreme to illustrate a point. Star wars galaxies did something as silly that was supposed to improve the game, and it backfired. All I'm saying is this is a very bad decision. I could be wrong, but I wont know because I wont be playing the game.

Awww. Blizzard caved. [dead]

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool

Quote: Original post by Sneftel

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool
I am talking about if you have no population, you have no crime, no problems, and NO INCOME.

The hell? You really think WoW's entire player base is going to quit if Blizzard starts suspending forum trolls? Even though they're already suspending in-game trolls and everyone's cool with that? Not sure how to respond to that. I disagree.

Ok, sorry, let me re-state. At some point, if they make a bad decision, they will make less money. I used an extreme to illustrate a point. Star wars galaxies did something as silly that was supposed to improve the game, and it backfired. All I'm saying is this is a very bad decision. I could be wrong, but I wont know because I wont be playing the game.

And driving rule abiding users away by forcing them to display their real names was suppose to be a good idea?

Quote: Original post by GameCreator
Awww. Blizzard caved. [dead]

heh looks like this comic was too slow then
or
Penny Arcade did too

[Edited by - Sirisian on July 9, 2010 6:09:00 PM]

Quote: Original post by Talroth
And driving rule abiding users away by forcing them to display their real names was suppose to be a good idea?

The average user doesn't use their forums. Of their average forum goer probably doesn't care if their name is shown because they don't say anything gloriously offensive.

Someone willing to kill you over a forum post will not be slowed down by a different display name, which is scary in its own right.