The world outside your backyard

[Minky]

I can't say it's surprising, but the sheer number of people who don't care about their full names (Let me guess..John Smith?)being REQUIRED to post on a forum for an Online Game is staggering.
Some food for thought:

-You apply for a job. Employer googles your name and sees your name on an MMO forum site. Good bye job. (I realize it's wrong of them to stereotype; but nothing's stopping them from doing so quietly).

-You're a female gamer with a female name in a sea of male forum-posters. You get singled out and harassed even moreso than you do for speaking in Ventrilo.

-You piss the right person off -just enough- to set them irrationally off over an Online Game; and get harassed or harmed because your Name was on Battle.net forums.

-You have a Unique; or Ethnic name, and because of that people switch gears instantaniously when they speak to you. It's not right, it's not ethical, but it happens. Some people speak to John Smith differently than they speak to Ali Marusivich.

-A minor whose parent isn't entirely in-tune with what their child is doing posts on Battle.net forums; their real name for all to see. They divulge some sort of hint off-handedly; like the mascot of their middle school's lacrosse team is a Pandabear. That child gets narrowed down and kidnapped.

Now, everybody who refuses to see the bad sides of this entire issue, answer these:

-Why do you need to have the real-life name of Twitzy the Female Gnome Warrior?

-What would be wrong with having a universal Battle.net Alias that could not be changed and would identify you across games to people you play with; with RealID as a thing on the side for those RL friends who want to see eachother's real names instead of Character names?

-Do you -really- think that Trolling on the Battle.net forums will go away with a change like this?

When those three questions can be rationally answered by an individual who isn't as careful with their name on the internet as they should be, the debate can continue.

Edit:
I realize some people's names are already out there; but why should there be another facet for those full names to be given out; especially over an ONLINE GAME - which have gone on for coming to two decades without requiring your full, real-life name to post on Forums or take part in in-game systems?

[flan1337]

Well I am 15 and I rlly don't care.... How I see it if you don't troll around being retarded on wow forms you good too go. And I think facebook is more looked into....
OT: srry didn't read the other 1/2 gotta answer questions!

-Why do you need to have the real-life name of Twitzy the Female Gnome Warrior?
Well I think they didn't think of that. For me its easier to know who I am I talking to(How my school plays wow) but I can see where you get at. I don't think they won't her you cuz u play a mmo(And a mmo thats about to get a movie....) but idk....

-What would be wrong with having a universal Battle.net Alias that could not be changed and would identify you across games to people you play with; with RealID as a thing on the side for those RL friends who want to see eachother's real names instead of Character names?
They are trying to stop troll I think. But I like it.....

-Do you -really- think that Trolling on the Battle.net forums will go away with a change like this?
Yes cuz look whos trolling <name here> let me hack his facebook and fuck his life up....

[Geckomayhem]

Many of these threads exist. Please hold your breath until this one gets locked. Thank you for coming to MMO-Champion. We hope all your needs have been met satisfactorily.

[Morbid Angel]

Calm down, bud.

[saberon]

Well I am 15 and I rlly don't care.... How I see it if you don't troll around being retarded on wow forms you good too go. And I think facebook is more looked into....
OT: srry didn't read the other 1/2 gotta answer questions!

Did you know that many businesses will NOT hire you if you play WoW?

[flan1337]

Did you know that many businesses will NOT hire you if you play WoW?

Did not know that... but what if you have a master + degree?

[Sickric]

I think the main reason people like posting on forums is that since of being anonymous. that they can freely give their opinions without fear of being harassed in the outside world.

Of course I hate having to see more of these forums being created. Did you not want your comment on the matter to be lost in the sea of pages of nerd rage or that you thought that your opinion really had the power to change the ones for this realid change?

most people stay clear of the official forums except to read a new post from one of the mods that have new info but then they come to forums like this.

[pickley]

-A minor whose parent isn't entirely in-tune with what their child is doing posts on Battle.net forums; their real name for all to see. They divulge some sort of hint off-handedly; like the mascot of their middle school's lacrosse team is a Pandabear. That child gets narrowed down and kidnapped.

A ninja sees your real name on a WoW forum, tracks you down and kills you...Oh we were not making stupid things up...Its just your name.

[saberon]

Did not know that... but what if you have a master + degree?

Less likely for sure, but I suppose it's still possible. Not every business operates on that principle, after all.

[Morbid Angel]

A ninja sees your real name on a WoW forum, tracks you down and kills you...Oh we were not making stupid things up...Its just your name, your name is not unique there are hundreds of people with the same name as you. If it was your address or your phone number, by all means QQ away, but its just your name...

this

if you google your name, chances are theres a lot more people with the same exact first and last name.

[flan1337]

Less likely for sure, but I suppose it's still possible. Not every business operates on that principle, after all.

Pray that the boss plays wow and is in your faction I guess?

[Powerogue]

i really don't see anyone going "BWAAAUUH? HE PLAYS WoW? NO JOB 4 U!!" that one just seemed the least likely.

but this is all possible, i think the people that aren't worried about this change are either horribly ignorant or just aware the internet already has you put out personal information for the world to see, this isn't a drastic step.

[Sickric]

googled my name didn't know I was a graphic designer and astronaut.

[Minky]

The reponses reflect what I assumed: People don't know what can be done with a simple First and Last name.

Do at least try to read the original post.
Female gamer amidst a male-primary forum? Jesus, have fun posting your name all over WoW forums.

Unique name? Very easy to find that out.

The bottom line is that there IS a risk, where a risk does NOT need to be taken!
Where would be the harm in going by, say, Minky (which I hope people don't assume is my real name) on all Battle.net and Blizzard products? It gives me an unchangeable identity, and does not divulge information a nutcase could use to track me down and harass me.

The point is flying way over some people's heads. It's really very simple: The fact that there's a risk at all is enough to deter thousands of forum-frequenters from not posting for the reason's I've mentioned. The 1500+ page thread announcing the change details that quite nicely.

The only supposed plus of having your Real name on the Battle.net forums whenever you post is to subtract on the amount of trolls hiding behind alts; but wouldn't that end be reached by having a universal BlizzID?

I'm still waiting on a reason why an unchangeable BlizzID wouldn't be superior to giving out your Real name on an MMO site.

Edit:
The argument of somebody finding -a- name and directing their harassment that way is just as bad. They may think it's you. So what if it isn't? Does that make the harassment any less real if it isn't coming your way? If that angle hasn't reached somebody's mind yet, I'm frankly a bit worried for the selfishness that portrays.

[saberon]

i really don't see anyone going "BWAAAUUH? HE PLAYS WoW? NO JOB 4 U!!" that one just seemed the least likely.

Actually, it's fairly common. Most HR managers and the like are instructed not to hire them.
It has mostly to do with playing late into the night and being tired at work, and thus far less efficient. There's also a few other problems associated with it, too.

Sure, there will be people who can easily manage both aspects of their lives effectively, but it's far easier for a company to not take the risk.

[psdew1813]

if the ppl you are trying to work for go on the web and see that you play video games and WoW and therefore dont hire you because of it is not a company or manager worth working for. what you do in your personal life (aside form kicking puppies and raping people) has nothing to do with how you will perform at a job or how you function in the real world and anyone that thinks otherwise is ignorant or just plain stupid. and trust me i aint afraid to say that

[flan1337]

googled my name didn't know I was a graphic designer and astronaut.

I googled me and I got shoot in L.A... So I am now Undead! and looking for job! LFJ any one?
((Sorry if it looks like I am trolling x.x))

[Doddilus]

Actually, it's fairly common. Most HR managers and the like are instructed not to hire them.
It has mostly to do with playing late into the night and being tired at work, and thus far less efficient. There's also a few other problems associated with it, too.

Sure, there will be people who can easily manage both aspects of their lives effectively, but it's far easier for a company to not take the risk.

care to name a few companies that do this?

[Minky]

While that is true, I do wish I could live in the delusional fairytaleland people like you seem to; to assume employers won't profile you based on your hobbies, pasttime, facebook posts, ethnicity or gender

[flan1337]

care to name a few companies that do this?

Blizzard! I told them I played and they didn't hire me :<

OT: Its true WHAT companies? 1/2 of them people I meet don't even know what world of warcraft means.... So how is a manager going to know what he is looking at?