Real ID

[Treesh]

I absolutely love being able to chat with my friends across servers and factions, but I do wish there was an option to control how my friends share that info. Just because I'm friends with someone doesn't automatically mean I'm friends with all their friends. Friends do not need to see your realID friends list. I've already posted asking for an option for more control over your privacy in the suggestions forum on the official boards. I'm really hoping Blizzard learns, and quickly, from Facebook's PR issues on not having control over sharing your personal info. I've posted in this thread, but I posted in that one before I saw this one. Usually I don't really believe much in petitions and what not, but this is something that really should be addressed because it's just too darned nice to be able to chat with folks across realms and factions while still playing the toon you feel like playing at that time. So, go poke your head into the cesspool that is the official forums and help to prod blizzard to just give us some control over that info.

[Zich]

I agree, there should be an option to not show your name on other's friend-of-friend lists -regardless of their own settings-, and an option to not share your own list with anyone.

Using real names at all is a bad idea, I'm not sure why blizzard wouldn't let us create a handle (that could be 2 names, if you want to use your real for some reason) it isn't a unique name like character-per-server names, so handles would be fine.

With handles, I wouldn't mind the friend-of-friend list, but knowing people I don't even know in game see my real name because they talk to someone I talk to, is unsettling. I actually do like being able to add friends via mutual lists, because it means I don't need to ask for an account name or share mine, but honestly I'd have an easier time of it if these friends used their preferred handle. That's simply how I know most of my wow friends, handles trump real names in a game designed to escape reality.

Blizz is still shamelessly unrepentant about the battle.net swap and the privacy/security failure that is using an email as your account name. I don't see them giving a rat's ass about user privacy on an optional game feature, in light of this. I don't think Blizzard's grip on reality is strong enough to let them see how stupid real ID using your actual identification is, and that sharing that with people you don't even know is even worse... they'll just say use it, or don't, because it's optional. Also, you can bet they'll blame you for sharing with an untrusted source if it causes any complications in the future!

[herrymoris]

Well as I think that the it is a completely voluntary as well as it should be totally optional level of identity that keeps players connected. And I also believe that I cannot wait for this to be implemented. Because I would love to be able to chat with my friends who are scattered across many realms and who defect to play StarCraft.

[Tal]

Well as I think that the it is a completely voluntary as well as it should be totally optional level of identity that keeps players connected. And I also believe that I cannot wait for this to be implemented. Because I would love to be able to chat with my friends who are scattered across many realms and who defect to play StarCraft.

I think you need to re-read the thread. It's hardly optional that Treesh (My RealID friend) can access my friendslist and see Chiz's RealID. If you participate you share your friends list with everyone.

[Zich]

Also, it is active and working in game now! Go to add friends (while playing WoW) and add the email of your friend you want to link to in realID. After that a little box shows at the top left of your chat window showing how many realID friends are online, and you can access them via that box or your friends list to see whos on and what character/server they are on.

Blizz did a lot of promoting for this, but very poor explanation of how to use it once it was added to the game. I went to battle.net/realID 3 days ago, and still couldn't figure out how to "turn it on". If Tal hadn't explained it to me, I also would have thought the feature was waiting to be implemented.

[Jester]

Hm. Short, strangely nonsensical post, filled with generalities. From a poster whose name pops up on such diverse fora as the World Boxing Forum, the Pokemon boards, and who the hell knows what else - every one of them joined *today*.

Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a reason he didn't read the thread. What plague hath befallen us?

-Jester

[Ruvanal]

Hm. Short, strangely nonsensical post, filled with generalities. From a poster whose name pops up on such diverse fora as the World Boxing Forum, the Pokemon boards, and who the hell knows what else - every one of them joined *today*.

Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a reason he didn't read the thread. What plague hath befallen us?

-Jester

Bot-titus?

[Jester]

Bot-titus?

Botulism.

-Jester

[Treesh]

They've finally put in the RealID options.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread...4133&sid=1

Sad thing is that I can't currently login to the battlenet site to change the settings.

Edit: Well, I was able to login, and finally found the settings. They're under communication options because that's just simply so intuitive. *rolls her eyes*

[vor_lord]

They've finally put in the RealID options.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread...4133&sid=1

Sad thing is that I can't currently login to the battlenet site to change the settings.

Edit: Well, I was able to login, and finally found the settings. They're under communication options because that's just simply so intuitive. *rolls her eyes*

Thanks Treesh -- with that tip I was able to change mine immediately. My friends list will soon be larger than two.