Re: June 28th Forum Update concern.

[Seriha]

As found here.

We would like to announce a new function enabling players to link character data to their forum profiles. This feature will go live as part of the FINAL FANTASY XI Forum maintenance scheduled for June 28, 2011.

At present, players are required to use a Square Enix ID when logging into the forums. Characters on the PlayOnline ID associated with this Square Enix ID will now be displayed in forum profiles. Players with more than one character registered to their account may select which character to link.

After logging into the forums following the maintenance, players will be taken to the Profile Settings screen and asked to choose an active character. Forum posts cannot be made until a character has been selected.

Forum profiles will now display the following:
- Character name
- World name
- Up to three jobs and levels of a player's choosing
* The above information cannot be hidden.

Players will retain forum handles.

While some may appreciate this feature, I'm not sure the potential ramifications have been duly considered. The lacking ability to keep this information hidden, in my concern, is that it creates a bullseye for those who go above and beyond to harass other posters they happen to disagree with. As is, said people are often using throwaway accounts to both preserve their own identity and avoid possible punishments to their primary account.

While not as extreme, this situation reminds me of the RealID system Blizzard was contemplating in the past and how the real names of users would have been displayed with their contact information. Some were able to take this info, find specifically where players lived, and dig up pretty much anything related to them that was out there on the net.

As a series of persisting worlds, FFXI players have garnered their own reputations, for better or worse. Polarized opinions tend to be a fuel for drama bait, while some just act to get a rise out of others. The subtlety of this announcement and sudden implementation of it, come the 28th, may very well leave some users wondering if they'll continue posting knowing that some will go above and beyond to make their fellow players miserable, often with no deterring from GM calls in-game or post reports here. Many players probably won't even know about this change until it happens, and by then they won't be able to voice any concerns without agreeing to it.

While I'm okay with the character selection process being mandatory for further forum use, please consider allowing the user to keep that information hidden from others.

[JackDaniels]

Oh I missread that announcement, I thought it would be optional.. WTF I prefer to have annonymity because I enjoy egging arguements on lol.

[Seriha]

I guess there's a fine line between egging and trolling. :P

Anyway, missed this thread where others expressed concern about this.

[RAIST]

yeah... I don't like this idea in the least bit. At least, not the forcing part of it. I still think having my info displayed on another site contributed to my getting hacked years ago before the tokens came out. Pulled all my POL data off the web after that--even from the SE LS site.

[Scuro]

I enjoy it, and honestly it makes me understand the perspective of when people suggest garbage ideas for adjustment and I look at their main job as lvl 1-30 I can just say "Ah, that is why" and then be gentle with what I say. Its when its a 90 suggesting a garbage idea that I loose any sense of respect and gentle behavior and rip into some people's ass. I enjoy this because well, I wear my 90 BLU with pride, and I want people to know. What I'm kinda bummed out about is that it asks you to list your top 3 favorite jobs, and yet it doesn't show the other two... Which I find kinda silly and would ask that those be displayed as well. =)

[Catsby]

I'm not sure there are many people out there that will take the time to hunt down each other in game over arguments started in the forums. If it were personal information then yes, maybe it would be a valid argument but we are talking about anonymity over already existing anonymity. Also, these are official forums with (as far as I know) development and moderation by paid employees. In order to curb the cost of herding cats and sprained vaginas they place accountability on the community. To be honest I'll take that if it means I don't have to put up with as many dumb threads and posts.