The Lodestone.

Suggestion time! :cool:

Is it possible to make it so we can hide our characters from appearing on the lodestone? What about linkshells too? I understand some people like that it is possible to always trace someone. It is possible. If they bookmark a lodestone character page, they will always know where this person is at in game. Whether they fantasia, name change, transfer server, transfer back, they will always know. The character lodestone #/URL does not change. The linkshell #/URL does not change. People are held accountable and that is the only argument I have heard IN FAVOR of this. Otherwise, I have only heard horror stories of people and linkshells being stalked and harassed out of game where nothing can be done about about said harassment. Yes, report, yes blacklist, but nothing can be done when this kind of thing leaks out of game.

So, ok, the people who harass others in game and scam people are held accountable because others can bookmark them and always know who they are. They can not escape. But what about the rest of us who just want some privacy? Those of us who have no bans, no marks on our accounts, can we hide our characters from the Lodestone some time in the future?

Is there some kind of programming issue that keeps us from being able to opt out of the lodestone entirely? Perhaps my character's name can show up on the search list but not have an actual page? Yes there is a 'private' setting for features on the lodestone, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I would like the option to opt out of the social media aspect entirely, not have a page entirely. I would like to be able to have some shred of privacy in a world where everything and anything is documented meticulously with all kinds of social media.

So I just looked you up on the loadstone and I can't see your linkshells. Mostly everything is private from the looks of it.

So what are you griping about? if you got a couple of folks who stalk your online profile, glamour in the time they devote to studying you. A simple blacklist and report work well and if you really don't want to see much from random tells then you can do what I did to solve my gold spammer problems.

Build out a dedicated chat log to ignored chat, disable tells in the main window, enable tells in the ignored chat, disable that stupid bell for tells, and only respond to people in party/say/fc/ls#. Works wonders as the only tells I get are gold spam. Also if you want to send tells to someone you can just click on the ignored chat tab and chat away.

Ah, ok. HMMM. If you look up a linkshell, if you know the name of it, and bookmark the page? You know the linkshell forever. Someone may change the linkshell name. You will know who is in that linkshell. Forever. For example, I know of a LGBT linkshell. Some people aren't exactly out of the closet in real life. Let's say someone finds this linkshell and outs them on facebook. Big problem for real life. So, the linkshell leader changes the linkshell name. That doesn't matter. If the person who is being not-so-nice had bookmarked the linkshell page, they will always have the character roster. Always. Forever. So now this person is outed, and they can't have linkshell friends because they've got to leave that linkshell. They can't change their character name either. No escape.

Why can't they change their name? This lodestone# thing holds true with characters.

If you look someone up and bookmark their lodestone page, my lodestone page, if I ever change my name. It stays the same on that page. No privacy. Ever. I can transfer, I can fantasia, I can do anything, the character page remains the same. No matter what. My main issue was with stalking leaking out of game, where the GMs can do nothing about it. I log on to get out of real life, yeah? I am griping that I do not have the option to have privacy without making an entirely new character and starting completely from level 0 on all classes. Yeah, ignore, move on, whatever. I don't know about you, but I don't like the feeling that there's someone out there keeping tabs on me. It honestly bothers me. It's fine if you enjoy the social media aspect of the lodestone on the website, but I don't use it at all.

Oh yes and consider this: Even if you name change and transfer THEN transfer back, you remain on everyone's friends list. Anyone who has ever put you on their friend's list. They can still see you there, until they themselves remove you. However your friends list is wiped. I've never bought a server transfer myself, but this is what I'm told.

If someone finds a linkshell you happen to be in?
and if someone knows your facebook page, a 3rd party social media website that has nothing to do with this game?

You throw out a lot of big IFs and a lot of them depend on how much you reveal about yourself to an online community or single person.

If you don't allow online people to know personal details about yourself, such as facebook or other social media accounts, then online people can't communicate with people you know in real life. I don't know about you but I don't go branding myself or my clothing with any of my online monikers either. Which means that people can't just pick me out of my online photos. I can't see where the game or it's loadstone/armory page is violating your privacy without you allowing people to know personal and real life facts about yourself and at that point you've violated your own privacy.

Seems like your asking the devs to save you from mistakes that you have made while counter-acting the purpose of the loadstone/armory page which only serves to show an online character that has nothing to do with your social media.

To be honest it sounds like you haven't thought about your online information seriously enough and might have given personal information out to an untrustworthy source.

While I can understand where you come from, I do honestly prefer the Lodestone as it is. It's particularly helpful to me as an FC leader, as I do keep a list of people who have been dismissed from the FC or left on their own with their Lodestone links attached. Doing this has, on more than on occasion, allowed me to avoid someone sneaking their way back into the FC via name change.

I haven't actually suffered any 'consequences' of 'sharing too much of my personal life' with people. I gave an example so you might understand why someone might additional privacy. Other MMOs allow you this privacy. You're allowed to opt out of realID, you can shut off battle.net ports. I don't actually use facebook myself, why would I? I mean, people are naturally social and will share personal information. That's a given. You're making some big assumptions there when I was just trying to help you understand my point. I'm not asking devs to save me or anyone from mistakes, I'm asking for some basic privacy that other mmos provide. It seems ridiculous that the only 'escape' you get from accidentally befriending a jerk is quitting or remaking from 0.

Anyway, I see that you play on Faerie. Mmmmmm. Balmung is a different beast entirely. Ever heard of Tumblr? Say one wrong thing (even if it isn't even wrong or that bad), you're on B L A S T. If you have no idea what that means, then you have no idea why anyone would want this privacy. That aside, does anyone really need a reason to want privacy online? Myself, I would only really opt out of the lodestone on an array of lvl 60 alts. My main, Arvid Greave, would remain. Why wouldn't I want potential statics or pvp parties to see my gear?

And Lilith Cale, I see your point as well. I just think it's a bit strange to not have the option to opt out. Especially if the option is only given to those with no previous offenses on their account. I mean, if we're taking the stance of 'don't give out your personal info' we could also take the stance of 'keep better watch of your fc' but Balmung is.. different. I see your side of this. But I also think, people change, people should have the right to go off the grid. No? Case by case basis I guess. I just think privacy for all is better than no privacy for anyone.

Gosh, I would actually PAY to have an 'offline' mode. But I imagine that would be abused.



Here is an example, happening right now. Notice the servers:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...attire-in-game.


Let's look at one post here.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post3856247

I may not agree with what she posted, but there is absolutely no escape for her. None. There is no way for her to get any privacy in game. Do you understand now what I mean?

I would LOVE for SE to do something about this situation as well. As mentioned on another thread called "The Lodestone Allows People To Stalk" one good suggestion would be to roll a new link address (number) for the char with each new name.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Acilith

It seems ridiculous that the only 'escape' you get from accidentally befriending a jerk is quitting or remaking from 0.

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You ignore and block them on all fronts. I feel like people need to get control of how things work, if they find you one place, you block them and keep them from coming back, if they find a new way, you do it again. Yes its frustrating to have to do it over and over and over, but people like you explain are like a crappy disease, you have to keep on them and ignore them, they will go away eventually...

Moral of the story, don't give out personal information so easily.. You'll be surprised how many people give up information because they think they are safe behind a monitor...