Burlapen ([info]iscari0t) wrote in [info]worldofwarcraft,
2010-07-08 13:23:00
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And in this episode, a day one player hangs his hat.

Hey everybody! It's me, that guy who stalked that other guy to prove a point.

I wrote another RealID-related post today, and figured I'd share it with you. Hope you enjoy.

RealID pt2; Ethics; Voting With Your Dollar.

It's been fun.

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  • 44 comments

[info]morningdozer

July 8 2010, 17:37:49 UTC 1 year ago

Excellent post. I came to the same conclusion and will be cancelling tonight when I get home.

[info]iscari0t

July 8 2010, 20:16:37 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you.

[info]strangetwn_god

July 8 2010, 17:43:56 UTC 1 year ago

Well-written and thoughtful. I agree and canceled my subscription yesterday.

[info]iscari0t

July 8 2010, 20:17:02 UTC 1 year ago

I had to sleep on it, but when I woke up this morning, I had made my mind up.

[info]spartonian

July 8 2010, 17:44:45 UTC 1 year ago

I called my stockbroker today to see if they had a number I could call to complain (I figured they MUST have an investor relations dept... I was wrong). Activision Blizzard apparently doesn't even want to hear feedback from folks who own part of the company.

I'm going to try and contact them via other means, eventhough I have no expectation of that anyone with any influence will care or pay attention. If RealID isn't killed soon, I'm definitely selling my stock.

[info]spartonian

July 8 2010, 17:46:51 UTC 1 year ago

Oh, great article too.

[info]iscari0t

1 year ago

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[info]spartonian

1 year ago

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[info]bishounenkami

July 8 2010, 17:47:00 UTC 1 year ago

Very well written. I do hope that things work out for the best interest of the player base.

/salute

[info]yisca

July 8 2010, 17:54:07 UTC 1 year ago

Ahhhh.... I do hope that they'll reconsider so you don't have to give up on all you built up ingame. I do see your point though. I'm wondering what to do myself, like you, I don't *want* to quit the game as I've enjoyed playing it for 5 years or so. I never trolled or posted stuff on the official forums except for bug/tech info or class specific theory crafting, nor have I given anyone my RealID ingame, except for my brother, so it doesn't really involve me when the say they want to get rid of trolls. But but, heck! I'm a woman, I don't want people to know my name and start whispering me about showing my boobs and shit if I *do* end up posting a tech issue, so it *should* feel like I have to take action.

I'm angry of the implications it would have for others. My guildmaster has had life threats from people ingame before, they somehow tracked down his facebook page, posted shit there etc, probably by getting some info from our guild website and linked it all together. It takes effort to find our website though, as it's only promoted on our server, but if you post on the official forum, the whole world (of Warcraft) can read it. I wouldn't want him to get more of that! He's seriously thinking about quitting the game himself. I'm really too flabbergasted by it all to make any real decisions on what to do. I've been a Blizzard supporter since the early days and I've got a preordered Starcraft II C.E. coming my way in a few weeks that I don't want to miss, but do I? Argh!!

[info]iscari0t

July 8 2010, 17:56:35 UTC 1 year ago

I'm of the mind that if you're upset, the best thing you can do right now is cancel your subscription, because even if you change your mind, you can turn it back on. Canceling now, though, sends the message. Canceling later is too late to send a message.

[info]lopt

1 year ago

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[info]mythrai

1 year ago

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[info]technophobia

1 year ago

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[info]january_embers

1 year ago

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[info]fordprfct

July 8 2010, 18:42:56 UTC 1 year ago

They won't let me out...

So I figured that it was a good idea to cancel, and see whether they change their minds before my currently paid time runs out.

Except that I can't.

I went to the cancellation page, chose "Other", "Personal Reasons", and wrote a short message in the "More information" field below. Clicked "Yes, Cancel", and was taken right back to the same page, but with the reasons reset, and my message deleted. At the top, it still insists "But wait, your account isn't cancelled yet!" So I did it again. Other. Personal Reasons. Retype the message (and copy it, in case they do it again). Yes, Cancel.

"But wait, your account isn't cancelled yet!"

Other, Personal Reasons, Paste, Yes indeed I do most wholeheartedly wish to cancel.

"But wait, your account isn't cancelled yet!"

*repeat* *repeat* *repeat*

*Give up, call billing support at 800-59-BLIZZ*

"The queue is full. Go away. You can't even get put on hold."

*RAAAAAAAAAAGE*

[info]fordprfct

July 8 2010, 18:48:51 UTC 1 year ago

Re: They won't let me out...

Follow-up:

Turns out that you apparently can't cancel if you have more than 255 characters' worth of "I got something to say" in the message box. This isn't listed *anywhere* that I could find. Trimmed it down quite considerably, told them that the Real ID requirement for the forums goes, or I go, and this time it seems to have gone through.

[info]iscari0t

1 year ago

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[info]aurora77

1 year ago

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[info]iscari0t

1 year ago

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[info]niiku

July 8 2010, 18:56:25 UTC 1 year ago

I'm really on the fence about this. I mean, it's a simple thing to just refuse to post on the forums again to avoid having my name be put out there, but on the other hand I recognize that I'm forfeiting any REAL technical support in the future by doing so.

It really doesn't sit right with me that this system could POTENTIALLY harm someone. But I've taken my place amongst my share of protests and rallies in my time, only to see almost all of them make zero change. I understand the "vote with your dollar" thing is quite a bit different than a free protest, but perhaps I'm just extremely jaded on the subject of these sorts of things now.

I think I'm going to have to sit this one out, at least for now, and see what happens. If something comes up that sways me one way or the other, then we'll see what happens.

Just let it be known that I am certainly not pleased with this upcoming change, but I'm just not sure what me canceling my account will do to truly change things.

[info]iscari0t

July 8 2010, 18:59:14 UTC 1 year ago

Oh, I agree that protests don't usually work. I'm not doing this as a gamble for it to change - if it doesn't, I'm really done. I don't see that changing things in the long run, no, but at least I won't be implicitly involved in and financially supporting a system that leads to stalking and harassment. That, to me, is worth more than this game is.

[info]niiku

1 year ago

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[info]iscari0t

1 year ago

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[info]iscari0t

1 year ago

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[info]megiddo_lj

1 year ago

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[info]dedeii

1 year ago

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[info]niiku

1 year ago

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[info]strangetwn_god

1 year ago

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[info]aj_hyena

July 8 2010, 19:08:43 UTC 1 year ago

I wonder if the first news story of people tracking down another from WoW to ruin or destroy them will finally open their eyes. By then of course it might be too late.

Though with these kinds of trolls, they care only about money, not human life...

[info]blauchloeg

July 8 2010, 19:34:04 UTC 1 year ago

Very nice articles, read the first and the second just now. I've decided to cancel my account for the time being [although it ends on the 13th anyway...], and will not be renewing until there is a much better decision made about this Real ID fiasco.

While I don't post on the forums all that often, I have posted a few questions asking for advice on druid tanking on the druid specific board... I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to now. I sincerely hope that Blizz rethinks this whole thing, WoW is the only game that's ever been able to hold my attention for more than an hour at a time [well, and Pokemon :D].

[info]icelore

July 8 2010, 19:42:07 UTC 1 year ago

Great job, excellent writing.

Hopefully Blizz will hear what we say with money since words obviously don't mean much.

[info]alienagentsab

July 8 2010, 21:16:34 UTC 1 year ago

You make a compelling argument and my only regret is that I already canceled my accounts, as I do every month so I can take a break from the game.

[info]pusifoot

July 8 2010, 21:27:12 UTC 1 year ago

Your post is amazing and has me seriously thinking. The gears are turning. The worst part? I know you're right and I know you're doing the right thing and I know in my heart of hearts that I want to follow your example.

I just need to stop tripping over the "but...."s

[info]amarafox

July 8 2010, 21:31:19 UTC 1 year ago

I'm going to be canceling my account at the end of August anyway, at least until Cat comes out, the real ID thing is making it easier.

[info]rimspace

July 8 2010, 21:54:00 UTC 1 year ago

I'm vaguely considering the possibility of reactivating my subscription, only so I can cancel it again and tell them why - sure, it means giving them a month subscription, but it might well show up on their cancellations stats if I do it...

[info]predictivememo

July 8 2010, 22:46:32 UTC 1 year ago

I think the real problem here is a lot of people finally realised that there is no such thing as anonimity online any more. Just like those people who have protested about Facebook's privacy 'intrusions' Blizzard are simply responding to a wider move to make information more accessible. Like it or not, this is the future.

The bigger problem has been in the execution of this change, 0/10 for doing it in a way that reassures people. The fact remains that if someone wants to stalk you they probably will, and however many 'safety nets' companies are forced to erect it is down to individuals to act in a responsible nature with their words and the details of their personal lives.

Kudos to you though for acting on your principles. I applaud everyone who makes a change because of this, especially if it helps them understand more about the consequences of online behaviour.

[info]harro_der

July 9 2010, 03:37:00 UTC 1 year ago

I agree, canceling now sends your message louder than any well written letter. My account, as it happens, is paid through October but it's canceled as of 10 minutes ago.

[info]cpolk

July 9 2010, 04:15:58 UTC 1 year ago

May I please ask you to add a little to your post?

don't just cancel.
cancel, and then contact your bank and ask for a chargeback. your reason? you paid of a service, and the company changed its terms to something you did not agree to and don't wish to agree to, and that change is a move of bad faith.

chargebacks are a PAIN IN THE ASS. Banks hate them. they will action a company after just a few HUNDRED chargebacks. blizzard will be penalized by banks and credit card companies if enough people do it.

so, please do it, and please spread the word about asking for a chargeback to your last subscription charge on your credit card.

[info]alienagentsab

July 9 2010, 06:43:52 UTC 1 year ago

Oh my goodness. I love this idea. Thank you for suggesting it.

[info]alassenya

1 year ago

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[info]cpolk

1 year ago

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[info]heinous_bitca

July 9 2010, 15:10:02 UTC 1 year ago

I've gone ahead and canceled both my accounts, though they don't expire until October. I don't want to leave, but I agree, it sends a message, and it's one that needs to be sent.

[info]alassenya

July 9 2010, 15:20:29 UTC 1 year ago

I made the peon weep

Most reluctantly, I've come to the same conclusion, and I'm really sad about that. I've only got the two 80s and I'm still trying to get T10, so this really hurts me. My privacy is more important than any game, though, and I have no confidence that they will back down; in fact, I'm sure they will take it further. Battle.net was optional to start with, too.

It really wasn't an easy decision to make - just tonight one of my guildies told me they have some primordial saronite and can make the 264 boots for me ... obviously I'll tell them to hold off for a while, but the thought of letting my guild down weighs heavily on me.

I still have two months before my subscription expires, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that the issue will have been resolved favourably by then. If not, then I'll walk away.
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