Multiplayer gaming is by nature in public, there's no reason to assume privacy.

There is a huge difference between simply being in public and being observed and tracked in public and having those records stored.

As for PunkBuster, don't get me started on that piece of spyware. Simply read the PunkBuster EULA. It will tell you everything you need to know about why you shouldn't be running that shit on your computer if you value your security or privacy.

"So" does not answer the question, now does it?

*shrugs* It wasn't meant to.

As for why that is a problem I prefer to play randomnly and anonymously when I play online not have to stick to the same character and worry about having to get X amount of points to be able to use certain weapons or abilities. If I wanted to do that, I would play MMO games.

So setup multiple accounts. I refer anonymity as well, but providing you don't actually have to pay to play ET:Q you only provide the information they specify in the fields in a little form they'll have you fill out for your char. What you put in there is entirely up to you.

Sorry, Riley, I've been reading through your posts and and can't see why you're so up in arms about it. You should be experienced enough at navigating the internet that when you register for something you only volunteer what information you want the organization to collect.

Some of us join clans, and our clans like to uphold a certain level of mature game play and attitude.

You should exercise that maturity on these forums then because whining about some kid stealing your player name or ruining your "reputation" certainly isn't mature.

And I wish more games had a central stats server and registration.


None of this BS from BF2, a game that did little right in my opinion.
Instead give me lots and lots and lots and lots of charts from individual games, like UT did

UT2004 did it absolutely right. That stats system was OPTIONAL. If you wanted to play on servers collecting stats you could. If not, you could play on other servers. Quake Wars should be the same.

All they care about are aggregate numbers in order to help make future iterations of the game more entertaining.

You can get aggregate statistics without collecting personally identifiable information. There is no need to require ID's and player accounts for it.

"Hype and marketing? How's my ET clanmates PLAYING THE FUCKING GAME FIRST HAND do for you?"

ditto --- I hear it rocks.

Yes, but neither you or me knows if they use it to track playing habits with it or not

They can't track nearly as much information with simply a CD key authentication system as they can when using full player accounts. I am not crazy about either one, but the former is certainly better than the latter.

So you have an account for a game, that stores your username and ip, how many kills and what accuracy you have etc. Does it really matter?

Yes, it does. I play games online for entertainment not to be some company's labrat or prospect. My privacy shouldn't be included in the price of admission. The fifty bucks is enough.

ack... double post --


This comment was edited on Jun 19, 15:31.

I am basing my opinions on videos, screen shots and the amazing job Splash Damage did with Wolf:ET.

I personaly can not wait and want this game badly!

Why is that so wrong?

Becuase we're talking about logic here. If it makes sense, it must be wrong.

Hype and marketing? How's my ET clanmates PLAYING THE FUCKING GAME FIRST HAND do for you?

The E3 videos didn't impress me, alpha build or not this game needs a lot of polish still. EBgames has it down for a September release, I doubt that, unless they push it out the door early. I'd be amazed if they got this game done by December.

The vidz are from the Alpha build @ E3 ... they were running on AlienWare Rigs with SLI I believe... no liquid cooling.

Bring it on... I can't wait.

- The username apparently refers to your username on the official forums, and maybe what is displayed beside your stats. A token bonus but a bonus nonetheless for those already decided on buying or really bothered about securing their username.
- In game you can call yourself what you like.
- There will be a backend stats page, but no weapon unlocking or anything like that, it's purely information.
- id has had the ability to track you playing their games though the cdkey check for over a decade. Relatively recently, Evenbalance can also do this via Punkbuster (actually iirc EB took over the cdkey auth from id, at least for rtcw & ET).
- there are some Q3 engine apps specifically designed to track players via the PB guid system, one of which http://www.yawn.be is principally intended to combat nicklaming. Multiplayer gaming is by nature in public, there's no reason to assume privacy.

Riley is clearly a paranoid troll. "Oh Noooes... everyone is tracking me!!!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinfoil_hat

Wow! They got his picture and everything!

--------------------------------------------------------------
GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 16 W/Mo

http://www.nin.com/

Still, I'm sure it is a lot less frequent than it use to be. Even if someone took the name I wanted, I would prefer to make a completely new unique one than have people jacking it all the time. Some people out there just have no creativity or imagination, so they gank names that they like. A minor annoyance in most cases.

The thing I liked the least though was some games you could have two (or more) players with the exact same name on the server. One was a Q3 mod I use to play a lot called Urban Terror. You kill some punk, he changes his name to look like yours and starts TKing people. Anyone who has been in a clan knows the kinds of shit-storm this can cause between players and clans. Clans have enough soap opera bullshit going on as it is.

-----
BF2 Player Name: "MindTrigger"
"This is Red 5, I'm going in."
Spam: Gamers over 25 unite! www.2old2play.com

We really don't know much about the name registration and tracking in Quake Wars. I'm glad they aren't doing weapon unlocks, as BF2 made it a chore. The exploiters were the ones who benefited most.

I had no problem with the way America's Army did it, as I enjoyed having to "qualify" to advance to other maps in a way that didn't feel like a MMOG leveling treadmill to me. Quake Wars sounds like a less complex approach and it's even possible they offer a non-tracking option.

By the way, people can still steal your handle even with registrations if they get there first. In fact it can be even worse because it's permanent. All you need is someone or some clan who knows it and wants to be an ass. It happened in WoW alot.
s{
This comment was edited on Jun 19, 13:46.

Riley is clearly a paranoid troll. "Oh Noooes... everyone is tracking me!!!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinfoil_hat



-----
BF2 Player Name: "MindTrigger"
"This is Red 5, I'm going in."
Spam: Gamers over 25 unite! www.2old2play.com

Riley Pizt (aka Troll Boy),

Some of us join clans, and our clans like to uphold a certain level of mature game play and attitude. I realize that's probably a foreign concept to some of you. Has nothing to do with being "cool". I sure as hell don't use gaming as a benchmark for "coolness", like many of you seem to do.


-----
BF2 Player Name: "MindTrigger"
"This is Red 5, I'm going in."
Spam: Gamers over 25 unite! www.2old2play.com
This comment was edited on Jun 19, 13:34.

And I wish more games had a central stats server and registration.


None of this BS from BF2, a game that did little right in my opinion.
Instead give me lots and lots and lots and lots of charts from individual games, like UT did. And give me maps showing each kill, from who, from where, with what weapon, like Halo 2.

-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

They can track just as easily and just as readily without registration.

I fail to see the concern here. Riley, do you really think id or splash damage or whoever is overly concerned with everything you personally do? Do you think they're going to care if Pvt Riley from Bluesnews.com's boards prefers the rocket launcher to the chaingun?

OF COURSE NOT!

All they care about are aggregate numbers in order to help make future iterations of the game more entertaining.
I'm all for it. Much like I'd love if Neilsen had a guy personally following my every move to make crucial business decisions off of. All it would do is fine tune the world more to my likings.

-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

There is a huge difference between that brief IP tracking which only occurs while the user is actually playing on a game server at that moment and a persistant account which cumulatively tracks a user every time he plays the game and what he does while he plays, etc.

Yes, but neither you or me knows if they use it to track playing habits with it or not, at least time spent with the game and/or other things they might be able to extract from it and that was my point.

So you have an account for a game, that stores your username and ip, how many kills and what accuracy you have etc. Does it really matter? Especially if you do not supply them with a "real" e-mail address so that they can't spam you with commercials?