I just read through my blog reader and came across Dwism's post with two blue quotes. And I almost crapped myself. Namely
The first and most significant change to the in-game chat (this including, but not limited to, various city and world channels, guild-chat, whispers, group- and raid-chat and 'say') is that in the near future these chats will be doing so using their Real ID -- that is, their real-life first and last name -- with the option to also display the name of their primary in-game character alongside it. These changes will go into effect near the launch of Cataclysm. Certain chats, including special pay-for-channels, will remain unchanged.Stating clearly that they have thought to turn the whole ingame chat into a real name connection system!
The one that really made my day - and got me very, very angry about this RealID thing - was from Wryxian:
There's a lot of scare-mongering going on about the change, but there seems a need to make something very clear. The in game Chats have always been an optional extra -- something you can choose to participate in if you wish to. With our Real ID changes for the in game Chats ,this is still the case. The only difference will be, if you do choose to participate in the in game Chats, then you will do so by using your real name. But only after you've been warned and accepted this in advance.Come again?! "The in game Chats have always been an optional extra..."
Now how the heck can you call a game a Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game if your means of communicating with other players is OPTIONAL!
First of all, when I play, I want to play the make-believe character of my choice. The name is a big part of that experience, as are the names of the other players, too.
Secondly, if I want to play a good single player fantasy game, I go and play Oblivion, Dragon Age:Origins or something else with a concise plot and story. In a multiplayer game I want to be able to communicate with other players, people I group with and so on: thus the chat channel is mandatory, a real part of that experience. A must.
Q.E.D.
Blizzard has decided that WoW, especially after Cataclysm, is in fact a Massive Multiplayer Singleplayer game.
Guild experience is just a facade. Go play alone.
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Optional PS.
Dwism just confirmed that the blues were just spoofs. Never the less, it brings up the question about how far Blizzard had planned to go and how far it will go after all this. Sorry for the misinformation, I was mislead.
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