Will name changes let ninjas run free?
While Robin and I think it's a great idea, some people are in an outcry about the upcoming name-change service that Blizzard is offering. As Monsoon tells Blizzard on the forums:
This is probably the worst ever decision ever made. How are we supposed to track ninjas and retards who may apply to our guild if there is no way to track their name changes?"
Nethaera calmly responds:
Perhaps putting them on an ignore list might help.
The ignore list will be automatically updated once that character's name change gets activated. Of course no system is fool proof, and there will always be someone looking to exploit things, but realistically, is it a terribly big problem if people you consider "ninjas" and "retards" yet are still unwilling to put on your ignore list can change their names once every 90 days?
In my experience, the kind of person who likes to call others "retards" generally isn't very nice themselves, and tends to find new "retards" all the time (with no offense meant to Monsoon here). I don't think it would be possible, even if the ignore list were extended to include a potential thousands of names, for some people to be satisfied that all the "ninjas" and "retards" were sufficiently dealt with and removed from the system
In those rare cases where one particular griefer (or, heaven forbid, a stalker) might have their own personal vendetta against one particular person or guild, however, I can imagine how this sort of thing might present a problem.
Suppose for example, this person's character gets a name-change, and, without realizing it's the same person, you decide to remove them from your ignore list in order to make room for someone else -- then you forget that new name and fail to recognize it when that player approaches you again and pretends to be someone you've never met.... I don't think that's likely to happen, but I could understand if someone was sensitive enough to worry about it.
Fortunately, though, Nathaera says (and I agree):Whether or not we like it, here it comes.
I understand that people are going to focus on the negatives of what could happen, but I have a feeling the fears people are expressing are a bit exaggerated and unlikely to come to fruition. We will of course monitor the effects this has on the community and make any additional changes as we feel are warranted.
