Author Topic: Does real world identity doesn't matter if/when City of Heroes comes back?  (Read 26073 times)

Vee

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My given name is Shawn, but my real name is Ryu anyways so I prefer Ryu in real life and on the net.

Which way do you go if there's a Shawn and a Ryu bathroom?

Minotaur

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I've been to a number of RL meets and also post on CoH and other game FBs under my real name, so many people know who I am anyway.

LaughingAlex

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Some people may have figured out my rl identity thanks to facebook, but i tend to keep that to a minimum because i do not wish trolls to attack my real life identity.  I am even considering a second alias specifically for the purpose of privacy if coh comes back.
Currently; Not doing any streaming, found myself with less time available recently.  Still playing starbound periodically, though I am thinking of trying other games.  Don't tell me to play mmohtg's though please :).  Getting back into participating in VO and the successors again to.

ryuplaneswalker

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Which way do you go if there's a Shawn and a Ryu bathroom?

Home because using public bathrooms are worse than being lost than Oranbrega.

slickriptide

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When I google Slickriptide I come up with 3,860 results, and three of the "Images for Slickriptide" feature my actual face.

I'm pretty sure that anybody who was truly dedicated to finding out my "secret identity" would be able to do so without much trouble.

I normally don't advertise my real name and address and etc... just because it's not relevant. The only situation I can see where I might correlate the two things (Slickriptide and my offline identity) is drawing some connection between something on a forum or in a game, and something on a social media site like Facebook where the person might only know me by my everyday identity. For instance, one of the "Remember CoH" groups on Facebook, or my old supergroup on Facebook that still occasionally communicate with each other.

Otherwise, I don't see where "real world" identity really comes into things in reference to a game and its social environment. (Though, I would dearly love to know who Venture was and what he did for a living. I always pictured him as some sort of cynical English Lit professor.)


Safehouse

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A bit late to this discussion, but in response to OP, I think this all comes down to personal preference. I'm a sporadic poster on here - come in and lurk multiple times a day, but only post occasionally. When I'm really missing the game, my presence is much more pronounced, and I'll post many times on a given day. In all the time I've been here, I've never shared my irl name.

Everyone here is very kind, and there are of course some well known posters here for whom I have respect that is akin to "rockstar idolization," but I have not personally been well known. That said, if I communicate with folks and make some good friends on this forum, I might SOMEDAY reveal my real name PRIVATELY.

Now, since the shutdown I have played two MMOs: Final Fantasy XIV and The Secret World. I currently play and love both, although TSW is more my style than FFXIV. In XIV, I have joined a Free Company (guild) and have made some close friends with whom I have bonded in real life as well as in-game. These people have been there for me and with me while I have suffered from depression, sudden deaths, illness, difficult living situations. They have also been there when I have finished my book, gotten engaged, found a new job, and new home. It was only after a long period of connection and bonding - over two years in this game - that I finally revealed my real name and some information about the "IRL Me." Even then, I only told that information privately to people who I trusted most.

That isn't to say that I "only share that information with people who are worthy." I am, quite simply, extremely guarded with my personal information. I'll be happy to share my struggles with mental disorder and excitement about my books, of course. However, sharing details about who I am and where I can be found I treat very differently.

As with many of these things YMMV. You're welcome to share as much or as little information as you are comfortable sharing, but I guard my "real identity" somewhat selfishly.
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Dev7on

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I can't believe this thread was just a speculation/theory but, now it's became reality. I've come to conclusion that it's up to the person. I've been seeing a lot of live streamers that plays the game so it doesn't really matter.  ;)

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I am Starro. 

Abraxus

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We'll see how it goes, though I'm not sure what is accomplished by taking off the mask, so to speak.  I typically play with a group of folks who know exactly who I am, and I interact with a lot more folks via forums, and Discord who I will likely never attain the comfort level to go any further than what appears in the chat windows.
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Taceus Jiwede

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I personally would always encourage caution on the internet.  Anonymity is a good thing, and while someone who REALLY wants to/knows how to could find out whatever they wanted about you already.  It is always smart to make it a little harder.

Now it probably wouldn't be an issue, considering there are plenty of streamers who play and you can find their real name in their profile.  But I always say why to risk it if you don't have to.  I can't think of any beneficial reason for using your real name so I would personally encourage caution.

Korbian

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Re: Does real world identity matter if/when City of Heroes comes back?
« Reply #30 on: June 24, 2019, 02:26:57 PM »
Sorry, I don't mean to be the grammar police but the title of this thread makes me writhe in discomfort.

On Topic:  If you have things you want to keep private, be anonymous.  If you don't care, then don't.  It's a personal preference, or I'm sure in some cases, a necessity, but still up to the individual.

I can't believe this thread was just a speculation/theory but, now it's became reality. I've come to conclusion that it's up to the person. I've been seeing a lot of live streamers that plays the game so it doesn't really matter.  ;)

Yes, it's very cool that the game came back.  Did you ever doubt that it would?  I never had any doubt, personally. ;)

WanderingAries

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I'm not going to directly answer this, but here's how I've "lived" online for the entirety of my digital existence.

Even down to my email, I have a "RL/Business" type email and I have a "Gaming/Online Persona" type email. Now the point isn't to hide my identity so much as to actually allow me to be more open with my personality. IRL I have to hold back VERY much so because my personality can get quite out there, quite reserved, or simply confusing to most people. So Much so that it'll quite easily cause a distancing and/or separation between others and myself. So yes, this fragmentation makes its way to the digital realm.

Online this persona is intentionally gender neutral. Not because I'm part of the "community", but because the various aspects of my personality tends to cross boundaries that cause confusion and I HATE being misunderstood as it is. I've found in life that we have a habit of extending our (gender, ethnic, age, etc) templates onto those we interact with in order to satisfy that part of our minds that likes to classify someone. It's just an extension of our social selves to want to be grouped (even the introverted/hermits) only in reverse. My "self" is just too varied and I've found that when people know some of who I am (demographically) it can alter our interactions. Now I don't mind if somebody knows and I don't lie about it either. I just Be myself if that makes sense.

Steering back to the game, this is probably WHY I've enjoyed *coughs*altitis*coughs* the game so much. I can create an alt and push a part of my personality Into that build. Then through play/customization/etc I can Be myself. Granted, the concept is borderline multiple personality disorder, but damn it does help TBH. To be able to play And be myself at the same time and not have to worry about being thought of as a false presenter or the like. The game has also been a nice outlet for my general creativity...as loosely as that truly is applicable.

Hopefully this all came out as intended. My eyes have been extra messed up this week and it's a bit blurry.
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