Is the API invasive?

[typhaon]

If we ever get to the point in the game where there are outfit-owned bases/territory that really matter... like they provide substantial bonuses, etc.. or took a long time to build/decorate/whatever - then I could see your point.

As the game stand now - no. It's a farm-fest... nobody really cares if your outfit has 25 or 250 people online.

[Roy Awesome]

As an outfit leader, I understand your sentiment. TEST has a 25% active ratio which seems like a big deal but doesn't actually tell the whole story. It's very easy for outside observers to make a judgement based on numbers when they have no bearing on the internal workings of an outfit.

Does it make the stats invasive? I don't think so. I usually just laugh at the people who get it wrong. TEST has never recruited someone from inside Planetside 2, we all come from an out of game community. We had a ton of people that tried the game for a few hours then never logged in again. When people tell me that we just openly recruit, frankly I call them idiots.

Stats can only tell you so much, and the joke is on you if you believe that a set of data is the whole story when it comes to anything related to playstyle. Individuals that understand that are the ones you want looking at your stats and analyzing the community. Individuals that go 'LOL NOOB OUTFIT ONLY 15 PLAYERS ONLINE' are just to be ignored or ridiculed.

[bpostal]

As a platoon leader in a larger outfit, sometimes the hardest fuckers to nail down are those in smaller outfits. If you're not careful they'll bounce as soon as they see you coming and if you're especially not careful in player management they can tie up forces two to three times their size playing a little game I like to call 'Hide and go fuck yourself'

[Riekopo]

Yes it is invasive. I understand that I signed a contract with SOE, but I don't want my player information to be public on the internet. It is public on this website.

[maradine]

How, exactly, is that different?

[Sirisian]

I don't feel like the API went far enough. Honestly to pull out any really interesting data I've had to write software that polls the character data hourly into a local database. By itself the actual statistical data they give you is rather tame. I can't think of anything they offer that bothers me. I don't take games seriously though.

[Hamma]

Originally Posted by Riekopo

Yes it is invasive. I understand that I signed a contract with SOE, but I don't want my player information to be public on the internet. It is public on this website.

This website and many others.

Does your virtual characters information being public have any effect on your life? I don't think it does.

[Tatwi]

Originally Posted by Hamma

This website and many others.

Does your virtual characters information being public have any effect on your life? I don't think it does.

"Hey Johnston, I see you spent 41 hours last week playing that Planetstyle game, but you've turned down over time for the last couple months. Starting tomorrow you'll be working 48 hour weeks and if you'd like to keep this job, sign this form that indicates you're willingness to waive over time pay".

Along the same lines, I've read that many potential employers demand read potential recruits private facebook and other social media pages to even be considered for the position.

Sadly, this sort of crap really does happen to people all the time. Welcome to 1984, I guess.

But anyhow, that's the general idea of how "your virtual characters information being public have any effect on your life".

[Babyfark McGeez]

Originally Posted by Tatwi

"Hey Johnston, I see you spent 41 hours last week playing that Planetstyle game, but you've turned down over time for the last couple months. Starting tomorrow you'll be working 48 hour weeks and if you'd like to keep this job, sign this form that indicates you're willingness to waive over time pay".

Along the same lines, I've read that many potential employers demand read potential recruits private facebook and other social media pages to even be considered for the position.

Sadly, this sort of crap really does happen to people all the time. Welcome to 1984, I guess.

But anyhow, that's the general idea of how "your virtual characters information being public have any effect on your life".

While you are right about the increased invasive behaviour of (bad) employers, it still comes down to your personal relation to him.

You don't (read: should not) use your real life name in an online video game, so it''s in your personal judgement wether you want to make that connection to your (public) real life persona.
Personally i choose to avoid it when possible.

[maradine]

Indeed. And for the record, the "OMG employer wants my social media passwords" is illegal in my state, and proposed illegal nationwide as per the Social Networking Online Protection Act.

[Hamma]

Sorry that's hardly an argument. If an employer starts asking for your game character names you may want to consider finding a new employer.

Your kills, deaths and time played are not private information and there is no expectation of privacy with this sort of data.

[MyOdessa]

Of all the real internet privacy issues, game stats are not even in the neighborhood.
I could not care less about my game stats or what anyone think of them.