Real ID was something I was really excited about when I heard about it at blizzcon last year. However it has three fatal flaws from the perspective of a guild master.

Guild Masters want to just play the game sometimes.
Guild Masters don't know and can't be expected to remember the names of the people on Real ID.
Minor Children are exposing thier information.


I have been an officer in large raid guilds. I have been the GM of larger casual guilds. The real ID system would allow me to play other games or other factions and still not miss out on the dumb stuff that happens in guild that you need to take care of before it gets out of hand. What a great tool to stay informed.

However you can never escape it. I don't mind being an unpaid suedo blizzard help desk but sometimes I just want to play the game myself and hang up my GM hat. Help me! If you have a really bad day you only have a DnD option. If that is on people start calling my phone because they know I am on line or msg my friends and family to get me. - No this does not happen remotely as often when i am not logged in at all.- Must be some attribute of human nature to assume you are on so you are availaible... even with the DnD on. We NEED a hide your online status option! I had to buy a second wow account not connected to my main battle net as a solution to this issue. Many GMs can not afford this fix.

Major issue number 2. I have known Dogface, Swiftshade, and Monkeypox for almost 6 years. When their real id names come up I have no freaking idea who these people are. I have never played one day of the game with John Smith and Joe Moffit. I don't know who they are and if they quit for a few months I have to learn their real names all over again! There needs to be a game tag option where you can set it to display the name of your main instead of your real name that no one knows. There should also be an option to set a note next to the name like you can on your normal list.


Also some of my Guild Mates are MINOR CHILDREN. My guild rule is they are NEVER to give their real names or locations ever!!!! Real ID makes me feel very unconfortable. Many parents are not as involved as they should be and are not aware parental controls even exist and these kids are at risk. Id like to have the option to tell these kids to change to an ingame name on their real id for their own safety. I have had several expirences over the years with sex offenders in wow (and pretty much every other online game or social setting) and take this issue very seriously. For the most part wow is a safe fun place for everyone but it is not worth the potential danger not to add this feature to give me a tool to provide a safer game for my Minor Guild mates.