Battle.net!

[Calax]

Just giving a little heads up for those starcrafties who have 0 interest in warcraft or the world there of. As of TODAY (supposedly) Battle.net is being updated to act more like steam. With the ability to friend people based on their account (XXXXX@XXXX.com) rather than just a character or whatever. And then you can open up your friends list and see who's playing what and possibly cuss them out for playing something you hate.

 

 

Anyway here's the official Developer post on the subject.

 

One of our goals for the new Battle.net is to create the framework for an online gaming experience that is even more accessible, more engaging, and more entertaining than the previous Battle.net. Our new Real ID feature is an integral part of this effort, providing you with advanced ways for forming and maintaining meaningful relationships with your friends on the service.

 

Real ID is a completely voluntary and optional level of identity that keeps players connected across all of Battle.net. When you and a friend mutually agree to become Real ID friends, you'll have access to a number of additional features that will enrich your social gaming experience in new and exciting ways.

 

Read the Real ID FAQ for additional details.

 

Real Names for Friends

Your Real ID friends will appear under their real-life names on your friends list, alongside whatever characters they're playing. Gone are the days of having to remember which of your friends is which. You'll also see your friends' real names when chatting, communicating in-game, or viewing their character's profile.

 

Cross-Game Chat

With Real ID, friends can now chat cross-game, cross-realm, and cross-faction across all supported Blizzard games. In World of Warcraft and need more players for your Icecrown Citadel raid? You check your Real ID friends list to see if anyone's available, and sure enough, a couple of guildmates are playing a 2v2 ranked match in StarCraft II. Real ID makes it easy to ask them to come along.

 

Rich Presence

See additional information on your friends list about what your Real ID friends are up to. Find out what your friends are doing and which games and modes they're playing in real time. Invite that buddy just sitting around in Dalaran to play some StarCraft II with you without fear of interrupting a raid or a heated Wintergrasp match.

 

Broadcasts

Broadcast a short status message for all of your Real ID friends to see, whether you want to issue a call-to-arms or let your friends know about an important change of plans. You can also read your friends' broadcast messages on the "Recent Broadcasts" feed on the Battle.net welcome page -- kind of a "corkboard" to leave messages to your friends when offline or busy.

 

Friend Once, See All Characters

When you agree to become Real ID friends with another player, both of you will automatically see all the other's characters on your friends list. You'll even see any characters your friend creates in future Blizzard games, carrying your social network forward and helping you stay connected with the people you enjoy playing with most.

 

and heres the "real id" faqs page

http://us.battle.net/realid/faq.html

[Monte Carlo]

When you and a friend mutually agree to become Real ID friends, you'll have access to a number of additional features that will enrich your social gaming experience in new and exciting ways.

 

When corporate shills speak like this where I work, we refer to it as Bullsh*t Bingo.

[mrmud]

Guessing this isnt live on EU yet?

[Deraldin]

And then you can open up your friends list and see who's playing what and possibly cuss them out for playing something you hate.

 

"Jeez Calax, WoW again? WTF man. Why don't you like, play a good game!"

Edited June 22, 2010 by Deraldin

[Mamoulian War]

Guessing this isnt live on EU yet?

 

Afaik it should lauch with new WoW patch tomorrow... don't hate me if i am mistaken

[Calax]

no, the US launch is today, don't know about the EU launch... it was funny because the WoW forums lit up with "YAY! WE'LL GET A FIRST KILL!" until blizz announced that the dungeon being added won't be activated until the EU and asia get the patch/Bnet update

[Tigranes]

As long as I can play Diablo 3 without getting all sorts of stupid crap forced on me...

 

Wish the bloody social intarwebs fad would die down, this is not where online communities should be going.

[Calax]

Tig, if you wanna get online, you have to get the new bnet

[Mamoulian War]

I bet there will be soon after release LAN crack for SC2 and D3, so hopefuly we will be able to play over hamachi with friends without any social crap...

[Tigranes]

Tig, if you wanna get online, you have to get the new bnet tongue.gif

 

Of course, but look at D2 battle.net. Just make an account, get on, play. Everything needed to enjoy the game is there, and that's it. None of this 'additional functionality' and 'rich experience' and 'be buddy-buddy with us' crap that we're starting to get now. Why did I need to use a Bio Social Network to get my free DLC, for instance?

 

If the core functionalities of chat, friends, matchmaking and connectivity are sound, and the rest is optional, it's all good. If it insists on celebrating your birthday and popping up with promotions every ten seconds, poo.

[Calax]

from the bit I've played in WoW, it doesn't pop up with ads or even run in the backround like steam does. It only comes up with the game, and it will only act to network you between Blizzard games, so if you QTD then you're out of their zone.

[Mamoulian War]

from the bit I've played in WoW, it doesn't pop up with ads or even run in the backround like steam does. It only comes up with the game, and it will only act to network you between Blizzard games, so if you QTD then you're out of their zone.

 

yay... so now we can get more goldselling spam even from some random created battle.net accounts!!!

[Calax]

eh, you get just as many as you would before, the whole real-id thing requires that I ask and you accept a friend invitation.