Forced to use real names on servers?

the_last_name_left said:
But your premises are all wrong.

This is a serious issue imo. I haven't bought rF2 yet, so maybe I'm misunderstanding the situation. But I would be upset about my real name being published through "rF2 world".

There is simply no need to use a real name. It reveals REAL user information - and there is absolutely no need and no purpose served.

Whilst on the other hand, publishing real names raises myriad serious issues.

The premise should not be "what have you to hide?" but rather "what on earth are you doing putting all that information into the public realm for no good reason whatsoever?"

There is no good reason to do so, is there? I can't see how there's any sufficient reason to do so. I'd be fearful of (ISI) getting into litigation and various other troubles from such a policy.

Personally I'd feel very disinclined from using rF2 online if forced to use my real name (which would also appear on the credit card I bought it with, obviously). I'm a big ISI fan, but this seems crazy. I must be misunderstanding something.

So how does it work? Is the name taken from the credit card and purchase? Or do you just enter "your REAL name", or what?

Is there no way to offer the same controls and whatnot when using nicks as using "real names"? I don't see why.


Bad. Bad. Bad.

Let's deal with the consequences of a level of anonymity rather than abolish it.

Let the user decide, at least? ie host and client.
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Spot on analysis. I found it kinda weird that it had the nickname field on signup, then published real names on servers. Some 'social networks' (or marketing networks as I like to call them) force people to use real names, but in my view this is silly also, as people can just make up names in that case. Also there would be many people with the same name, so there's no way to uniquely identify if its just first name and last name. A nickname or gamertag is alot more unique, and you know if a certain nickname is a positive racer or a wrecker pretty soon (even going by practice session driving) and can ban their IP or user ID pretty quickly. Having said that, especially in the current financial climate, its best to avoid ANY risk of identity/credit card theft or other nasty stuff by divulging such personal information to strangers unnecessarily.
 
This is in no way fair to leagues , And leagues is a big part of your money . We make mods tracks and videos that bring people to the game and buy your game . I have raced under the same name since 2001 why change ? we started in DTR2 moved to rfactor and was looking to go to RF2 . give us our tags to show who we are and what we stand for as a team.
 
Personally I think it is important that an online service or game like this has a nickname or real name that can not be changed. A permanent handle that can be used to ban and memorize a player in a way that the desired effect lasts from start to end of the game. Not something the other player can just reset by creating new account for his or her "short term fun".

LFS does this really well. First when you register you choose your permanent nickname that is also your online login name for all official lfs sites. That nickname can be always seen online in the game by other players by pressing alt and shift together. That name is used for kicking, banning and adding team mates among other things.

Then there is the option for users to set an a driver name in the game menus. That is by default shown as your name to others when you are online and can be edited for example to include team tags or can be changed to almost whatever you want. So when you join a race server online your name is shown as nickname(T1specialist) when you join for example. Nickname can be changed to whatever but the one inside the brackets is the permanent one that stays and can not be changed.

I think it is important to remember that the real name that people entered when buying rf2 may not be their real name. Just like in iracing that name is not verified or checked by anyone. It may be the name that was on the credit card they used (mother's, father's, friend's or spouses credit card) or a name they just put in there instead of using their own real name.

For wreckers and other people whose main joy comes from ruining other peoples' fun it is important that their permanent names can be seen and remembered. I think it is nice that real names are used in rf2. But it won't work for long if that procedure isn't enforced. And there is no way to really enforce it. Therefore I think our login names should be used online as our permanent names and then allow us to have another alias that we can change and use how we want. But others should always be able to see our permanent name.
 
T1. But to serve this purpose it's enough if the game used unique player id. Since the game will need the matchmaker to online operation it will be easy to get this info from the player and make local server to ban the driver no matter what credentials he will be using at the time of connection.

the_last_name_left: it goes like this, after going to 'purchase' it goes to 'create account' screen when it asks for your name, surname and nick. Pretty much everyone thinks that first two information are going to be used for the purchase, probably for invoice. Then you're redirected to 'payment' screen when you can pay by card or paypal and that's it. This info goes for invoice, as (imo) it should be but then it's visible in rFactor Launcher, well, allright, let it be but also within the game as this info ALWAYS overwrites same info in plr file during start of the game and also 'nick' line is never used.

In my opinion invoice/account info should never be connected to the ingame so turning off any 'overwrite' process should do the trick once and for all. And no one would have any problems with updates anymore as rfactor.name file would have never been altered.
 
Maybe they can make a toggle for the name you would prefer to use, nick or real,depending on the league as some prefer real and some dont mind ,negating the need to have multiple profiles,but an id must be held 'account end' by isi to cross reference banned players,NO EDITING TO UNBAN YOURSELF
 
Agreed. It's probably either rFactor.credentials or rFactor.okay. It dosn't look easy to make any working alterations to those files to allow matchmaker positively check player so it looks like this feature is on it's way :)
 
I think there should be possibility to replace full name vissible on track and in reports by nickname. it will help leagues which have cms systems with some unified naming conventions. it will also hide real name from search robots.

But I'm voting for possibility to unhide fullname on driver list for informative purposes. In other words, driver should remain to be identified as it is now, but it should be posisble to replace full name by nickname in some situations (result files, label on car)
 
This method does not work, the method going to local disk users,username,appdata,roaming,.rfactor, rfactorname open this in note pad there will be 3 lines delete them all put your race name you want in one line down from top save it then goto properties of the notepad file and change to read only and viola it works, only your name will show when you launch game, as soon as you join server it will be your new race name :)
MS7XWDC said:
C:\Users\Ali\Documents\rFactor2\UserData\player

Player Name="Alain Nabizada"
Player Nick="Alain Nabizada" * Change this one

does this work, can anybody confirm ? what, if any, are the advantages / disadvantages of using 1 method over another ?
[assuming there are 2 methods]
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I found the file (rFactor.name) that will allow my name change from my surname to my pseudonym, Moe Faster, and it works on 2 servers I have tried online just fine. I have been using this racing persona for a long time, and I prefer to keep using it, I will respond to Moe both on and off the internet. My motorcycle riding brothers and sisters even call me Moe, probably because it is also my email address and on my Facebook page.

I have seen that someone has posted a method for altering the file, I guess my concern is what if any would be the ramifications of this alteration if any ?

It's all about having a choice, so please don't let the hotheads in this thread get to you.

GREAT WORK on RF2 btw.
 
Chances are your real name can be found all over the web so what's the problem?

1. You have been a very naughty boy or girl and don't want everybody your racing to know that.
2. Your an adult who says to everybody that you hate games but secrectly love them and play all the time.No more with real names.
3. You're a good clean racer in a league but you love to bring havoc on public servers sometimes. I know a few d#mbass#s who do that.
4. In the future your a rebel leader and SKYNET has you on the "Terminate" list. You can't hide anymore...DING DONG... "Andy Mcphee?" "Yes...?" "BANG...BANG..BANG"...Terminated...next.
5. A million and one other reasons only human nature can think of.


Enough of the jokes, on my opinion using real name makes you drive better, you're maybe thinking more about your reputation and honor.

Nickname use Option for Host +1.
Good idea also showing when connected who is behind the nickname. Option for Host also maybe?
 
Jaageri said:
Chances are your real name can be found all over the web so what's the problem?

1. You have been a very naughty boy or girl and don't want everybody your racing to know that.
2. Your an adult who says to everybody that you hate games but secrectly love them and play all the time.No more with real names.
3. You're a good clean racer in a league but you love to bring havoc on public servers sometimes. I know a few d#mbass#s who do that.
4. In the future your a rebel leader and SKYNET has you on the "Terminate" list. You can't hide anymore...DING DONG... "Andy Mcphee?" "Yes...?" "BANG...BANG..BANG"...Terminated...next.
5. A million and one other reasons only human nature can think of.


Enough of the jokes, on my opinion using real name makes you drive better, you're maybe thinking more about your reputation and honor.

Nickname use Option for Host +1.
Good idea also showing when connected who is behind the nickname. Option for Host also maybe?
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Agreed, which is why our league changed to real names only this year.
 
Please allow nicknames and changes etc. just like in rF1. I don't care for argueing why, opponents can probably turn everything around by the old "it doesn't hurt you if you did nothing wrong or don't have bad intentions or anything to hide", wich is a fallacy as old as debate itself and something wich this is not about at all. This is about personal preference.

I'm not against servers having the option to force real names, but it should show that in the server-info at least. Having options is always better.
 
Jaageri said:
Enough of the jokes, on my opinion using real name makes you drive better, you're maybe thinking more about your reputation and honor.
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Hutch-SCO said:
Agreed, which is why our league changed to real names only this year.
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Why would it make me drive better? I try to drive safe and best I can no matter what name I am using. Why did it make you drive better? Because you will try harder if you're using your real name? Well, that leads to a simple conclusion that you're one of those who otherwise would or could have been banned, don't you? Since it's your main argument I don't see any reasons to think otherwise... Well... not all of us are like you...


People who feel such great need to use their real names online are simply exhibitionists. Sharing all your personal stuff with everyone else in the whole world.
 
There is a very real need to use nicks in-game because of security. We all play online against people of all nationalities, but I also know that there are several sim racers within 100 miles of me. I have chatted and TeamSpeak chatted with many of these guys and I know they are good guys, however I don't know all the sim racers in my area ll that well. And especialy with younger sim racers, security online is a VERY real issue.

Some guys take racing too seriously and on-track things can get heated up. We supply our names and where we live and it's no stretch of the imagination to think what could happen if one unstable person decided to do an internet search on you with a real name. Even if they never physically threaten you, someone could make your life a living hell with your email addresses and phone number.

In an ideal world, using real names online strips away some anonymity and may make people feel obliged to be race more conscientiously. However, for a GAME the security risk is not worth it.
 
Guy Moulton said:
Some guys take racing too seriously and on-track things can get heated up. We supply our names and where we live and it's no stretch of the imagination to think what could happen if one unstable person decided to do an internet search on you with a real name. Even if they never physically threaten you, someone could make your life a living hell with your email addresses and phone number.
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Yeah, because starting from nickname makes it impossible. HA HA ;)

BTW: I love Jaageri's answer ;)
 
It's probably something to do with cultural differences then i guess...:o

Well, i'm not a member of Facebook or any other social network or like walking on a nude beach so i don't see myself as a exhibitionist at all.:rolleyes:
I've always tried to go by the rules in any game or in real life probably because how my parents and grandparents raised me.

As i'm an old geek i'm not a fast driver so i try to keep out of the way and do the best i can and to finnish always.

There's just something that makes me want to perform better for my name, yes i blame my parents for that definitely.
They planted it deeply in my mind to not bring bad karma to our family name!;)

Honour and respect for using real names in races!:cool:
 
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