I remember seeing a post that was a question about wacking. Immediately I realized the person had to be a hitter, because a prowacker wouldn't need that information. By anonymous posts this can be avoided.

See those rules would be reasonable.

Personally? I'd post anonymously about anything to do with guns or BGs. Maybe even if I had a strong opinion about some other topic that maybe would make me uncomfortable posting as my current IG name. Hell I might even post a suggestion anonymously if I really felt that paranoid about it.

I can't answer for anyone elses reasons but I would be glad at times for the ability to post anonymously.

Just because someone asks a question about a feature, doesn't mean you can automatically assume what their character does. Maybe they are asking for someone else. There are plenty of ways to go about getting information that doesn't reveal things about your character, just the few enkindle gave for example. I still feel, even with the heavy restrictions this is not a good idea, because of the abuse factor. If you are not clever or crafty enough to get the information without revealing things you don't want revealed, that is not something the game should have to make up for. It is also not for the game to keep others from assuming things about people and their characters.

Cassi - There is potential for abuse in everything. Even the graduated tributes that was recently passed. In this aspect its only being discussed as an OOC feature not in the Streets. A lot of people will assume things from what someone posted. Doesn't make them always right but it sure does make people speculate a lot.

enkindle - I have never liked to rely on people for my stuff which is why I mentioned it. Thank you for the offer, I will gladly take you up on it if this somehow doesn't go through.

I would not even think of it for anything but OOC.

Tbh, I should've made this a little bit clearer. I wouldn't want to see this used in the outside or even OOC forums - just as a base for users to 'anonymously' ask questions about game changes in news/announcements. The staff would be able to see who the posters are, but other regular users wouldn't. I should imagine when something like the death wb change was implemented, or the new bg system, dozens of mails asking the same question but wanting to be private were received by admin. A simple public-yet-anonymous post would've solved this. If the admins don't mind answering these mails and so on, then it's really not an issue, I suppose.

"Just because someone asks a question about a feature, doesn't mean you can automatically assume what their character does." I think that's a little contrary, if I'm honest. If someone cares enough about a game change to post on the topic regarding it and ask questions, then it's obviously an aspect of the game they are interested in. Could they be posting on behalf of a friend? Of course, but it's far more likely that they're asking a question on behalf of...themselves. Occams Razor and all that. Tbh, with the current game environment, it's not rocket science to figure out what people are doing with their accounts, but that doesn't mean you should be able to garner that information by what you post in the announcements forum.

A simple deterrent would be: If anyone is using the feature for abuse/harrassment, they get a 3 strike system: Stike 1 = Warning. Strike 2 = Public Disclosure of who the anonymous poster is and anonymous posting privileges revoked. Strike 3 = admin wack. I don't think the users are being given enough credit here. Users who already send abusive mails and make abusive posts are dealt with existing measures with admin jail/wack and bans. Users who don't already make abusive posts still wouldn't if given the option to do so anonymously because they'd know the admins could still see who they were and the same punishments would apply to them anyway.

Sadly, I've been an incog poster. In fact one of my old threads just got renewed... I got bloodlined for it.... and yet... I still can't say that there should be a reason for anonymous posting. It'll just get cruel and so on. You should have to pay for your words or I guess if you're good at going incog... then you can get away with it. etc.

SpikeSpiegel. I don't think anyone is meaning that you shouldn't pay for your words in the RP perspective in the Streets. It's more for News and Announcements (and I would extend it to Game Suggestions). And for that you shouldn't pay for asking a question or speaking an opinion. From my perspective.

Correct me if I'm wrong of course.

Well, considering that as well, I'll refer back to what I said... "It'll just get cruel..." The fact that Noah had to mention a strike system... is a bit too much for me. 

There is a respectful manner to comment on the News and Announcements, and also the Game Suggestions page. You can disagree in a way that won't offend. It's when people tend to get a bit too upset... and make fools of themselves... that they get in trouble. The same can be said concerning any facet of the game. 

Actually, I got admin jailed as a RHM to a CL and the member which was abusive in a Suggestions thread also got admin jailed and eventually admin wacked. So, yes, punishments extend beyond just the streets. The ability for abuse is much higher in this possible feature, than in the feature you singled out that you are against. For one thing, very few people have access to the graduated tributes feature. Every user has access to this.

As Spike said, there are ways to get your opinions voiced and expressed without conflict. There are ways to get questions answered without revealing things about your character. This is just not needed, especially with the restrictions that would accompany it.

Hmm.

I'm not so much on the fence with this one, so much as on one side of it and trying desperately to understand the other.

I can see that there are reasons why people might want to post anonymously, but for me, I just don't find those reasons viable and into the bargain, from what enkindle said, there would be a hell of a lot of work involved for admins to implement this - plus, I agree with Cassi in that the rate of abuse would rocket, therefore creating even more hassle for admins.

I'm of the opinion that if you've got something to say, then do so, provided you can express yourself appropriately. If you can't, then you probably shouldn't say it. If it's a question, that's exactly what helpdesk is there for and there are a multitude of means of having questions answered without revealing pertinent information about your IG character.

Experience plays a huge role in this game and it is experience which teaches you methods such as these. If newcomers could come along, post anonymously and learn all (or even some) the tricks of the trade within a week, it wouldn't be half as much fun. The whole point is, you stick around, play the game and learn this stuff along the way.

Just my two cents.

If the option gets implemented, enkindle's said that there would be a certain age at which you'd be able to post anonymously, preventing new players from posting anonymously.

I can't comment more on why I agree with this. I stated it and even the circumstances that I, myself, may use such a feature. Granted not everyone is the same and some people may just be douches with it but I think majority of players will use it with respect.

Experience has taught me to not speak my opinion because sometimes those at the top will twist things.. I learned this from experience. Which is why I don't often post a disagreement or even an agreement in any aspect of the game. Paranoid? Maybe.

Cassi - Graduated Tributes was just an example of something recent that had a lot of possibility for abuse. I haven't expressed an opinion on it via Game Suggestions or any venue within the game itself.

Ah yes I have posted my disagreement with Graduated Tributes. I had forgotten. Strike that from my previous comments.

It should always at least be an option. In my opinion it's better to have an unused feature than not have it but wish to use it.

But in that scenario, the coding of the unused feature takes up valuable space, time and effort better employed for features that will be used.

Also, it could be said that new players remain new for quite some time, probably extending beyond the boundaries of what enkindle suggested. The feature would still allow relative new comers to unlock too much of the game's mystery too quickly, provided of course that their questions were answered, and naturally if the questions are posed to admins they are bound to be answered.

As for Sorche's statement about those at the top 'twisting' opinions, I'll say first and foremost that this is something that happens throughout the MR hierarchy. It is not exclusive to those perched at the top, never has been and never will be. It's the risk you take with speaking your mind. Besides, this is a subjective matter and bears no relevance to the topic at hand.

The coding is already in place for PC members to use redacted text. I'm no expert but one would assume that posting anonymously as a user in the announcements forum would work in a similar fashion. Off the top of my head, subjects people might not want to post 'publicly' on, or ask questions about whilst divulging their IG character:

Wacking
Bodyguards
Anything relative to HQ costs/forts/defense (a change may be made to these and a person may want to know more as they're thinking of illegitimately purchasing an HQ!)
Credit purchases with RL money. (I know 2 or 3 people who buy credits with their debit card but dont really want it to be public knowledge)

These are just the things are that coming to mind immediately. Coming up are big changes to the way the game is played, with the introduction of districts etc and invariably there will be lots of questions and comments.

As both a player who would rather speak to admins in private over things I consider to be of a 'sensitive' nature and as an ex helpdesk and ex assistant who was bombarded with the same question from several different people when some new feature were implemented (for the reason of not wanting to ask in public), it really seems like a basic change for me, I don't understand why people are so opposed.

Tbh, I was debating whether to just stick it in 'little shit that bugs you' at one point! If it's a massive job, I can understand the logic behind not subverting coding hours into it, but if it is (like I thought it wouldve been) a similar concept to redacted text, then in the long term it should surely save staff more time?

I think the argument regarding abuses of the system is disingenuous incidentally. People can abuse the system now by sending out massmails, posting nonsense and harassing mails and spamming personals. If anyone breaks the rules in any way, the are measures in place to handle it. Why would this be any different?