Notch asks community for permission to track player data in Minecraft
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Mojang's Notch is a smart guy, not only in game design terms but also when it comes to managing his company's 20 million or so Minecraft players. The designer has posted a poll on his personal blog to discover whether his cuboid constituents would feel comfortable with the company collecting various types of anonymous data from its players.
Currently, Mojang only tracks when a player logs into the game. Notch's proposal is to also track "non-private data" like gameplay-session length, your PC's OS type, whether you're playing in single or multiplayer mode and whether you're playing via the client or the web applet. The collected information would then be shared with the community, "as usual."
"Naturally, the data sent will be fully anonymous," said Notch. "So it wouldn't contain any session information or your user name, and it wouldn't send any sensitive information that you might not want to share." To be perfectly honest, we're fairly surprised this kind of data wasn't already being collected. If you're part of the Minecraft nation, you can let your voice be heard by voting for or against anonymous data collection here.
Currently, Mojang only tracks when a player logs into the game. Notch's proposal is to also track "non-private data" like gameplay-session length, your PC's OS type, whether you're playing in single or multiplayer mode and whether you're playing via the client or the web applet. The collected information would then be shared with the community, "as usual."
"Naturally, the data sent will be fully anonymous," said Notch. "So it wouldn't contain any session information or your user name, and it wouldn't send any sensitive information that you might not want to share." To be perfectly honest, we're fairly surprised this kind of data wasn't already being collected. If you're part of the Minecraft nation, you can let your voice be heard by voting for or against anonymous data collection here.
Reader Comments (34)
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 2:54PM DasMadHatter said
Not sure if sold out.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 5:01PM I am a machineee said
@DasMadHatter Or maybe they want to track these things to appeal to the player better. Like "Oh I see we have several people playing on Windows 98, maybe we should implement an option for lower settings just for them" kind of thing
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Posted: Jan 25th 2012 6:32PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@I am a machineee
Optimization? This is Notch we're talking about.
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Optimization? This is Notch we're talking about.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:00PM Granger said
Through a JVM? No thanks.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:02PM The Ogre said
Bad, Notch! Bad! *smacks with a rolled-up newspaper*
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:09PM Guess Who said
Why not just make it opt-in? Lots of games do this.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 7:37PM (Unverified) said
@Guess Who
"I'd rather not have it be an opt-in option, as most casual users would not activate it. But letting people turn it off, sure!" - Notch, via Twitter
Sauce: https://twitter.com/#!/notch/statuses/162177293266075648
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"I'd rather not have it be an opt-in option, as most casual users would not activate it. But letting people turn it off, sure!" - Notch, via Twitter
Sauce: https://twitter.com/#!/notch/statuses/162177293266075648
Posted: Jan 26th 2012 9:58AM The Moof said
@(Unverified)
So, if I understand that tweet right, he knows most people won't go for this if they are explicitly asked. So, instead of asking their permission, he's forcing everyone in, and giving them the option to opt-out, and banking on laziness and/or ignorance to track people.
That's an underhanded dick move, Notch.
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So, if I understand that tweet right, he knows most people won't go for this if they are explicitly asked. So, instead of asking their permission, he's forcing everyone in, and giving them the option to opt-out, and banking on laziness and/or ignorance to track people.
That's an underhanded dick move, Notch.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:11PM CoconutSkittle said
Big Brother is Notching you.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:13PM Marshillboy said
I, for one, have no problem with notch tracking my Minecraft data. It'll probably be in the following format:
Last logged in: 9/3/11
Last logged in: 9/3/11
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:13PM Andrew12h said
Well at least he asked.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 7:35PM Voltanis said
@Andrew12h This. Exactly this.
Whatever your opinion is on data collection, you have to admit it's much more preferable to be asked if you want to share than to find out 2 years from now it has been collected from you the whole time without your knowledge or consent.
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Whatever your opinion is on data collection, you have to admit it's much more preferable to be asked if you want to share than to find out 2 years from now it has been collected from you the whole time without your knowledge or consent.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:16PM Mmmmz said
I don't understand people having an issue with data like this. It's not meant to be resold. It's to help current and future development.
Some internet whining is fairly idiotic, and I should know, I contribute quite a bit of whining online.
Some internet whining is fairly idiotic, and I should know, I contribute quite a bit of whining online.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:28PM Drakkenfyre said
@Mmmmz
The problem is alot of data like that starts out being used to improve something, but eventually ends up being used for marketing data and money.
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The problem is alot of data like that starts out being used to improve something, but eventually ends up being used for marketing data and money.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:35PM Grimbear13 said
@Drakkenfyre and what's wrong with a company making money? If they can use this data that is anonymous data to generate some additional cash that can fund their next project who's to say it won't come out at a lower price point? I must have missed the part where making money is a bad thing. I have a huge problem with certain DLC and "updates" business model where things are being left out to be DLC later. However this kind of addiitonal revenue is nothing to fret about. As stated the information would be when you logged in how long you played what format you played on, but never actually WHO you are.
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Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:37PM danthe57 said
@Drakkenfyre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope
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Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:46PM Drakkenfyre said
@Grimbear13
The more money a company makes with your data, the more data they will want.
It snowballs. Look at Origin, people criticize it for snooping around your system, and reporting back on even programs you have installed.
Steam does this to an extent, too, but they are upfront and honest about it, and you can opt-out.
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The more money a company makes with your data, the more data they will want.
It snowballs. Look at Origin, people criticize it for snooping around your system, and reporting back on even programs you have installed.
Steam does this to an extent, too, but they are upfront and honest about it, and you can opt-out.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 7:27PM Scuffles said
@Grimbear13
"If they can use this data that is anonymous data to generate some additional cash that can fund their next project who's to say it won't come out at a lower price point?"
A long and consistent industry history where price cutting measures and new ways of generating additional income to add to years of record breaking sales have never to date resulted in (insert company) asking its customers to pay less.
Also historically anonymous data is seldom anonymous given a degree of scrutiny.
Tho I personally don't mind, I certainly hope they opt for an opt-in. Would just make me happy as the historical opt-out with some contrived method of opting out (please mail a 3x5 self addressed etc) is also a bit old-hat :P
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"If they can use this data that is anonymous data to generate some additional cash that can fund their next project who's to say it won't come out at a lower price point?"
A long and consistent industry history where price cutting measures and new ways of generating additional income to add to years of record breaking sales have never to date resulted in (insert company) asking its customers to pay less.
Also historically anonymous data is seldom anonymous given a degree of scrutiny.
Tho I personally don't mind, I certainly hope they opt for an opt-in. Would just make me happy as the historical opt-out with some contrived method of opting out (please mail a 3x5 self addressed etc) is also a bit old-hat :P
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:24PM Dazakip said
Can you opt out if you don't want to?
I personally have no problem, but I think it would appease the people who get their knickers in a twist over these things.
I personally have no problem, but I think it would appease the people who get their knickers in a twist over these things.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:45PM Dick Socrates said
He wants to find a pattern amongst the few nutters who still play it. "What is it about these people that mean they don't get bored by my intensely boring un-game? How are they able to put up with the monotany when so many others move on with their lives after about 2 weeks?"
Posted: Jan 26th 2012 6:43AM SoldierShredder said
@Dick Socrates
Name is program, huh?
I personally do not play Minecraft anymore (rarely at least), but I can respect that other people can have a ton of fun with this game. Especially with the community aspect, this game is not as boring as you might think....
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Name is program, huh?
I personally do not play Minecraft anymore (rarely at least), but I can respect that other people can have a ton of fun with this game. Especially with the community aspect, this game is not as boring as you might think....
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:48PM logicbus said
This is fine, as long as it tracks stats on the Lag of Death.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 4:03PM PR0F3TA said
please vote yes, this way notch can optimize the OSX version so that my MBP doesn't sound like a turbine engine.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 4:47PM arucious said
Just 'cuz he asked everyone will say no now
y'know, cuz people just do that -.o
y'know, cuz people just do that -.o
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 5:12PM mezzaninex said
I really don't want him to see all the giant stone dicks I've been making
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 5:56PM Edge of Blade said
Just because you asked nicely, I say yes.
Posted: Jan 25th 2012 8:04PM killer rin said
You know, I respect that he is asking his fanbase if they want it, I personally have no qualms with it, and he just raised a few more up the scale of awesome game Devs
Posted: Jan 26th 2012 12:17AM deejrandom said
...why is it bad? He's asking if he can do it and programs like steam have been doing this for years. It isn't like he's diving in to your data and stealing your Pr0n.







