From the official forums:

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Some news to share about how to signup for the TSW beta for those that don't have or don't want to use the option over Facebook:

Q: Is there any other way to register that does not require Facebook Connect?
A: The second phase of the experience will rely heavily on social networking functionality such as the ability to recruit friends and turn them into agents. But if you only want to signup for the beta without taking part in the second phase of the Secret War, you can go to https://register.funcom.com/tsw_beta/ where Facebook is not required.

Please note that you won't be able to take part in the second phase of The Secret War if you signup over this new option. But it gives everyone the choice.

Thanks


P.S. The FAQ has been adjusted accordingly

__________________
Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz
Senior Community Manager

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Originally posted by Shoob

From the official forums:

---

 

Some news to share about how to signup for the TSW beta for those that don't have or don't want to use the option over Facebook:

Q: Is there any other way to register that does not require Facebook Connect?
A: The second phase of the experience will rely heavily on social networking functionality such as the ability to recruit friends and turn them into agents. But if you only want to signup for the beta without taking part in the second phase of the Secret War, you can go to https://register.funcom.com/tsw_beta/ where Facebook is not required.

Please note that you won't be able to take part in the second phase of The Secret War if you signup over this new option. But it gives everyone the choice.

Thanks


P.S. The FAQ has been adjusted accordingly

__________________
Oliver 'Tarib' Kunz
Senior Community Manager

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Of cause you don't need to:

"Doing so will allow you to participate in phase two, where you will get to expand the influence of your secret society through a web-based community game where you can unlock achievements, in-game rewards usable at launch, 
and even guaranteed beta access."

It's shady business just like their Bait and Switch with AoC, giving everyone the impression the game is like Tortage by limiting open beta access just to find out that the rest of the game had nothing to do with the quality of tortage!

Originally posted by lizardbones

 

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I have access to the API too. Now that I've actually read it. :-) Here's a breakdown of the permissions.

Access my basic information
Includes name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, l...See More
This is required for any Facebook app to function and is the 'basic' level of access required. It is the information that is available publicly or by default through Facebook. This is what you are sharing with any Facebook application that you use. It's also what you're pretty much sharing with the world, depending on how well Facebook is protecting your information.

Required
Send me email
The game is going to send you an email to the email address you've registered through Facebook.

Required
Access my profile information
Interests and Current City
Whatever you've listed as an 'Interest' or put in the 'City' field of your profile.

Required
Access information people share with me
Current Cities
What cities are the people sharing information with you in?

Required
Post to my Wall
The Secret War may post status messages, notes, photos, and videos to my Wall
They want to post things to your 'wall' for other people to see. This is so other people you know may become interested in TSW.

So, now I do know what I'm talking about. The information that is above and beyond what every other Facebook app needs to function amounts to whatever you put in the 'Interests' and 'City' field of your Facebook profile and whatever people who post to your wall put in their 'City' profile. They want to send you emails and to post to your wall.

 

As a developer you have the choice if you want the user to be required to share this access. You can write an app, even a game without the user accepting any of this. Let it go, you obviously have never writtn a facebook app.

"Oh My God!!! All my secrets in Facebook are going to be released!!! Oh My God!!! What to do? Shame on you Funcom!! Shame on you!!" LOL!! U people are hilarious!!

Originally posted by LoboMau

"Oh My God!!! All my secrets in Facebook are going to be released!!! Oh My God!!! What to do? Shame on you Funcom!! Shame on you!!" LOL!! U people are hilarious!!

I think it's more like

"WTF, why is TSW spamming all my friends with ads for this game!?"

I think the real question is why do they want your facebook info ?  I'm not going to grant someone access to my facebook info that I do not know. This game may turn out good but with the monthly fee+microtransaction and now the facebook info there is now way I'm playing the game.

Is there something in the water that makes people paranoid?  Guess I should be thankful to be on a well... Maybe all that flouride really is a government mind control drug.

You guys do realize that anything you put on facebook is essentially open to anyone who really wants to get it don't you?  Please tell me that you don't honestly believe that Funcom is spying on you.  Funcom a front for homeland security...

If you're worried about spam being issued through your account, you shouldn't be.  Most apps/etc that request access to facebook require your permission before posting anything.

WAR did the same thing in their pre-launch and yet EA hasn't seized control of your bank account have they?

Really just put the koolaid down and back away from the computer.  I think some people have had their brains fried from staring at their monitor too long.

You can play it down all you want, deflect with sarcasm or call people paranoid. The facts are that Funcom is going to use a huge userbase as their personal advertisement bots and has the ability to create huge amounts of revenue from the information extracted from these accounts.

P2P + MicroTrans + Advertisment Revenue

This is going too far and the poll shows that the majority of gamers do not like to be milked like that.

Originally posted by taus01

It's shady business just like their Bait and Switch with AoC, giving everyone the impression the game is like Tortage by limiting open beta access just to find out that the rest of the game had nothing to do with the quality of tortage!

I think this is the actual root of the whole "FC wants my data!' venting: apparently, reading from what you write you seem to have a grudge or dislike against FC, so now everything that they do triggers a 'seeing it as negative as possible' mode when it comes to TSW or FC. It isn't so much about FB, but about FC that you don't seem to trust in anything they do. Am I right?

Originally posted by augustgrace

Is there something in the water that makes people paranoid?  Guess I should be thankful to be on a well... Maybe all that flouride really is a government mind control drug.

My guess from what I've read in this thread and some other threads is that some people still haven't quite gotten over their AoC traumatic experience or FC grudge, nor do I expect that they ever will. While it's good to be sceptic, it makes sense that people who regard FC in as negative a light as possible, whether justly or unjustly or reasonably, will see everything that FC does in the darkest possible scenario and motives, as if the devil himself was trying to trick you.

Not that it isn't common sense to be cautious with everything personal that you put into FB and be smart about it, of course.

Originally posted by MMO.Maverick

Originally posted by taus01

It's shady business just like their Bait and Switch with AoC, giving everyone the impression the game is like Tortage by limiting open beta access just to find out that the rest of the game had nothing to do with the quality of tortage!

I think this is the actual root of the whole "FC wants my data!' venting: apparently, reading from what you write you seem to have a grudge or dislike against FC, so now everything that they do triggers a 'seeing it as negative as possible' mode when it comes to TSW or FC. It isn't so much about FB, but about FC that you don't seem to trust in anything they do. Am I right?

 

Originally posted by augustgrace

Is there something in the water that makes people paranoid?  Guess I should be thankful to be on a well... Maybe all that flouride really is a government mind control drug.

My guess from what I've read in this thread and some other threads is that some people still haven't quite gotten over their AoC traumatic experience or FC grudge, nor do I expect that they ever will. While it's good to be sceptic, it makes sense that people who regard FC in as negative a light as possible, whether justly or unjustly or reasonably, will see everything that FC does in the darkest possible scenario and motives, as if the devil himself was trying to trick you.

 

Not that it isn't common sense to be cautious with everything personal that you put into FB and be smart about it, of course.

If you take the time to look i have posted many times that i look forward to TSW since it offers a fresh new scenarion away from Dwarves and SciFi. I was intrigued to see the mixture of conspiracy theories and urban legends. I was very much looking forward to the game.

But, it seems that Funcom did indeed, disapoint once again with bad ideas and shady business practices.

[Mod Edit]

Didn't they just announce that you no longer need FB to subscribe for beta? Doubt that after the beta now being FB free, they will make it mandatory at launch.

1 I have NEVER had any app/page/etc that I've linked to my facebook post something to my facebook.  Furthermore I've NEVER heard of a friend on my facebook recieving some unsolicted ad.

2) Don't put anything on the internet that you don't want someone to know.  I'd worry more about the datamining facebook does and sells to advertisers than funcom, or google for that matter.

If you don't like funcom that is fine, but don't try to muddy the water with bizarre conspiracy theories.

Easy enough to have a fake Facebook account.  They can sell that information to anyone they please!

no need for facebook now, if you go to the website you can register with or without facebook access

You can sign up for beta without touching your precious facebook

Q: Is there any other way to register that does not require Facebook Connect?
A: The second phase of the experience will rely heavily on social networking functionality such as the ability to recruit friends and turn them into agents. But if you only want to signup for the beta without taking part in the second phase of the Secret War, you can go to https://register.funcom.com/tsw_beta/ where Facebook is not required.

http://www.darkdemonscrygaia.com/showthread.php?t=21157

I know they released the non-fb beta sign ups today but i find it pretty funny that a lot of people are shocked/paranoid/amazed/baffled etc etc about this.

If your so afraid they might spam your friends or find out that you have a social life past the computer (shocker ! i know) then why did you plug in your internet cable in the first place ? Trust me when i say if someone want's to find out something about you then they will be it through face book or other means, same goes for (ab)using said info.

I wonder what some of these people do when subscribing to an mmo, cable company,ISP or anything else you can get a subscription on/need to provide info for.

Originally posted by Tirinas

I know they released the non-fb beta sign ups today but i find it pretty funny that a lot of people are shocked/paranoid/amazed/baffled etc etc about this.

If your so afraid they might spam your friends or find out that you have a social life past the computer (shocker ! i know) then why did you plug in your internet cable in the first place ? Trust me when i say if someone want's to find out something about you then they will be it through face book or other means, same goes for (ab)using said info.

I wonder what some of these people do when subscribing to an mmo, cable company,ISP or anything else you can get a subscription on/need to provide info for.

But don't you know?  THOSE strangers are more trustworthy, unlike FunCom who might just use my information to stalk me and then steal my stamp collection.

Originally posted by augustgrace

1 I have NEVER had any app/page/etc that I've linked to my facebook post something to my facebook.  Furthermore I've NEVER heard of a friend on my facebook recieving some unsolicted ad.

2) Don't put anything on the internet that you don't want someone to know.  I'd worry more about the datamining facebook does and sells to advertisers than funcom, or google for that matter.

If you don't like funcom that is fine, but don't try to muddy the water with bizarre conspiracy theories.

I agree. Some scepsis and caution is healthy, going overboard with it is not.

Good point regarding the FB teams themselves, too.

Oh well.. they opened beta signups without fb integration now

Who cares about The Secret War, there is enough conspiracy theories in this thread alone to play the entire game. Its nice to see people getting into the swing of things. oh wait

oh you skeptics, don't like it, don't play it, don't whine about it. Every single facebook game requests this kinda of access to your fb information, take Bioware's Dragon Age Legends, exact same thing. If you are dumb enough to put any personal details other than name and email on it, and birthday maybe, your info probably got stolen already, funcom won't be the first.

And apparently North Korea has enough nuclear weapon to turn the world into Fallout 4, go hide in your vault 101 now the sky is falling tomorrow.

EDIT: I just checked my fb for any info I want to take off, and lol just realise how nerdy it is, half the stuff is made up Grey Warden :P 

In War - Victory.

In Peace - Vigilance. 

In Death - Sacrifice.