Chat System 2.0- Rework Of The Basics

[Psychen]

The chat system is a very powerful tool for Online games, it allows players to be more involved with the game as a community. Likewise if that system is faulty, it will inherently hurt the game.

 

Once you move to squad chat you loose contact with the community. Only whispers and alerts will reach you. 

I've been playing since U7, there have been small improvements so far (scrolling, timestamps...), but this system requires much more care for us to truly enjoy it.

I'll leave here some suggestions and feedback on things to improve, please do the same.

Let's try to raise more attention to this matter!

 

 

Current problems worth mentioning

No transparency 

Esc key closes chat

Overly crowded channels 

Alert notifications in all tabs

No Right-click name to invite

Abusive tab amount (Hosting keys is a nightmare, same with whispers and trades)

Missing messages (no minimized tab notifications, orange flash system doesn't help with too many tabs)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

<Possible solutions to the current system>

 

1- One tab to rule them all

 

Here's a print-screen from a chat system used in several other Online games: 

[Path of Exile]

 

Features

-Name Colours for different chat (blind sensitive)

-Toggle [On/off] to see specific chat, un-toggle to close

-Optional servers (or instanced) to filter excessive amount of players

-Over-mouse to view item or to check if you have it (how many) in storage

-Simplified commands for different chats to filter response  (eg. @ # $ % &)

-Right-click name to whisper, challenge for duel, trade, etc (depending on location)

-Toggle [On/off] to close chat window (recent messages appear for a short time only)

 

--------------------------

 

2- Filtering for personalized use

 

This one takes customization to a different level: 

[Guild Wars 2]

 

Features

-Combat/drops notifications

-Make your own tab based on filters [you want whispers and clan in the same tab, sure!]

-Close any tab (you can add it later if you need in the config {eg. remove Alliance and Trading})

-Multiple Chat windows (not tabs, you can put them side by side {useful for trading or ingame meetings})

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

<Other suggestions>

Transparency

-Toggle [0~100%] chat window transparency

-Toggle [On/Off] minimized tab notification (in orange) if someone writes in a tab (current or other)

 

The Esc Key:

-Chat open close key is "T", closing is "Esc" should be optional (dual keybind to T and Esc or toggle [on/off])

 

Userlist

-Right Click on names [in the chat, not userlist]: This is one of the most common topics in this sub-forum

-Remove or Toggle [On/off] to view users (helpful in small clans, not helpful in big windows)

 

Notifications

     Timestamps 

-Useful [On/off], but the reason behind is everyone looses the messages when they're written (most likely by being moved to squad chat)

     Alerts

-Only 1 tab whisper, currently it makes all tabs flash orange

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dedicated to KickBot

You've been growing with us this whole journey and learned from your mistakes. Now lets improve the foundation of your existence!

 

................................................................................................................................

EDIT: Added GW2 chat model. Changed Esc key suggestion to toggle/double bind due to Alighierian  comment.

EDIT 2: Changed topic name to be less aggressive, included spoilers to make it more user-friendly

Edited June 8, 2014 by Psychen

[Zarbain]

Half the problems you have are not really problems. The overly crowded issue is just because they are signed in not that they are doing anything in it but they are there. And alerts notify in every tab except recruiting and trading because those 2 channels don't need anymore spam then they get. And if you don't have the mass amount of tabs it means you get one chat with a ton of spam and shenanigans. The chats are already classified by region other then clan chat, squad chat and personal chat. 

Also the transparency change is not necessary because it is transparent in mission which is what matters. 
All in all I say to most issues you have none of these aren't big issues that need resources to be thrown at. 

Edited June 6, 2014 by Zarbain

[Odadda]

One may suppose the incoming player ships will have some tweak/change to the chat menu. However I'm just speculating, I don't recall anyone said anything about it.

[Zarbain]

One may suppose the incoming player ships will have some tweak/change to the chat menu. However I'm just speculating, I don't recall anyone said anything about it.

I actually never thought what is gonna happen to chat when player ships come since you will be in your character body and not just moving stuff around with telekinesis. 

[sp4rtan148]

I want to follow links in the chat. but nsfw links should kick players.

[CY13ERPUNK]

for almost a year i constantly mentioned chat upgrades on the forums

 

then eventually we got the semi-borked tabs we have now

 

im guessing another year of constant crusading and MAYBE Warframe will get a chat system equivalent to a game made in the late 90s

[Psychen]

Half the problems you have are not really problems. The overly crowded issue is just because they are signed in not that they are doing anything in it but they are there. And alerts notify in every tab except recruiting and trading because those 2 channels don't need anymore spam then they get. And if you don't have the mass amount of tabs it means you get one chat with a ton of spam and shenanigans. The chats are already classified by region other then clan chat, squad chat and personal chat. 

Also the transparency change is not necessary because it is transparent in mission which is what matters. 

All in all I say to most issues you have none of these aren't big issues that need resources to be thrown at. 

 

First thank you for the comment, I do however feel that there is a lot of work needed to improve it.

In term of alerts, we don't need to be notified in squad-clan-alliance-whispers to take notice, they are mistakenly interpreted as messages.

General tab is often empty at certain times and crowded with responses in traffic hours, it should be made more easy to access it and comment to improve its functionality.

Transparency is a commodity for sure, however it is useful even in the menus if you are inside the arsenal/mods/foundry. I imagine it'll be even more important with player ships.

[Alighierian]

 

The Esc Key:

-Chat open close key is "T", it shouldn't close with "Esc".

 

no thanks. Chat should ALWAYS be closable with Esc, as it is a form of 'panic' button to quickly close everything you're doing so you don't die

[Psychen]

no thanks. Chat should ALWAYS be closable with Esc, as it is a form of 'panic' button to quickly close everything you're doing so you don't die

 

I changed my post to include option to toggle on/off / double-bind "T" and "Esc" instead of directly cancel this function. I understand your motive, although it's very frustrating if you're working with multiple windows, for example: {Squad chat + changing gear and mods in arsenal}; {Checking inventory + trade chat}.

 

Right now pressing "Esc" closes the UI window in the highest layer, the functionality you're saying is press "Esc" several times to close everything. But this could also be easily arranged by adding hold "Esc" for example.

[Methanoid]

or allow gui level stuff to be moddable like wow does with its lua scripts, thus allowing for better non standard gui displays, im guessing the playerbase would be able to easily come up with all sorts of ideas to suit even individual frames with a fistload of options/possabilitys.

[CRAFTTHIS]

Another thing that I think would be a good idea is along with the ability to select a persons user name in the chat instead of scrolling through 200 names, is also the ablilty to stop the chat from scrolling up when someone posts. a pause button if you will, for you to click on the user you are wanting to join or PM.

[Psychen]

Another thing that I think would be a good idea is along with the ability to select a persons user name in the chat instead of scrolling through 200 names, is also the ablilty to stop the chat from scrolling up when someone posts. a pause button if you will, for you to click on the user you are wanting to join or PM.

 

There is a soft-solution for that actually, if you scroll up a bit the chat will stop moving. Afterwards you'll need to scroll all the way down for it to continue moving after.

[Zarbain]

I hope you know you don't need to find the people to invite them, you can type /invite

[Methanoid]

I hope you know you don't need to find the people to invite them, you can type /invite

always a pain when someone has a weird huge name that makes no sense, i just give up trying to even type those.

[Scintilus]

BUMP, we need Chat 2.0. I'm sick of having those chat messages in my screenshots.