"In-Game" Communications

[mrmr]

Hello
I'm not sure if this has been already discussed, but i think some clarification are needed.

First, i'm STRONGLY against any form of "global" communication, so be prepared.
I think this would kill most of the RP aspects of the game imo.
So, i really hope there'll not be any /general or /guild channels anywhere.
The only available way to communicate should be just local.

So you can use /say /whisper /yell only...all of these with their own range.
i think this way, we would have more "guild" meetings and such...

Yuo look for adventurers? go to a city and ask ppl around...shout...whisper...whatever...
but a /city "LF Mate to slay a dragon" is a nogo for me.
Another good thing would be have a "messageboard" in cities and taverns around, where everyone can post anything (with a voting system maybe, to scrap spam/stupid messages out)

Also, mails shoulnd't be "instant" as well, but they should have a "travel-time". (are mails "universal/global"? or they need a "localtion" recipient?)
The more distant is the recipient, the more time it takes to arrive.
I'm not sure...but i think all of these would make the game more interesting.

ohh, there should be the possibility of /tells, but only a "magical" form of it.
Example:
Mage cast "Talk to Necklace" spell.
now, the "necklace" wearer can "talks" with the mage casting the spell, for a limited amount of time.
This spell should be WAY expensive anyway.


After all this bramble, i know that if those "global" chat forms will not make it in game, people will use "external" programs to achieve this, like IM, ts, ventrilo etc, but the point is that would be like @exploiting@ game mechanics.
If the game isn't meant to have a "global" chat...why should you use an extern one??

EDIT:
i added the "guild" chat only possibilty, but i think that would be wrong too.
Simply cause it's a "global" chat anyway.
I think guildies should meet each other in a form of HQ anyway...so, global =bad, for me...no exceptions

[Xanathar]

I agree completely. It would improve immersion, as well as force people to congregate in meeting places. And as a simple bonus it would make it more difficult for gold sellers to spam their wares.

[Joszek]

1. http://www.mortalonline.com/forums/3...ll-please.html
2. pigeons will be one of the main ways to communicate between players
But as we all know, everything viable is concurrently killable

[mrmr]

oops, sorry...didn't get 1.

how about 2., seems nice...but "real" pigeons can only travel "to home".
So, a player in the wilderness could use such a form of "communication", but in a limited way. If he brings 10 pigeons, he could send 10 tells only
Don't forget that pigeons CANNOT track where a player is...they're only able to return home :P so they could be used only as one-way communication form.

With a pigeon you can send "warnings" of "help request only".
at least i think this should be the way...

[Mathael]

As a roleplayer, I've always been against the types of instant and telepathic communication methods available in MMOs. It not only destroys the immersion but also limits the type of face to face encounters which I highly enjoy. Even though global chat does make things easier, in the end I think it just makes people become more dependent on it. For the game to be truly immersive, this and instant travel have to be scaled down in order to help maintain a more competitive PVP framework. Communication is something that can be advantageous to any party, and it can make one become too dependent on methods like sending magical tells to buddies in order to form up groups within minutes. Messages should be interceptable, blockaded or even stolen so that such tactics can become a part of the PVP framework.

In addition, eliminating global or instant chat will mean more focus on gatherings around town. Players who wish to find news or any group for adventure will have to gather in these places. It will allow for greater development of player run cities as well as establishments such as bars or taverns to become social hubs.

[TNM]

you are in a game to play "together" with ppl and you want to limit their communications....yea right.
I understand that you wont implement a "global" chat, but guild/group/tell and personal chats should work.

Otherwise ppl will just use external programs, i for sure will, my guild also. We are there to play together and have fun.

And if its deemed an exploit, there is no way they can track that so no point. Sry, i know why you would like it to be otherwise, but its not. Thats the cold harsh truth.

[lordshade]

Sorry OP, but you have a bit of very limited poll.

I vote : even if it isn't on the poll: other.

I want :

-/tell
-Local
-guild

[mrmr]

TNM, maybe you missed the part of my post claiming such methods like "exploiting game mechanics"

I don't want this thread become as the "no /tells please" thread already closed.
We all know ppl will use those external programs, but this not means that "global" chats will not ruin RP.

also, you can play "togheter and have fun" with "local" chats only...
it'll be not different for you and your guiild...anyway you'll use TS/Ventrilo, isn't?

I understand that you wont implement a "global" chat, but guild/group/tell and personal chats should work.

well, /tells, /guild and /group are "global" communication. They spoil the game in my view.
It's not real to "warning" your guild from FAR away...
Example:
[Guild] RandomMember> a BIG army is coming to out Village...prepare the defence!

This would spoil the game from "Surprise attacks"...
Without /guild, the Incursion team, could chase the @messanger@ to death, avoiding him to /tell his guildies to prepare...

Now, i'm asking what do you think of having Full PvP, without the aid of some "unreal" communication form.
It would be harder to do such things. It would require more organization...
...and this way we could see if those "Imba Guilds" are really good, or just a group of imba-solo-players.

again, please, don't "spam" this thread with useless post...post only if you can add something...

[mrmr]

Originally Posted by lordshade

Sorry OP, but you have a bit of very limited poll.

I vote : even if it isn't on the poll: other.

I want :

-/tell
-Local
-guild

You should vote /guild then :P
i think Local will be anyway.
as about /tell, it's not very different having /guild.

The whole point of the thread anyway, is the "war" between "Real medieval Communication" and "Sci-fi Communication", where, with "Sci-fi" i mean those forms of "global" communication.

[adrala]

Good luck mate...It wont be long till the carebears will flood this topic with "You want to take out guild chat? You want to take /tell out of the games? YOU ARE ANTI SOCIAL NERD with no friends!"- kind of constructive crtisism.

Meh I have had enough of this in the already quoted thread

[Trixxer]

The following is a minimum requirement ...
/whisper
/say
/yell or /shout
/tell
/group
/guild

There have to be a /who command also. Soo I can see which people is in the zone. So I know Ã*f its an idea to stay ... waiting for a group.

I personally don´t mind a /zone command where I can say something to all in a zone ... sometimes I want to ask things where to find a certain dungeon etc ...

I think it´s important with communication in a MMO. If Mortal desides to have /zone, /global or /1 ... or not, it doesn´t matter for me.

But the minimum requirements above is a must. Without that ... the game will die.

[TNM]

Originally Posted by mrmr

TNM, maybe you missed the part of my post claiming such methods like "exploiting game mechanics"

I don't want this thread become as the "no /tells please" thread already closed.
We all know ppl will use those external programs, but this not means that "global" chats will not ruin RP.

also, you can play "togheter and have fun" with "local" chats only...
it'll be not different for you and your guiild...anyway you'll use TS/Ventrilo, isn't?

well, /tells, /guild and /group are "global" communication. They spoil the game in my view.
It's not real to "warning" your guild from FAR away...
Example:
[Guild] RandomMember> a BIG army is coming to out Village...prepare the defence!

This would spoil the game from "Surprise attacks"...
Without /guild, the Incursion team, could chase the @messanger@ to death, avoiding him to /tell his guildies to prepare...

Now, i'm asking what do you think of having Full PvP, without the aid of some "unreal" communication form.
It would be harder to do such things. It would require more organization...
...and this way we could see if those "Imba Guilds" are really good, or just a group of imba-solo-players.

again, please, don't "spam" this thread with useless post...post only if you can add something...

look, i dont want to be rude here. I just tell you that it wont happen. You can take every form of communication away, ppl will still use them. You cant prevent it, so why cripple the "normal guy" and force him to use external tools too to compete.

Thats what i ask you. Its all fine and well that you "would like it to be otherwise". You may even be right that it would be "a better game", but you have to face reality here.

But ok i leave you alone now, discuss away, but dont be dissapointed if it wont happen. Sry mate.

[mshield]

What will happen if there is only local chat?

People will create an IRC channel and chat there. And then people will always need to switch and say it's a pain in the arse.

Bad idea. This will not create immersion because most people will find a another way to communicate and then it will just be annoying.

[Saviour]

Originally Posted by TNM

look, i dont want to be rude here. I just tell you that it wont happen. You can take every form of communication away, ppl will still use them. You cant prevent it, so why cripple the "normal guy" and force him to use external tools too to compete.

Thats what i ask you. Its all fine and well that you "would like it to be otherwise". You may even be right that it would be "a better game", but you have to face reality here.

But ok i leave you alone now, discuss away, but dont be dissapointed if it wont happen. Sry mate.

this

[lordshade]

Originally Posted by mrmr

You should vote /guild then :P
i think Local will be anyway.
as about /tell, it's not very different having /guild.

The whole point of the thread anyway, is the "war" between "Real medieval Communication" and "Sci-fi Communication", where, with "Sci-fi" i mean those forms of "global" communication.

I would like to see a/tell since it works, it's easy and if i don't have allot of time as the majority will be of the players ( 2/3 hours a day or less probably and in the weekends more ) prefer to have communication with a /tell if they know people who aren't in there guilds but can't talk to them because they aren't in the area or aren't around, thus are basically on the other side of the world by example.

That's my argument about it. It's small yes but i am thinking of what's the most fun and what works the best. I think this works the best.

Also , switching to windows because i can't use /tell is not fun to me and it doesn't really immerse me. I keep to my old points, no global chat of course! That IS bad in my opinion.

[Stewker]

... This topic has multiple threads already, many taken to multiple pages filled with discussion. Why create another one? Use the search tool please, for the love of god. Like has been linked there is a discussion only on the second page of the boards, discussing exactly what this thread is talking abut. Every single proposal in this thread has already been discussed multiple times. Every single proposal. Anyways, I guess I'll reiterate what I have talked about numerous times... again... in this thread. But I'll keep it short and sweet.

I agree with this topic to a degree. I am against /global and /region chat as I think they kill a lot of immersion. For example if I am hunting a solo player down a river bottom I do not want him to be able to get on /region or /global, cry for help and be heard for miles around. Vice-versa I want to have that intensity that comes with being chased by some badass across the land with no recourse because no one will hear my screams for help but my attacker.

Now on to /guild chat. I am a fan of this and like has been discussed numerous times in other threads, /guild could be worked into the lore via them being done by magical or telepathic means. For example, upon joining a guild you also enter into a telepathic link to all the members, (insert lore here). Or perhaps do it like they do in FFXI, you get some kind of stone or whatever that all the other members have as well, enabling communication.

On the topic of /tell. Like has been said these will be handled by messenger pigeons. Do not think of these pigeon realistically but more like the owls from Harry Potter. They always know where a person is. Chances are they will not be instant but will take a few minutes to arrive. I would also expect the mail/letter system to work in tandem with this.

Finally of course I am a fan of /say. /Say is pretty standard and should be a requirement for any game unless the game is about mutes, or has built-in voice comms. But then of course any chat channel is at the mercy of a person using voice comms. I think the future is leading that way eventually, replacing text chat channels with voice, sometime down the road. Going back to /say though, for example using my chase scene from above. I want my victim to be able to use /say as I am chasing him to yell for any help he might get from people in the immediate vicinity. Then finally to ask for mercy to my face as I run him through.

[mrmr]

well, i made a poll...
This way ppl can express their own "opinion".

Still, i think that ALL the non-local chat will spoil the game from "reality" and "immersion". Not to mention that this would take away lots of "awarness" and "tactical village defence" (like for example to put sentinels around).
This is mean to be a "RPG" game at the end, isn't?
more than this...a "medieval RPG, with low magic".

This is not on the website main page, still i think that's a good explanation of what this game gonna be.
It's not like we're wondering around with a cellular phone...so we can call out friend to chitchat...or wake them up, so they can defend their outpost.
More likely, would be better have BIG fires around....and fire them up if we spot an army heading to our village/city...

I don't wanna talk about all of these thread talking about "extern programs" to achieve those global-chat forms of communication...that's not the TOPIC of this thread, so keep those discussion in another place, please...i've already stated that MANY players will use them and all the ppl reading/posting here already know that...
For the last time, if the game will not provide those in-game channels/whispers/guild_chat or whatsoever, using such programs would be "Exploiting game mechanics"

look, i dont want to be rude here. I just tell you that it wont happen. You can take every form of communication away, ppl will still use them. You cant prevent it, so why cripple the "normal guy" and force him to use external tools too to compete.

Thats what i ask you. Its all fine and well that you "would like it to be otherwise". You may even be right that it would be "a better game", but you have to face reality here.

You're right here..."i would like a game without global communications" and as MO seems the cream of mmorpg there's still hope for my dream to come true.
btw, i disagree when you talk about "using external...etc...to be competitive"
tbh, i don't play a RPG to be competitive, but to have fun and i don't feel a loser when someone kill me exploiting the game...i just feel anger...
The real loser is the one not being able to @win@ without exploiting.

Like has been linked there is a discussion only on the second page of the boards, discussing exactly what this thread is talking abut.

Too bad, it's closed...cause ppl going OT...

Now on to /guild chat. I am a fan of this and like has been discussed numerous times in other threads, /guild could be worked into the lore via them being done by magical or telepathic means. For example, upon joining a guild you also enter into a telepathic link to all the members, (insert lore here). Or perhaps do it like they do in FFXI, you get some kind of stone or whatever that all the other members have as well, enabling communication.

this is an @easy@ way to make a guild chat a RP thingy...well, let's face it, it's not...or would be something like "easy magic for all".
But i don't wanna talk about RP side...like more PvP side of it.
It makes too many things buttercut easy as already said...also the next "example"...chasing the guy yelling...well, it's easy for him to throw a message in /guild to get help. Would be different without /guild chat. He can just hope that someone is NEAR and help him. Much more realistic...isn't?

On the topic of /tell. Like has been said these will be handled by messenger pigeons. Do not think of these pigeon realistically but more like the owls from Harry Potter. They always know where a person is. Chances are they will not be instant but will take a few minutes to arrive. I would also expect the mail/letter system to work in tandem with this.

well, if this is going to happens...all this topic is worthless...
that will ruin RP immersion...and i'm 100% sure of this.
if these pigeons are so smart...i just hope there'll not be ANY delay...that would be even more pointless that this thread.

[BlackOrc]

I voted for only local chat, although I really wouldn't see a problem with guild chat. There are so many 3rd party programs which I'm sure guilds will be using which would make the elimination of guild chat redundant.

I still think that only local chat should be allowed though.

[Youmakeme]

I know you don't want to talk about external programs and i understand your point about "exploiting game mechanics" but its impossible to control people using external programs, the only thing you get from removing "/guild" is to perjudicate guilds without TS/Ventrilo or have them to use an external program, wich is a pain in the ***. If global chats interact with your gaming experience just ignore/disable it. I would love to see that kind of realism but it won't happen.

The same with other forms of comunication, in a lot of MMOs you create new friends by using "/tell" with people you encounter in your "travels". If you cut that it will be very hard to make new friends, because you will have to match in the same places to talk or add them to your MSN, wich most of the people wont do. I only agree to cut the "/global" chat, because most of the time is only a auction house, and there's other mechanics that can be used for that.

[Gracco]

Peaple will use ventrilo or other external program to use communication. For me its no sense to dont have a full communication system in the game ( chat ).

[Collbard]

Honestly, I have to say I would really like at least /tell and /guild as well as obviously local chat. I mean, I play games to have fun, and making communication difficult is not fun to me. There are just so many situations when /tell is easy.

For example, I'm in a dungeon and I realize I can't advance any further without assistance. I /tell my friend and ask if he wants to come with me. The alternative? I either recall or ride all the way to town, and search forever for my friend that isn't even online anymore. That sounds like a blast!

And as for your argument that using a chat program is "exploiting game mechanics" that is just not true. If I use a program completely unrelated to MO that does not affect anything in MO except my own behavior, that is not exploiting any game mechanic. That would be the same as saying talking on the phone with my friend who is online is exploiting game mechanics.

My opinion, if you want to play without tells, just don't answer any tells that anyone sends you and don't send them to anyone else. You'll be at a disadvantage, but that is your own decision.

[mrmr]

Originally Posted by adrala

Good luck mate...It wont be long till the carebears will flood this topic with "You want to take out guild chat? You want to take /tell out of the games? YOU ARE ANTI SOCIAL NERD with no friends!"- kind of constructive crtisism.

Meh I have had enough of this in the already quoted thread

Also, after posting my remarks to not flood this thread with @external programs@ rants, seems people wont get it and they continue to post about them.
Adrala, you were SO right...

People saying "Turn those chats off" seems to not get it too...but np, i've seen it's pointless trying to get a constructive thread about this topic.

P.S.
If you want cellular phones and intergalactic communications, there're other games for you imo...also sandboxes...
Imo, in a medieval mmo there should be just LOCAL chat...period.

P.P.S.
I gently ask a mod to close this thread...is becoming like the last one.

[Nerull]

Hmm this is a tricky matter

You can't just take away all communications with your guildmates! But you can't just give them insta chat also


Consequences of local chat ONLY (no alternative systems added):

- you would feel alone ALL THE TIME, getting together with someone (friend) would be near IMPOSSIBLE
- realism, a huge world that you HAVE to travers to speak to people. if your alone you can't talk to anyone
-getting reinforcements - HARD

Consequences of ALL OUT CHAT EVERYWHERE:

- immersion ruined, suddenly everyone has walkie tokies and mobile cellphones
- getting reinforcements - EASY
- no feeling of the world and it's distance limitations




There has to be something in the middle, a system that will be like

--hiring fast rider messengers

--pidgeons

--some sort of magic rocket flare in different colors that would mean different things and could be seen from a far

[Elfarion Woodtella]

I think that would be good if chat was like in WoW, or sord of. We could have whisper, guild chat, local, and so. I could be the same mechanism of WoW , but much more improved.

[Nerull]

Originally Posted by Elfarion Woodtella

I think that would be good if chat was like in WoW, or sord of. We could have whisper, guild chat, local, and so. I could be the same mechanism of WoW , but much more improved.

How about :

























NO!

Do a "in game system" instead of "wireless communication"

besides all MMOs have "wow chat style" it's just an easy way out for solving communication

[mrmr]

Actually, Nerull's post is the first constructive one i've seen.
You really got the point of my rants there.

- you would feel alone ALL THE TIME, getting together with someone (friend) would be near IMPOSSIBLE
- realism, a huge world that you HAVE to travers to speak to people. if your alone you can't talk to anyone
-getting reinforcements - HARD

I agree with what you said there, but think out of the box.
With LOCAL chat only, other forms of aggregation would take place.
Example, use mails effectively, like: "Tomorrow night we should try to meet at TheMostSecretLocation. From there we could attack Thehatedguildcity all togheter".
This way all the people receiving the mail would packup for the transfer.
Would be fun just trying to party up with friends to reach the location.

And i think, players are smart enought to not feel all alone.
They'll search for parties when they're inside the city, or in a tavern.
They could even risk to approach an unknown player seeking for help (well, too bad, that "unknown" was a famous PK...but that's life!)

So the main difference would be "no instant party/group zergs" possible, but only carefully planned one. This would be funny too...cause you cannot get immediate reinforcements...there're no tell...
So, here, organization wins! a well planned organization...

There has to be something in the middle, a system that will be like

--hiring fast rider messengers

--pidgeons

--some sort of magic rocket flare in different colors that would mean different things and could be seen from a far

Also this...is what i would like to see.
These should be viable and they would fit in the medieval background MO is going to be.

as suggestion, btw, I would like the possibility to kills messagers too (avoiding reinforcements request!)...and "real" pigeons behaviours. A pigeons can return home, but it cannot scout out for players.
Well, flares talk by themself.

P.S.
To the mods...well, if those are the post in this thread...keep it open :P

[Doomcrow]

I like chat... every where it makes me lol...

BUT
no chat... hhhmmmm...

Then guilds with vent would rule... i like it i like it alot.

[Crash250f]

Originally Posted by lordshade

Sorry OP, but you have a bit of very limited poll.

I vote : even if it isn't on the poll: other.

I want :

-/tell
-Local
-guild

^^^ My opinion, though local would include /say /yell and possibly a mini global in towns. I've said it before but to me towns are the pubs/taverns of mmos.

[Herithius]

Originally Posted by Trixxer

The following is a minimum requirement ...
/whisper
/say
/yell or /shout
/tell
/group
/guild

These are the ones I'd agree with as well. Fostering communication in a mmorpg is never a bad thing. If anything, usually people leave an mmo if they feel it's empty and can't find anyone.

Only one I'd be against would be a global chat. Past that, I'm fairly easy going.

[Luc]

Why is it that immersion is the word that role-players have taken to use which effectively translates as... I want everyone to play like me? Aside from killing any game in terms of its subscriber base removing all communication systems that are not totally local is a silly way to increase or preserve the realistic feel of a game.

Dude, you have cross-hairs on your screen... dead center. You have a flagging system which tells you who is a thief and/or murderer even if they did it a day ago across the world behind a tree. Immersion is fine, great even, but don't pick out things on the fringes of that inhibition while some central features of the game are so obvious.

That said, Warhammer is suffering greatly from the concentrations of "zerg" battles because they have made it too easy to find the "front". Anyone and everyone can show up anywhere in the world and see a big battle symbol on their map where people are fighting and go there. That is too much.

I guess what I am saying is... why make things difficult that are the least of your worries? Don't like it? Know that other people will find a way around global chat in game? Then why remove it from the interface. When we all play virtual reality games and don't get pulled out of the environment by server crashes every 10min... let alone ya know... the keyboard and mouse in front of you. Thats when you start talking about replacing global chat.

[Honorzeal]

I have not voted yet, however my opinion is that MO should not have a global chat. While it proved helpful in some cases in WoW (an example would be when one faction was raiding another and word spread through global chat so defenses could be made), it also proved to be another factor that made WoW less sociable (sociable as in player gatherings. From my WoW experience, players would only gather in certain areas for events/quests/trade, rather then for communication purposes).

I've also discussed in other topics similar to this one that I would find it awesome if there was no such thing as PMs (PMs in the sense of seeing words come up in a corner that cannot be viewed by anyone but you), but rather as it would be in real life. When you whisper to somone, it is public. However, certain skills will enable a player to easedrop, picking up conversation about secret plans, new hideouts, etc. The same goes for yelling. A yell would be broadcasted for a certain area. Thus, if you were in the great unknown and heard a allied guild's battlecry, a battle would be broadcasted, thus alarming either friend or foe.

And while we're on the topic of PMing, I love the idea of pigions. Not only is it more realistic, but it has many other possibilities (perhaps snagging an enemy message to enemy HQ about enemy armies's plans? ).

[mrmr]

@Luc
this thread is about comms, not flag system or warhammer...
...neither is about how to "exploit game mechanics" using a 3rd party software.
...so, please, if you've nothing to add here, you shouldn't post.

this said...i still think that in a medieval environment, only local chat should be allowed, or the devs should provide us with walkie-talkie or cellular phones.
Yes, this would be the way i would like to play...and i would like you all experiment it.

Maybe you could change your idea...

[IDEA]
well, there'll be many servers/realms around for MO...
Why not have one/some servers with LOCAL-chat only?
This way, people liking this idea could play it, while others (as adrala said: carebears) could just join intergalactic-chat servers...
[/IDEA]

And while we're on the topic of PMing, I love the idea of pigions. Not only is it more realistic, but it has many other possibilities (perhaps snagging an enemy message to enemy HQ about enemy armies's plans? )

Yarr, should be possible to shot down pigeons...or kills fast NPC messagers...and loot messages and plans!

[Untied]

First off, the poll really doesn't have nearly enough options. I would like to see tell, party, guild, local, and some sort of city-wide chat (more on this later).

Originally Posted by mrmr

Hello
First, i'm STRONGLY against any form of "global" communication, so be prepared.
I think this would kill most of the RP aspects of the game imo.
So, i really hope there'll not be any /general or /guild channels anywhere.
The only available way to communicate should be just local.

Why? For "immersion"? This would make the game impossible to coordinate (or even play because you can't meet up with them!) with friends, your guild, etc. It would just encourage external means of communication.

I agree that pure "global" communication should be out. Global as in EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE can and will hear what you are saying -- I'm not talking about /guild or /tell. There's no real purpose for a truly global chat (except to be spammed by those Chinese gold farmers!).

Originally Posted by mrmr

So you can use /say /whisper /yell only...all of these with their own range.
i think this way, we would have more "guild" meetings and such...

Yeah, how are they going to know to even have a meeting? They would have to use external communications just to set up a friggin' meeting in the game!

Originally Posted by mrmr

Yuo look for adventurers? go to a city and ask ppl around...shout...whisper...whatever...
but a /city "LF Mate to slay a dragon" is a nogo for me.
Another good thing would be have a "messageboard" in cities and taverns around, where everyone can post anything (with a voting system maybe, to scrap spam/stupid messages out)

To an extent, I can agree maybe there should not be any "city-wide" communications based on the chat system. On one hand, it's definitely necessary if you're looking to do something that isn't widely popular or anything, and you need your message to reach everybody. But at the same time, it's also extremely annoying in busy cities, as it's also spammed. Maybe a message board or something is a good idea, but that won't really reach everybody unless they're sitting at the message board. (Clarify: Do you mean anybody can pull up the city message board at any place in the city, or like a bulletin board on some wall with messages tacked onto it? I think the former is best so users are free to roam while they look/find what they need.)

Originally Posted by mrmr

Also, mails shoulnd't be "instant" as well, but they should have a "travel-time". (are mails "universal/global"? or they need a "localtion" recipient?)
The more distant is the recipient, the more time it takes to arrive.
I'm not sure...but i think all of these would make the game more interesting.

I can see where you might come up with this. It's not a truly bad idea (like taking out guild chat, tells, etc. ), but it would quickly turn into nuisance over immersion. It'd just become an annoyance rather than creating immersion: You would just be sitting there for ages wondering when that damn mail is going to arrive your friend sent an hour ago... thinking your beard is gonna come in before it arrives... watching your toenails turn yellow...

I like the idea of mails not being able to track people. IE. You have to walk into a city to recieve mail, or pick it up at certain locations in cities.

Originally Posted by mrmr

ohh, there should be the possibility of /tells, but only a "magical" form of it.
Example:
Mage cast "Talk to Necklace" spell.
now, the "necklace" wearer can "talks" with the mage casting the spell, for a limited amount of time.
This spell should be WAY expensive anyway.

Tells are in. They have to be. There is no way there will be no INSTANT tells - that would definitely be a game killer. It would just be incredibly frustrating, and it would simply encourage players to bypass with external tools. What if you just want to chat with a friend after school while you play? With no /tell, that's impossible. (You can think of a thousand more situations where no /tell would piss you off.)

Regards to casting a spell to talk to somebody: Besides just being silly, it's just a loop to jump through to chat with somebody. It'd just be bothersome, like having a delivery delay for mails. Regards to the last sentence: Paying to talk with somebody? 'Nuff said. No way.

Originally Posted by mrmr

After all this bramble, i know that if those "global" chat forms will not make it in game, people will use "external" programs to achieve this, like IM, ts, ventrilo etc, but the point is that would be like @exploiting@ game mechanics.
If the game isn't meant to have a "global" chat...why should you use an extern one??

It's not exploiting the game mechanic as it's outside of the game. And it doesn't (literally) modify the game at all so it's 100% out of the game's control. If you have really played other MMOs at any moderate to higher level then you would realize voice chat programs are just so convenient. So much easier. So much better. So much more effective. Either way, it doesn't matter, because people will do it with or without all the chat options -- removing them will just encourage users who might not have before to use them now.

Originally Posted by mrmr

I think guildies should meet each other in a form of HQ anyway...so, global =bad, for me...no exceptions

Refer to above. How are they going to plan a meeting? It would be IMPOSSIBLE to plan a guild meeting with only local chat. You would end up with like 5 people -- the three guildies you ran in to around town and the two they ran in to.

Originally Posted by Mathael

Even though global chat does make things easier, in the end I think it just makes people become more dependent on it. For the game to be truly immersive, this and instant travel have to be scaled down in order to help maintain a more competitive PVP framework. Communication is something that can be advantageous to any party, and it can make one become too dependent on methods like sending magical tells to buddies in order to form up groups within minutes. Messages should be interceptable, blockaded or even stolen so that such tactics can become a part of the PVP framework.

No, none of this will help PvP at all. It would just make EVERYBODY resort to external means (voice chat, etc.).

Originally Posted by Mathael

In addition, eliminating global or instant chat will mean more focus on gatherings around town. Players who wish to find news or any group for adventure will have to gather in these places. It will allow for greater development of player run cities as well as establishments such as bars or taverns to become social hubs.

Again, it would just encourage other communications as they are MUCH simpler than having to meet up to chat.


I'd keep quoting the arguments being made down the thread, but I'd just be repeating myself.

[Luc]

Originally Posted by mrmr

@Luc
this thread is about comms, not flag system or warhammer...
...neither is about how to "exploit game mechanics" using a 3rd party software.
...so, please, if you've nothing to add here, you shouldn't post.

Um... so the OP said something about how having global chat systems breaks immersion so I thought I would mention that you have cross-hairs and a global flagging system that already do that in a much more stressed and irrevocable way. aka... you cant turn the flagging system off.

Also, when did i say people would, should, or could exploit game mechanics? If chat systems are not in game they can't be exploited but people will find ways around it. Most likely Ventrillo/TS, chat programs, or... ya know... a telephone.

As far as not having anything to add... I noticed that people were upset over the negative aspects of global communication. Both in terms of immersion and in terms of what those systems can do to the game.

To that end (reference Warhammer), I mentioned that while I agree too much information can be harmful but that total removal of global chat systems isn't the way to address it.

Lastly... different servers for different chat methods? That's your "thing to add"? Okay. Enjoy your really low population server that gets forced to merge into another one or suffers mass migration and as a result a low quality of play. MMO's are mostly not made up of hardcore communities like these kind of forums are. They are mostly made up of people who want to come together and enjoy the game. Everyone would be well to remember that and not restrict your prospective player base by eliminating things like in game chat.

[Brodie]

Originally Posted by Xanathar

I agree completely. It would improve immersion, as well as force people to congregate in meeting places. And as a simple bonus it would make it more difficult for gold sellers to spam their wares.

You bring up a very good point with that. i voted Yes, but after reading what you said, i wish i could change my post to NO.

Almost everyone uses Vent no anyways, or some other form of voice recognition software.

I remember when UO jumped on the /tell bandwagon with an actual lore element, communication stone i beleive they were called? or maybe crystal... anyways i digress. I think having a mechanism like this would be the best route, you could still communicate with other people, but only another person with that stone, or the people in that room were the stone was sitting and activated.

This also keeps you on your toes, cause if an enemy is able to sneak one into your city without you knowing, he could activate it, and listen to everything you type. although everyone would probably be on vent. so maybe the point is moot for espionage. But still would be an intresting tactic to use. Plus you never know who has stolen your crystal and might be listening on the other side. Could add alot of deceit to the game

[Rimsky]

Voted for everyone, everywhere.

I can just filter any channels I don't like or that break immersion for me.

[Insanemus]

"YOU'RE RUINING MY IMMERSION!!!!"

Just close the windows you don't like. I don't mean this in a rude way. Seriously, many people don't like having to run in window mode to use external applications. No need to cripple people's enjoyment of the social aspect of the game just so a small minority of roleplayers don't have to close windows.

[El Petimentre]

I think that it should only be visible chat. Words above the head so that a char would have to be facing the person inwhich they want to speak to.

[Rimsky]

Originally Posted by El Petimentre

I think that it should only be visible chat. Words above the head so that a char would have to be facing the person inwhich they want to speak to.

You must have ears like my girlfriend. She always thinks I'm not listening if I'm not looking right at her.

[Brodie]

Originally Posted by El Petimentre

I think that it should only be visible chat. Words above the head so that a char would have to be facing the person inwhich they want to speak to.

there is a line to be drawn in immersion, this is far past that. If Rper's want that then they can have that on their RP server. but im pretty sure 99% of everyone is going to not agree.

Do you really think a system like this would attract new players? No way, they would be confused as hell. some things in MMO's have advanced in a good way, communication is one of them.

Only reason i dont want everything now is just cause of Gold sellers, but even to have the conveinance to send a /tell i would deal with the gold sellers. After all they are all gonna get pked anyways. free money AMIRITE?!

But back on topic. This would just be far to hard, what if you had a friends standing right next to you and hes like... "hey steve we are about to be attacked by 3 pk's." and im not facing him so i cant see him talk. but he is right next to me. "STEVE WTF ARE YOU DOING?" i turn around and Lenny is now dead calling me on the phone really pissed off. To me at least its just a bad idea. call me crazy. But you cant hear people talk in game, at least not PC's.

Not to mention the chaos it would be during seiges for a commander to call out orders to his men? it would just be a gaggle F***. Thats my view only though.

Not meaning to insult in anyway, this one just kinda threw me for a loop, and i wanted to say some other things, but why be mean?