Changes to the chat system, (shouting, saying, whispering)

[Elliohow]

Perhaps a change to the chat system could be implemented, splitting it up into 3 distinct types, shouting, saying and whispering.

Q currently is shout, and I know how many of you may have clicked q attracting a hoard without meaning to. Perhaps holding Q brings up a radial menu with [cancel] in the center, around the center is arms with different context specific shouts on the end of each arm. One arm having [custom shout] enabling you to type a custom shout. Clicking on cancel just cancels shouting of course and there could even be submenus. Q-->friendly-->greeting-->nice to meet you buddy

The same would be true for normal speech and whispering (whispering particularly good for plotting, maybe a right click player/Npc option can be "whisper to..." and you walk over to them before whispering.

Shouting, saying and whispering should have different context specific conversation options of course (you wouldn't shout that you ate plotting to kill one of the group and you wouldn't whisper to give the whole group commands).

Shouts can be represented with capitals (and an exclamation mark if not a question). E.g. GET THE HELL OFF MY SPIFFO!

Normal speech as normal. E.g. Need supplies?

Whispers in *'s. E.g. *Ricks dead weight, we have got to ditch him*

When pressing a button for using a chat option, an area of effect represented by a circle showing how far the sound will travel could be used, with using the mousewheel (zooming temporarily disabled) to change the size of this circle representing shouting even louder, a hushed voice etc. This circle could be manipulated to the size you want, but whisper too loud and it becomes normal speech, shout too quiet and it'll become normal speech. Outside of this area of sound, no one will be able to see your text.

The radial context specific chat options can be used with npcs or players.

LOOC and GOOC (local and global out of character) would use custom chat only and it is good for when you stop roleplaying for a moment to ask a question or something along those lines. GOOC being able to be seen by everyone, LOOC only in the current vicinity and could come up in a chat box.

Suggestions and improvements welcome

[darthdraken]

A chat system needs adding. One that pops up depending on how far away you are for ear shot and how you speak.

[Sieben]

Hmm, call me a thief, but I think that Ultima Online (T2A classic client) had/has a really good chatsystem.

 

The problem: The control is with keyboard in PZ (WASD, R, Q)

 

So we need a key to activate local chat (p.e.:Enter/Return)

 plain text

 ! followed by the space bar = Shout (what you say is heard two screens away)

 ; followed by the space bar = Whisper (what you say is heard max 1 tile away.)

 : followed by space bar = Emote (with asterix -> *emotions*)

[Connall]

Hmm, call me a thief, but I think that Ultima Online (T2A classic client) had/has a really good chatsystem.

 

The problem: The control is with keyboard in PZ (WASD, R, Q)

 

So we need a key to activate local chat (p.e.:Enter/Return)

 plain text

 ! followed by the space bar = Shout (what you say is heard two screens away)

 ; followed by the space bar = Whisper (what you say is heard max 1 tile away.)

 : followed by space bar = Emote (with asterix -> *emotions*)

 

Why not make it more IRC based commands like /me, /w, /yell or something. I think that's more commonplace with chat systems and so is easily remembered by new comers. I would probably find myself forgetting simple keys like that otherwise.

[Elliohow]

Part of my suggestion was context specific convo options (csco), which wouldn't work with /me or /yell, the csco is necessary to communicate with npcs. So if the irc type commands for custom text and keybinds for csco were both used, I guess that'd work. But the radius showing how far your chat would travel should still be used with the irc commands or the keybinds to eliminate that guessing. Variable radii of sound isn't necessary, but it would be a cool realistic feature

To add on to my previous suggestion, walls reduce the distance the sound will travel as they actually would.

[Sieben]

 

Hmm, call me a thief, but I think that Ultima Online (T2A classic client) had/has a really good chatsystem.

 

The problem: The control is with keyboard in PZ (WASD, R, Q)

 

So we need a key to activate local chat (p.e.:Enter/Return)

 plain text

 ! followed by the space bar = Shout (what you say is heard two screens away)

 ; followed by the space bar = Whisper (what you say is heard max 1 tile away.)

 : followed by space bar = Emote (with asterix -> *emotions*)

 

Why not make it more IRC based commands like /me, /w, /yell or something. I think that's more commonplace with chat systems and so is easily remembered by new comers. I would probably find myself forgetting simple keys like that otherwise.

 

 

I don't know how the english keyboardlayout is, but for me it's easier to push ! ; : and space. But I'm already familiar with the UO controls. Maybe some IRC chatcommands are better .

[Suomiboi]

I'm not familiar with either one, but the simple :;! seems like a semi-intuitive system. I'd have no idea how those irc commands would play out and see them only as more to write, before getting to the point and as I'm a semi slow typer it bothers me slightly.