Chat box suggestion

enhanced chat needed?

  • Total voters
    27

Jackalope

Jackalope
I would like to suggest time stamps and location markers for the chat box as well as a easier way to distinguishes what was send and what was received from who and to whom.

I would like to see a time stamp on chat messages to know when a message was received this is also needed for the inbox for missions which are time critical.

Messages should also display from where the message was send. This is good to know when communicating with other commanders. This would also serve the irritation if you miss a message and don't know in wich system you received it.

Last but not least I would like to see a better visual representation and distinction between send and received messages. The current pattern used is sometimes miss leading. A clear distinction is needed.

Please see my mockup for a suggestion.

LWsZ2q8.jpg
 
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Loskene

L
Yeah I can get behind this, as far as quality of life additions go it would be welcome. If we could go a little further I'd like if the location stamp could be extended to the instance level if possible, ie "Shinrarta Dezra - 2A" "Shinrarta Dezra - Shipping Lane" "Shinrarta Dezra - Jameson Memorial [station icon]" etc.
 

gobbles

gobbles
YES YES YES :p

It's so annoying to miss a notification and have no idea if you just got it or it was an hour ago, or where you got it. It makes the notification totally useless.
 

Jackalope

Jackalope
@Loskene
I thought about that too. Since its possibly a long name it needs to have a better layout then mine. I just did it quick and dirty.
Maybe if the system name and location would be moved under the sender name it would work better. Also the tag where you, as a sender, send a message from is probably not needed, since you now where u are anyway and it adds no valuable information. Also it adds a differentiation to sender and receiver.
 

CMDR GTR2014

CMDR GTR2014
It's good idea but need a better design.... looks a bit messy.

One thing that you can do is use the Whatsapp message stile, where you are on the right and the other person on the left.

I hate those from/to stuff...
 
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Jackalope

Jackalope
@GTR2014
True all the way. The thing about left and right is you are not on a single screen as well as its a mix of a group chat, privat chat and public chat. So there is a need to display who u are sending to and who is sending. Maybe with the introduction of the CMDR creation we get profile pictures and an overhauled version of the chat.
But I can see what u mean by messy. Its also just meant as a mock up, to promote the idea of time stamp and location tag.

Maybe a little like so?
QCIkcfD.jpg
 
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VAN LORD

VAN LORD
Personally, I have a little experience in communications by means of text messages, mostly with voice channel, so I can not evaluate the convenience of this addition.
However, if this will mark the incoming messages of the mission, it will be very useful.

I would like to get a message "scrolling", as well as chat, and as technical notifications.
 

CMDR GTR2014

CMDR GTR2014
Jackalope said:
@GTR2014
True all the way. The thing about left and right is you are not on a single screen as well as its a mix of a group chat, privat chat and public chat. So there is a need to display who u are sending to and who is sending. Maybe with the introduction of the CMDR creation we get profile pictures and an overhauled version of the chat.
But I can see what u mean by messy. Its also just meant as a mock up, to promote the idea of time stamp and location tag.

Maybe a little like so?
http://i.imgur.com/QCIkcfD.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks better. A different colour shade might also do well... maybe a darker colour... Or maybe an arrow pointing as a outside message (like an e-mail) I will try to make a mock up to explain what I think
 

Jackalope

Jackalope
I like the coloring even though it's not the original anymore. I was trying to stick to the given theme.
What I don't like is the uneven clutter. That's what I meant with it works on a one screen device but not in that specific panel.
Tag, time stamps, who sends who receives and for most the text blocks jump all over the place. The eye is not directed in specific blocks, this way information gets lost.
The first one of yours is way better because it looks even at a first glance. The problem here is again the information blocks which can not be distinguished. I kind of have to search for the information who sended what when and from where.

The general pattern works in something like whatsapp better but this is on a single screen, for one purpose, where nothing distracts the user. It also is more clear who did what.

I would suggest using one color for sender one for receiver. This way it would be clearer what is what. I actually don't like the color coding FDev uses it adds to the clutter as well. One way could be to reduce it to 2 colors and work with icons for public, wing and direct as well as for NPCs.

Just my 2 cent.
 

CMDR GTR2014

CMDR GTR2014
Jackalope said:
I like the coloring even though it's not the original anymore. I was trying to stick to the given theme.
What I don't like is the uneven clutter. That's what I meant with it works on a one screen device but not in that specific panel.
Tag, time stamps, who sends who receives and for most the text blocks jump all over the place. The eye is not directed in specific blocks, this way information gets lost.
The first one of yours is way better because it looks even at a first glance. The problem here is again the information blocks which can not be distinguished. I kind of have to search for the information who sended what when and from where.

The general pattern works in something like whatsapp better but this is on a single screen, for one purpose, where nothing distracts the user. It also is more clear who did what.

I would suggest using one color for sender one for receiver. This way it would be clearer what is what. I actually don't like the color coding FDev uses it adds to the clutter as well. One way could be to reduce it to 2 colors and work with icons for public, wing and direct as well as for NPCs.

Just my 2 cent.
Click to expand...

I agree, THB I'd love the chat coms to be more like an E-mail then the current chat.

Like you'd be abre to see only the last message of the people, and you'd be able to select the conversation to expand it. Right now , if someone starts a conversation while you are already speaking to someone you are mind for who and what they are talking...

A Email like chat would be MUCH better. maybe for the friends part. Because you'd kill all the infos about WHO sent and you'd be able to have only Time tags , and the current place that person is ATM.... that would be crazy good.


Will try to draw it for better understanding...


(Also... Local Would have a separete part with like 4-6 chats history for direct messages, local and station messages.)


Like this.... Maybe with your better stile chat...
One thing that must be done is the diferentiation from ALLY(friend) chat to the DIRECT chat... its annoying not to have a difference on these 2...

DtKG43T.jpg
 
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Jackalope

Jackalope
@GTR2014
I realy like what u did there. I would also like to see a separated chat message system like e-mail and chat. I also dont like the message part where u cant save messages. With all these tourist beacons coming up in the message box i would like to have a way to save them for later. Once they are deleted they are gone. Also scans and other stuff which might be lore related gets lost this way.
 
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