Universe Wide Chat... Why Is It Not A Thing?

zsharpes

Z
What's up guys. Been playing Elite: Dangerous for a bit now. I think I've registered over 80 hours or something like that and have thoroughly enjoyed the game. One of the things that always bothers me though, is how dead the game seems. This isn't really due to a lack of a player base, but a lack of communication capability. In almost every game I've played with bigger areas, there is usually a "world wide" chat to bring them together. Which makes the game feel less barren. However, in Elite: Dangerous, there are only close proximity chat capabilities, meaning for how vast the game is, if you explore, chances are you won't see a soul speak in chat hardly at all. This to me seems like a flaw of how big the game is, but something that can be easily fixed and not disrupt other players experiences with Elite. You can make "Universe chat", so players who want it can have it, and those who don't can toggle it off.

The thing I don't want is someone to hop into Elite, see no one talking, and think the game is dead. I also don't want players to feel isolated, because that can also make players quit the game in the long term, or not be as active. You may say, "Oh well that won't make people quit, you're over exaggerating, etc." However, I feel as though subconsciously players will feel this way because I have, and so have friends that tried Elite. The fact is as humans, sometimes we don't actively search for people to communicate with, even in real life. So why would a video game be any different? Shouldn't the community always have a way to communicate with each other no matter the distance between? Isn't that what online play is all about?

Now I know what you're saying, the technology isn't feasible to communicate universe wide, or there will be spam which is why it's not a thing. I rebuttal the spam concern, with my experience with more niche games like Darkfall Online. Most players who play more hardcore titles like an Elite: Dangerous are older, thus on average more mature. Sure there will still be that guy who "ruins" it for everyone. However, that is why in every game I've played, these types of chat systems are able to be turned off, but on by default. As for that technology not being feasible, is any technology in Elite feasible in this point of time? Last time I checked I don't see us creating complex docking stations, being able to continuously explore space with manned vessels, or being able to combat with others in space. Not to mention, in real life you can't re-spawn so why can you in Elite? See where I'm going with this? There really is no reason why a Universe chat cannot exist.

What do you guys think? I personally see zero reason why a universe chat cannot exist, and if it does exist, it can only help the game feel more like an MMO, rather than a co-operative space sim. Which I believe is Elites biggest issue right now. The more players are able to communicate, the more we move toward having a lot more politics in Elite, which breaths new life into the game by creating more depth. It can also bring forth the possibility of more organized player events, and just great conversations in general. Not all people are bad, not all people will spam, if you feel they will, then what does that say about your community? From what I've seen of this community in the forums, they seem much more intelligent than 90% of other online games I've played. So why not do this?
 

GluttonyFang

GluttonyFang
zsharpes said:
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The thing is, you have to realize this is a "MMO" with its playerbase mostly absolutely despise the idea of MMO and what it stands for.

So a global chat will likely cause many of these kind of players to rage and complain about how it breaks their immersion. Considering people rose pitchforks against CQC rank being in the main game and wanting to remove it completely just because it breaks their immersion, I think something like this will raise hell over the forum.

I am personally indifferent about the idea, while knowing that it's going to be full of trash talking and profanity that will either go un-moderated or so strictly governed that no one uses the function.

Though some sort of PP communication channel would be great.
 

zsharpes

Z
YinYin said:
Add people to your friends list.

You will be able to communicate with them at all times, even from the main menu.
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That's kinda a flawed argument. A game wide chat provokes communicating with your fellow player. You shouldn't have to add everyone in the game that you see, in hopes of finding a few that you like. That defeats the purpose of a friends list to begin with. A list that is meant to be just for your friends or allies, in order to group up in a collective effort. Plus, I'm not stating that I want a mandatory game wide chat, just an optional one that is on by default like many other games have.
 

zsharpes

Z
OamodSias said:
No thanks.
A main chat room would kill this game for me. I've been playing since beta and never had a use for a galaxy wide chat. It simply doesn't have a function in the game in my opinion.

That said, if I could turn it off permanently I wouldn't give a fluff if it was there or not. :)
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Your last point, is exactly why I would want it to be optional. I don't see how a main chat room could kill a game for someone, that would mean they are on the edge of quitting the game to begin with. That being said, I agree with customization, that if things are in the game to bring people together, people should have the option not to participate. That's exactly what an optional game wide chat could be.

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GluttonyFang said:
The thing is, you have to realize this is a "MMO" with its playerbase mostly absolutely despise the idea of MMO and what it stands for.

So a global chat will likely cause many of these kind of players to rage and complain about how it breaks their immersion. Considering people rose pitchforks against CQC rank being in the main game and wanting to remove it completely just because it breaks their immersion, I think something like this will raise hell over the forum.

I am personally indifferent about the idea, while knowing that it's going to be full of trash talking and profanity that will either go un-moderated or so strictly governed that no one uses the function.

Though some sort of PP communication channel would be great.
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An optional game wide chat does not change peoples immersion if it can be turned off. If peoples immersion is broken that easily, then they shouldn't play multiplayer games at all. When a game calls itself a MMO, yet lacks the communicative features of one, it's somewhat false advertisement in a sense. Powerplay was a good idea in theory, and I was happy to see something like that in existence, however, it lacks a way for players of the same faction to easily communicate. Which is a big flaw considering the potential that could bring to the entirety of Elite.
 

etien

etien
i could settle for a system and neighbourg chat zone ( 2 jumps? ) with some kind a lagg, that would be immersive enuf.
 

YinYin

YinYin
zsharpes said:
That's kinda a flawed argument. A game wide chat provokes communicating with your fellow player. You shouldn't have to add everyone in the game that you see, in hopes of finding a few that you like. That defeats the purpose of a friends list to begin with. A list that is meant to be just for your friends or allies, in order to group up in a collective effort. Plus, I'm not stating that I want a mandatory game wide chat, just an optional one that is on by default like many other games have.
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It was not meant to be an argument in any way. Just a feature in the direction of what you seek for as long as you can't have it.

Also default on would be horrible if it spammed your communication panel ... but I guess you'd want it to be else where, perhaps in the main/"pause" menu like friends chat already is?
Even there I would require user action to enter/view that main 'global' chat instead of barfing it at every player by default. Either way inside that menu it shouldn't be breaking any immersion as the whole menu (options/exit/etc) already breaks that anyway.
 
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YinYin

YinYin

OamodSias

OamodSias
zsharpes said:
Your last point, is exactly why I would want it to be optional. I don't see how a main chat room could kill a game for someone, that would mean they are on the edge of quitting the game to begin with. That being said, I agree with customization, that if things are in the game to bring people together, people should have the option not to participate. That's exactly what an optional game wide chat could be.
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I role-play, I love the idea that there are other players in the game but I equally love the idea that I don't have my chat window spammed with messages (NPC's repeating the same thing over and over again is already quite annoying). So I certainly don't want to see "lel nubz l2p yo mama is ugleh" (not literally of course, but I hope you know what I mean) plastered all over my screen every 5 minutes. Or have to endure players arguing all the time; if I wanted to see that, I'd come to the forums :p - I don't need it in my game as well. That's what would kill the game for me.

Not to mention that you'd need a proper chat window of some kind in order to cater for global chat, the current chat window isn't conducive to a large number of players all talking at the same time; messages would get lost and I don't think you can scroll up (I might be mistaken).

Without getting into too much detail because it's hard to get the words right, I think a global chat is the wrong approach to communication in ED - it just doesn't fit into the game. It doesn't belong, imho.

Again, with all that said and done - if I have the option turn it off forever... have at it. :)
 

smiths121

S
I seem to remember universe wide and pp wide chat have technical obstacles that stop FD from inplementing them in a reasonable time with reasonable amount of resource. Cannot remember if I saw that on a panel, or one of the dev answers threads. I am pretty sure I am not making it up!

Not sure I cannot see a reason for universal chat, I struggel to use the local channel in 1.3. Other than more chatter to ignore, I do not see the need or benefit for a universal chat. I can see a benefit to PP chat or messaging (aka when player next logs in), particularly on a Wednesday when organisation is needed to stop sniping and to ensure correct fortification. I wold guess what holds for PP holds for local player groups.

Having said that, I would expect to use local chat and possibly a local area chat when chained/opposed/pp/wing missions come in. So cannot see the point of it now, but I reserve my right to change my mind as features get added.


Simon
 

LKx

L
You know, comunications don't spread fast enought to cover all those light years involved.

When you add frieds you set up quantum locked comunications with them and.....

.... J/k, seriously, this isn't a "standard" mmo where you have to see a global chat to consider it alive, so i don't think it's necesary
 
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xondk

X
I don't think that's a good idea, given how such things usually end up being spammed to beyond.

I made this suggestion a bit back, Ingame Bulletin Boards, seems to have been lost in the crowd of idea's since it has gotten no feedback.
I believe it would be a simple addition, and makes sense in the setting of the game, I think it could solve the vast majority of the communication problems that exist.
 

Lowievisser

Lowievisser
I like it and it should be in it also , its a multiplayer game after all. So long you can close the thing. Get your coat tho , lot of old ppl around here are mad cause of no offline mode and the game is getting more multiplayer with each update. i predict it will not take long before it is ingame.
 
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