We really need a better chat system

Tchuvan

Tchuvan
For all intents and purposes, this game is an MMO. You are playing with other people in the same instance, either in groups that you join or when you happen to come across another player randomly in space. To not be able to converse with other players beyond targeting them and talking to them seems to defeat the purpose of playing a game with other people.

I have been playing MMOs since Jumpgate came out, and every single one of them had a way to converse with other people. Some like WoW degraded into preteens screaming their angst into the general chat, and others were quite helpful to others who reached out to the community.

I feel that in order to feel a part of something beyond the forums and joining a group, to maintain a community it would be very helpful to have a way to talk into a solar system chat of some sort and be able to talk with other players without targeting them.

Unless I have missed a way of communicating? This game is lacking in any real comprehensive optional tutorial or basic in-game walkthrough for new players to get them into the basics (yes, I have seen the vids on how to land and fight) or to give them a few basic missions to do so they know what is expected of how to play the game, so it is quite possible I have missed many functions of the game that are a "duh!" once you learn them.
 

Phrygian

P
You should be able to reply to players who hail you without having to target their ship first. This, to me, is the biggest frustration and annoyance with the chat system.
 

Phrygian

P
Kitiara said:
You don't have to target them. Just select them of the list next to the comms window.
Click to expand...

Does their name actually come up now if you haven't already targeted them? Last time I did it, I just got a list of ship types. I didn't know which ship was the player until I'd spun round and targeted them.....

Then again, I usually tend to hail people first, so if it's been changed since the last time somebody said hello to ~me~ first, then ignore my previous post.
 

Julio Montega

Julio Montega
Kitiara said:
You don't have to target them. Just select them of the list next to the comms window.
Click to expand...

For rift users the text based chat is near to unusable without putting the rift of the head.
The current voice comms implementation isn't better.
I have had a single call within my time playing from PB1 on.
It really could use a proximity voip chat feature or something along the lines.

Why not have an incoming call be a onesided connection,
allowing the target to hear you, but not answer, until they open comms with you, too?
Reminds me of Star Trek, but would be nice to have.
 

Tchuvan

Tchuvan
Kitiara said:
You don't have to target them. Just select them of the list next to the comms window.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that tip. Like I said, simple things that are a "duh!", but we aren't exactly told anywhere. Either way, a general chat of some sort along with join-able channels would be very handy. Games are supposed to be social, otherwise you are just playing a console game.
 

Im_Lost

I
One thing that does need adding is local area chat, so we can talk to other people in stations etc. I'd like to see custom chat rooms added also, like an in-game IRC system.
 
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Dragosani

Dragosani
Perhaps a suggestion for the developers would be to have some intra-comms, like a broadcast that has a limited range....

I'm not an engineer so not sure how far a broadcast put out across fhm/hrf would travel (radio moves at speed of light correct?) so maybe have a range of 1LY or within one system - and all ships come naturally fitted with rx/tx comms....

Not asking for a "chat" window as such but targeting comms using broadcast could be feasible (of course the reality of this may make it feel like a "chat" window).....
 

Maruun

Maruun
Am i the only one that doesnt see a point in a chat system inside a FPS game.

Seriously, the moment you have to "chat" you cant do anything you have to stop everything you are doing otheriwese you crash/overshoot/die while typing your message.
In that regard the chat system is okay.

Stationchat/Localsystem maybe later Wing chat. Would be "nice" but to be honest i dont see a point, the amount of players i saw in the part of galaxy i am lurking i can count on one hand. Even in denser player population the problem stays in a chat system inside a FPS or action oriented game type.

The moment you take your hands off your joystick to chat, you have stand still and stop everything you are doing otherwise bad things will happen. I saw enough player crashing into a station while trying to answer me...its not the fault of the chatsystem, its just incompatible in this type of game.
 

zanussio

Z
totally agree with OP.
the chat is cheap.
you should be able to chat easily with other players no need to target them before.
second: dont let the chat disconnect if they move to another instance.
and there should be an instance/system wide chat, every player enters when he jumps in.
the possibilty to make chat channels as well....
 

Tchuvan

Tchuvan
Maruun said:
Am i the only one that doesnt see a point in a chat system inside a FPS game.

Seriously, the moment you have to "chat" you cant do anything you have to stop everything you are doing otheriwese you crash/overshoot/die while typing your message.
In that regard the chat system is okay.

Stationchat/Localsystem maybe later Wing chat. Would be "nice" but to be honest i dont see a point, the amount of players i saw in the part of galaxy i am lurking i can count on one hand. Even in denser player population the problem stays in a chat system inside a FPS or action oriented game type.

The moment you take your hands off your joystick to chat, you have stand still and stop everything you are doing otherwise bad things will happen. I saw enough player crashing into a station while trying to answer me...its not the fault of the chatsystem, its just incompatible in this type of game.
Click to expand...

This is untrue. It worked perfectly well in Jumpgate, a FPS sim game using near-real space physics (you go in one direction until you accelerate in another). Beyond that, you aren't pew-pewing the whole time, and people also haul or mine to boot.

No, this game feels empty without being able to connect with others. Humans are social organisms after all.

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Dragosani said:
Perhaps a suggestion for the developers would be to have some intra-comms, like a broadcast that has a limited range....

I'm not an engineer so not sure how far a broadcast put out across fhm/hrf would travel (radio moves at speed of light correct?) so maybe have a range of 1LY or within one system - and all ships come naturally fitted with rx/tx comms....
Click to expand...

Or you could use some new sci-fi tech thing like ansibles in Ender's Game.
 

SgtLennin

S
I have no clue how the communication system works, but I won't use it anyway. Is it possible to issue a distress call? Galaxy wide? I would drop off fuel if a player was stuck nearby. I've seen NPC's chatting about being attacked but could not find a distress call.
 

Tchuvan

Tchuvan
I went back into my old game, Jumpgate, and even there with only 15 people online there is more interaction between pilots. I mean, c'mon, we need some way to communicate with each other in this game.
 

Y2K

Y2K
it needs ingame station, system wide chat, social tools to build an active community and email. theres been plenty of threads about this and im sure FD are aware of it.... as for them doing anything about it pff
 

PaulBM

P
Totally agree, communication is vital in multi-player games like this. There is more than enough time to chat while flying or docked, obviously you can't if you're docking or fighting etc. Hitting Enter to reply is good, but group chat between friends would be great.

Chatting, meeting people and working together adds an extra dimension to any multi-player game. Everquest and World of Warcraft without group chat, guild chat etc would have failed in no time.
 

DocMoriarty

D
I'd probably play a bit more if there were some background noise from a galaxy- or faction wide chat on my fairly boring trade runs. But just flying silently back and fourth the same route just to grind the millions needed for upgrading to a type 7 isn't really what keeps me playing that ... "game".
 

Ghostile

Ghostile
Contact list with notes.
Player to player messaging as either chat or email style.
Togglable system wide chat
Togglable station wide chat
 
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