19-08-2019, 08:44 PM
Honestly? The shoutbox was really nice for general communication between players, and I really miss it or something similar. Players often used it to organize runs, call out issues, and communicate in general. As a mod that wishes to be something more than just a add-on, having a forum but not having any solid way to communicate with someone is an area this mod is sorely lacking in.
Let me try to visualize this; most people use Steam for the communication aspect of this mod, and they shouldn't have to. Players use Steam Community groups to announce when runs are active or planned, and players use direct messaging for trading, for playing, and for conversing. For players to have to rely on secondary modes of communication (no matter how good Steam is) because we literally lack semi-instant communication between players outside of the game in entirety is pretty embarrassing.
This is a cooperative mod, yet players lack provided tools necessary to be able to cooperate outside of the main game. In-game communicate is fine, sure; but it's extremely detrimental to the mod to not be able to converse normally with someone, especially for new players. Our servers are often empty one hour and full the next due to how the game operates (run-based, everybody leaves once the run is over since there is no incentive to continue, but that's another issue). New players have no access to the Steam groups that organize runs or have any way to communicate with players outside of the game. You can tell new players to 'use the forum' all you want, but the only way to actually meet a player is in-game, or to apply for a house (in which new players have to use a forum for, when really houses should be able to use the main website to post their house listing for new players to apply to instead of having it be forum-based and therefore disconnected, but again, a different issue).
Here's what I think: The mod needs an instant communication or semi-instant (updates every couple of seconds / short period of time) chatbox. Since both the main website and the forum operate in PHP, it would be (as far as I know) entirely possible to have the same addon / plugin on both, and retain the same data (such as a friends list, groups, or login information). The chatbox would greatly improve communication and, I think, the mod in general - being able to message a player from the website, pull open the forum to do something related and not have to switch tabs to IM someone would be staggeringly better than what we have now, which is PMing someone back and forth on the forums or using another application entirely.
Ideally, the chatbox would come with more infrastructure than just being able to IM someone. Beyond messaging, players should be able to set up a profile for their account much like you can on the forum so that a player can view another player's information (or not, if the other player wants). Having a profile would tie in to linking both website and forum accounts to be one and the same, so that this process is not only streamlined but user-friendly (linking the accounts would mean logging in on the website would log you in on the forums and vice-versa). On top of being able to have an account, a player should also be able to have a friends list for the main website, an ignore list, and other common trappings for a game's chat box - general chat, house chat, trade advertising chat, personal messaging, group messaging (grouping up on the website for in-game benefits).
It's understandable that for the game itself, Steam will probably always be the winner. It's so easy and accessible to press Shift + Tab or tab out and message someone quickly, and especially have it notify you and contain other things like group chats and a friends list. If the chat box were to be tied in to the in-game, however, that might change -- being able to message a player from the website and it notifies you in-game, perhaps even being able to message them through a chat command that would send it back to the website. Having a dedicated chat-box for in-game as well might be a possibility.
Most of this is just wishful thinking, but I truly do think a chatbox would solve some of this mod's greatest issues. The website and the forum are two separate identities, when they should really be connected, and work together as a cohesive unit. Being able to message players without external programs makes the game as a whole feel more inclusive, and I feel would really establish a larger sense of community, especially with house chat, groups, and direct messaging.
Sorry for the essay. This is a topic I'm pretty passionate about, as I've watched the mod grow from the beginning into what it is today, and see all the steps it took. I just feel that the mod can improve in some areas that aren't thought about often, but would still impact it in a very large way.
Besides the chatbox, I also miss rewards / badges. It was fun collecting them, and it would be fun to hand them out for community events or tournaments or something. People like to flaunt their achievements, and badges would further allow that.
Let me try to visualize this; most people use Steam for the communication aspect of this mod, and they shouldn't have to. Players use Steam Community groups to announce when runs are active or planned, and players use direct messaging for trading, for playing, and for conversing. For players to have to rely on secondary modes of communication (no matter how good Steam is) because we literally lack semi-instant communication between players outside of the game in entirety is pretty embarrassing.
This is a cooperative mod, yet players lack provided tools necessary to be able to cooperate outside of the main game. In-game communicate is fine, sure; but it's extremely detrimental to the mod to not be able to converse normally with someone, especially for new players. Our servers are often empty one hour and full the next due to how the game operates (run-based, everybody leaves once the run is over since there is no incentive to continue, but that's another issue). New players have no access to the Steam groups that organize runs or have any way to communicate with players outside of the game. You can tell new players to 'use the forum' all you want, but the only way to actually meet a player is in-game, or to apply for a house (in which new players have to use a forum for, when really houses should be able to use the main website to post their house listing for new players to apply to instead of having it be forum-based and therefore disconnected, but again, a different issue).
Here's what I think: The mod needs an instant communication or semi-instant (updates every couple of seconds / short period of time) chatbox. Since both the main website and the forum operate in PHP, it would be (as far as I know) entirely possible to have the same addon / plugin on both, and retain the same data (such as a friends list, groups, or login information). The chatbox would greatly improve communication and, I think, the mod in general - being able to message a player from the website, pull open the forum to do something related and not have to switch tabs to IM someone would be staggeringly better than what we have now, which is PMing someone back and forth on the forums or using another application entirely.
Ideally, the chatbox would come with more infrastructure than just being able to IM someone. Beyond messaging, players should be able to set up a profile for their account much like you can on the forum so that a player can view another player's information (or not, if the other player wants). Having a profile would tie in to linking both website and forum accounts to be one and the same, so that this process is not only streamlined but user-friendly (linking the accounts would mean logging in on the website would log you in on the forums and vice-versa). On top of being able to have an account, a player should also be able to have a friends list for the main website, an ignore list, and other common trappings for a game's chat box - general chat, house chat, trade advertising chat, personal messaging, group messaging (grouping up on the website for in-game benefits).
It's understandable that for the game itself, Steam will probably always be the winner. It's so easy and accessible to press Shift + Tab or tab out and message someone quickly, and especially have it notify you and contain other things like group chats and a friends list. If the chat box were to be tied in to the in-game, however, that might change -- being able to message a player from the website and it notifies you in-game, perhaps even being able to message them through a chat command that would send it back to the website. Having a dedicated chat-box for in-game as well might be a possibility.
Most of this is just wishful thinking, but I truly do think a chatbox would solve some of this mod's greatest issues. The website and the forum are two separate identities, when they should really be connected, and work together as a cohesive unit. Being able to message players without external programs makes the game as a whole feel more inclusive, and I feel would really establish a larger sense of community, especially with house chat, groups, and direct messaging.
Sorry for the essay. This is a topic I'm pretty passionate about, as I've watched the mod grow from the beginning into what it is today, and see all the steps it took. I just feel that the mod can improve in some areas that aren't thought about often, but would still impact it in a very large way.
Besides the chatbox, I also miss rewards / badges. It was fun collecting them, and it would be fun to hand them out for community events or tournaments or something. People like to flaunt their achievements, and badges would further allow that.
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