Suggestion: Improved Chat Features.

[Satyr]

I did a search and found a similar post but the suggestions in it seemed a lot more complex than they needed to be so I am posting this here as a suggestion for adding global chat and/or city chat.

I suggest implementing a global chat channel that you join upon logging in to the game by default, but also have the option to join or leave at any time. The technology is there...it is the same thing as putting every player in to one big LS that doesn't require a pearl. Then just add a menu category called global chat. There would be 3 options under Global chat:

Automitically join global chat upon login On/Off
Join Global Chat
Leave Global Chat


OR

Make a new chat channel called /city. Using /city would post messages in each zone within each designated city. Thus you could stand in Port Jueno and use /city and your message would be seen in Port, Upper, Lower, and Ru'lunde Gardens. /city would work in jueno, sandoria, bastok, windhurst, and the Imperial Capital. It probably would not be to difficult to make /city chat work for all cities, thus you could type "/city LFG Abyssea XP" while in jueno and people could see it as long as they were in any capital city.

I think that this would be a fairly simple thing to impliment that would vastly improve a lot of aspects of this game. With a global chat channel you would be able to go out and do things while still monitor parties that are being formed. Sure putting up your LFG tag works for finding XP parties, but if you are trying to find a group for anything other than XP, you pretty much have no choice but to sit in Port Jueno. Global chat would free people up to be able to go out and do other things while not missing out on that elusive NM hunting group that they would normally have to be in jueno to hear about.

Even if the second suggestion I made was implimented it would still help so that people could set their home point in any city and not have to worry about going to jueno just to look for groups. Or to a lesser extent, have the ability to sit in Ru'lunde gardens and not miss out on the groups forming in port jueno.

[Coldbrand]

I'm not a fan of the idea. These kind of channels are what cause so much of the stupid anti-social behavior that you see on certain other MMOs and also present an ENORMOUS opportunity for the resurgence of a more effective wave of RMT.

[vungster]

No as much as I like to see the core of FFXI chat evolved, I think this is a bad idea. *Thinks of free Korean games out there and shudders*

[Satyr]

I'm not a fan of the idea. These kind of channels are what cause so much of the stupid anti-social behavior that you see on certain other MMOs and also present an ENORMOUS opportunity for the resurgence of a more effective wave of RMT.

This is something that could easily happen even with /shout yet it is very rare to see /shout abused in such a fashion. When abuse does happen it can be reported via (Help Desk).

also...RMT is a problem no matter what game you are in. FFXI has dealt with RMT better than most games. RMT has always had the ability to use /shout to advertise yet you never see them shouting. I can't even remember the last time I saw an RMT shout. Even if they did use a general chat channel to "advertise" they are giving themselves away as RMT and would quickly get banned. Any RMT issues can and should be reported with (Help Desk).

[Coldbrand]

Shouts are minor compared to a global channel. You already DO see greifing trolling and idiotic behavior over shouts, a global channel provides an infinitely larger audience for harassment, I promise you it'd be a thing.

[Satyr]

No as much as I like to see the core of FFXI chat evolved, I think this is a bad idea. *Thinks of free Korean games out there and shudders*

This isn't a free korean game. In games like those the nightmare is caused mostly because RMT can spam global chats non stop without any fear. If they get banned they just start a new account since it is free. Also when you can just create a free account people have no fear of getting banned since they can just start a new account. Thus any 12 year old can spam chat with chuck norris jokes and if he gets banned he can just start a new account.

With that said, having played many other MMOs, FFXI has possibly the most mature player base that I have seen, so I do not see there being a ton of abuse. Eve online has vastly more players than FFXI does, they have only one server and many of their chat channels are global, yet you rarely see abuse.

[Satyr]

Shouts are minor compared to a global channel. You already DO see greifing trolling and idiotic behavior over shouts, a global channel provides an infinitely larger audience for harassment, I promise you it'd be a thing.

As I said...anything can be reported with (Help Desk). Upon releasing this new chat, SE would have to stress that abuse would not be tolerated and remind people to use the tools that are already in the game and that have been there since day 1 to report greifing, trolling, and idiotic behavior.

[Coldbrand]

I'd probably give most mature userbase to CoX but it's your thread. But it's your thread. I just wanted to pitch a vote against the idea if the CMs are working off a diplomatic system in terms of what they pitch to the devs.

[Satyr]

I'd probably give most mature userbase to CoX but it's your thread. But it's your thread. I just wanted to pitch a vote against the idea if the CMs are working off a diplomatic system in terms of what they pitch to the devs.

There is no reason not to have something like this; however, I will agree with you to the extent that something like this would need to have rules that are actually enforced to prevent abuse.