Server-wide /shouts

[Zirael]

Though we need to do some more testing, and we are not sure whether it would be possible yet, we are looking into the possibility of making/displaying shouts throughout multiple areas.

To be a bit more specific, we will be looking into grouping certain areas server side so that a shout from one of the areas in that group will be heard from each of the other areas.

For example:
If Ru’Lude Gardens/Upper Jeuno/Lower Jeuno/Port Jeuno were to be grouped together, making a shout in Ru’Lude would be heard in the other areas (Upper Jeuno/Lower Jeuno/Port Jeuno). However, this would ultimately quadruple the server load, so we will definitely need to pay close attention to this.

My plea was more about being able to go camp a NM in some obscure place or go gather Beehive Chips or /fish and still be able to get a word about a shout group forming for something I might be interested in. Your solution would give me an option to afk in few more zones, but I would still be left with a choice: do I stay hang around city with nothing else to do in order to see shouts, or I move out to do Campaign/camp NM/whatever and miss all the shouts. I want to stay tuned in AND go out do stuff. Is that too unreasonable to ask for?
As for system resources issue: having 3k people online with 700+ people in Port Jeuno alone and people zoning in getting DC during weekends is a proof to me your server can't keep up already. Don't think being able to see a wide range shout would make it worse than that. If the server can't handle sending a packet to 1-3k people simultaneously, it looks to me you need to optimize your code or upgrade that 2Mbit connection. I think there are few games out there that manage to handle that. Is it really not feasible for FFXI?
Anyways, thank you for the reply, at least we can hope for a step forward.

How about a kind of radio you could acquire, and tune to different cities? Transmitters could be placed in central locations and if a shout was heard by the transmitter, you could hear it as well. Then different cities could be used for different kinds of shouts; Jeuno for Abyssea & w/e, AU for Assault & missions, Bastok for bazaar & item shouts, Windurst for live Ballista games, Norg for conspiracy-theory-themed interview shows, etc.

Actually, I like your idea. Maybe something like a new type of linkpearl/key item channel that you could equip/uneqip to tune in to the talk you're interested in.
As for JP people staying in Whitegate, I think they do that more for convenience. Quite a lot of them don't speak EN, so English shouts are meaningless to them, same as for us JP text in chatlog is useless. This way they aren't bothered by people shouting back {Please use autotranslate function.} and we get less spam. Win/win.

[Mirage]

well it is different in that a linkshell message only needs to be sent to the few dozen (at most) players in the linkshell, while the entire jeuno region sometimes has nearly 1000 players in there, who would all receive every region-shout made in there.

But it would lower port jeuno congestion. Even if people still put their homepoints in jeuno, it doesn't have to be right in Port Jeuno. All Jeuno zones would have a shared chat channel, so everyone interested in shouts could now be spread over 4 areas instead of 1. I know I would idle in Upper Jeuno waiting for shouts if I could, instead of in port.

-edit-
Oh hey I know. What if we got a system where we could "subscribe" to a specific area's shout channel? Like when I logged on, I would type for example "/channel add portjeuno", and then I would get shouts from Port Jeuno in my chat log no matter where in the game I was. If I wanted to change that to a different channel later, I could do that with "/channel add someotherzone" whenever I felt like it. Or turn it off with "/channel remove zonename".

To save server resources, it could be made so that if you didn't actually perform any actions (run around, chat, sort inventory, whatever) on your character for like an hour, the subscription would be dropped. Whenever you got back from your AFKing, you could just re-subscribe I guess.

[Zirael]

well it is different in that a linkshell message only needs to be sent to the few dozen (at most) players in the linkshell, while the entire jeuno region sometimes has nearly 1000 players in there, who would all receive every region-shout made in there.

But it would lower port jeuno congestion. Even if people still put their homepoints in jeuno, it doesn't have to be right in Port Jeuno. All Jeuno zones would have a shared chat channel, so everyone interested in shouts could now be spread over 4 areas instead of 1. I know I would idle in Upper Jeuno waiting for shouts if I could, instead of in port.

You've got a point, but wouldn't those 1k people rather idle at campaign tower, at a NM camp or wait for magian trial weather? You go to a city for wide range of reasons and go out, but you afk there for more than 10min for either showing off your 'town gear', bazaar or catching up with shouts.

-edit-
Oh hey I know. What if we got a system where we could "subscribe" to a specific area's shout channel? Like when I logged on, I would type for example "/channel add portjeuno", and then I would get shouts from Port Jeuno in my chat log no matter where in the game I was. If I wanted to change that to a different channel later, I could do that with "/channel add someotherzone" whenever I felt like it. Or turn it off with "/channel remove zonename".

To save server resources, it could be made so that if you didn't actually perform any actions (run around, chat, sort inventory, whatever) on your character for like an hour, the subscription would be dropped. Whenever you got back from your AFKing, you could just re-subscribe I guess.

Yeah.

[Gwynplaine]

When I suggested this before it was partly because I assumed just opening up shouts would be the most straight-forward and easiest way to go. But I guess nothings ever easy in MMO's.

I think server-wide would be ideal, but failing that at least if there were one specific zone within each city to hang out and watch for pickups or buy/selling that would still be great. For example, tie all shouts from Port Jueno, Bastok Mines, Southern Sandoria, Windurst Woods, and Aht Urhgan Whitegate together. Here's a suggestion I have that could help implementation, but it's probably a lot of coding and work so I've no clue how practical it could be.

Instead of just expanding shouts, it could use a more limited and moderated form of communication. In order to that you could limit the choice of words and terms used to specific things similar to auto-translate. For example, if you want to communicate across the "international" channel lets call it, you have to enter in information. First enter in a purpose (similar to /seacom) for doing a party, quest, or mission, or buying/selling, etc. Second enter in what the quest/mission/item is you're pertaining to. Third enter in a level range you specify, if one is needed. Fourth enter in how many players are tagging along so far, and how many total you need. Fifth enter either generic class types you still need (support, front line etc.) or specific jobs if applicable.

This is pretty much the standard model for shouting players have banged out over the years. Limit each players communication on this channel to one message sent per minute to prevent spam. Requiring only communication pertaining to party/pickups/trading also eliminates the usual shout talk and bickering and also any potential RMT messages. Like I said, I have no idea how overly complex or practical that is. But I think the general idea could be worth considering for Square to put its own spin on it.

[Glamdring]

must just be me... I've always been more interested in finding ways to get rid of irrelevant chatter, not encourage it and force it on the rest of the population. I don't want to see this AT ALL without some heavy-duty revision of the filters. Like, I don't see even 1 shout unless I specifically ask to, and then only on the specific content I care about.

[Mirage]

You'll love my "channel subscription" idea then.

Maybe the feature could even be given a graphic interface? Sort of like a combination of the "search area" interface and linkshell interface. Browsing areas with a menu similar to the area search, then selecting them and selecting "subscribe" from a sub-menu".

[Zirael]

must just be me... I've always been more interested in finding ways to get rid of irrelevant chatter, not encourage it and force it on the rest of the population. I don't want to see this AT ALL without some heavy-duty revision of the filters. Like, I don't see even 1 shout unless I specifically ask to, and then only on the specific content I care about.

Fair enough. also, don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for this to be able to get spammed with every drunk idiot's past-midnight thoughts.

When I suggested this before it was partly because I assumed just opening up shouts would be the most straight-forward and easiest way to go. But I guess nothings ever easy in MMO's.

I think server-wide would be ideal, but failing that at least if there were one specific zone within each city to hang out and watch for pickups or buy/selling that would still be great. For example, tie all shouts from Port Jueno, Bastok Mines, Southern Sandoria, Windurst Woods, and Aht Urhgan Whitegate together. Here's a suggestion I have that could help implementation, but it's probably a lot of coding and work so I've no clue how practical it could be.

Instead of just expanding shouts, it could use a more limited and moderated form of communication. In order to that you could limit the choice of words and terms used to specific things similar to auto-translate. For example, if you want to communicate across the "international" channel lets call it, you have to enter in information. First enter in a purpose (similar to /seacom) for doing a party, quest, or mission, or buying/selling, etc. Second enter in what the quest/mission/item is you're pertaining to. Third enter in a level range you specify, if one is needed. Fourth enter in how many players are tagging along so far, and how many total you need. Fifth enter either generic class types you still need (support, front line etc.) or specific jobs if applicable.

This is pretty much the standard model for shouting players have banged out over the years. Limit each players communication on this channel to one message sent per minute to prevent spam. Requiring only communication pertaining to party/pickups/trading also eliminates the usual shout talk and bickering and also any potential RMT messages. Like I said, I have no idea how overly complex or practical that is. But I think the general idea could be worth considering for Square to put its own spin on it.

It's up to SE how far they can improve current system, but I think it could and maybe should be improved.

[Glamdring]

channels is workable, if people actually use the right one. We'll have to see. Looks like the devs are serious about doing this, but the only concerns I see on their side is resource load. I want to see the "not having to listen to it" also be in the discussion. The existing filter system is an indication that-at least at 1 time-they were concerned about this, but I want to see that the filters be upgraded too, or the delivery restricted or something.

[xbobx]

Would be nice if the developers actually responded to important posts not stupid ideas like this.

Last thing I want is server wide shouts, bad enough in port jeuno.

[Mirage]

Except this is a good idea and will help with the congestion issues.