Server-wide /shouts

[kingfury]

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.

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Great to know this is being worked on ^^

Now my 1st thought was "Why not make the Key Item Link Pearl concept that offers channel filters" and such like Juilan and a few others brought up:

"Try to find a way to set it up like a linkshell, you can sign on to the linkshell to view server shouts, I see no difference there than a large ls with 64 people, other than the requirement of making /sh do two things... or make it so people just cant see the shouts XD"

But after thinking about the concept more, and more, Illianna has a very valid point here:

"This sounds an awful lot like a better /seacom system... one where you could search comments by keywords ^.^; Wouldn't it be a lot easier just to make the tools that already exist more user friendly rather than think up something completely new?"

The point is, we're already connected to each other "World wide" without any new system being implemented via the /seacom system. At the core of the issue at hand, people simply want to add the functionality to both "Continuously Play the game while being updated on any and all relevant pick-up happenings being planned at the time regardless of where they might be in the world", and "Effectively communicate with everyone world wide when planning a pickup-like event."
Although we are indeed connected to each other via the /seacom system, the system falls short of solving this problem since it cannot "automatically update you via the chat log" based on what players world wide would like to accomplish like a /shout can. We have to manually stop what we're doing to go through each and every single comment if we want to know what's happening with each player listed throughout. That's very inefficient, and can take a bit of time away from "Playing the game". This, in my opinion, is why the /seacom is rarely used by a majority of players. It also falls short of the solution since it can not "Automatically Filter" the type of commented activity you wish to stay tuned into as it is added by players.

The Problem:
I believe there is no way to add such a functionality such as /world, /zone, and /area-like "shouts" without people abusing and cluttering up those new airways which would potentially cause 90% of players to just /filter out + /turn off these channels due to being annoyed. Even with a timer set to how often folks could /shout, it would only take a handful of people not interested in anything else other than /shouting about /random mess to start a now "/world wide" poop tossing fight lol. It really wouldn't benefit those that truly want to listen out for valid pickup happenings to have to /filter out these channels based on such buffoonery each time.

A Possible Solution:
I suggest revamping the /seacom's abilities to feel like it's a special Link pearl that has the ability to filter out content based on how that content is plugged in.

-Include a new way to quickly type in the /shout-like messages similar to how we would if we wanted to compose a /shout currently but via a new "/seacomshout EXP" or "/seacomshout Abyssea" so it would only be displayed in the chat logs of those that are tuned into those /seacom channels. This way we could be automatically updated in our chat log on all things Abyssea in terms of "Pickup happenings" while freely continuing to play the game. The /seacom shouts would be instantly added the appropriate /seacom channel based on the subject listed in the shout(Example: "/seacomshout (subject)" ) accompanied by perhaps an ending command like "<comment>". So a player composing a "/seacomshout EXP" message would have the message displayed to all those tuned in to EXP /seacomshouts both in a player's chat log and within the /seacom "EXP Party" channel listing as if they put it in using the menus. The amount of time the the comment remains in the listing could possibly be altered to a timed system in which the comment will disappear from the listing should only one /seacomshout be issued. Each time the same player repeatedly inputs the same /seacomshout message, their comment in the appropriate listing could be bumped to the top of the list so as to not create multiple listings for the same comment.
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-Additionally, include an intuitive method of tuning into multiple "/seacom shout topics" at the same time. This way, players could filter in Missions, Quest, Magian, and Abyssea "/seacom shouts" at once all while fishing or killing a NM. Truly, a simple toggle ON/OFF for each /seacom subject would probably be the most intuitive. Simply going down the /seacom comment list and toggling "ON" for all the channels you wish to stay tuned into would suffice. If you no longer wanted to hear the /seacom shouts, simply toggle all of them off. Alternatively, adding a quick "/seacomshout OFF" command would be nice and sweet too. ^^ Adding a "/seacomshout ON" command would tune a player into all /seacom subjects, allowing them to hear /seacomshouts for every topic.
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-What then would stop a player that is hellbent on tossing out drunken conversation into the mix via /seacomshout (subject) at will? Please also include either a special filter that targets individual players within this new shout ability such as "/shoutfilter (Player's Name)", so nothing they attempt to /seacomshout reaches your chat log or your comment listings from that point on, or just make sure /blacklist reaches them through this system

So long as the method feels like a natural /shout or /linkshell message when typing it in or receiving it, I think a modified /seacom system could be the answer we're looking for.

Thanks again for listening guys /salute