Global Chat

[Gath]

As someone who's playing FFXI right now, I don't know what imaginary Jeuno you experienced, but of the 4 server's I've been on, Jeuno has been nothing but a place for people to prove how ignorant they are shouting rude garbage and fighting with eachother constantly. A global channel will be infinitely worse.

The FFXI I played was on Siren, I was on that server my whole FFXI career with the JP launch.

The chat was always good, clean, and in most cases, respectful. I don't know how it was on other servers, but I was moreso reflecting my own experiences. There were those few who were trouble started but they were pretty much ignored by most.

[Tibian]

Personally, I think the $1 fee for extra characters should be abolished, but that's another topic altogether.

This. No idea why they have a fee anyway.

[normalforce]

Haha, no. I think easily there will always be an idiot on at all times saying stupid things this is a war the GMs won't be able to win, it's too easy to make a character. I'm also absolutely positive this will cause an RMT explosion, especially if it were implemented as the game became more popular. I guarantee it. There literally isn't a better tool imaginable for them short of compromising our emails.

You could say the same thing about /shout as well. It still didn't stop all the RMTs that sent me tells.

There are two ways I see that a global chat would be implemented. One way would make it equivalent to /shout. /all, for example. Everyone in the game would be signed up to it be default, and if someone in Gridania wanted to be annoying, he could spam the entire server, no problem.

The second way is to have many channels, each for a specific topic (looking to party, crafting, gathering, selling, etc.) that people would have to manually join before they could take part of.

Most people arguing against a global chat system seem to be saying they don't want that first option, ignoring the possibility of a second option. But I don't think many (or anyone) in this thread wants the first option. MMOs are too dynamic to have one global channel that would fulfill everyone's needs. Hence why it would be best split into multiple channels, each with a specific focus.

[MeowyWowie]

This. No idea why they have a fee anyway.

Because you can do everything in the game on one character. No need for alts, ever.

[Rowyne]

Not to mention the fact that NO POSSIBLE FEATURE IMAGINABLE could empower RMT more.

Well, by that token, I guess we should just disable /say and /tell and /shout because they could solicit RMT that way. We should never consider a player search, because they could solicit RMT that way. We should never implement a messaging system because they could solicit RMT that way.

/sarcasm off

Removing avenues of communication will not deter RMT. Were you a beta tester? Do you remember them standing at the aetherytes spam shouting? I do. And they didn't need a global chat to do it.

The solution to blocking RMT isn't removing avenues of communication. It's done through SE giving us the tools to easily report spammers and block them.

This game doesn't need to shut out communication. It needs to encourage it.

[Rowyne]

The FFXI I played was on Siren, I was on that server my whole FFXI career with the JP launch.

The chat was always good, clean, and in most cases, respectful. I don't know how it was on other servers, but I was moreso reflecting my own experiences. There were those few who were trouble started but they were pretty much ignored by most.

Wow, I was thinking the same thing about old Jeuno chat! It was pretty much good-natured. Maybe we were just on a great and friendly server. I'm from Siren, too! (Selyne, Hume WHM.)

[Akira-Niji]

I'm perfectly fine with optional global chat channels that can be created, enabled and disabled by the user.

These jaded points or arguments brought up against it that solely focus on how it will only be exploited by RMT and trolling is hardly being insightful or objective to this discussion. The anonymity of the internet has always been like this for decades and the nature of this beast is unavoidable. Just because a player is incapable of disabling an optional chat channel or putting a griefer on block is not the fault of game design--it is you. I say this as a game designer with industry experience and observations from various MMO's. Optional global chat channels that can be created, enabled and disabled by the user are harmless and do in fact enhance the social interaction of an MMO.

For example, I personally enjoy CCP Games approach to optional global chat channels for EVE Online. Just like FFXIV, you have your basic chat channels, but then you can add tabs to add in optional global chat channels based around various interests. EVE Online has an amazing sub-community of listeners for their streaming internet radio broadcast, EVE Radio, that are volunteer DJ'd by actual in-game players. DJ's will use the chat channel in conjunction with the radio broadcast to raise in-game currency for contests, take music requests, and have discussions with players on-the-air. Talk about a real sense of community!

Another example is all new players by default are dropped into a "Help" chat channel moderated by experienced in-game players who help answer questions about the game. Once the player has completed tutorials, the basic chat channels are added in with the "Help" channel to gradually ease them into the game's community. When the player becomes experienced enough they can then disable the "Help" chat channel. Another helpful optional global chat channel was for players seeking or recruiting for guilds. The useful possibilities of having optional global chat channels for artisans, sellers/buyers, mission seekers, etc. are useful indeed for any MMO community.

[Mack]

I still vote no, don't ask me why.

[Rowyne]

I'm perfectly fine with optional global chat channels that can be created, enabled and disabled by the user.

Amazing post, I agree with all points.

On top of that, all new players by default are dropped into a "Help" chat channel moderated by experienced in-game players who help answer questions about the game. Once the player has completed tutorials, the basic chat channels are added in with the "Help" channel to gradually ease them into the game community. When the player becomes experienced enough they can then disable the "Help" chat channel.

This right here would help new players to not feel so lost in a game that's less than intuitive.

For example, I personally enjoy CCP Games approach to optional global chat channels for EVE Online. Just like FFXIV, you have your basic chat channels, but then you can add tabs to add in optional global chat channels based around various interests. EVE Online has an amazing sub-community of listeners for their streaming internet radio broadcast, EVE Radio, that are volunteer DJ'd by actual in-game players. DJ's will use the chat channel in conjunction with the radio broadcast to raise in-game currency for contests, take music requests, and have discussions with players on-the-air. Talk about a real sense of community!

I've never played EVE. This is about the coolest thing I've ever heard!

[zoekwon]

i dont know why ppl are complaining about rmt spams. thats why we have GMs. they can handle it. i remember first day of aion. there were so many rmt spammer and GM took care of all of them. now i see none in aion.