Topic

Staff Topic

Your Opinion: Replace Global Chat with "Region Chat" or "Random Chat"?

Global chat will go away sometime soon. I know there are some people who think that should never happen, but I don't think those people have a clear idea of what it will be like with 1,000 or 5,000 or 25,000 participants (it'll break your computer, for sure).

We are considering two alternatives:

Region Chat
A chat pane which everyone in the same area as you ("area" could be as narrow as the thing we have called "hubs" — Shimla Mirch or Ix, for example — or it could be small groupings, like all of Groddle Isle, all of the Firebog areas, etc).

Pros: easy to understand (natural grouping), easy to know when you are leaving
Cons: we Glitches change areas/zones pretty quickly compared to many games

"Random" Chat
A chat pane with a random selection of the people online, simulating the old Global Chat, which would stay with you for a whole session (spanning over multiple reloads).

Pros: consistent for a play session, so doesn't force you to make a choice between staying put and finishing a conversation
Cons: not easy to understand/not tied to anything in the world
--

So, what do you think we should do? (If we had implemented the damn voting system already, we'd be using that ;)

Posted 15 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • I'm torn. I think regional chat makes a lot more sense (both as an expansion of local chat and as a sensible place for questions outside of Live Help), but random chat sounds more Glitchy--in that it would probably force you to socialize with different groups on different days. If I had to choose, I think I'd go with Regional.
    Posted 15 months ago by Sheepy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If people are gathering in a region to do something it will be easier to talk to them with regional than with random
    Posted 15 months ago by Artilect Subscriber! | Permalink
  • i don't like the idea of region chat, because players crossing boundaries and "randomly" cutting in and out of the chat room all the time in the middle of a conversation or in the middle of asking/answering a question. Seems like it would be a real hindrance to having anything more than a 1 minute conversation.
    Posted 15 months ago by Another Chris Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think Random would be better.

    I can't think of any way that Regional chat would be useful/ why define it by region?

    Global chat to me has always been a kind of Off-Topic hang out with people popping in to ask questions that they don't want to take to live help.  
    Random chat would do that just fine.

    Like a glitch Chat Roulette.
    Without the masturbationists.
    Posted 15 months ago by Wrendolin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional sounds like the lesser of two evils to me. I will miss global though.
    Posted 15 months ago by crowdedsky Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Random chatrooms assigned over the session would be great except that as it is, you need to reload the game every 40 minutes or so, rendering any ideas of permanence moot. In the end, I don't think it'll make a difference whether it's regional or random for the session based on this issue.
    Posted 15 months ago by Blitz Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Blitz, we can easily(ish) make it so that the "session" spans multiple reloads (or even short pauses in play).
    Posted 15 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional seems like the better choice. With random, it'd be a heck of a lot harder to advertise parties. With regional though, at least everyone in one region can go to a party, and people could go to different regions to advertise, etc.

    I still prefer global over all though. It's really just for random things, or big parties. If there's 25,000 people, it may be hard to read with everyone typing messages, but if you're talking in Global, you probably don't mind reading all them. Private(r) stuff is for IMs or groups. With breaking your computer... you could just turn it off if it causes you lag.
    Posted 15 months ago by Mocha Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Random would be the best thing to happen to me since my parents died.
    Posted 15 months ago by Fartenstein Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow Stoot, I really really appreciate you guys taking the time to listen and try to come up with a way to help us keep in touch!

    I think both are cool options, but I am really leaning towards Regional Chat.  Several reasons, then you can better communicate for what you need (ex: peat bog quests, or digging quests, and if more group quests come out *fingers crossed* it seems like regional would work much better).  Also, if you have questions to ask then regional would help with that (ex: bug in a specific area, players in that area would best know about it).

    That being said, the downside to regional is that certain regions would probably be empty a lot.  I still think overall, regional chat would be better because it fosters more of a community feel while random chat would make the world feel so big, and I would hate to get stuck in a group of people that I'm not close friends with.  At least with regional you know where your friends live and can go there to chat with them.

    It also allows people to get to know their neighbors better!  Again, overall regional would probably foster a more friendly community feeling.
    Posted 15 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think Random would fit in better, at least from my perspective. I like meeting as many new people as possible, which is what Global has been great for.

    (first forum post!)
    Posted 15 months ago by Helvetiqa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LOL — you are all as split on the issue as we are :)
    Posted 15 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ah, alright Stoot. Then I think random would be better suited... We'd still have local chat anyway for party formation and the regions of this game are kind of irregular and we move between them often. It'd be cool if we could subscribe to local chat (like you can in WoW).
    Posted 15 months ago by Blitz Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's just so easy to change regions (especially once you've learned any level of Teleportation) that I don't think Regional Chat would serve much purpose.  I like definitely like the concept, though — Laurali makes a very valid point about fostering neighborly community — why can't we have both? :)
    Posted 15 months ago by Jannisary Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think Random would be an interesting thing to try out.
    Posted 15 months ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I vote for random chat. I change position constantly throughout the game, so losing my chat buddies because I went into a different region would be irritating. Keeping the flow of a particular conversation for as long as desired is more important, in my view, then only talking to people that are in the same area. 

    It may also be a good feature to have where players are allowed to pick which chat they want to go into if they so desire, so they can coordinate with their friends to make sure they end up in the same chat group. I wouldn't play that way (would just talk on my own group chat), but I can see others wanting to do this.
    Posted 15 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I got it!

    Have both.

    The regional could be a default, but then, have an option to join a room with "a random of selection of people all around the game world!"
    Posted 15 months ago by Mocha Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional chat... but allow the user to "pin" their session to a particular region.  So if you're involved in a conversation, you can leave the region but not the conversation.

    You could even allow people to jump into any region chat regardless of where they are... but that starts to lose the sense of connection to the game region.  Maybe let users jump back to the two most recently visited regions, as well as the current one and one that is kept pinned?  This risks getting too complicated and unintuitive, but you could play around with the idea.  Just having the ability to pin one channel would go a long way towards addressing some of the concerns.
    Posted 15 months ago by Mabdabalog Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My vote goes for Random. I am constantly moving and would rather not have to stop everything I'm doing just to finish a conversation.
    Posted 15 months ago by Ferbot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Okay, the way I see it, chats have three basic purposes: talk with friends, make new friends, do stuff with them.

    A Random Chat is certainly helpful in making new friends. However, any potential new friends that you didn't add to your list would be lost after a few sessions. And although it is still possible, Random Chats are not as useful for talking with friends you already have or doing stuff with them.

    A Region Chat would probably function similarly to Random Chat in terms of exposing you to new friends because of people coming in and out all the time. You may or may not find old friends here (really, that's best served by Group Chats), but at least there is the very practical benefit of doing stuff with people in the area or asking them area-related questions. There is also the added bonus, as you say, of giving a sense of place.

    So my vote would be for Region Chat. The big downside is having to stay within a region in order to continue a conversation. If the Region Chat were to be implemented, I think it should definitely be based on "groupings." Because people also frequently TP out of a region to say, drop off stuff at their house or a vendor, would it be possible to figure out a way to keep someone in a chat for 10 real minutes after they leave a region? And/or give them the option of choosing to leave a region chat when they go someplace else (so 2 chats simultaneously, or let them pick 1)?
    Posted 15 months ago by Melody Pond Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We have a "lite" version of regional chat right now:  Local chat.  People come and go as the enter and leave the street.  No one seems to mind the coming and going, and if you want to keep chatting, you either hang around until the end of the conversation, or you can IM the person.
    Posted 15 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I really don't see the issue with having both?

    Region chat would have more relevance, but I think it would have to be larger regions like firebog or groddle isle. Maybe it would be wise to divide up Grumbla though. Maybe no larger than 4-5 regions in any specific regional chat?
    Posted 15 months ago by geoffreak Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What if it was regional based on your house?  If you left regions it didnt change, but if you moved it did?
    Posted 15 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've wanted region chat for a while, but I do see how it could be problematic with how mobile and teleporty everyone is. It would be hard to keep a conversation going. Perhaps that would be alleviated somewhat if it were continent rather than just hub.

    That being said, I love the idea of the random chat. You'd be exposed to lots of different people over time, but never too many at once. And you could keep conversations going no matter where you are in game.

    I think I have to side with Mocha here ... having both as options would be ideal!
    Posted 15 months ago by duien Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Would love both, but if I have to choose I would choose random. I'm rarely in one region for more than a game-hour or so
    Posted 15 months ago by EgIantine Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It would be kind of nice to have both of them, but if I had to pick one or the other I'd rather go for Random. It would be just like Global is now. Maybe if your friends could always be in your random group...
    Posted 15 months ago by Celestial Jester Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Celestial: some people have 600+ firends, that wouldn't work well, and if you let players pick the chat I bet lots would flock to one particular chat
    Posted 15 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The way I use Global, I think "random" would work better for me.  I'm often asking a question like "anyone seen a wood tree recently".  I announce "last eggs".  My Global conversations tend to be issues that shouldn't be confined to a single region.
    Posted 15 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I would prefer to see this....

    Random Chat - Good idea. But, I see this becoming more a global chat, than anything.  If its just a "random" group, does that mean its randomly selected?  If that's the case, it will seriously cause problems with people feeling left out.  Bad idea

    Regional Chat is a good idea. Then if you meet someone new, you could invite them to your group, etc.  Along with Regional Chat,  I would like to see this:

    Party Chat. World parties are going to happen, and a way to announce it worldwide would be nice. This is just a want (not a need), and would be fun because newbies would be able to see it, and they could join in the fun. Would not require joining a club.

    Quest Chat. I would love to see this implemented.  It would allow people to ask for help with quests (loam quest, mining quest, announcing last egg, or problems understanding a quest).  It would also allow a global type environment to discuss new quests that come out.
    Posted 15 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think it should be regional chat based on house location, and maybe a group for noobs who don't have a house yet.  That way if people leave a region they are still in that chat, and its a relaly great way to meet your neighbors and community.  Makes it more strategic to pick a house too!
    Posted 15 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'd vote for regional chat!
    Posted 15 months ago by DrSteve Subscriber! | Permalink
  • House region does sound like a cool concept, but then you'll have people feeling they need to stay in the region in housing, or feel like they have to move when their favorite friends do.

    I think the idea of having both options is great, though I understand that that may not be practical.
    In the end, I feel like Random would be the best for reasons that have already been stated. I don't have any new wonderful reasons to add.
    Posted 15 months ago by Biohazard Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I really like the idea of having regional chat tied to what region your house is in, Laurali!  Maximizes the community-building, minimizes the incoherency of chat. Perfect. :)

    EDIT: In response to Biohazard: Sounds to me like that's a feature, not a bug.  People getting attached to their region and "local" community is the point.   And there's always group chat or IMing if you want to move and still stay in touch.
    Posted 15 months ago by Jannisary Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So, I have two questions and a suggestion.

    First question: how hard would it to be to implement both of these?
    Second Question: If it's possible, how hard would it be to implement a 3rd chat?
    Suggestion: if we can have a 3rd chat, what about a "Neighborhood chat" with everyone from within the building/street you live in?
    Posted 15 months ago by Silver-Streak Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional would be useful in quite a few situations, i.e. "Somebody has a tinkertool to lend me?" or "Peat party anyone?" without resorting to teleports.

    Random is better in terms of what Global Chat is now. If you like it you use it, if you don't you stay away.

    Having both options would be ideal. Maybe for some time, until we know which one is better, or whether both are really used?

    If having both is not an option, then I vote Regional, as I am not a fan of Global as it is.

    (By the way, how are you going to solve Live Help with many more players?)
    Posted 15 months ago by Ximenez Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ximenez: they now have guides to help with live chat, guides can answer many of the questions that are typically asked in live help
    Posted 15 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I know, Laurali. And guides make an excellent work.

    But it gets easily overcrowded, even now!

    ETA: But let's forget about Live Help for now, as it is off-topic. Sorry for bringing it up.
    Posted 15 months ago by Ximenez Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Me? well I prefer Regional Chat
    Posted 15 months ago by s200401150 Subscriber! | Permalink
  •   Dude, Glitch is so random. Totes.
    I need a nap.
    Posted 15 months ago by caley dunn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I kinda like the idea of "random," but determined by some actually non-random thing, like maybe your favorite giant.

    See Vonnegut's concept of the granfalloon (that is, "a proud and meaningless association of human beings").
    Posted 15 months ago by Biff Beefbat Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You know, much like not polluting, Random Chat would be a hoot.
    Posted 15 months ago by girlthulhu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Is it too much of a stretch to say have them both but to have them not necessarily used the way that group chat is now? like you don't need to pay attention to both but it's always there if you want to look at it?
    Posted 15 months ago by ardentmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It seems like we're trying to work backwards from solution to feature. What is the point of chat? Wouldn't the answer to that make it easier to pick an option?

    For me, the benefit of Global chat (when I was new, I admit it is too insane for me now and I never open it) was to meet new people, share ideas, maybe find people with whom to start groups for the purpose of hatching fun sinister plans (hypothetically, of course), answer questions not specific to one area or another, and just generally chat.

    So if the purpose of chat (either option) is to make Glitch more social (in order to transition people into various groups of their selection), which option is the most practical to achieve this end?

    In my opinion, it's random. Random simulates global without the crazy scroll. I pop in and out of areas based on my needs, so it's likely I'd never engage in much regional conversation (or more than I already do in the street chat, and that is often very utilitarian).

    My vote is random, based on my definition of the role chat serves in the game.

    ETA: +100000 to Biff Beefbat's Granfalloon Chat!
    Posted 15 months ago by Eureka Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My first reaction was regional chat, but as I've thought about it I think random chat is the better option.

    We have such a large number of groups we can join. Groups provide opportunities to chat with players we know and enjoy. A random chat channel would be a fun way to interact with different folks in a truly global way. As the player base increases, it will be nice to get a sense of how the community is growing. Random chat would be a great way to do this.
    Posted 15 months ago by GreyGoose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Global seems random now already, so I'll throw in with the Random crowd. It's always interesting to "hear" what's going on in other places, so that won't really change.
    Posted 15 months ago by Slubberdegulion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Random is infinitely extensible (limit on the number of people that can be in an instance at  a time, creating more as necessary), and less exploitable/likely to fall over as a concept (what happens to regional chat if everyone manages to arrange to meet in Shimla Mirch?) ... so random chat seems to be the more sensible option
    Posted 15 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Global Chat channels? Many channels and choose which one you want to be in, if you don't want to stay in the one you've defaulted into - agree with your friends which one to chat in - set a max number of peeps in each channel to keep each one functional.
    Posted 15 months ago by gimmegames Subscriber! | Permalink
  • New global chat with thousands and thousands of people would definitely suck.

    Random chat would make it easier to meet new people but it would make it tougher to keep friends.  For instance, I play mostly during the day.  I know a lot of the people who keep the same hours as me.  My girlfriend plays mostly at night and she knows a different crew of people than I do.

    Personally, regional/random/global will be turned off when the game comes out for real.  I'll stick with the group chats I've joined (global 2.0, new streets, etc.).
    Posted 15 months ago by zeroDOTjon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm for the Granfaloon chats
    Posted 15 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Rachel2635, Slubberdegulion and shexycorin make very good points for Random. I agree with them. (Please forget I voted for Regional before...)
    Posted 15 months ago by Ximenez Subscriber! | Permalink
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