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

  • I'd still vote for random.  But both would be cool.

    Regional (as originally proposed) sounds better than neighbourhood chat; the latter feels a bit ... forced? 

    Perhaps group chats will come into their own once global is replaced with a new alternative. 
    Posted 15 months ago by Christine Subscriber! | Permalink
  • More in favor of Regional chat than Random chat, it just makes more sense ^^.
    Posted 15 months ago by Demetra Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If by "Random" chat you mean multiple chat rooms capped at a certain amount, with new rooms dynamically created when that cap is exceeded, then yes, I favor "Random" chat.  I just have one request with that, though.  How about a drop-down list with the chat name and the number of participants and you can enter any rooms that are not full.  This will help aid people trying to get together on the same channel while still maintaining your goal of alleviating chat traffic.
    Posted 15 months ago by Joojoo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When this first came up, I didn't love either option. But since then, I have not only decided that am I ready for global to go, but have also fallen off the fence onto the side of random.

    However, I would also like the ability to /next into another random channel. I don't want to be able to pick a global channel instance, cause that's not random. But I would like to be able to sample the different flavors of random at any given time.

    Maybe if a given instance was full up but I still wanted to check it out, I would be able to listen until a space opened. Or petition a mod for entry? Hmm - probably more trouble than it's worth. But I like the idea of getting a random sample while not feeling like I was stuck with a bad lot.

    Regional chat tied to your house would be ok too, but I would prefer it to be in addition to random chat, if anything.
    Posted 15 months ago by katlazam Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Given how much Global has slowed down recently, it looks like they've implemented some version of splitting channels.  Kudos for making the technical solution so invisible that most of us think we're still in a single channel. 
    Posted 15 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Would there be anything stopping both being implemented?

    To be honest I have Global closed most of the time because it's far too busy to keep up with anyway. I have Group chats and Party chats open when I need them. Why not just have both Random and Regional in the list, for people to use as and when they want.
    Posted 15 months ago by faitaru Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I favour the regional chat to anything else. At least it's more natural of a venue for chatting. I really like global chat though. I've only been playing a few days, but it's been invaluable for getting a feel for the game, getting quick advice, and having funny conversations. :P It'd be sad to see it go.

    One idea, although possibly short term, would be multiple global chats with a limit on the number of people logged into them at any given time. This way if people wanted to chat, they'd have the venue (plus, for instance, having a regional chat as well which is more convenient and "local") that is completely nonrestrictive except for population count. Just a thought.
    Posted 15 months ago by heychrisfox Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My vote is a regional chat.

    It's more natural, and if you need help doing a specific quest that is easily fulfilled in that region, it'd be easier to coordinate (like the peat bog quest).
    Posted 15 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wait, yeah, why can't we have both? :O
    Posted 15 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What about having subject-type chat. For instance, party chat (or social -- but that word tends to make people's teeth grind) or game play chat.

    I've noticed since we've gone Big Time, that I can't keep up with Global. It's just too crazy. And I love the Help Chat channel. BUT, that channel can only be for specific help related topics.

    I'd love to have a chat channel for game play. And I'm sure lots of people who focus on the more social aspect of the game would love a party line. Or live girls. Heh. Kid.

    For instance, right now I'm working the Ghosty Quest. It's been fun. I've had questions and I've also wanted to do little shout outs (found ghost #5!! or similar). I wish there was a chat channel for stuff like that.

    I'm not sure that regional or random would be ones that I'd be into. Random = too random. Regional = not enough cohesiveness (I might want to talk to same people as I travel from firebogs to Groddle).
    Posted 15 months ago by emdot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Is there any word about when this will be implemented, or if we will get any sort of warning beforehand?  When WindBorn suggested that the change had already been made to Random chat I freaked out and quickly tried to figure out if it had changed, it would be nice to know a little before hand what will happen
    Posted 14 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I would vote for both, with the option of adding friends into your random chat (or joining one of theirs on sIgn-in)
    Posted 14 months ago by MrVolare Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional Chat! +1) it can be much more useful when it's about to call for help. Plus there's the group chats and the group Global Chat 2.0
    Posted 14 months ago by Kul Koba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I still think I would prefer random, but honestly, since launch I never even look at global chat so maybe my vote is "don't care".    Don't know how much others really care about this apparently divided opinion.   Either or both, its all the same to me.
    Posted 14 months ago by Treesa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional, and it's not even close.
    Posted 14 months ago by Cross Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I say random chat because that seems to better suit the nature of global chat as it is now.
    Posted 14 months ago by Garney Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional chat
    Posted 14 months ago by Jindujun Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm all for regional chat!

    I've seen global chat work in other games when the player had to actually spend some kind of points to say something in that chat.  Since the aim in that case would be to limit talking, there would have to be some kind of absolute cap per day even if you were, I dunno, farming those points.
    Posted 14 months ago by Lara Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Shouldn't this be a personal preference? Perhaps it could even be a learned skill. A communications skill would be nice. It would enable you to modify your chat settings to access chat in the way that benefits you most.

    In learning "Communications I", for example, you could have to engage 5 people in local chat.

    If you already have something like this, just ignore me; I'm new.

    I think it would even be cooler if you could activate a "Chatterbox" that would enable your preferences. Kind of like an interactive radio. It could be a reward or it could be a found/purchased/given object that would exist in your inventory and allow you to "activate" it to enable either kind of chat. So long as your "Chatterbox" is activated, you are participating in the chat that you want. There would be regional "Chatterbox" items and random "Chatterbox" items. Even a Communications Vendor would be cool to eventually enable advanced forms of communication like video-chat and such. Or an image "Chatterbox" that would allow you to communicate only using images. You could then collect image themes to compile phrases to use with your "Chatterbox"

    As you leveled up in the Communications skill, you could eventually create "interest groups" and enable a custom "Chatterbox" that would automatically create a chat room that anyone with a similar interest would automatically be added to your chat users when they logged in; allowing you to chat only with people who share interests with you.

    Towards the top of the Communications skill set you could have the ability to grab people and put them into a group to chat. Once you had the skill, you would become a "counselor" of sorts that could be required for other skill-making achievements.

    It's a lot better than choosing and it shouldn't be that hard to implement, really? LOL

    Love the game, let me know if you want to hear more ideas about this...I've even drawn up some charts to simulate the existing gameplay with this new skill tree.

    Jase (Whirled Leader)
    Posted 14 months ago by Whirled Leader Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Why not both or allow players to switch between the two if you don't want people to be in both at once.
    Posted 14 months ago by Nirosu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Won't regional have the same capability issue as global? 25000 glitches in global - split even on 25 regions is still 1000 glitches in one chat. Random would scale "infinitely", just reducing the probability on ending up in a chat with somebody you know as the population grows.
    Posted 14 months ago by Vic Fontaine Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 to BOTH and you can choose which suits you at a particular point in time.

    I think regional and random are both a great idea and an improvement over global.
    Posted 14 months ago by geekybird Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I recently started keeping Global closed just because the discussion 1. goes by too fast 2. the same questions get asked over and over. Sometimes it's helpful if I want to know if some major event is happening, but a regional chat would do the same thing, I believe. Now I mainly follow the group chats for Glitch Strategy and New Streets. Those give me the most pertinent info as to what's happening in-game.

    I really like the idea someone above mentioned about having a regional chat, but being able to choose whether or not you want to pin yourself to a region as you move through the world. Each region could have their own channel - just leave it up to us which ones we choose to follow. I like the random idea, but I see it more as an option. I'd like to be able to go in and click something that says, "randomized chatroom?" And it'll give me a window of random people.

    I think what I'm saying is, ok, doing away with Global Chat in its current form sounds practical. But make sure we have options to customize our chat experience instead. Please. :3
    Posted 14 months ago by Laerwen Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If you must replace I vote for Region Chat, but speaking from experience that might also become a bit too much. I would rather not have any other chat boxes except for Local and Group chats (I'm a member of Global Chat 2.0 though)
    Posted 14 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm for regional chat myself... global chat already has become horrible. Too much going on for one and some people make it too uncomfortable to stay in it.
    Posted 14 months ago by Casombra Amberrose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • to me it sounds like the answer is to have both!
    Posted 14 months ago by Riddleguy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This sounds like a cop-out... but imo.. BOTH...But the player chooses which to go into. Can't have both at the same time!

    One day I might want to be amongst my neighbours discussing the dwindling piggy population in Groddle Meadow...and on another day (or hour) I might want to switch it up with some glitches I've never encountered before and have philosophical discussions while passing the purple around.

    This way you're not restricting people - and are giving them the choice which will be driven by their own unique personalities or moods or interests. :)
    Posted 14 months ago by Makona Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm for the Regional chat option, even though we all tend to be off and away, it feels more ordered and easier to understand than a bunch of different random chat channels would be.
    Posted 14 months ago by Ristretto Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Region Chat. Easier to get. People coming from other games can understand.
    Posted 14 months ago by cynder Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This thread is... old.

    Why did it come back to surface?

    Anyway, I like the idea of a theme-based "random" Chat, if that is possible: Throw in together Glitches that are learning the same skills at the moment, have the same quests at the moment or share other things.

    As we know from real life, there's nothing better to start communication than common interests. Throw together 20 random people at a bar, most will not even talk to each other. Throw together 20 people at a choir, a theatre group or a sports team, and you'll create friendships for life.

    I don't see much chatting going on in most streets. Exceptions are streets, which are interest related: E.g. Ajaya Bliss. Everybody is there for the same reason.
    Posted 14 months ago by Louis Louisson Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I very much like the idea of regional chat - would be a great way to get to know your neighbors and create a but of a neighborhood feel/culture. It would also be an interesting way to connect with folks doing similar sorts of things. 
    Posted 14 months ago by Vera Strange Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Region chat based on the location of your house seems best to me. Users are already creating HOA groups, so locking that in as a feature would make a lot of sense.
    Posted 14 months ago by Reihox Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I share Innie's thoughts, 36 days ago.

    It would be Region chat for me.
    Posted 14 months ago by Lazy Cubimal Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 for Mocha's idea (on page 1!) ~ have both!  I don't see why we have to choose one or the other when there are so many pro's for both.  Why can't we choose which one we want to participate on in any given session? 
    Posted 14 months ago by ♪♥~ Auren ~♥♪ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The simple solution is to include both.

    I vote both.

    Usually I get very irritated with global and turn it off.  But there's certain times of day when there's always the same people talking in global, and the conversation becomes very entertaining.  That's the one thing I'll really miss when global goes away, and that's the kind of thing that neither regional or random chats can recreate.

    So since it's a fail either way, include both.  That way at least you're giving us more options.
    Posted 14 months ago by zeroDOTjon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had written a pretty long post in reply, but I just changed my mind while writing it so *delete*.

    Region over random for me. You'll get random people randomly walking into region anyway. It'd also be more realistic, with your prospective neighbors determining where you live. I also like the pinning suggestion.

    I had an idea though, what about a separate chat per larger location you're in? Let's say you live in an apartment. Local chat would be limited to the people in it. You would also have the choice of block chat (people in your floor/block), building chat(residences only; gov't and community buildings go to the next level), street chat, city chat (bortola, alakol), region chat (uralia and ix, groddles, ancestral lands, lower north (sal/alak/bort), east north (tamila, etc), shim/jed/kal). It's a bit complicated, but region chats (ix, uralia) would potentially have the same problem as global, global only being as tame as it is because some people find it too fast to follow.

    I wouldn't be too disappointed with random chat though. It would be nice if you could switch between instances as you would regions/maps if you don't like the topic.
    Posted 14 months ago by Ellisande Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think this thread has been brought back to life because people are coming to see the light that global chat really doesn't scale up, and are ready for it to go. I still like the idea of both regional chat and a random chat that you could /next into another instance.
    Posted 14 months ago by katlazam Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hey, how do we know that they haven't already implemented one of these, and they just haven't told us which, and no one's actually noticed?

    >_>
    Posted 14 months ago by KhaKhonsu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • have both regional and random!
    Posted 14 months ago by Fur Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Regional would be how most MMO's would handle it.

    Random would be how a quirky, square-peg-in-a-round-hole MMO would handle it.
    Posted 14 months ago by Warrender Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well here's an idea,

    Why do you just split the global chat into multiple channels/rooms w/ max capacity to make it less crowded and people can go to any channels/rooms.

    I think that would solve the problem on the pros and cons for the population but the down side is that the dev will have to make it happen.

    Hope the staff reads this one coz i think this is a good idea.
    Posted 14 months ago by KurtLing Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I like the idea of random chat way better.

    It would be one thing if I thought area chat would always be utilized in an area specific way (it might in certain areas, but people in Groddle are not going to talk only about cherries and chickens). If it gets OT though, it might not logically connect that when you TP home to collect your butterfly milk, you had better be done talking about the world series, or goodbye convo, unless you run back across the countryside in the hope of catching them.

    I don't want to go the "x benefits miners!!!!" route that happens so often when new ideas are raised, but location specific chat seems like it favors folks who are in it to win it on a specific continent for a long time.... and people who don't have to gather both spice and eggs.

    If we did go with location specific, there has to be some sort of "____ has left" marker.

    Meanwhile, being exposed to a random cohort of people introduces whimsy and continuity at least across one play session.

    Random chat would also serve as a booster shot against public cliquishness. Not that we have it, but it would help forestall it.
    Posted 14 months ago by Pomegrandy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Its really hard to choose, maybe you can give us both?
    Posted 14 months ago by Utopia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Zone chat ?
    Split the world in zones like our real world has time zones .
    Or pick the continents if they aren't to big ...
    Then it would cover the Con of regio chat and make it close to Pros only ;)
    Ya still have a bit of the Global feel so it would be win win in my view :)
    Posted 14 months ago by Great Brain Robbery Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If I hade to choose one, I'd vote for random. It's like global, only smaller. If you want a regional chat, to solve a quest or find neighbors, just join a group... Just my 2 cents. The 'rooms' idea is a good one too, so people can find each other... we'll just have to test it to figure it out :)

    However, if it was possible to implement multiple chats, it'd be great to have a random one, a big regional one, and a neighborhood one! I just moved into a cottage, and the only way I've figured to communicate with my fellow neighbors is leaving notes on the floor, since we don't have a noticeboard X_X
    Posted 14 months ago by Mandy.23 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • In case I didn't make my opinion clear enough, my vote would be for random.

    Zone chat doesn't mean anything in a game with the easy access to teleportation or even subway rides this has.  We already have local chat to talk to those around us in our current street.  You could even tie it to some wacky lore and call the channel something more appropriate than random.  Maybe divide it by Giants so you have the Humbaba channel and the Lem channel, etc.?
    Posted 14 months ago by Warrender Subscriber! | Permalink
  • One of the things I really love about global is that you find the same players there often at similar times of day. If you splinter it either by area or by random, this wouldn't happen and I think we'd all miss out on some of the wonderful discussions we get to partake in at the moment.
    Posted 13 months ago by Vialdana Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Seems I missed the boat on this 40 days ago, and the choosen option already in development, but my late two cents:  Definitely a region chat, but every time you move to a new region, the old region gets a tab, and the new region opens in a new tab.  That way you can flip back to the prior region and still have the two regions separated.  It could by default only keep the last 3 regions or something active so there isn't to many windows to keep updated.  I can keep a chat window open with 20 glitches at once, so why not 3 region chat windows active?
     
    Posted 13 months ago by Kleb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My .02c:

    1. When glitchen buy houses, they should automatically get a chat channel for their housing group. That will encourage neighborliness and a sense of place.

    2. Global chat should become random, and the number of glitches in each random subgroup should be small enough to make actual conversations possible. There ought to be a button you can push that changes your random channel if you want to try talking to different people: BUT the option do so should be limited to once every 10 or 15 minutes. That'll avoid people spamming the random/global chat channels.
    Posted 13 months ago by Fluxan Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What's wrong with global?
    Posted 13 months ago by Avnas Subscriber! | Permalink