After reading the discussion over at "Annoying" http://alpha.glitch.com/forum/general/2725/
from a systems development issue, I see the problem outlined not as an age issue, but, as the warden in Cool Hand Luke says, "a failure to communicate." So, how do you solve the communications issue?
SITUATION: In http://alpha.glitch.com/forum/general/2725/#reply-16623 Trav says she tried to communicate first via local chat which failed and then via IM which also failed. In a short bit, Gem got the message and tried to resolve. Then blah blah blah which is not part of this idea.
ISSUES WITH LOCAL CHAT: Seeing what is going on in the game and chatting is a big problem. Plain and simple. I am always frustrated with local chat. 9/10 times I get no response. Whether I am saying thanks or help or hi. If the player is not looking at the local chat or if they don't see your bubble (eg they are walking away) there is no response. I can't get louder or say hey you. And lag is a problem with the chat. A big one--a few seconds can derail a conversation.
ISSUES WITH IM: Pretty close to the local chat in that you don't necessarily see what's going on in the boxes on the right side. Sometimes someone has IMd me and I don't realize or get it for a while. I have had IMs ignored, too. The red number doesn't get my attention.
UI IS THE ISSUE: This happens frequently enough that it's got to be a UI problem. And a problem that devs or experienced players wouldn't see because they have trained themselves to review the chat channels so for them, no problem.
IDEA Get their attention: Can there be an envelope or a wing or a question mark or a double rainbow appear over your avatar when someone starts an IM with you? Having to look and notice on the right doesn't make sense. Your eyes are focused on the game window most of the time. I can so see how someone could miss--rather than purposefully ignore--entreaties. Also it would be great if you could tap someone's shoulder in some way in local chat. Also it is clumsy to click on a player and then find IM (give, splank, kiss, trade, IM, friend, hug whatever, hard to differentiate them all). Slows down when you are trying to get a message across quickly.
There has been a number of ideas and general postings about issues with in-game comms. I'd hate the issue of bad communications to be masked as an age issue, cuz that's what I am seeing. There were significant improvements to the chat channels, but I think they don't address the comms needs of the nose-in-the-game players.
I almost posted this as a bug, but really think that it needs to be on the top-ish of the list.