It is written by Mod Hunter and is dated 8 May 2015.
Hi all, we're looking to make some improvements to the chat system, so let's get talking! We've had quite a few suggestions for various improvements to the chat system, however the chat system is quite complex and usually too big for ninja fixes. As such we want to dedicate a larger amount of time to removing as many annoyances as possible and generally improving the chatting experience!
We're currently very early in the design stages, compiling suggestions for improvements that players and jmods alike would like to see. We're not looking at technical feasibility yet - including on the ideas already listed here - so for now almost anything goes!
However there are some caveats - we don't have the resource to add new systems, so the following are examples of things we won't be able to do:
- Voice chat
- Offline messaging
- Mailboxes
Current idea list
Core chat box changes
We want to investigate making each of the chat boxes fully customisable - effectively all functioning like the all tab and putting the full control in your hands.
This would allow you to have something like:
- Chat tab 1: Displaying public chat, private messages and clan chat.
- Chat tab 2: Displaying game messages, trade requests, assist requests, etc...
- Chat tab 3: Displaying guest clan chat and group chat.
- Chat tab 4+: Not displayed at all.
Of course, being customisable this could be set up however you liked.
We're also aware of the desire for some larger fonts in the chatbox so we'll be investigating ways in which we can offer that.
Additionally players are hopping between different worlds and lobbies more than ever before, which makes it easy to miss messages as they get cleared. This is also something we'll investigate improvements to.
General Suggestions
- Press tab multiple times to cycle through last pm targets
- Allow right clicking on friends broadcast messages to send PMs
- Split overhead public chat disabling into a seperate setting
- Investigate better ways of highlighting when a message has been received in a non-active chat
- Comp/max cape style colouring selection for chat colours
- Some way of highlighting chat if your username is mentioned (togglable)
- Show additional world info such as type next to a friends name in friends list or on tooltips
- Replace the /, //, ///, etc... messaging shortcuts with something else. Suggestions welcome and encouraged!
- Have /c, /p etc... work in the same way as // not switching the chat box.
- Have an indiciation of who has a clan avatar
- Allow the clan and FC name to be toggled out of messages to minimise space used, especially with timestamps enabled.
- Addition of emoticons
Friends Chat Suggestions
Many of these are from a long-standing topic in the ninja forums, available here.
- Have kick message visibility limited to certain ranks via a setting
- Have a ban list seperated from the ignore list, which people can be removed from without waiting out the 60 minutes kick.
- Icons next to peoples messages relating to rank (also to apply to clan chats)
- Improved management of the setup list (search for player, sort by rank, etc...)
- Owner able to assign ranks by right clicking in FC list
- Allow permission setting similar to clan lists
- Increase the maximum size
- Multiple previously entered FC entries
- Configurable join requirements: Combat level, total level, members/free, add more suggestions here!
- Add a tooltip on rank icons to say what it is
What we need from you
We want to make sure we're going in the right direction, so we want your feedback on the current ideas and just as importantly any additional ideas you may have.
So get suggesting now!
Just to reiterate the technical feasibility of individual suggestions has not been investigated, so the information above is very likely to change during development.
Ninja Team