AChat Forum

Discussions about AChat => Share your creative ideas => Topic started by: apollo13nut on May 04, 2011, 11:32:04 PM

Title: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: apollo13nut on May 04, 2011, 11:32:04 PM
I'll try to explain this: Some messengers (Yahoo, AIM, MSN for sure) allow you to use a single IM window, but each contact gets a separate "tab" in that window....why not do something like that for chat instead of having to piss around with the drop down and sending the wrong thing to the wrong person (we all know all of us have done it).
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Bambi_Fawn on May 04, 2011, 11:56:51 PM
That sounds really cool, actually
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Sandra88 on May 05, 2011, 10:30:19 AM
Thats what I'm takling about. ;)
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: apollo13nut on May 05, 2011, 03:13:02 PM
These are the ideas the Dev Team should be focused on instead of the lame male clothes....
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Triumph999 on May 17, 2011, 10:35:09 PM
I think this is such a good idea, would make things a lot easier and save the old "Ooops, wrong person!" messages that I'm sure we've all had to send before now.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Natalya on June 06, 2011, 07:40:04 PM
Something like "ignore for this session" (of AChat) might also be great. Like the idea about tabbed chat and especially the "General tab", which I imagine as a more interesting way of "meeting" people in AChat.

And while we're at it, why not also an option to ignore invites while I chat - i.e. when I want someone to invite me I unlock it, if I want to invite someone they have to unlock it.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 07, 2012, 02:29:34 AM
One of the most "must to have" features. Actual chat system is .... terrible...

Tabbed chat system is important!
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Adera on March 07, 2012, 02:32:03 AM
Yeah, I've wanted this for a very long time, I send way to many messages to the wrong people now.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Azrielle on March 07, 2012, 11:35:48 AM
While the current Chat System is rudimentary at best, it has both pros and cons. Let’s provide a list to enable the Dev Team to properly evaluate the chat system before implementing any changes.

PROS
- Global Communication from player to player easily accessed by the Chat Button on a players profile.
- The chat system is in real time within the Game Module (AChat Client Window).
- Incoming messages are displayed as they are received, regardless of who sent them.
- A complete message history available for quick reference.
- A Block feature immediately accessible via the “ZZZ” button and/or a Player’s “Ignore” List.

CONS
- Unsolicited Communications from other players containing verbal abuse and/or non-game related suggestions to communicate via other chat programs.
- Some players repeatedly flood the chat system because they don’t like to be kept waiting and want an immediate response to their message.
- Confusion, resulting in the wrong message being sent to the wrong person.
- Copy and paste function is only keyboard accessible (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+P).
- New members often having difficulty finding someone to help them.

I invite other members to make future suggestions in this manner, in order to assist the DEV team in evaluating the current Chat system.

One of the most "must to have" features. Actual chat system is .... terrible...

Tabbed chat system is important!

While I do agree in principle, the AChat Client window is already quite full. Where do you propose the “TABS” be positioned when not in room? Perhaps a PM button when you wish to have a private conversation without being disturbed? Some details would be most beneficial so all of us can comprehend and/or visualise the suggested “TABS” and how it could possibly impact the current chat functions.

Yeah, I've wanted this for a very long time, I send way to many messages to the wrong people now.

I totally agree with you Adera, I’ve done it myself on occasions too numerous to count. I’ve had to start training myself to always check who a message is intended for before sending it. Attention to detail is critical to avoid the embarrassment at times.

* * * * *

One suggestion I would like to make is a… Let’s call it a “Favourites Tab” of sorts… where the chat is split into a “General” Tab” where the Global messages can continue to be sent and received as they currently are… and a Special Tab where players can message each other directly without interruption. Because of space issues in the current chat window, having a LIMIT of perhaps 2-3 TABS in total, might be the only way for a TAB system to be implemented at the current time.

Thoughts? Discussions? Pros & Cons?
I invite everyone to share their ideas.

AZRIELLE
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 07, 2012, 11:52:03 AM
mmmmhhh....here comes my experience whit MMO chat....

i think we need some subchannel, like this:


For every subchannel, we can have a different colour, so you can see immidiatly who is talking whit you and move from the General one to a specific channel if you wanna focused on it. in general, you can see the message of every channel, but in the others only the one linked whit it, so u can't read a message of your spouse in the "Group" subchannel (well, if thei are in that group too, yes!)

Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: medjai on March 07, 2012, 12:02:02 PM
It' a good idea my friend, the same chat concept could be easily applied here with some work from dev-team.

The different channels could be switched easily with small tabs on the right part of the chat, we have some space there that can be used to show every tab's label, I thought of the upper part but we're risking to cover a part of people's profile descriptions using that.

So tabs like you said could be: General, Friends/Lovers/Spouse, Group/Guild and we could have a special one for private one on one conversations that we could set up by adding a user kinda like we do when we form a group invite.

Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Bear on March 07, 2012, 12:04:44 PM
A good time to see this topic revitalized... this is one of the larger issues I feel in the site.

That's my experience too HB... the ability to create a specific channel for group use.. ie:..... NSP channel, where a collective might join in...

I think the private / PM are pretty much the same.

coloring the message channels might be a bit difficult other than type of channel...but a tab with the name of the other party would be a big help... some sort of indicator when a message sent and waiting to be viewed.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 07, 2012, 12:19:16 PM
I forget.......it will nice if i can hide the message board too....it can help if i need to take a screenshot!


And plus. we need to find a way to velocize the search for users........sometimes it takes so much time to load the portrait and it can be bored. I know this is another things, but at last it's really linked to the chat itself! any suggestion!?
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: medjai on March 07, 2012, 12:30:52 PM
I think the speed search is slowed by overflows of connections so unless achat buys more bandwith I think we're all gonna have to bare with it.

Going back on topic, every label on the side of tha chat should blip every time you receive a message and you're not on that channel to warn you of a new message to read. And the friend/lover/spouse channel should be personalized and not directly linked to our in game lists, a new person added to our friend list shouldn't be automatically able to write in our personal channel unless we allow it.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 07, 2012, 05:14:38 PM
One of the best tabbed chat system i've ever seen in a MMORPG is the one used in SL.

It has a local chat as main tab. In this tab are shown the whole messages coming from every users currently chatting with me.
It has several different tabs, one for each user is currently talking with me.
Each tab can have a different color.
I can close the communication with a single user closing the relative tab.
Each tab contains the chat history of a single user chatting with me.
In SL I can detach each tab transforming it in a separate window, but this is not good for ACHAT (too much opened windows).

In ACHAT the tabbed chat system could work in this way:
While not in room, the local chat tab should show every messages coming from every users. A new tab should open everytime a new user sends me a new message. The following messages from the same user should appear in the same tab. If I close that tab, a new message from that user will open a new tab.
While in room, the local chat tab should show the message among the people in the same room. Other tabs should be available for incoming private messages.
Users should be able to close each chat tab (not the local one), set in global busy mode or in selective busy mode for each user. Global busy mode doesn't stop the local chat whiel in room.

Another idea coming from other games is the auto-hideable chat window. it becomes a little flashing icon in the bottom when new messages are received. I can click on the icon and the chat window pops-up. After i sent the message the window collapse. I can stick the window clicking on the "stick button".


Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Pafe on March 07, 2012, 06:31:07 PM
Hiya's...

   I don't have much experience with other chat systems, except the old America On Line one, and I haven't use that one in a long, long time.  I will leave this discussion up to those of you who can speak from experience, but I will keep reading it.

(http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/115/c/e/Chat_by_Royaba.gif)

Thanks for letting me share,
Pafe

P.S.  What is SL?
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Lover on March 07, 2012, 07:09:39 PM
@ Pafe: I think she is talking about Second Life, another virtual reality game. I can't telly you more about it, I just know, it cannot be half as good as AChat :)

I just wanna remember about the general chat we had: IMHO it was awful and the best A-Team could do was to stop it. I like the idea of another chat system including several groups, but a general chat like the old one would kill any fun. A big hullabaloo made me feel standing in between 1000 people and everyone is telling something.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Rukya on March 07, 2012, 07:56:20 PM
personnaly , i think the idea of medjai is the greatest solution . True the one of the game fate mentioned is good , but i think its little more harder to realise than the one proposed by medjai . but maybe i'm wrong , i know nothing in programmation thing  ;D
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 08, 2012, 02:51:17 AM
Lover, the general chat i mention, work like the one we have now, not a chat where you can read all the users message even they are not for you
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 08, 2012, 06:22:38 AM
Lover, the general chat i mention, work like the one we have now, not a chat where you can read all the users message even they are not for you

Obvious.

However yes, i was talkin' 'bout Second Life, also if, for fairness i had avoided to write clearly the name. But since someone else posted it, I can say that SL has a very good chat system for a 3D world. It has a TOTALLY DIFFERENT target than ACHAT, not same purpose: Second Life is a whole 3D world used for social, multimedia publishing, universities, games and of course sex but as secondary branch. It is a multipurpose platform, very very advanced and with the most advanced graphic level nowadays. But it is very complex. ACHAT is something different, it is a single purpose platform, adult oriented. For this, in example, i am in both places, Second Life since 3 years and now in ACHAT.
There is no comparison between the two things.

"I just know, it cannot be half as good as AChat"... well... ok. I am not sure you can compare your "microwave oven" with a "train", they are totally different tools. One makes good food, the other carries you somewhere else.

Achat is the best software for its own purpose.
Second Life it is something else.

The purpose of my post however was just the way SL faces the chat problem.
SL targets to a powerful chat system oriented to multiple continuous private messaging + a fast local chat. When i was playing as DJ in clubs in SL, is was bombed by 100 and more messages from the people in the club and from my own friends.
Here something like that is quite useless.
But, nevertheless, the tabbed messaging is however a very good approach to the problem.
I will post a screenshot as soon as possible.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 08, 2012, 09:34:56 AM
Here it is. To avoid showing third party screenshots i made a little photoshopping to the normal ACHAT chat section:

(http://monkeymoon.altervista.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Achat-with-Tabs.jpg)

Maybe not 100% clear. Sorry.

Everytime one of the friends writes a new line, the relative tab label flashes to show "your buddy wrote something new". If the tab is hidden (over the edge of the window), the >> button flashes so I know I've to scroll to see the tab updated.

This is so easy, fast and clear to use.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 08, 2012, 10:12:28 AM
mmmmh, it seems clear and easy to use......maybe this can be the right solution!
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Rukya on March 08, 2012, 10:44:59 AM
playing this game , i must say its a good one , but , yes sorry there is a but  :)

personnaly i found not so easy to follow a conversation when one of them is in the next chat tab (i found easyer to have the tabs vertical in place of horizontal , hope you see what i mean fate  :))
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 08, 2012, 10:50:24 AM
Rukya, it's not so different having it in vertical or horizontal, both work good, but in vertical position, it's gonna collide to much whit the chat scroll
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Rukya on March 08, 2012, 10:59:03 AM
yes i suppose it work the same way as vertical or horizontal , but in vertical you can see more conversations before have to scroll tabs .

i mean is this game i tryed horizontal first , and with more than 4 conversations you need to scroll tab . in vertical , with the same size of window you can follow around 10 simultaneously .

After , in achat , i think we could be able to follow maximum 6 conversations (including the general) before scroll the tabs  ;D . so maybe its no use to have them vertical .
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 08, 2012, 11:03:11 AM
In vertical, we can see 8 tab: one for the general chat, one for scroll and six for the current chat.

At this point, i have a doubt.....is general chat really needed if we gonna have something like this!? mmmmhhhh
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 08, 2012, 12:23:54 PM
Indeed "General" it is quite useless.

About the vertical chat, I agree with you, Rukya. Probably it is better than horizontal, in Achat.
I preferred the horiz in the other "game" because of the names like "Silver dragon king of the empire of darkness" or something like that....  A vertical tab with that name will cover half of the chat window. Not good.
In Achat fortunately we have limited length for the names. Much better.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Rukya on March 08, 2012, 12:43:50 PM
loll i imagine the name hehe  ;D . but to be true in vertical it will be writed : Silver d...  ;)
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Bear on March 08, 2012, 12:57:09 PM
Well a global channel imo is a useful option... a method for new folks to introduce themselves into the community. Yes, it might lend itself to some idiotic postings... but that is the nature of the beast and one is not obliged to read it. Chat wise I am not certain if 50 threads for each account are necessary in this environment, a function like that serves better in an active RT environment like DJ'ing would require...  even if they limited it to 10 active chat  it would be an improvement. (50 at some time frames might be pretty much the whole population of a gender at this point)

I think 10 would work if the chat box expanded...and fit nicely horizontal or vertical (Don't think I have seen a vertical application used yet... since most chat boxes tend to be longer horizontally when collapsed.

However the capacity to create a private "group channel"  ... a function that Red light has... for multi chat with specific groups , would be the feature I would want (yeah I know I mentioned it before... but I do like that function). HB that would serve in lieu of the "guild channel"...

Creation of those channels show as a normal chat option on the lower  horizontal bar.

Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: FateInfinity on March 08, 2012, 01:47:38 PM
Group chat in the "other" game was called conferences and yes it can be useful. I is funny to talk all together with all my friends. I think this idea is good too.
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: hentaiboy69 on March 08, 2012, 02:55:17 PM
it will be good, i agree whit both of you. som i think we can count 3 thumbs up for it!
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: Rukya on March 08, 2012, 03:09:23 PM
wrong hentai , it do 4  ;D
Title: Re: How about a "Tabbed" chat system?
Post by: SquirrelDee on April 30, 2012, 07:11:53 AM
Hey folks - that tabbed chat system is a imply awesme.. I have also been using it other let me call it Visual Chat Games (others have been mentioned above already) and MMORPGs .. great idea!

FateInfinity mentioned also combining chatpartners in a group - I asked for a similar possiblity in the following post:

http://www.funnyadultgamesplay.com/forum/index.php/topic,1640.0.html

- woulf work perfectly In a combination with a tabbed chat!

I wrote that one before Hentaiboy posted a link to this discussion - but it fits into this one.

Big thx @Hentaiboy for guidiing me here!

Thank you for reading and letting me Share

Dee