Defining AChat.

[Bear]

hmmm,… in defining AChat. in many matters and issues here it is simple demographics and common sense. The emphasis on MF poses due to the customer profile that most users on sex sites are simply hetero males. Without being redundant the with other sites;

Avalucia has pointed out already that the chat function is present (and done with better options) in other programs. AChat's hook is superior graphics. I am not a techie, so I have little to offer here, but my base understanding is that 3d rendering and high quality graphics is a memory intense function, whether AChat has the sufficient equipment or is bound by physical restraints of existing equipment is an unknown factor. A point they have not been willing to share as to that issue;

Because of the  heavy unbalance in the general user profiles, gifting to women is allowed to attract partners for the men. That it might evolve into a WG subclass is to be expected, but it is a factor due to guys being willing to (due to either impatience in developing relationships or general terrible skills in chat technique) lay out scrip to attract partners. Gifting is not allowed to men simply to discourage development of premium male moochers to the system. If you are going to a premium male you are going to pay…that is the simple rule to the system, one born by economic necessity to discourage competition to those willing to lay out money for the site (a point which has been confirmed by Tom).

That being said, there are curious points of development that I have not wrapped my head around.
Why more MM poses have not been developed? Is there a high animosity towards creating a homosexual male community? Honestly does that side of the gay community find some hostility from the others?  I have met a few, some more aggressive then others but nothing a bit of respect and firm resolution of my orientation has not been able to diffuse. This is a side of the paying community which  has received little development.

The introduction of the shemale subclass was unique when it was first introduced. From my understanding one of the first sites to provide that option to “real time users”. because of the capacity to receive gifts, I am rather surprised the class has received such accessibility to FS poses, with little development as to a recipient poses in MS orientation. To me that seemed the natural development, but has not been pushed what so ever beyond the one pose offered. To me it tends to fly in the face of the gifting restrictions that Tom confirmed. At the very least, what was offered as MM poses should have been extended to the MS options at the very least. Adaption of the programming would hardly be an issue since most poses are existing in the MF segment, the strictly anal action is not hard to accomplish (IMO). It makes common sense along that line to serve the “paying Male side”

I do not think myself too qualified to comment on the FF side, I'd rather leave that to Janine or others rational insight to expand on.

[Janine Dee]

For me I take it as an extension of the “The guys have the A$.” business model.

There are no guys involved in FF and FFF, so while they know there is SOME money I think there might be a perception of there being LESS money, and looking dispassionately at the numbers they're probably right.

A primary assumption that we all agree on is that there are more premium male users. Catering to them is simple economics.

Now anything with an M in the grouping can at least theoretically appeal to that customer base. (With MM and MMM seemingly ranking last in the M options.)

Anything that's all F's, by definition excludes the M's and their A$'s, so seemingly faces an uphill battle. Now when I was still premium when a new FF pose would come out the servers would light up with ladies logging on to try it out so I like to think that percentage wise we show the numbers, but even if the percent were LARGER then the mixed M sales (non MM) a larger percent of a smaller number is still a smaller number.

It's why I certainly want MORE before I'll resubscribe, but I have no illusions about equaling it out.

[Unhealer]

im pretty sure guys arent even paying hookers anymore, i STILL see them all over the fucking place on that game. but on my female avatar I tried it and I really get no offers aha (my avatar looks good and everything, half the guys on this forum tried to fuck it)

[Adera]

So… did you like it? :

I wonder why they'd be idling online if they can't get anyone to pay them then… wouldn't that be a terrible waste of time?

[Bear]

@Adera Not necessarily,  the comment has been made by id'ing as such there is better likelihood of diminishing some of the chatter, an easy out for discouraging non-premiums. There are a few that hold the line, and play it out simply because that is their fantasy, which I can respect. The bantering of the bargaining session is part of the turn on for them. It wasn't so important that scrip was being paid as much as the illusion of selling themselves off which was important.

[SueCB]

An interesting topic and some interesting points from different viewpoints.

The thing that sticks out (besides male pixels lol) is that the word “game” is used, not only here but within AChat itself. The same is true for RLC or SL or any online place where there are real people behind those avatars. Comparing AChat to RLC/SL and the like is unfair, those are 3D virtual worlds, not a chat app with animated graphics, the whole purpose of each is totally different. And to compare AChat to something like EQII is absurd: EQII is a roleplaying MMO fantasy game and while there are social aspects, that isn't the focus.

AChat is a social site and they make no bones (ok, so the pun was kind of intended) about the fact that the focus is a place for people to hook up and well … basically cyber. That stuff was going on in Yahoo and AOL/AIM Adult chat rooms long before there was AChat. And there was lots of the same kind of behavior that you find in AChat, including people (almost all guys) asking for phone or cam.

So to keep it where Jasmine intended, AChat's improvements really should focus on two aspects: chat and personal interactions. They do put a lot of effort into the interactions part, with frequent updates. Where I feel they've been lagging is in the chat aspects. Come on, tabbed chat isn't that hard, nor is public chat. If there's a Free user concern about abuse with global chat, have two channels: one for anyone and one for Premium only, but that's presuming there's a user base demand for it. From my previous online Yahoo and AIM days, I'm not a big supporter of global chat … who wants all that bot traffic anyhow?

More important in the chat aspect is making it more user friendly and one of the easiest things to implement (imho) is tabbed chat. That alone would improve an ok chat system with a much better one. Come on, devs, it can't be that hard and there's tons of examples of that feature online already.

So on to the the in-room stuff. Used right, it sure can help the person to person interaction going on in text (until things get to the really steamy omg now I can't type stage), if I have one “beef” with it, it's way too static. Like where's my option to be a seductress and slowllllly strip tease for my partner? Or take his hand and yank his ass to the bed to convey my need without having to type that? So a bit more fluidity would be a great add. From the dev's standpoint, there's already tons of animation examples out there, RLC and SL surely, but also in the game community … look at what users have done for things like Fallout 3 (animated prostitution, additional poses and animations).

Lastly and also an easy fix most likely, is give people a text box to say a bit about themselves. There''s been some creative use of City, Country etc. to add in a bit, but come on, adding a text box for a bit of description can't be too hard. If there's a concern about size or something, make it have a 800 character limit or whatever. Of course that presumes guys actually READING the damn thing to begin with lol. Like “Cold Invite = Ignore” should be a huge clue you'd think. A bit of text would be great and save a lot of time wasted on answering repetitive questions.

Lastly, and this isn't really a AChat wishlist thing, it's more a rant to stupid people thing … wtf part of Hetero don't some of you “women” get? As much as cold invites piss me off, cold invites from other women/shemales piss me off way more.

All the rest of what goes on is what goes on in any social environment to some extent. I'm just as apt to get hit on clubbing as I am here. And yes, really, just as rudely sometimes (I know, that seems like a shocker, huh?). But for all the jerks whose idea of award-winning come-on lines* is “Hi, wanna fuck?” (really, does that ever work? A quick reply of “Yes, just not with you.” and clicking Ignore works great btw), I've also got to meet a lot of really NICE guys (you know who you are!) too. And really, isn't that what socializing is about? Meeting others that you can share with? And for that aspect, AChat does a great job.

* I waitress at a bar, trust me, I've heard a LOT of lame pickup lines. I used to think I'd heard all the pickup lines, but some of the stuff I've seen here gives new meaning to Creative Stupidity. Guys, really, do yourself a favor: A simple “Hi” (or Hello or whatever) is much better than some lame-ass attempt at being clever (and unless she just fell off the chuck wagon she will see right through it) and likely improve the odds that she'll answer.

[Adera]

Ahaha, the lame pick up lines can be quite funny afterwards… probably the reason why we have a thread about it here that is 44 pages long.

We do kind of have a description but everyone use it as a banner of sorts now. A big problem is as you said Sue, that very few seem to read the profiles… I've clearly written where I'm from but nearly everyone asks anyway. If people actually read the profiles it would be nice if they could say more about you, now most people seem to go after looks, if I put on a hot leather outfit I'll suddenly have more guys asking me to dominate them even if that wasn't my intention.

[TightFit74]

The banner space allows only 64 characters. That isn't a lot if you want to give a little info about yourself. There have been requests for a bigger banner space, but no reply or action from the dev team. If there is any concern about doing it, I can only imagine they don't want the windw in which a selected avatar is shown, to get smaller.

Since the game is very visually oriented, I think it is rather logic why guys/girls go for looks first before reading a profile. Not that I approve, I have been asked questions of which the answer is written in my profile. I think it is also a way of making conversation, not knowing wha to say at the moment?

SueCB, I think you are making a valid point when saying the chat-possibilities in AChat have been lagging development. There has been none since I became a member. Just the general chat they had running for a few days, other than that it is still the same. The general chatbox was a lot of fun, but it could have been set up in a better way. When it was removed, the dev team promised (or mentioned) it would return in some form or another, but it has been over a year. So I am not holding my breath over it.

I do hope they will improve the way the chat works, because so many posts have been complaining about it. I don't think there is a single person who has never sent a message to the wrong person. Which can be very embarrassing at times..

A statement from the dev team on the presented view points would be greatly appreciated..

[hentaiboy69]

A big problem is as you said Sue, that very few seem to read the profiles…

very few!? well you are optimistic…….maybe 3 on 40 read all the info u add in your profile.

[Bear]

Very few take the time to read. Yet, a longer tag line would be appreciated. No doubt the capacity to inject additional information would be nice, however it kind of takes the mystery away if too much is revealed.

When active I use the tag line in a fairly dynamic fashion, often post lyrics there, and the space is seldom sufficient to do it justice. 800 characters is a pretty large field, I myself would be happy at 128 characters,…that serves my purposes. As hentaiboy' points out, they seldom read the 64 provided.

@SueCB  The task of creating a fluid flow would require a rewrite of the platform. and quite frankly in my opinion the seduction is best served by the ability to express oneself. I understand your point, there is little visual compliment to the pre coitus action,…of sheer sensuality. My opinion though is I can accomplish that task with my words,…as to being led to the bed…(lol… I am straining to remember the last “bed” session… lets see…hallway, table,.  chair.,… desk,… window (kind of… we won't go into the “how” of those session… a multitude) ,…window……..couch,….wall,… (sorry lingering on that memory) ….

AChat is a chat platform in it's core, the poses are merely visual extensions of the action we hold in the minds eye in our exchange., as you you comment, a nice nudge when things are are so hot and the hands preoccupied… good cyber will take it beyond the limits of poses. After all the imagination is most powerful tool we can employ.

[Janine Dee]

I'm gay. I have Homo clearly clicked, and mention it in my tag line, and I still have guys trying to hump my leg.

Some won't even accept when I type it to them directly.

While I don't think an expanded tag line would help with those people, you shouldn't focus implements on the bad elements, they will always ignore, or work around, or whatever.

An expanded tag line would however help those of us who DO read profiles, and someone who took the time to fill it out could help distinguish themselves in that initial screening process.

[SueCB]

The fluidity thing is more as a visual enhancement, I'm perfectly fine typing it … after all, that's what existed before fancy graphics anyhow. A great experience is about two people (or 3 in some cases) connecting. While the pixels help to convey certain things, mostly what's being conveyed is in that text box below.

As for the 800 char description, that was just a number to throw out, but 64 characters is way too limiting. I think the banner thing is great for some kind of teaser, lyric, quote or whatever, but it isn't suited really for giving some basic info. Sure, there's wanting some mystique and all the cool aspects of first meeting (you can tell a lot about someone by how they get over that awkward first step). But at least enough text space to maybe expand on preferences, fantasies, kinks whatever.

And I do agree, there's way too many that don't read profiles at all. Too bad for them, because it'll be obvious and they won't get far anyway. Like I said, “Cold Invite = Ignore” should be a clue, you'd think. Yet, I get bombarded by them anyway. Go figure.

[TightFit74]

Bear,

for you and me and a number of other members, the imagination is the main tool, translated into words, complemented by the poses and graphics presented in AChat. But for most (correct me if I am wrong), the graphics are the main drive for their imagination, not the words.

For us AChat might be a chat platform, I am guessing for most it is more a platform for interactive porn, being their own director, doing the poses they like most. A detached mode, seeing the avatars as actors.

Looking at it from that viewpoint, a cold invite is similar to going to the videostore and picking out a movie…

[Keiko]

That's a very unique way to look at it, Tight. In that case, I should mention in my description that I don't do short films. I only participate in feature length movies with an actor of comparable experience.  No commercial add actors. And high production value for good special effects would be a plus.

[TightFit74]

ms Keiko,

If you are ever looking for a quality actor for a long, feature movie, one with an actual story, contact my agent

(sorry, can't help this light comment in this serious thread )

[Author]

Posts