But this is not a long-term solution. Coercing people to use a proxy service will ultimately deter a large segment of the SM users from being able to socialize. Moreover, users that will self-select to skype (or whatever proxy service is used in the future) each other will not be a good representation of the SM population, because any self-selection process institutionalizes sample/population bias. The bottomline is that after a short-run increase in proxy socialization, the long-run equilibrium of ingame socialization will remain hardly changed (all things constant of course). Putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound is not a viable long-term solution.

Korupt, there is no issue with instituting as many deterrents the devs see fit so that conversations on chat neither detract users from playing SM or cause a situation where people are held liable for the ramifications of the chat service's negative externalities (even if this means making chat as banal as possible to prevent legal complications, we users will be appreciative of the bare minimum form of chat). I for one that 00Nick00's suggestions were at the least, a step in the right direction, and at most, absolutely necessary for pulling this off. On a lighter note: great suggestions 00Nick00! You really put a lot of time and effort in your posts and your last post was by no means an exception to that.

Whether some of these ideas needed to be added on a new thread or not (personally I think that would be an exercise in impractical semantics, but that's just me), I believe some form ingame chat is thetical to any substantial commercial/mainstream success SM has in its future. Simply put, these ideas not only hold the ability to add a lot of value to the success of SM, but they are perhaps the lifeblood to the game as a whole. I recognize that the final decisions here are just as much political (as in decided by whoever has creative control, meaning that we users to not have a reasonable expectation of entitlement to such a conduit being implemented) as they are made on logistical merit, but I urge whomever the final decision-maker is, to really think this decision through before finalizing it.

What attracts people to a game? Instant gratification. What makes people stay? Ingame social culture.

First no one would coercing it would simply be an option. Second the bd community uses skype extensively and it has had no negative impact on the game whatsoever. In fact skype is used more than the in game chat on bd for many reasons including easy screen shot or link sharing, ability to have countless chats with countless people simultaneously, voice chat if you wish to do so, and the list goes on.

Picture this for a moment if you had an in game chat, someone because annoyed that they are losing so they decide to spread lies in the chat saying that person is cheating. No an argument will ensue which will surely escalate and neither side will be able to be proven wrong since no links are allowed in game chat. Things can quickly get out of hand.

Which is why we have mods.. Also It would be cool if there was a chat you could have specific people in also an everyone chat.. With basic ways to keep things controlled.. It would make the game a lot better and more fun..

But wouldn't a lobby prevent the whole lies being spread thing. If one person says one thing, another could say that is untrue. The reasonable expectation for the average user is to take everything said on a lobby chat with a grain of salt. If this becomes out of hand, mods can do what they do here.

Now, the major difference between SM and BD is BD is a MMO and SM is not, so the communication framework is completely different. If I want to ask something quick, or offer, "hey, here's my player ID if you ever want to play again sometime," I have that need satisfied. Skype, or any other proxy does not.

Oh, and perhaps coercing has a strong connotation attached to it, but I meant it in the sense that it would be the only outlet for users to communicate with each other sans a form of ingame chat.


edit: when I started writing, I did not see Rupert's message, so I apologize if any of this seems a bit redundant

Thanks for the complement.

Anyways, back on topic.

Here is a list of things that could help in having a lobby of some sorts.

1) The use of a filter. I am sure this is the first thing that comes to mind for having a in game chat, so no need to really explain.

2) Verifying codes. Now this is something that can be done before players can enter the lobbies. This will help keep out spam bots from posting the same thing over and over again. Also, maybe make it show up randomly in the lobby in order to help keep them out if they do make it in.

3) Player Blocking. Don't like them? Block them.

4) Chat ranking? Something for players that follow the rules. Maybe put a gold star next to their name or something?

5) Players helping players. Maybe have rewards for players who are nice in chat and help players who need help?

in fact, rewards in general tend to keep some people in line...

Anyways, just tossing ideas out there to see what is good and what is not so good.

Why not giving a try to an IRC room, with moderators, to prevent the above problems to happen ?

I know why he is worried though because moderators can't be around 24/7 to watch things.

I am not sure what an IRC room is though. I looked it up and I am still confused, other than knowing it is some type of chat room that takes a lot of coding by the looks of it.

I agree. Incentives work much better than deterrents in general. Also, if not intuitively included in a filter, there could be recurring announcements. This could help manage things like unofficial tournaments. Users could create their own tournament trees by posting links (or images?) and track outcomes. Perhaps, mods could even facilitate such unofficial contests (not just regulate)? Might be a great way to break the mod/non-mod barrier.

edit: I also really like the IRC chat feature idea lo3002!

yes, it's an old and stout multi-users chat protocol, lots of public IRC servers are already in place, which cancels the maintenance problem.
About the moderating problems, I don't think it would be a problem; a handful of them, dispatched in various timezones, should be sufficient to maintain order in a not-so-big community as ours.
We don't even have to ask the supermechs admins permission to create one

Bumpity-Bump-Bump...