game messaging UI

cmd_now

There is several small suggestions to improve game messaging between players.

I think that everyone have problems to post a message to several players with "long names" or "strange names" that is located at one region. You need to copy their names to a notebook, open new message window and paste their names to the recipients row. Can EA change this ?

For example, solution can be simple:
Someone click on the badge of a base on the map and press <Message> button (like now). But if the new message window is already open then simply ADD a new recipient name to the list of recipients. But now it is impossible: a new window is opened that is replacing old window :((.

Second.
When someone press on the button <Paste coords> the corresponding coords is copying to the Chat window. Is it possible conditionally copy it to a New-Message window (if it was opened) to the message body or to a Chat window otherwise (default behaviour) ? It will be very useful when you insert an object coords to the message body.

Third.
The Message window should be a floating window. So any player could move it to observe the map.

I hope anyone agree with me :))

EE_Elephterion

Thanks for the feedback. Lets see what others think about the suggestions, I'll make note fo your ideas for consideration.

gamerdruid

I agree, the message window should be floating.

It's not too much to copy/paste the co-ords of a point (poi, player, tunnel or camp/outpost/base) but getting a players name right is definitely a problem as some have difficult combinations of letters and numbers and long names too.

If multiple players are all part of my alliance then it is simpler to send to all alliance and delete those you don't need to send to (although this doesn't happen much).

Creating a special group similar to veterans etc where you could mail them as a group could be useful where you have dig teams and wish to address only dig team B.

BambiByte

It could also be a solution if the first few typed letters would suggest possible names.
The message system is currently accepting a non-existent or misspelled name. This has been a problem for me a few times already - when I wanted to work with players from another team.

Messaging within the team is not so complicated even now - since I can use groups of officers etc. - but in special cases I would prefer a list with checkboxes...

nefrontheone

The problem with incorrect or erroneous names was already reported and the developers took note for a future correction.
The idea of showing the names with a check box is a good idea but think that if you have to show the available alliances (indeterminate number) and then the 50 names of players that an alliance can have, that list could occupy a large part of the screen and cause that only those who have a large screen can play comfortably.
Could you show a small design or scheme with your idea?
Thanks !!!

BambiByte

I think, it would be fine to have the suggested names by typing the first 3-4 caracters - and a dropdown list for your team members sorted by alphabet or any other method.
The list with checkboxes and a button to insert your choices should be a temporary element - if you want to use it...

Without using the dropdown list, it would look like now.

BambiByte

Sending message to a whole team is a CiC or officer privileg - and it is good this way.
Messaging to more than two players, chosing them by suggested (correct) name is another case.

For simple members, I would not allow sending messages for a whole team (out of their own).

cmd_now

My suggestions should be useful for cases when you would messaging a group of players that is located around a POI. You would click on first player, select popup item "Message". When a new message window will open - you shift it, select another player, click "Message", ... until all players will be in recipients.
After that you click on the POI the "Paste coords" - and POI coords will be copied to message body. And you add a message like "Join to alliance or get away from the POI. You have 24 hours only !" :))) or "Go together to get another useful POI" ...
Now if mentioned group of players are in another alliance you don't have easy methods to messaging.
Another problem. My alliance members often send message to ALL players in alliance without filtering the recipients, even if the problem is local and have relation to 2-3 players. In my alliance the number of players is ~48 so players often don't like to delete extra recipients.

gamerdruid

I agree, mass messaging to the alliance, or even worse, the family of alliances including wings, is a frequent problem. Some are too lazy (or don't understand) to select their own list and simply reply to a previous legitimate mass mailing by a cic and delete the messages in the thread, rename the mailing and send it to hundreds. On some worlds I'm on mass mailings of this kind even though I'm no longer in any of the alliances having already got a badge.

Limiting the number of recipients would help - then the mailings would need to be repeated of course. But if 75 were set as the limit it would help, instead of 500 (10 alliances) clogging up the system.

EE_Elephterion

The issue of incorrect usernames should be fixed with the last patch. Just as a FYI.
Predictive suggestions are nice, but also very performance hungry to implement. at least with the present technology the game was build on. I have added the initial suggestions to the requested features for 19.3 now.

cmd_now

I wrote too many words but in short description this suggestion could be named like "how to send message to several players using their bases on the map and doing several clicks only"

Leran1now

yes more to help send messages with harder names and long names as well as a floating message on page please !!!!

BambiByte

Messaging out of the team - say to wing members - by using predictive recipient selection is not so performance hungry if this function has a cache locally. (names are changed rarely).
Name validation, - before inserting them into recipient list - is related with the selected names only. This way, the usage has much less impact on performance of the server(s).
Predictive selection also can be restricted to officers and up if necessary...

cmd_now

I have seen a good new change to messaging functionality: a new recipient is being validated now and absent players is being marked red.
Big thanks to the developers! It is a good.
This change was made alone without a patch

cmd_now_2

Patch 19.4 (2019-10-29) really have solved my First suggestion: new player names are being added to the list of recipients now, when a player is pressing <Message> button.
Big respect to the Developers!

zBlueBugz

Some of the changes are good.

However, one feature has gone - floating message box. Previously, you could have floating message boxes and was very useful so that you could move the msg box to the side a bit to get more details from bases and/or map.

Can we have the floating messages boxes functionality back? Also, implemented for new messages as well?

EE_Elephterion

zBlueBugz wrote: »

Some of the changes are good.

However, one feature has gone - floating message box. Previously, you could have floating message boxes and was very useful so that you could move the msg box to the side a bit to get more details from bases and/or map.

Can we have the floating messages boxes functionality back? Also, implemented for new messages as well?

Are you sure this was not provided via a script? I'm not aware that we offered this functionality for our UI in the past.

zBlueBugz

EE_Elephterion wrote: »

Are you sure this was not provided via a script? I'm not aware that we offered this functionality for our UI in the past.

I'm not 100% sure if it was part of the script library that I use. I've been using "Crucial Pack All in One by DebitoSphere", but it is currently broken (since the last game patch/update).

BambiByte

Answering a message was possible by clicking on the reply button, with and without scripts in game version 19.3 and before to have a floating window. We had to close the list of messages behind to see the map objects. Now, it is not possible.