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May 31, 2005, 12:10am

Ferruccio and I were discussing possible solutions to a problem that may be
hurting the community's new and incoming population.

Apparently, there is a steady flow of newcomers always joining into Active
Worlds but there's no way of them to integrate themselves into the existing
community body. Thus, they only stick around a few weeks and miss out on
what Active Worlds has to offer. We came up with an idea of having a
Universal Chat Channel that anyone logged into Active Worlds could join into
and talk.

This would solve a few problems:

1. Newbies wanting help could easily get it by asking in the Universal
channel.
2. People could contact PK's easier.
3. People could advertise their events and projects in the chat window.

I'm sure there's more benefits.

There's more discussion and ideas floating around at
http://www.swcity.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=3538.0.

What do you think?
--
- Syntax -
http://www.swcity.net
http://forum.swcity.net

May 31, 2005, 1:07am

personally, i think it's a good idea. especially the events thing. like in
Second life and there (well, i think there had it too, cna't remember), you
could search for events happening at whatever time and day, and well, made
it alot more interesting, sicne you knew where to go.

-SWE

[View Quote]

May 31, 2005, 2:27am

I love this idea! Wasn't there some kind of AW committee that organized
events and posted them on a calendar page? Or is that dead now?


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May 31, 2005, 2:29am

There can be tabs across the top of the chat window to switch between
the various channels and set some as default for new installations. Also
make it so that people can view a list of all channels available and be
able to add/remove and even rename channels when they want. Would be a
very good I think and would not be _that_ hard to implement.

[View Quote]

May 31, 2005, 2:30am

AWEC. You can access it through the AW Newsletter. But other than AWTeen's
weekly events, bingo, and some random x-rated world event, its pretty much
the same thing every month.

:/

[View Quote]

May 31, 2005, 2:22pm

Tabs.. thats a better idea than split screen.

--
- Syntax -
http://www.swcity.net
http://forum.swcity.net

[View Quote]

May 31, 2005, 4:00pm

Interesting idea, except the way AWGate is structured and the GKs, there
would have to be changes within that too I bet. The only downside is, people
would stop talking in AWGate and only use that text chat for most
conversation because everyone in the universe sees it so there would be more
access to people, etc. Eventually AW would slowly evolve into a text based
chat program with some 3d stuff on the side.... which is the wrong way. AW
is Virtual Universe meaning people are scattered around like in real life.

-Ken


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May 31, 2005, 4:36pm

Not quite, Kenneth. The way I've seen it used before, it worked itself out
to be a light chat and advertising type chat room. Things like advertising
events, or just general chatting when you're bored. That's because chatting
isn't AW's main draw, you can't chat in a seperate window and build at the
same time.

While it seems like they would do these things as you describe, I'm sure
you've noticed that there are several groups of people that don't like
associating with each other (for the most irrational reasons) and life in
AWGate would go on as normal.

And to be quite honest, the "disscussion" in AWGate wasen't all that great
to begin with. :p

-Hyper Anthony

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May 31, 2005, 7:16pm

Awhile ago i joined a MSN group that was ran by a AW member but there wasnt
very many ppl that belonged to the group and i dont know if it even still
exists anymore because i havent been there for a while

May 31, 2005, 7:29pm

I think the people who do that would be the same crowd that never leave AWGZ
and AWGate. Everyone else is in AW to utilize the 3d world and explore it
and develope it.

[View Quote]

May 31, 2005, 11:37pm

I don't think I'd care for this idea. I see your point with new users, but
if any user can just hop onto a big single chat pool, where's the fun of
exploring the universe and only talking in the location you're at?

Maki
[View Quote]

Jun 1, 2005, 12:02am

The following is from C P, who asked me to post this:
====================================

Many MMORPG's have a chat system like this. For example World of
Warcraft has General chat channel, Local defence chat channel, and other
channels that are world specific (in aw's case i mean, whereas in WOW it
is node specific). Saying /1 TEXT puts the text in channel one which is
general chat. Then in AW's case this would be our local channels, but
also in WOW there are local regioun commands /s (say) projects a 50
yards radius (visibilty in aw probably) /y (yell) projects 100 yards,
and then there are additional channels such as /6 which is global
deffence, this given channel allows for people to see faction messages
across the world...IF their subscribed...

Now for AW i can see a very simmilar, yet in simmilar system, being
implemented.

First;

AW would need a total re write of the chat...(possibly making it
detached floating window that has partial trans *please*. Basically you
would have the local chats which we have now, for people we see, then
hopefully we could have a global chat, for example saying "/1 hey does
anyone know where AWTeen's old fall GZ is?" would post to general chat
channel one for the world AWTeen the affore stated message. Additionally
, there would be an ability for world owners to specify which channels
where which, such as saying i nthe world options the default channels
(probably 8 or so) then every one after that would be a private channel
where i could say /4765122 and my friend who is in that channel too
could see it... This type of custmoisation would need a few features as
well...firstly world CT, or privelaged person(s) could have a ADMIN
channel that would let them possibly see all messages...?

As for another implementation i would liek to see based in part from
telegrams, but also with consideration to every online game in
existance, is a /whisper, or /message, or /tell system dissimilar to
AW's where i can whisper anyone despite their relation to my person.
Adding usability like me saying /w Matt888 "hey" and he would get that
despite his location, whether he is in Teengate, AWTeen, or AWgate...

Su amigo
Cristobal...
errrr no
C P (350959)-Expired
"Trunks"
^_^


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Jun 1, 2005, 4:18am

With the current userbase... it would take a lot of exploring to find anyone
to talk to. But you must consider that people who build are not going to be
wasting their time in the universal chat channel. You can only do one thing
at a time.

You of all people should appreciate this idea. It would bring the whole
community closer together.
--
- Syntax -
http://www.swcity.net
http://forum.swcity.net

[View Quote]

Jun 1, 2005, 5:29am

I think there was a thread about the Awec webpage recently, stating how
outdated it looked. As a recently new member to AW who is reasonably tech
savvy, l was horrified to see such outdated production on these pages.
Surely they can do better, and one effective way would be to have a general
chat. Also more signage for ppl first entering. Too many times at GZ l have
witnessed disgusting behavior from tourists who come in for all the wrong
reasons. As a parent myself l wonder how many children are being exposed to
this. And sometimes GK's are not there to inform them as to correct
protocol, or they are overwhelmed. Or, as in another post, at times they are
ejecting ppl for very little reason at all.
A universal chat channel could benefit many new users, and it's not going to
change anything for established users that l can see who will continue to
communicate within the existing framework.

siliconmana

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Jun 1, 2005, 8:23am

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Jun 1, 2005, 3:51pm

A universal chat channel would also make newbies more aware of the
communities and organizations within AW that they can join and become
involved with, and finally move out from AWGate. At the moment, you have to
do more advertising than must people are willing to go through with.

Once again I believe the only people that would quit exploring, and using
local chat to talk to nearby people, would be the same people who pretty
much never explore anyway, like the full-time AWgate crowd :P

If you ONLY use AW to chat, then you should like this feature

If you like to build and explore and play available games within AW, you
still will, plus use uni-chat when lonely out there :D

It's a win-win feature...

[View Quote]

Jun 1, 2005, 4:18pm

[View Quote] Are you SURE thats a good idea?.... think 'all' organisations and
communities.


--
- Mark Randall
http://zetech.swehli.com

Jun 1, 2005, 6:02pm

well, it would have to be strictly controlled too, so if anyone gets to
spamming, automatic ejection. and i'm guessing you'd need a gate keepers
type of thing to make sure people don't get annoying on it.
and with that, whats the worst that could happen?

-SWE

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Jun 1, 2005, 6:26pm

Exactly, SWE. That would be my main concern for it's use at The Gate -
keeping it G rated.
Plus, I've been in other voice chat programs, and some kids like to get on
it and SCREAM at the top of their lungs.
UGH. >: /

Perhaps it could be a feature for Cits only, to give the tourists another
reason to register? That way, if a Cit continually abuses the privilege of
voice chat, AWI can disable it on that acct.

I'm not entirely sure a "gatekeeper type of thing" would work for it. Sounds
more like a PK problem to me.
; )

~TS

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Jun 1, 2005, 7:00pm

Please remember that the suggestion of a universal chat channel is not
intended as a _replacement_ for the local chat area we have, but as a
_supplement_ to it.

Chris

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Jun 1, 2005, 7:01pm

You would need chat moderators.
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Jun 1, 2005, 7:37pm

That's easy: MUTE!

[View Quote] --
Goober King
Empowered
http://www.gkstudios.net

Jun 1, 2005, 7:50pm

.... and we all know how effective AW's current vaulentary groups are at
doing that...

--
- Mark Randall
http://zetech.swehli.com

[View Quote]

Jun 1, 2005, 8:56pm

That's fine for you, but as a GK we can't mute anybody.
It's bad enough to see "<whoever> RAWKS" 20 times a minute in chat,
then we'd have to LISTEN to it, too???
ROFL No, ty.

~TS

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Jun 1, 2005, 9:07pm

You have eject dont you? Abuse it for the good of the universe... we won't
blame you for taking all 3 of them out for the next 100 years.

--
- Mark Randall
http://zetech.swehli.com

[View Quote]

Jun 1, 2005, 11:45pm

I would recommend that a chat moderator just be like a regular user in
there. They don't need bold, they can just go in and chat like any other
person. No recognition, no power trips. (Also, if AWI does impliment this
feature, they should ask about 15 or so experienced volunteers that are fair
and equal to ALL GROUPS in AW. The current chat moderation organizations
are ok, but there are some people in them that, well... aren't exactly
logical in their judgement. :p

-Hyper Anthony

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Jun 2, 2005, 1:12am

[View Quote] They eject people they don't like. Also, since they can't mute, they
eject people they don't want to listen to.

That's all I've gathered for the reasons for eject with them.

Jun 2, 2005, 8:30pm

ok i like the idea. but i think it should be a G universal chat channel
(that way we can starve those gor idiots) also we should construct it like
the newsgroup with a beta area a bots area a community area a sdk area a
wishlist area a worldbuilder area a builder area a town area and a regular
chat area

Jun 2, 2005, 9:27pm

[View Quote] > ... (that way we can starve those gor idiots) ...

In any Internet forum, you are expected to adhere to basic rules of common sense and etiquette. In a public setting like this, "those gor idiots" deserve the same level of respect that you would give to anyone else. (They are, after all, human just like you are and have emotions and feelings.)

This might help you refresh your etiquette: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

Jun 2, 2005, 11:50pm

PG is more appropriate for AW's large variety of age groups, and a general
chat room and a public building world chat room would probably be enough
considering the size of AW's userbase.

-Hyper Anthony

[View Quote]

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