Chat Ranges

[Aldia]

I was thinking that maybe someday when the Coruscant Temple Map is ready and what if there were about 32 ::JEDI:: members? Well I thought about it, and wondered what it would be like if 32 people were talking in the chat, all at the same time. It would be chaotic!

A certain group chat should be set to certain areas of the map. For instance, Lynee and Aldia are talking in the hangar. Only those two will hear anyone who chats in the hangar area, while other areas of the map, such as the balcony is set to a different group chat. ((Maybe it'll be called Hangar chat and Balcony chat)).

It will bring more realism to the game, and avoid the difficulty of reading a fast paced chat screen move down as lots of players in game are typing.

[Alkaiser]

While it is a good idea to an extent, it has its draw backs.

I've thought about simply doing clan chats for each room, just putting in a different password for room (IE: /clanpass hangar, main hall, etc).

However I believe that with a global public chat, those who administrate and maintain JEDI may be all-hearing OOC-wise. Yes, I believe that admins and councils need to eavesdrop to maintain the environment.

[Phoe Nhix]

Alkaiser is right, If you really want to sit and chat, I recommand you to open your console, If you've got a good screen resolution you shouldn't loose any piece of the conversation. And that's not everyday that you'll see that amount of people in the server at the same time.

[Axem Keigoku]

Well, I'm more trended toward Aldia's concept of ranges.

Though, I totally agree that Admins need to hear and see everything. This said, I think that there should be a Range chat (i.e. 512 units, which is 16 times the width of a player at 1.0 scale) but Admins should have that removed.

¬ Axem

[Soh Raun]

Though technically possible, I don't really want to implement this feature. I don't want admins only to be able to "hear" everything.
I have thought of something similar that would allow everyone to read all messages, but I don't know yet if I'll be able to make it, so I won't explain it for the moment

[Soh Raun]

I don't know yet if I'll be able to make it, so I won't explain it for the moment.

Update, almost 4 months later (wow already?)...

I finally decided to work on it these last few days, and managed to solve the problems (JKA bugs with text drawing) that prevented me from implementing the idea I had back then. So yes that means Chat Ranges are now done and coming in the next RPMod version (0.3.0).

The whole idea is simple: fading the message depending on the distance. Here is the default behavior:

• If the distance between you and the person who talks is below or equal to the minimum range (default 128 game units), the message is displayed with 100% opacity (fully visible).
• If the distance is greater or equal to the maximum range (default 1024 game units), the message is displayed with 25% opacity (transparent).
• If the distance is between the min and max range, the opacity of the message is adjusted depending on the distance. If it's quite close to you, it will be slightly faded (for example, a distance of 300 units will make the message display with an opacity of 85%). And if it's rather far, it'll be more transparent (for example, a distance of 800 units translates to an opacity of 43%).

Almost everything is configurable client-side, with Cvars:

• rpc_chatRange_mode :
  • 0 = don't use chat ranges at all (see everything with 100% opacity)
  • 1 = display all messages, but fade them depending on the distance (like described above)
  • 2 = same as 1, but don't even display messages with a distance greater than the max range; they will still be faded between the min and max range.
  • 3 = only display messages below the min range (no fading at all). But if you use this, be sure to increase the min range or you will miss a lot of messages (because 128 is really close).
• rpc_chatRange_min : minimum range (default 128 game units)
• rpc_chatRange_max : maximum range (default 1024 game units)
• rpc_chatRange_alpha : minimum alpha (transparency) value, in percent (default 25)

Note that no matter what mode you choose, all chat messages will still appear in the console.


Server-side, chat ranges are controlled with these Cvars:

• rp_chatRange_enabled : global switch of the Chat Ranges feature (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)
• rp_chatRange_channels : bitvalue of the channels affected by Chat Ranges. By default, only SAY_ALL (global chat) is affected, but I think we'll configure it to also affect SAY_TEAM (team chat) on the JEDI server, for missions. Private chat, clan chat, bond chat are unaffected by ranges.
• rp_chatRange_ignoreTags[number]_[left/right] : this is used to determine which messages should not be affected by Chat Ranges. By setting rp_chatRange_ignoreTags1_left to "((" and rp_chatRange_ignoreTags1_right to "))", all OOC chat will be ignored by the Chat Ranges system and will appear with 100% opacity (because it's global).

So I think this implementation would suit everyone, admin or not, since it's fully configurable.

[Tinthros Vos]

wow thats actualy really cool, i never would have thought of that, Good job.

[Axem Keigoku]

Good work...


You realise how deep this is? This will shift and transform Modding community for the rest of the JK series... FAME to you!

¬ Axem

[Gabe Alkorda]

I actually wrote all the code and just gave it to Soh.
All the ideas were mine, I just told Soh about them.
I made Soh's character bio and everything.
Actually, I am Soh.


Really though.... AMAZING work, Soh. (Or Gabe?... hm.... )

[Larkit]

Brilliant work Gabe... Soh! Not sure how much else I can say, I'm looking forward to it.

Any news about when 0.3 is ready?

[Yon Vash]

I love it !

Great work.

[Aldia]

Bravo!

[Lewa]

Ummm... I know I will look really weird but.... What is cvar?

[Samoon Chooga]

Ummm... I know I will look really weird but.... What is cvar?

Okay, How can you "look" weird? We can't see you. Okay, Okay, Smartalic Mode off.

Cvar = cmd, such as /emsit or /emlotus. ( I think. ) Anyways, it's basically a cmd or command that you can configure a setting such as, /cg_draw2d 0.

[Halt Arratay]

Okay, How can you "look" weird? We can't see you. Okay, Okay, Smartalic Mode off.

Lawl, it's smart aleck or smart alec

[Mid-19th century. Origin uncertain: perhaps named for an infamous New York pimp and confidence man of the 1840s Aleck Hoag.]


But anyways, good idea, it'll really help the rp.