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Customizable Social Lists
Taerrik
Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
I didn't specifically call it a friends list, because it could also be guild list.
Basically, to what extent do we expect a game in 2023 to make talking to different friends groups you play with easier. Are we in the age where everything is expected to be handled in various discords now, or do we still want ways to talk to people in game.
This could be
Just a simple friends list.
Guild Roster and Guild Chat
As a talking point, in some games you can join multiple guilds to be able to chat to multiple groups. Examples is gw2, and ff14, although in 14 your secondary 'guild lists' are linkshells and are strictly chat groups only, no benefits other that chat.
Do we want, to be able to sort our friends lists into different groups? PvP friends, RP friends, Dungeon friends, crafter friends?
Related to this functionality, and also something that doesnt get brought up much, specifically because it ruins the company image of "best online community" (Looking at you ff14, the worst cesspool of stalkers and creepers ever seen), is how can a player control privacy settings of their online play to combat stalkers. Because a character block is insufficient, they just make a new character to stalk you and harass both you and your friends.
So, what I mean is, to what extend should someone be able to look up the following information about your account.
Current Online Status
Last time seen online
Who is on your friends list
The names of all of your alts
Any other personal information that is of a social nature, and not gaming one.
For my response to this, I like to play with people. I am very much an introvert when it comes to most things, but games are more fun not alone so I play MMOs. I personally think all of these lists should be available in the game itself, and we should not expect players to handle social interactions through various discords.
I do want to be able to sort and customize the given friends list.
I do want more channels to see chat in besides only guild chat, channels specific to different aspects of the game, specifically because no matter how big a guild is, they dont do everything all the time on everyone's schedule, having access to more people socially allows more access to more parts of the game.
And for information control about my gameplay, I would like full control of all of my offline information. I think anyone, even someone I block should be able to see if I am online, I mean, I wont be invisible to them in the world, they can come pvp me if they want right? Still a open world game.
But beyond that, I think as players we should be able to adjust privacy settings per person individually so they can or cannot see last time online or any other information that is not simply, I am online currently.
Edit--
To add info to anyone thinking on it, here is the wiki link, and its very empty about this topic
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Friends_list
Basically, to what extent do we expect a game in 2023 to make talking to different friends groups you play with easier. Are we in the age where everything is expected to be handled in various discords now, or do we still want ways to talk to people in game.
This could be
Just a simple friends list.
Guild Roster and Guild Chat
As a talking point, in some games you can join multiple guilds to be able to chat to multiple groups. Examples is gw2, and ff14, although in 14 your secondary 'guild lists' are linkshells and are strictly chat groups only, no benefits other that chat.
Do we want, to be able to sort our friends lists into different groups? PvP friends, RP friends, Dungeon friends, crafter friends?
Related to this functionality, and also something that doesnt get brought up much, specifically because it ruins the company image of "best online community" (Looking at you ff14, the worst cesspool of stalkers and creepers ever seen), is how can a player control privacy settings of their online play to combat stalkers. Because a character block is insufficient, they just make a new character to stalk you and harass both you and your friends.
So, what I mean is, to what extend should someone be able to look up the following information about your account.
Current Online Status
Last time seen online
Who is on your friends list
The names of all of your alts
Any other personal information that is of a social nature, and not gaming one.
For my response to this, I like to play with people. I am very much an introvert when it comes to most things, but games are more fun not alone so I play MMOs. I personally think all of these lists should be available in the game itself, and we should not expect players to handle social interactions through various discords.
I do want to be able to sort and customize the given friends list.
I do want more channels to see chat in besides only guild chat, channels specific to different aspects of the game, specifically because no matter how big a guild is, they dont do everything all the time on everyone's schedule, having access to more people socially allows more access to more parts of the game.
And for information control about my gameplay, I would like full control of all of my offline information. I think anyone, even someone I block should be able to see if I am online, I mean, I wont be invisible to them in the world, they can come pvp me if they want right? Still a open world game.
But beyond that, I think as players we should be able to adjust privacy settings per person individually so they can or cannot see last time online or any other information that is not simply, I am online currently.
Edit--
To add info to anyone thinking on it, here is the wiki link, and its very empty about this topic
https://ashesofcreation.wiki/Friends_list
0
Comments
The chat window should definitely be as customizable as possible and have "groups" that you can add people into (with player control of whether they want to let others add them).
None of the above to strangers. Optional for any of the above for friends/guildmates. Ideally I'd even put a default option of "you can't be PMed by random people" in the game, so that randos can't just PM you to see if you're online.
As for blocks - they should simply apply to the entire account, rather than just a character. Or, at the very least, this should be an option. And if the stalker is willing to buy new accounts to mess with you - screenshot that shit and report if to Intrepid, cause that's fucked up.
jokes aside, probably have the common similarities you generally see. Though I am not a fan of how some games handle account-wide. I'm not saying to not have it as an option just don't have it show your account ID and personal info.
Would having a guild perk for being able to unlock separate 'guild chat', so people can talk be worthwhile>
Something like:
Guild General
Guild PvP
Guild LFG
etc
I've GLed guilds/alliances of several hundred people. One alliance chat (for several guilds of several hundred) and one guild chat (per guild) was enough to normally communicate with people.
Mostly because all those people were in groups and had their own discussions there, so the guild chat would only be used for cross-party discussions or in-guild lfg functions (or normal banter, if the GL allowed that).
In other words, I'd prefer if the game simply gave us better chat options.