We don't need a /list command: Privacy and Lag.

[____________Founding]

In all cases you could use the LFG or OOC channels (except for the static dungeons).

People who would keep /listn are the same people that aren't going to mute OOC or LFG channels.

So again use the OOC and LFG channels, there is no need for a /list. If nobody answers you, its probably cause they don't want to.

Alot of people hate getting random /tells sepecially when they may already be /replying to their friends etc.

If you need a wrangle or other buff, ask in the OOC channel is going to be more effective where you can reach everybody at once, rather than sending indivdual /tells to the 5-6 traders who might POSSIBLY be bother to buff you.

[_________MikeWeather]

Originally posted by Falcon
In all cases you could use the LFG or OOC channels (except for the static dungeons).

People who would keep /listn are the same people that aren't going to mute OOC or LFG channels.

So again use the OOC and LFG channels, there is no need for a /list. If nobody answers you, its probably cause they don't want to.

Alot of people hate getting random /tells sepecially when they may already be /replying to their friends etc.

If you need a wrangle or other buff, ask in the OOC channel is going to be more effective where you can reach everybody at once, rather than sending indivdual /tells to the 5-6 traders who might POSSIBLY be bother to buff you.

LFG? How would that help in any of the situations I described? And OOC doesn't always help. Many people keep it turned off because of the constant spam. I don't think the same people who turn of /OOC are gonna turn off /list, unless /list results in as much useless spam as /OOC does.

If traders, et cetera don't want tells they can turn invis on /list.

[Khayne]

No /list please.

[____________Founding]

I've still yet to see any good reason for having a /list command that can't be handled with the existing channel system.

The whole concept of the /list command is a waste of resources that could be better spent on far more important features and bugfixes.

[Bionitrous]

List is fine as long as I can make myself not appear on it. If some people want themselves to be exposed to every damn player in the playfield then fine.

This is not a fair development if a player has no recourse to the exposure that such a command would provide.

I don't want my enemies (clan, neutral, or omni) to know where I am. I don't want random people to know where I am. For certain RP reasons I don't want my friends or guildmates to know where I am.

Allow me to /anon myself to the /list command and all the ex-EQ'ers can have their beloved /list.

[Downsizr]

/list is a nice addition to a game that is by nature social.

/anonymous is the little brother of /list since being social and having privavcy are compatible.

In a war concern /list should obviously be for players on your side only. Zoning in Mort to get a list of all OT players would spoil the fun.

The lag concern is irrelevant, we are talking about text datas and the chat server here. No big deal.

[_________MikeWeather]

Originally posted by Falcon

The whole concept of the /list command is a waste of resources that could be better spent on far more important features and bugfixes.

I don't think the people who work on the chat portion of AO have all that much to do. What bugs in the chat interface do you feel need fixed? What new chat features would you like to see implimented?

[Bionitrous]

- I would like to be able to flag buddies for notification when they come online. Then I wouldn't have to keep my buddy list up to see if the name moves to the 'online' section.

- I would like the option for the information in the 'F9' display to be 'spammed' to me so I can find buddies by coords they send me. I would like a map reader upgrade that continuously provides coordinates.

- I would like the ability to mute /shout and leave /vicinity alone.

- I want battle spam and conversation broken into different panes.

- I would like the chat system to implement 'e-mail' where I can send messages to players on my buddy list or in my guild that would appear in those text-info boxes and be able to get 'read receipts' once they've 'opened' them. I look forward to logging into the game and checking my personal communicator for messages from friends that may have different play schedules due to timezone differences. Nice RP storyline tool for FunCom as well.

- I would like to have the option for Instant Messenger style authorization for /tells. I don't want to automatically /ignore you. But, I will if you spam me more than once asking for a buff. Ask in vicinity chat and you'll probably find the buff in your NCU in a few moments. If you thank me with a few words or credits and ask to be able to make direct future requests, I'll authorize you to send /tells.

- I would like the ability to send a limited number of translated emoticons. The smileys in IM are more effective at conveying emotion than the simple key combinations.

- I would like the option to get a 'ding' sound or something when someone sends me a tell. Half the time /tells scroll off the screen in a busy zone like 20K or Broken Shores if I turn my head for a few seconds. I would like the ability to set up custom notification sounds for each character in my buddy list.

- I would like the option to have the text spoken by players be optionally displayed above their heads. Guild meetings are stupid events where a bunch of toons stand around with their heads flashing all the while people are forced to stare at the bottom of their screens. At a minimum, it would be nice if a detachable chat box would at least move closer to the character whose head flashes when they speak. I never get the sense of looking left and right when listening to two people having a debate at a meeting. You might as well leave the game and have your meeting in IRC.

- I would like hot-keys to be able to alternate between vicinity, team, and guild channels. Can't afford the macro bar space to use it for this purpose.

- I would like to be able to 'open in a new window' team, vicinity, or guild chat. I wouldn't mind having three small windows open that would not have to have 'Insert Guild Name Here': prefacing the players name and then their text.

- I would like to be able to set personal filters (even if it was only in a text file like they did with colors) so that I could eliminate the display of spoken text in any channel that included player-defined text strings.

- I would like a 'ping' command that I could execute on a limited basis to see how far behind the chat server is in comparison to the game server.

- I would like to see the ability to easily BOLD and italic text in messages.

- I would like to see some of this done before implementing such a useless and annoyance promoting feature as being able to see who everybody in the damn playfield is as soon as you zone in.

If it were based on some sort of of 'Tracking' skill or 'Perception' or if you had a tool that needed 'Computer Literacy' then I could understand. If range were limited by skill and personal details were masked I could deal with it and even promote it within the parameters of it being a game construct. But to simply provide the name, rank, serial number, and location of every player in Lush Fields to a level 3 player is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of.

[_________MikeWeather]

Good post. A lot better than just saying there are more important things to work on.

[_________MikeWeather]

Woot! Looks like /list is going to be implimented!

[Johnfredone]

From JimSalabin

I think you will find that the "/list"- feature has most of the stuff you need, including the possibility to make yourself "anonymous".


There will be an anon feature so there wont be any Privacy concers. Although I dont know if it will list you as Anon or just no show up at all.

As far as the issue of better things to do then program something the community doesnt want I agree with you all there but someone made the call to do it. Its probably already on internal servers already so nothing can be done on telling them to stop. But yeah I dont see the purpose of a /list command never needed one so far.

[Meegor]

I expressed a concern about this on another thread somewhere as did others and got a responce from one of the developers that an option will be included so that one could be either invisible or annoymous , I dont remember which... I will look for the thread. An options like this may make it a bit more agreeable ...I dont know. Personally I dont think its needed, but just my opinion.

LN

[DaWicked]

So whats the deal?

When the game was released everyone screamed for a list command. Maybe ppl where too used to play EQ?

And now when it's finaly being implemented no one wants it?

Hmm, ppl are strange.

I think its a good idea.. And if you are worried about ppl being able to see if you are online, go play a single-player game or set yourself as Anonymous.
------------------
DaWicked
Level 139 NT

[______________Lighty]

Originally posted by MikeWeather
I seriously doubt calling up a few bytes of text is going to be a drain on server resources anymore than a timer placed on everyone who enters PvP lags the server, or the chat channels do. I KNOW a timer takes more resouces, so a little text will not be a problem.

It seems you don't know very much about software architecture...
I can only guess, but it seems that the PvP timer runs entirely in the client. The client then tells the server that the player is "open to attacks".
The chat on the other hand runs on a completely different server. The chat server does not have to know anything about gameplay at all...

Having the zone servers compile on the fly a list of all players in the zone upon each and every /list request (players zone in and out every second in crowded zones) WILL put load on the servers.
Bandwidth should not be an issue, but server load will.

And since the implementation of /list will not only (if at all) involve the chat but the zone server architecture, I'd guess it will be much more difficult than you think. Especially with all the options that are necessary to at least slow down the abuse a bit...

I haven't heared one good reason why Funcom should waste ressources on this...

[_________MikeWeather]

Originally posted by Lighty

I haven't heared one good reason why Funcom should waste ressources on this...

Because it would be a waste NOt to impliment it, considering it's already in testing. The resources have been used already.

[Szentasha]

Who came up with the idea for /list anyway. This is a totally stupid idea. I wish that Funcom would give us more information about what purpose of game features like this are. I'd really like to know what they are thinking.

[______________Eowyyn]

Just what I need..a "feature" that lets people know where I am. As a Trader, I can't tell you how much I value privacy. :/ With this command implemented, I'll get tells left and right about a wrangle. Great..just what I needed...more tells.. heheheh

But, I'll wait until I see what the Annon portion of the command will do.

Derritch - 92 Trader
Nanodood- 87 NT
And a bunch-a other chars on RK-1...