[Neon]

This has very little to do with the private rooms suggestions in the other topic. They all seem to be about pokemon-esque bedrooms and other ideas, this is more about having private conversations.

One very vocal complaint in the last server test was that there wasn't anywhere a group of people could retreat to and have a private conversation. There is a (relatively) simple solution to this.
You make a system similar to how IRC and other chat programs have channels. If you and a group of people want to chat away from the main channels then you can create a new channel and everyone can join.
GSW can replicate this by letting you 'hire out' a room at, say, the inn. Whoever creates the room can become the moderator for there, allowing them to make the room only accessible to users of their choice, or blocked off to only select people. Global moderators would of course still have powers in these rooms.

I imagine it wouldn't be too hard a feature to implement. It would essentially be a generic room (maybe pick a random layout/graphic out of 3 or 4 generic rooms?) that is created for each 'channel'. For creating these rooms i would make it an option available when you speak with the inn keeper, and have a input box that has a field for the room name etc.
I'm not sure how people should join these rooms. I guess it could work like warcraft 3 games on Blizzard's battle.net. THe creator can set the room to private or public when they create it. When someone speaks to the inn keeper there is another option to join a room, this would create a list of all the public rooms which can be joined by clicking the name or entering it into an input box, and private rooms are invisible and can only be reached by entering the name.

Lots of text I know, but it's difficult to put my vision into words :(. Just imagine how channels work in IRC, how games work on battle.net, and then add a bit of golden sun flavor to it :).

[Split Infinity]

If you want to chat privately with someone, you could just invite them to your room at the inn and chat there. So long as the walls are soundproof.

[Sea of Time]

Neon, you seem to know what you're talking about, so with Max's approval, maybe you should be the one to implement it into the game.

I understand what you're saying and it is an extremely good idea, better even then the 'apartment personal spaces'.

[Neon]

I couldn't implement it myself if my life depended on it. I know how it works but I have nfi about the syntax etc :(.

And the appartment room is a bit silly and a terrible waste of space. It would involve keeping track of data for billions of rooms, one for every person. With these it's only temporary and does the job just as well. As soon as everyone leaves the room it is deleted from the database.

Personally, i think the 'apartment rooms' discussed in the other topic are a case of everyone expecting far too much from GSW.

[Split Infinity]

I stand corrected.

Keep posts above 5 words, please. - MD

This post has been edited by Mars Djinni: 27 June 2006 - 10:10 AM

[Aquamarine]

That's a good idea. Those kinds of rooms would be pretty useful. Not bad thinking Neon!

[FlamingDuck]

Those rooms would be really cool.

Maybe you'd have to pay to get in to private ones...heh heh heh. Actually, thats a really stupid idea. Scratch that.

[Sea of Time]

I don't want to have to pay for anything, so let's not give any ideas to Max or anyone working on GSW. Private rooms should be free like Yahoo Chat.

[Split Infinity]

I think he meant payment as in GSW currency.

[Max]

Let me start by saying that payment will never be necessary to access the basic features of GSW.

This temporary private room idea was the initial purpose of the inn, so I know exactly what you mean Neon, and it has been in the plans for a long time. The private apartment idea (ala the pokemon rooms you mentioned) would most likely be implemented somewhere other than the inn, and most likely not in the first beta either.

[Blink]

So what are the nonbasic features we'd have to pay for? Moderation powers within the game? Talk about corruption with power! xD

[Split Infinity]

I think at this early stage all of GSW's features could be considered to be 'basic'.

[Max]

Yes, Split is correct, at this point everything is considered 'basic.' I just worded it that way to cover my bases in case I ever decide to charge for something "extra."

[Mars Djinni]

Although, it doesn't feel right to have other features "payable". It'll feel restricted as in Runescape. That's just in my opinion, though. Also, it'll depend on what is available to be given out in exchange for payment.

[Split Infinity]

And if for some reason there is a payment system, I'd like for the free world to be updated as well, unlike Runescape.

~ 990 ~

[Mars Djinni]

I trust that there won't be a "free world". It's more additional privaleges or specialized clothing that would seem reasonable. Let's get back on topic, please.

Would it be possible if we advance the Chat House to become a private discussion room with seperate IRC's? I mean in terms of a moderation system and slapping and kicking. We could even call it the Common Room...

[Split Infinity]

Slapping? What is this, a sissy fight? :P

~ 993 ~

[Aquamarine]

I'd like a payment system, but only for the extra features, of course. You would have more to do in GSW, since you would have to earn and stockpile money in the bank to have enough for what you want.

[Sea of Time]

We could take something we do in the forum and make it the pay system for GSW.

However, this wouldn't really open it up to new members. On second though, MD's idea is better. >_>

[Max]

Don't worry guys, I will make sure that if anything ever requires payment, that it is perfectly reasonable and won't interfere with the enjoyment of the game for others. I'm a cheapskate myself, and so I understand that some people either can't or don't want to pay for things. I simply said what I said to cover my bases, as I can't predict the future.

MD, I am still debating whether it would be best to have private chats integrated into the Chat House or to have private rooms in the inn. There are obviously advantages and disadvantages of both (text vs. avatars), and I may include both.

[Mars Djinni]

I'd say at this point we'll be needing the most bandwidth-efficient choice. That is, if we aren't actually trying to see how much the server can take. Although, I think that we should have some form of private chat during the new release to go get some peace if ever someone might be spamming around.