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Use of shoutbox

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Use of shoutbox 17/09/2012 at 11:24 #35647
settlecarlisle
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22 posts
Hi

I've been thinking about the use of Shout box when arranging Multiplayer games. It has been really useful to gauge whether it is worth hosting a session, and arranging spontaneous games, the Glasgow game last night being one example of great fun even though it was at very short notice.

The flip side is that it can also be slightly annoying when people ask if there is a mp game going on when there are already games advertised in the forum, or even the previous shoutbox message was advertising one!

My question - is there any way, or is it even desirable, to make shout box only visible to site members? I'm not sure what else shout box is ever used for apart from discussing mp games and whether this idea is suitable, but it struck me that it would be far quicker to bung the IP and port in there than copying the template and filling in a load of details that everyone concerned already knew (including the current time!) and creating a forum post. Maybe I was just impatient and itching to get a game going...

Just a thought!

Tim

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Use of shoutbox 17/09/2012 at 11:35 #35648
jc92
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3687 posts
Online
" said:
Hi

The flip side is that it can also be slightly annoying when people ask if there is a mp game going on when there are already games advertised in the forum, or even the previous shoutbox message was advertising one!
My question - is there any way, or is it even desirable, to make shout box only visible to site members?

only forum members can post. the advertising was a spam registered member so this would not fix it. on an aside it is annoying when people consistently demand MP but make no visible attempt themselves to host a game.

" said:

it struck me that it would be far quicker to bung the IP and port in there than copying the template and filling in a load of details that everyone concerned already knew (including the current time!) and creating a forum post.
however the IP and port will disapear when X number of messages are posted in the shoutbox (remember some people do converse, say hello, or ask questions in it.) meaning there would be no record past this point.

a Forum post lasts longer, can be laid out clearly and consisely using the template, and can convey far more information for us to see. imagine posting all the rules and notes for a session with possessions, TSRs bad weather etc.

Joe

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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Use of shoutbox 17/09/2012 at 13:22 #35650
settlecarlisle
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22 posts
Regarding your aside:

" said:

on an aside it is annoying when people consistently demand MP but make no visible attempt themselves to host a game.

Agreed - I also wonder if people don't realise how friendly people are on here. On the comparatively few mp games I've been involved in I have found people very willing to help me improve rather than being critical. I decided to get into hosting and have learned a great deal by doing so - it forced me to delve more into timetable editing and correcting issues, e.g. taking trains off timetable, getting them back to where they should be and resuming the timetable again.

( For the uninitiated - all you need to host is the ability to administrate your router and enough understanding to direct incoming connections on one port toward a certain computer/laptop. It honestly isn't very hard. )

Going back to original point I can see the limitations of Shout box. Being quite new I hadn't seen that many other topics on there. Anyway, I think I was just impatient to start the session and it was almost 11pm already.... The current system is fine.

Tim

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Use of shoutbox 17/09/2012 at 14:50 #35653
Horgy
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33 posts
I find a simple "Kings Cross Steam now hosting - see Forum for details" is more than sufficient.

I agree with JC, I find it quite annoying when people bug for MP but don't host!

JGH
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The following users said thank you: Signalhunter, guidomcc
Use of shoutbox 19/09/2012 at 04:57 #35703
alvinhochun
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249 posts
" said:
however the IP and port will disapear when X number of messages are posted in the shoutbox (remember some people do converse, say hello, or ask questions in it.) meaning there would be no record past this point.

Then X would equal to 501. The "new" shout box actually has a record of the last 501 messages.
Just pointing out the fact.

In fact I would think that a custom plugin designed for displaying multiplay sessions could help a lot, it only depends on whether someone will write it.

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Use of shoutbox 19/09/2012 at 19:07 #35725
Signalhunter
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177 posts
I can only count 36 messages, in my Shoutbox. I can only see 5, without scrolling down. Obviously, those figures will vary, depending on the length of each message.
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Use of shoutbox 19/09/2012 at 19:44 #35728
sloppyjag
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480 posts
If I click on "History" I can see 10 pages of 50 shoutbox messages each plus one page with 1 message.

Having said that, I'm not going to trawl through it to find details of multiplay sessions. A post in the forum (which I conveniently get a copy of in my email inbox) suffices for my needs.

Planotransitophobic!
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Use of shoutbox 20/09/2012 at 09:02 #35740
postal
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5265 posts
Having the Shout Box in normal display mode is like driving the car with a continual child's voice from the back seat asking "Are we there yet?".

Sadly the option to hide the thing doesn't work on my system and any options I set don't stick, but I can put in the equivalent of ear-plugs by setting the display option to dark rather than default after I've entered the site.

“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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