Karz Master Posted Oct 6, 2009, 1:44 pm	It's not difficult to form SS to go scouting, but other than just spamming it out in the lobby, why not have another tab next to USERS IN LOBBY that says AVAILABLE SCOUTS (or A-S in short), so whoever indicates that he is interested in SS will be put in that list. So this is how it will work, hypothetically: there will be a check box under SEND CHAT that says "SS active" or something. If I tick the box, I will be put into the AVAILABLE SCOUTS users list. So now, I can go mess around in a custom event or something, and if people want to LFP to form SS, they know who in that lobby will be interested to form an SS. To further broaden the idea, even better would be to have a button in lobby that can only be pressed once every 1 minute or so to avoid spamming. This button alerts all in the AVAILABLE SCOUTS list that he'd like to go scouting. It can show up as a little flashing icon on the game window of those who are in-game or in lobby. It doesn't have to be very distracting, just something at the top left hand corner where it catches the eye, but does not disrupt gameplay. Also, when it is pressed, if the player is AFK, his Darkwind box on the Windows taskbar will flash - you know, the one on the Start Menu taskbar. That way, people can go do something else without having to stare at the Darkwind lobby just to wait for someone interested in SS to post.
4saken Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:06 pm	We could also simply have different color text for when we are available, much like we have for AFK, in game, etc. We could signal our readiness with a simple /command toggle.
*sam* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:08 pm	Or we could have a permanent 'scout assembling' chat channel that you join when looking to scout?
*jimmylogan* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:15 pm	I like that Sam - seems a waste to have the different channels and not use them... Lobby for general chat - separate channel for scouting - separate channel for each town? Or is that spreading it too thin?
Karz Master Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:36 pm	Good idea Sam. That should kill two birds with one stone: 1) when people post in the Scouting channel, you'll get alerted, whether in-game or in the lobby 2) People know you're looking for SS, whether you're in-game or in the lobby Can we also have it so that when people post in the LFSS lobby, it makes your Darkwind window blink when you're not looking at the game client itself? For example I'm surfing Firefox, and someone chats in there, my Darkwind window will blink. sirlatte: what about using CTRL+TAB to quickly flick back and forth between channels? I still think, though, that my original idea is best, but that's just me :P
*Ninesticks* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:37 pm	Using separate channels has the drawback of course that people will only have one channel open at a time and may well miss the very information they are seeking. Perhaps the top left area of screen real estate (events started/joined/left/ended area) could be used for people to flag up their desire to scout in certain towns? (Replacing the my scouting squad option completely - which is probably never used) Just maybe a menu there with the towns with an on/off action similar to the ready/not ready already there? So your name would display with the appropriate town digraphs after it for where you want to scout (SS, TX, BL etc)? Perhaps even an IM option would allow a player to signal all the players with the appropriate town selected that a scout is forming? If that makes no sense then imagine what is like living in my head all the time.
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:37 pm	cant we have a fly out box for this scout channel, as in the vehicles, could then just move it to a position and see main chat as usual, and the scouting chat...but i think the scout chat would just descend into another lobby chat, fracturing everything...myself a denotation in status would be better, then members could just pm each other, who are waiting for scouts. *Grograt* afk *Sir Latte* in event 12245 Parasycho looking to join ss *Ninesticks* said: If that makes no sense then imagine what is like living in my head all the time. No thanks i couldnt stand the sanity
*jimmylogan* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 3:52 pm	I like Gro's status setting thing... "looking for SS" for example - "scouting SS ELMS TX" - that kind of thing. "looking for Lorry in BL" could also be used I think the filter MUST be in place though... I can see the ads at the bottom of this page after my post now... "looking for SWF"
Marrkos Posted Oct 6, 2009, 4:19 pm	Why not just use the My Scouting Squad? If you break the chat into separate channels, one of two things is going to happen: 1) Everybody will move to the Looking For Scout channel, and it will become the general Lobby chat. 2) Nobody will move to the Looking For Scout channel, and it will end up unused, like the My Scouting Squad functionality. People aren't going to want to miss out on general lobby chat. My Scouting Squad needs a little work however. 1) Add a button to launch the squad from the client 2) Flag players who have a scouting squad in the players list in a way that indicates a) they have an active scouting squad, and b) what town the squad is in. 3) Fix it so that the Ready Status of players is accurate; I've launched more than once when the players were shown as ready, but were actually loading gunners or ammo.
*Grograt* gary.r.horder@gmail.com Posted Oct 6, 2009, 4:27 pm	The problem with the 'my scouting squad' is its never used..doesn't seem to work .. and has no user information for it anywhere ... in the past year i have been here, not one person i know has used this .. which is a shame.... Sam can you upgrade it as marrkos suggests ....
*Ninesticks* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 4:59 pm	Marrkos, Please spill the beans on how you have managed to get the My Scouting Squad function to work. I have tried numerous times and I just cannot get it to work. I think the My Scouting Squad area of the screen is a great place for whatever system is devised to reside.
Marrkos Posted Oct 6, 2009, 5:15 pm	1. I click the 'My Scouting Squad' button, then pick the squad I'm going to use. 2. I'm then shown (in that area) the list of people who have vehicles in the squad. 2.a. Names initially show in light blue (not ready). 2.b. Blank lines represent people with vehicles in the squad, but not in the Lobby 3. I double-check my vehicle on the website, then click the 'I am ready' button. 3.a. Ready players are shown in white. 4. In the Lobby I ask if anybody wants to scout.  Because nobody else uses My Scouting Squad, I tell interested players the name (and password if they need it). 4.a. What they should be able to do is click my name and select 'My Scouting Squad', but because nobody uses it, I've never used it as member of another squad so can't guide people in how to use it. 5. I spam the Refresh Members button waiting for all the player names to show up. 5.a. They always show up immediately as Ready (white), so I do a check in the lobby with 'all show ready' 6. I go back to the website, and launch the scout, after reasonable confirmation that everybody is really ready. 7. Back in the client I announce we are 'out'
Karz Master Posted Oct 6, 2009, 5:25 pm	Well the focus is shifting already. My original idea was to make it such that it will be convenient for people who want to form an SS, but who don't want to keep spamming lobby chat for every 3 users who login. Also, keep in mind most of the time, a great handful of people are either in events or AFK, but I'm willing to bet that there's at least a number of these people who wouldn't mind scouting once their events have ended. This is to facilitate those who want to, in typical MMORPG fashion, LFP/LFM Karz Master said: It's not difficult to form SS to go scouting, but other than just spamming it out in the lobby, why not have another tab next to USERS IN LOBBY that says AVAILABLE SCOUTS (or A-S in short), so whoever indicates that he is interested in SS will be put in that list. So this is how it will work, hypothetically: there will be a check box under SEND CHAT that says "SS active" or something. If I tick the box, I will be put into the AVAILABLE SCOUTS users list. So now, I can go mess around in a custom event or something, and if people want to LFP to form SS, they know who in that lobby will be interested to form an SS. To further broaden the idea, even better would be to have a button in lobby that can only be pressed once every 1 minute or so to avoid spamming. This button alerts all in the AVAILABLE SCOUTS list that he'd like to go scouting. It can show up as a little flashing icon on the game window of those who are in-game or in lobby. It doesn't have to be very distracting, just something at the top left hand corner where it catches the eye, but does not disrupt gameplay. Also, when it is pressed, if the player is AFK, his Darkwind box on the Windows taskbar will flash - you know, the one on the Start Menu taskbar. That way, people can go do something else without having to stare at the Darkwind lobby just to wait for someone interested in SS to post. In summary, here's what I proposed: 1) A checkbox which you can tick, to indicate that you're interested in LFM/LFP, and that people know you are LFP/LFM, by looking at your name on the Users List or something 2) A button that, when clicked on, gives a signal to all those who indicated in the checkbox that there are people ready to go scouting - because not everyone who wants to form SS happens to be in the lobby. Hypothetical situation: someone wants to do a quick race first before asking again, since previous attempts to ask for SS in lobby did not get any response.
*jimmylogan* Posted Oct 6, 2009, 5:37 pm	Karz Master said: Also, keep in mind most of the time, a great handful of people are either in events or AFK. I actually missed this part... Being in an event and getting a "notice" that a scout is forming - good idea. If I'm looting but have other stuff ready, then I would ask to hold for 2 min's, etc.