Forums » Suggestions & Development Discussion » Turn PMs into real-time chat?

Before I start off, I understand that if this is to be implemented, the PM system potentially has to undergo drastic changes that may require more effort than the feature is worth at the moment.

HOWEVER. If the PM system is to be rewritten in the future, perhaps this can be taken into consideration?

Right now PMs are sorted by time and date. It could potentially be useful to re-order PMs by user. Like... folders. So when you enter your PM inbox, it shows a list of users you have conversations with, with the unread conversations marked in bold and sorted by the last received message. Android applications like Whatsapp do this too.

When you click on the username, it shows all the PMs that you received. Optionally, it shows the PMs that you sent too.

Picture this:

I'd have new PMs from Darth and Dagger. Kim and Blackito sent messages or I sent them messages I already read. If I click on Darth's name, it'll open an overview of PMs:

If it's setup like this, maybe we could have a Chat function for PMs much like with forums?

Again, I realize the complexity of this system, but I think it would be beneficial to keep better track of PMs and allow much quicker communication and live-chat/RP with single individuals. If there are any suggestions to improve this system, let me know and I'll add it to this post. If you think it's NOT necessary, let us know too! This suggestion is really only valuable if people want it as well, so that Kim knows whether it'll be worth it to eventually put effort into it.

EDIT: In the quotes pretend there are many spaces between the usernames/subjects and dates. The forum doesn't like empty spaces to format stuff.";

I'd like to see this go somewhere. It would make rping over PM's a ton easier and would cut out minor confusions involved with it, especially for people new to the idea of PM based rping. It's not so different from chat based rping, albeit slower. It'd be a nice medium for those who do not like using forums and those who enjoy the privacy that comes from PM's.

That's part of why I'd love it, yes. Right now if I want to go 1x1 with users I'd have to create a group. But what if I have 4 different players to RP with, and there's a need of privacy for each RP? I'd have to create 4 different groups.

This servers a dual purpose of better organizing PMs, and optionally it can be converted to a chat window just like the forum chats for 1x1 RP.

What you just described is pretty much what my plan is for the eventual implementation of this: http://www.rprepository.com/development/developmentTask.php?task=119

I just didn't have the energy to type out how it would run.

SO, glad to see that this seems like a likely system to people other than me!

So how I described it is close to what you were going for?

I was looking for a dev log for it, but I must have read over it. I'll link to this thread on the log just in case.

Its one of those things that can help make people comfortable with the site. I have a hard time coming out of my small circle of friends to rp and am just starting to do this now, because certain outlets are getting on my nerrrvveees.

*lures into new circles*

Hi there!

I was just wondering, Kim, has there been any further development in this? It seems pretty popular and stuff but it seems like it hasn't been discussed, at least in the development section and this thread, for a couple years. I know it's been mentioned before somewhere else recently, but I was wondering if there's been any progress with it

There was actually major progress with this with the revamping of the PM system a few months ago. This feature was impossible without that new underlying code. So the stage has been set. Like many worthy and desired features, however, it is caught in a traffic jam behind getting groups out of alpha, which is by far my highest priority task these days. You might notice that there's been recent progress on that front as well. So we are getting there. Slowly. So slowly. But it's on the list and the groundwork has been laid.

Okay, sweet! Thanks for the update
I wasn't sure, I know there's been a lot of work with groups so I know you've been busy! Thanks for letting me know that there's been some progress and it's still in the works!

You're very welcome!