Microsoft Zone Archive/Asheron's Call Handbook/Communication Essentials

Related topics: Chat Interface

Original Link (now dead) - http://classic.zone.msn.com/asheronscall/tips/ASHEtipscommun.asp

Communication Essentials

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The chat channels in Asheron's Call minimize your exposure to communication that doesn't concern you while allowing you to freely chat with members of your chosen social groups. As chat is extremely important to the ambiance of the game, the designers have created a communication system that gives you as much control as possible over your experience. You can stay in character while still getting help on the side with technical issues.

In-Game Communication
Chat Box:

To talk to someone you see nearby in the game world, click the chat box to bring up a cursor. Type what you want to say, and press RETURN or click the Send button to send it. If you'd like to repeat something, you can use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to scroll through your previous messages, and when the one you want appears in the window, simply press RETURN to resend it. Normally, everyone in your Compass -- and only people in your Compass -- will view your messages.

Though often convenient, regular chat has a few drawbacks. People may move out of range before you send your message, and if you're in the midst of a large group of strangers, no one may realize which person you're speaking to. Fortunately, there are many ways to focus your communication.

Long-Range Targeted Chat:

To the left of the chat window, you'll see the word "Chat" with an arrow beside it. You can click this to bring up a menu for tailoring your chat. Select the appropriate box to have all your messages sent only to the specified people: a selected individual, all members of your fellowship or allegiance, or your allegiance vassals, patron, or monarch. You can also use the menu to toggle back to regular chat. (If you don't know what a fellowship or allegiance is, consult the in-game help, or read the Handbook articles "Coordinating a Fellowship" and "The Allegiance Primer.")

Clicking a character in the view window is probably the easiest method of selecting him or her, but you can also click the corresponding dot in the Compass. Either way, the character's name will appear in the Selected Element Display on the lower right of the screen, and his or her Compass dot will display a ring around it. You can then open up the Chat menu and select the option to talk with that character exclusively.

The Chat menu lets you set a default mode of communication. When you want to send a single message to a wider or narrower group of people, you can type one of the handy "/" commands, a comma, and then the message. Use /tell to direct the message to a single person; /f, to your fellowship; /v, to your vassals; /m, to your allegiance monarch; and /p, to your patron (who may, of course, also be your monarch). For example, /tell Shreck, You were just at the lifestone, weren't you? or /p, I'm with my vassals in Arwic, my lord.

There are some other convenient "/" commands for chat. You can use the command /retell before a message, which will send it to the person you last sent an /tell: /retell Sorry about that lifestone comment. I couldn't resist. This saves retyping the person's name. Similarly, if you use /reply, you will /tell the last person who sent you an /tell message: /reply I can't seem to find the portal you're referring to. Note that you do not need a comma after these two commands.

When you select a Chat menu option or use a / command, your chat will reach its audience anywhere in Dereth. Bear in mind that chat directed at your vassals will not be sent to their vassals, however, so you'll have to either trust your vassals to pass on important allegiance messages or follow up yourself.

Further Allegiance Communication:

Monarchs can designate a member of their allegiance to act as its speaker. There may only be one speaker at a time, and the monarch can set and change the speaker at any time using the command @speaker set <player name>. This command removes the old speaker and promotes the new speaker to the office. The monarch may also remove the current speaker without setting a new one using the command @speaker clear.

These two commands are only usable by the monarch. However, all players in an allegiance may see who the speaker for their allegiance currently is with the command @speaker.

The monarch and his or her speaker can also broadcast allegiance-wide messages to everyone in the allegiance. Each of these persons is limited to three broadcasts per day. The monarch cannot get around this limit by appointing a new speaker -- the new speaker "inherits" the number of broadcasts that the old speaker made. A monarch or speaker can make an allegiance-wide broadcast using the command @a <msg>.

Monarchs are able to create a message of the day (MOTD) that their allegiance members can view at any time. The monarch sets the MOTD using the command @motd set <msg>. The MOTD has the same limit on length that any message typed into the chat box does. The monarch can clear the MOTD using the command @motd clear. Only the monarch can set and clear the MOTD. However, any player in an allegiance may view the MOTD using the command @motd. In addition, the MOTD (if there is one) displays at logon.

Further details of Allegiance communication features may be found in the article The Allegiance Primer and Details of Allegiance Communication.

Conclusion

If you learn to exploit all your communication lines, you'll spend less time wondering what to do and whom to do it with, and more time at heroic deeds. You'll be able to stay in character in the game world, yet still get help with technical issues or post wide-band requests for adventuring buddies. When your vassals have a vexing problem, they'll be impressed that you can sit down, "commune with the gods" for a minute or two (that is, ALT+TAB out into the game room), and then return in a state of enlightenment. Use your new powers wisely, and good luck!