Chat channel - Revision history

Maurish: Typo

2012-02-27T21:06:19Z

Typo

Flux: /* =Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots */

2012-02-26T12:36:26Z

‎=Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots

Flux: /* =Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots */

2012-02-24T14:26:36Z

‎=Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots

Flux: /* Social Groups */

2012-02-24T14:22:15Z

‎Social Groups

Flux at 14:21, 24 February 2012

2012-02-24T14:21:27Z

Flux: /* Better Communication than Diablo 2 */

2012-02-24T12:33:50Z

‎Better Communication than Diablo 2

Flux: /* Better Communication than Diablo 2 */

2012-02-24T12:33:23Z

‎Better Communication than Diablo 2

Flux: /* Better Communication than Diablo 2 */

2012-02-24T12:32:48Z

‎Better Communication than Diablo 2

Flux at 02:08, 21 February 2012

2012-02-21T02:08:35Z

Flux at 11:39, 11 February 2012

2012-02-11T11:39:21Z

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 ==Better Communication than Diablo 2==
-During the game's development, the D3 Team often expressed their their desire for better matchmaking and game-finding options than were present in Diablo II. The [[Friends List]] and various quest-grouping game creation options take steps towards that goal, though the systems remain under development during the [[beta]] test.
+During the game's development, the D3 Team often expressed their desire for better matchmaking and game-finding options than were present in Diablo II. The [[Friends List]] and various quest-grouping game creation options take steps towards that goal, though the systems remain under development during the [[beta]] test.
 * See the [[Multiplayer]] article for more details about game creation and player interaction via Battle.net

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
-===Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots==
+==Diablo III Chat Channel Screenshots==
 Sample images of the chat channel function, showing off the features and options, can be seen below.
@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 There's even a short video that documents the D3 chat channel features.
 <youtube>Rs2YYYaqlRw</youtube>
 ==Better Communication than Diablo 2==

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 File:Chat-options3.jpg
 File:Chat-options4.jpg
 </gallery>
 There's even a short video that documents the D3 chat channel features.
 <youtube>Rs2YYYaqlRw</youtube>
 ==Better Communication than Diablo 2==

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:22, 24 February 2012
Line 92:		Line 92:
	As of the beta there are not any improvements or customizations to the Friends List, in terms of guild support, though Blizzard remains committed to providing some such options at some point. Bashiok elaborated on this point in a forum post from September 2011.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-iii-chat-channels-and-guild-support]		As of the beta there are not any improvements or customizations to the Friends List, in terms of guild support, though Blizzard remains committed to providing some such options at some point. Bashiok elaborated on this point in a forum post from September 2011.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-iii-chat-channels-and-guild-support]

−	[blue]Having ways for friends and acquaintances to create social groups has been in the long term plans of the new Battle.net for some time. Whether they’re called clans or not is a smaller detail. It’s just getting the time to work on adding in those types of want-to-have features. Almost assuredly not for the launch of the game, but hopefully at some point in the future. [/blue]	+	<blue>Having ways for friends and acquaintances to create social groups has been in the long term plans of the new Battle.net for some time. Whether they’re called clans or not is a smaller detail. It’s just getting the time to work on adding in those types of want-to-have features. Almost assuredly not for the launch of the game, but hopefully at some point in the future. </blue>

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Bnet-chat-1.jpg|left|thumb|Chat Channel button.]]
-Chat Channels were a big part of the [[Battle.net]] experience for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. They will return to Battle.net in Diablo III, in public and private form.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] Chat channels were added to the Diablo III beta in patch 13 in February 2012, and received a largely negative fan reaction[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-chat-channel-screenshots] due to the tiny window size and the general lack of text formatting or usability features.
+Chat Channels were a big part of the [[Battle.net]] experience for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. They will return to Battle.net in Diablo III, in public and private form.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/]
 Aside from Battle.net chat channels, players can use their Battle.net [[Friends List]] for communication, but only with people already on their list; it's not a tool to meet new people online.  Official and fan forums are also useful tools for advertising item sales or meeting new friends to play with, and there are unofficial means of live chat, such as the [http://diablo.incgamers.com/diablo-3-irc live IRC chat] run by fansite Diablo.IncGamers.com.
@@ Line 7: / Line 9: @@
 ==Chat Channels for Diablo III==
-Blizzard intended to phase chat channels out of B.net with their newer games, starting with Starcraft 2. They did not include chat channels in the design, and resisted adding them until continuous player requests wore them down. Chat channels were not supported during the beta, but after huge fan complaints the developers agreed to include them. They were not ready for the game's launch, but several months after Starcraft 2's release they were added in[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/d3-will-have-chat-channels-on-battle.net/], though many fans strongly dislike their implementation.
+Blizzard intended to phase chat channels out of B.net with their newer games, starting with Starcraft 2.[http://www.incgamers.com/Interviews/270/blizzards-frank-pearce-interview] They did not include chat channels in the design, and resisted adding them until continuous player requests wore them down.
-[[File:Chat-channel-large.jpg|thumb|450px|See that little box in the lower right corner?]]
+The next news about Diablo III's chat channels came in September, 2011, via a Bashiok forum post.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-iii-chat-channels-and-guild-support]
-During comments on the Starcraft 2 chat channel controversy, [[Bashiok]] said they would be included in Diablo III as well. This guarantee seemed to be in doubt in early February 2012, when Bashiok said that only private chat channels would be present,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/chat-channels-remain-in-diablo-3] much as they are in Starcraft 2.
 <blue>They’re in there right now. Unless people are expecting general open channels? We’ve consistently said we won’t have those.</blue>
-Immediate fan pushback spurred Bashiok to further explain why this feature was removed. [http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147519/the-lack-of-a-general-chat-just-sucks#postId_399627]
+Immediate fan pushback spurred Bashiok to further explain why the Diablo III developers felt that public chat channels were a bad idea.[http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147519/the-lack-of-a-general-chat-just-sucks#postId_399627]
 <blue>As far as having open public channels, there’s far more negative to them than positive and we maintain a stance that creating an open chat environment without a social structure behind it is an invitation for moderation and support disasters. Most people that want chat channels though are referring to guild channels, or otherwise channels they themselves can operate and choose to invite others to, and we see those as completely valid forms of chat (there’s a social structure backing the channel). As I said, back in September, it’s unlikely to be anything we attain for ship, but the social group-type chat features are still very much a desire for the future. </blue>
-This policy decision prompted massive fan outcry, with fifty-page comment threads sprouting on Battle.net and angry editorials[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] on fansites. After several days of this, Bashiok announced that there were public chat channels after all, and that he'd been in error when he said they had been removed from the game. [http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147849/the-lack-of-general-chat-just-sucks-contx2#postId_400451]
+This policy decision prompted massive fan outcry, with fifty-page comment threads sprouting on Battle.net and perplexed editorials[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] on fansites. After several days of this, Bashiok announced that there were public chat channels after all, and that he'd been in error when he said they had been removed from the game. [http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147849/the-lack-of-general-chat-just-sucks-contx2#postId_400451]
 <blue>Soooooo... hey everyone. How’s it going? Good? Weather ok? Great… so, right… You know how sometimes you say something that’s stupid and wrong and then people very reasonably get upset and create a lot of threads and discussions and demands with some pretty reasonable reasons for the thing you said wouldn’t happen but then it turns out that you’re stupid and wrong and the things you said are completely the opposite of what’s actually true?
@@ Line 26: / Line 42: @@
 Yeah. So that happened. Public chat channels will be in Diablo III, barring any catastrophe that requires we remove them, because they’re already implemented. In fact they’ll be in an upcoming beta patch so you’ll get to see and play around with them yourselves.</blue>
-While most fans were happy about this news, quite a few people suspected that Bashiok was being ordered to fall on his sword to cover for a policy change, and that his first comment, and later explanation, had been 100% correct at the time. Blizzard's previous efforts to force mandatory [[Real ID]] and the removal of Chat Channels from SC2, both decisions that were reversed after thousands of fan complaints, were referenced as support for the conspiracy theory.
+While most fans were happy about this news, quite a few people suspected that Bashiok was being ordered to fall on his sword to cover for a policy change, and that his first comment, and later explanation, had been 100% correct that Blizzard was not planning to include public chat in Diablo III, just as they do not in Starcraft 2.
-Regardless of that issue, the chat channels were introduced in the [[Beta Patch 13]] to general fan dismay, due to their small size and lacking feature set. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-chat-channel-screenshots]
+Whatever the case may be on that controversy, Diablo III's chat channels debuted in the [[Beta Patch 13]] to general fan dismay. The main source of discontent was the small size and lacking appearance controls.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-chat-channel-screenshots]
 Sample images of the chat channel function, showing off the features and options, can be seen below.
@@ Line 42: / Line 64: @@
 File:Chat-options4.jpg
 </gallery>

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 The developers want more and easier mutiplayer gaming in Diablo 3 and they have repeatedly mentioned their desire to create quick and easy (even automated) games that group like-level characters. Diablo III Game Director [[Jay Wilson]] spoke on this from Blizzcon 2009. [http://pc.ign.com/articles/101/1017305p1.html]
-[blue]<font color="#FFFFFF">IGN: Have you figured out anything you're planning on doing, with the exception of things like, obviously, easier ways of setting up co-op lobbies or creating panels so that everybody can immediately jump in and start up exactly where they left off?</font>
+<blue><font color="#FFFFFF">IGN: Have you figured out anything you're planning on doing, with the exception of things like, obviously, easier ways of setting up co-op lobbies or creating panels so that everybody can immediately jump in and start up exactly where they left off?</font>
 Jay Wilson: We're not quite at that stage. [Talking about B.net D3 features.] Some of our big hooks are really good matchmaking, there was some poor matchmaking in Diablo 2, it was kind of esoteric and hard to use. We want a platform that puts you right next to someone else who's into the same thing as you, at the same level. We want you to be able to open up that friends list and say, oh, my friend Steve's killing Diablo, join! And you're right there next to them. We want players to be able to play together very, very easily. That's going to be a lot of work.
 It's not in the game, so this is not a promise, but I can tell you that my desire for that is that you just be able to hit Escape, menu comes up, and you can say, I want to redo what we just did. I want to replay this part of the game, restart my game essentially, with all the same people. And I just get a confirmation thing, hey, you want to? If they say yes, we go, and if they say no, they stay in that same game.
-Somewhere a programmer's heart exploded, but that's our intent, that you shouldn't have to have this really convoluted way to replay content. One of the other things that we'd really like to focus on is, that the endgame not actually force you…well, it doesn't force you, it's your choice, but not make the most advantageous way to play be to do the same thing over and over again.[/blue]
+Somewhere a programmer's heart exploded, but that's our intent, that you shouldn't have to have this really convoluted way to replay content. One of the other things that we'd really like to focus on is, that the endgame not actually force you…well, it doesn't force you, it's your choice, but not make the most advantageous way to play be to do the same thing over and over again.</blue>
 That sort of easy partying system was in the game by the start of the beta, and all the players in a game can easily create a new one together. There are also mechanisms to allow anyone on your [[Friends List]] to instantly join your game, and ways to chat to a Friend who is not in the game with you, or even to Friends who are playing other games over Battle.net.

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 * See the [[Multiplayer]] article for more details about game creation and player interaction via Battle.net
-The developers want more and easier mutiplayer gaming in Diablo 3 and they have repeatedly mentioned their desire to create quick and easy (even automated) games that group like-level characters. Diablo III Game Director [[Jay Wilson]] spoke on this from Blizzcon 2009. [http://pc.ign.com/articles/101/1017305p1.html]
+[blue]<font color="#FFFFFF">IGN: Have you figured out anything you're planning on doing, with the exception of things like, obviously, easier ways of setting up co-op lobbies or creating panels so that everybody can immediately jump in and start up exactly where they left off?</font>
-::...It's not in the game, so this is not a promise, but I can tell you that my desire for that is that you just be able to hit Escape, menu comes up, and you can say, I want to redo what we just did. I want to replay this part of the game, restart my game essentially, with all the same people. And I just get a confirmation thing, hey, you want to? If they say yes, we go, and if they say no, they stay in that same game.
+===Social Groups===
-::Somewhere a programmer's heart exploded, but that's our intent, that you shouldn't have to have this really convoluted way to replay content. One of the other things that we'd really like to focus on is, that the endgame not actually force you…well, it doesn't force you, it's your choice, but not make the most advantageous way to play be to do the same thing over and over again.
+As of the beta there are not any improvements or customizations to the Friends List, in terms of guild support, though Blizzard remains committed to providing some such options at some point.  Bashiok elaborated on this point in a forum post from September 2011.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-iii-chat-channels-and-guild-support]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Chat Channels were a big part of the [[Battle.net]] experience for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. They will return to Battle.net in Diablo III, but only in private channel form; ones that players can create and use for themselves, their friends, or their guild. There are no plans for public, open chat channels in Diablo III.
+Chat Channels were a big part of the [[Battle.net]] experience for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. They will return to Battle.net in Diablo III, in public and private form.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] There are no chat channels (public or private) available during the Diablo III Beta, so nothing is yet known about their appearance or function.
-The Battle.net [[Friends List]] provides some utility as a chat client, but it's designed to keep in touch with players you already know; not as a way to meet new people online.
+Aside from Battle.net chat channels, players can use their Battle.net [[Friends List]] for communication, but only with people already on their list; it's not a tool to meet new people online.  Official and fan forums are also useful tools for advertising item sales or meeting new friends to play with, and there are unofficial means of live chat, such as the [http://diablo.incgamers.com/diablo-3-irc live IRC chat] run by fansite Diablo.IncGamers.com.
 ==Chat Channels for Diablo III==
-Blizzard intended to phase chat channels out of B.net with their newer games, starting with Starcraft 2. They did not include chat channels in the design, and resisted adding them until continuous player requests wore them down. Chat channels were not supported during the beta or upon launch in July, but by October 2010 they were said to be well under development, and were finally implemented into Starcraft 2's Battle.net experience about six months after the game's release. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/d3-will-have-chat-channels-on-battle.net/]
+Blizzard intended to phase chat channels out of B.net with their newer games, starting with Starcraft 2. They did not include chat channels in the design, and resisted adding them until continuous player requests wore them down. Chat channels were not supported during the beta, but after huge fan complaints the developers agreed to include them. They were not ready for the game's launch, but several months after Starcraft 2's release they were added in[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/d3-will-have-chat-channels-on-battle.net/], though many fans strongly dislike their implementation.
-There were no chat channels available during the Diablo III beta, but [[Bashiok]] confirmed that non-public chat channels were still a planned feature for the game in February 2012.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/chat-channels-remain-in-diablo-3]
+During comments on the Starcraft 2 chat channel controversy, [[Bashiok]] said they would be included in Diablo III as well. This guarantee seemed to be in doubt in early February 2012, when Bashiok said that only private chat channels would be present,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/chat-channels-remain-in-diablo-3] much as they are in Starcraft 2.
 <blue>They’re in there right now. Unless people are expecting general open channels? We’ve consistently said we won’t have those.</blue>
-The absence of public chat channels (ones that are open all the time and not created by players) was not a popular feature, and many fans complained bitterly about their absence. Blizzard did not adjust their policy, though.
-==Better Alternatives==
+==Better Communication than Diablo 2==
 The D3 Team has often spoken about their desire for better match making and game-finding options than were present in Diablo II. The Friends List and various quest-grouping game creation options take steps towards that goal, though the systems remain under development during the [[beta]] test.