Regarding the Admin Channel For Invasion Messages

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agreed

better things to worry about doing then this..

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I have a tab called 'glowards' on all my characters. I use it to strip out everything but the broadcast and rewards. My chat has all the 'local' stuff in it, plus coalition. Local, emotes, tell, etc. all that goes int chat.

I have 'Kitchen' that has EVERYTHING possible.
I don't use anything else.

They just simply need to add a channel called 'Alerts' to the mix and use that. When I"m out and about, I can click whatever othe tab I stick it in... or make one called 'glowardalert', which has glowards+Alerts.

Simple. They ought to have that done by July 29th...

<.<
>.>

^.^

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August 31, 2012. A Day that will Live in Infamy. Or Information. Possibly Influence. Well, Inf, anyway. Thank you, Paragon Studios, for what you did, and the enjoyment and camaraderie you brought.
This is houtex, aka Mike, signing off the forums. G'night all. - 10/26/2012
Well... perhaps I was premature about that whole 'signing off' thing... - 11-9-2012

Hey… when I’m in Talos… I NEED to know that there is an attack in Grandville! I need it spammed on every one of my channels at once!

It’s that important! OMG!

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that is Exactly what my objection to using [admin] for the raid announcements. It Desensitizes us to the real purpose of the channel to inform us of things like Servers Shutting down

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On Justice
Global @Desi Nova Twitter: @desi_nova Steam: Desi_nova. I don't do Xbox or PS3

I'm not to bugged by it, though it can be disruptive to the flow of text chatting.

If you use any type of voice application (Teamspeak, Ventrilo, Skype) the impact is not so bad.

As to missing tells (or in my case, missing people yelling for me in globals), I miss more of those because I'm focused on playing the game at certain times.

I can see it bugging a large number of people, but for me it's a minor annoyance.

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It's annoying because it bumps the chat you'd actually like to read. Personally, I think they should take the 'friends' channel that I've never seen anyone actually use past the first week of the game's release and remake it into an 'events' channel.

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/signed.

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double /signed

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Still don't understand what the big deal is. I think people need to relax and just put it out of their mind.

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It's a pervasive irritation that uses the Admin channel, which we have been drilled to pay attention to as a server-level announcement, to relate minor gameplay information. It's a hack that, due to its nature, is something painfully unavoidable.

I know why they did it, EvilG; they ran out of channels to use, and to make more is "hard". That's understandable, but that doesn't make it easier for those of us who DO think it's an irritation to swallow. I'm glad Lighthouse is stepping forward and at least putting on the table that they will look into alternative options, for people like me, and not just do nothing because people like you can deal with it.

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I actually would have liked no announcements at all, so each invasion event caught us "unaware". Given the way the event unfolds a player not wishing to participate would still have plenty of time to leave the zone before being attacked.

Global channels and the like would pass along info on what zones were being invaded for players actively seeking out the events.

But if an announcement must be made, I'd prefer new tech that didn't put it into chat channels at all but rather put it into an unobtrusive icon that would blink when an invasion started. Click the icon and a pop-up alerts you to all unfolding invasion events. Close the pop-up when done. Simple. And if you ignore the icon altogether it automatically stops blinking after a few moments but changes to a different color (not RED) to note it has "unread" messages.

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I actually would have liked no announcements at all, so each invasion event caught us "unaware". Given the way the event unfolds a player not wishing to participate would still have plenty of time to leave the zone before being attacked.

Global channels and the like would pass along info on what zones were being invaded for players actively seeking out the events.

But if an announcement must be made, I'd prefer new tech that didn't put it into chat channels at all but rather put it into an unobtrusive icon that would blink when an invasion started. Click the icon and a pop-up alerts you to all unfolding invasion events. Close the pop-up when done. Simple. And if you ignore the icon altogether it automatically stops blinking after a few moments but changes to a different color (not RED) to note it has "unread" messages.

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Hmm I like that idea.

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I do as well. The Admin announcements make keeping track of my SG/Coalition, Consignments, Team and Global channels difficult.

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I can't say I really like it.

However, I suspect if this was real, the announcements of an impending invasion of a city would drown out all other communications channels.

It isn't going to be that much of an issue, once the main invasion stops.

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I'd imagine a good solution would be an extra bit of UI being added to the top of the compass.

You could do a clickable alert that, when clicked, opens another window telling you which zones are being invaded and what their progress is. Have this message flash a few times when it first appears.

Or you could do an alert warning ticker that just tells you right inline which zones are under attack. The flaw with this one is that it's easy to miss. You'd probably need the openable window in either case.

The cool thing about this solution is that it can be applied to other things later, like Steel Canyon fires or Supatroll Raves. Might give those events more publicity without being intrusive.

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bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonner-
ronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenth ur-
nuk!

Since we're brainstorming...

I always felt an audio clue would work out the best. For instance, when the air raid starts, EVERYONE begins to hear the air raid siren go off if they are in a non-instanced zone. You can then read the followup channel (however they address/improve the existing one) to see what's going on, and where. Building on Joyce's idea, you could hear a fire engine horn go off for 10 seconds, or hear muffled bad techno music, for the Steel fires or Skyway raves. (Granted, if the rave's music was loud enough to be heard across Paragon City, IMO it'd take a bunch of heroes to resolve THAT party. )

Just throwing out ideas, but I've always liked the idea of an air raid siren for an impending invasion. Mind you, overall I find Issue 10 to be a complete hit. They hacked out the Admin channel solution because of a technological stumbling block, and I respect that, but I'm also hopeful they improve it.

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Still don't understand what the big deal is. I think people need to relax and just put it out of their mind.

[/ QUOTE ] An illustration.
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Bob: Hey Alt
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Bob: Alt, you there?
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Alt: I'm here.
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Ringo: EVERYONE HIT UKON GRAY!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Ringo: ]censored[ IT! HIT HIM! ]censored[
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
John: Hit who? Someone heal me!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Bob: Holy crap! Wipeout!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
ADMIN: WARNING RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI RIKTI!!!!!!
Ringo: ]censored[]censored[]censored[]censored[]censored[]censored[

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This is the kind of stuff most people are griping about because the ADMIN channel spams every open chat window. No legible conversations in Team, Supergroup, Etcetera...

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if the windows would actually scroll like they should instead of:
click.. up a line. click.. up line. click zooom!!! Where the hell did my place disappear to!!?!?!? And if you do manage to find the spot you want then BLAMMO! another spam slaps you back down to the bottom of the chat window again.

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This is a problem not just with the admin channel but with all windows' scrolls. They just don't work properly!

Fix that instead and we get a permanent QOL fix!

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It's annoying because it bumps the chat you'd actually like to read. Personally, I think they should take the 'friends' channel that I've never seen anyone actually use past the first week of the game's release and remake it into an 'events' channel.

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/signed

I think the invasion event is just "OK". I find these red admin messages to be annoying when I am trying to communicate with my teammates, SG mates and local chats in general. They should have implemented the message in a better fasion..even if that meant to delay the release.

What I like to laugh at are the most of the people who say "deal with it" are the same ones who don't like the big read "inspirations full" or "Enhancements Full" messages flashing for the split second they do.

Upon further thinking they could always use a scrolling message in the nav bar when invasions are going to happen. many games use this when they don't want to use a chat channel.

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Quick question. A couple of people in here have wondered, but no one has responded. And I have browsed around and can't find an answer.

Is this constant invasion an event that ends shortly? If so, when does it end?

I saw some posts that led me to believe that it will end...but then future waves of invasions will be triggered by people completeing part 5 (of 6) in a TF??

Thanks.

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Quick question. A couple of people in here have wondered, but no one has responded. And I have browsed around and can't find an answer.

Is this constant invasion an event that ends shortly? If so, when does it end?

I saw some posts that led me to believe that it will end...but then future waves of invasions will be triggered by people completeing part 5 (of 6) in a TF??

Thanks.

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If my understanding of this event is correct...it was supposed to last 3-4 weeks of invasions automatically, then, it is triggered by the Lady Gray TF in the RWZ after that. So for awhile there may still be ongoing invasions till people tire of it.

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I'd say leave it out of all chat tabs. Create a mouseover/clickable button that gives the current status of any/all zone events.

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I'd like them to put these things on the in-game world map. Like the in-game map for Recluse Victory that shows who controls what sectors, the world map could show a colored border around zones that are threatened -- be it by Rikti, a Giant Monster, or whatever. Maybe have the Map (or the tab) turn red when somethings going on.

Even if they address the ADMIN event spam, I would still like to be able to assign the ADMIN channel to a specific tab. Perhaps they can rig things so you must have it in at least one of your tabs, that would be best. Another option (in addition or instead) would be to have it always show up in whatever tab you have active. (Do "/target_name Whatever" to see what I mean.)

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Still don't understand what the big deal is. I think people need to relax and just put it out of their mind.

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thats hard when u can't get away from it other then logging off. that spam is actively driving me insane as i'm both missing PM's when i'm AFK in my base, and miss vital messages from my team mates in missions. that spam have caused many of the groups i've been in to wipe ALOT because we either missed the messages or had to scroll up and wasting time.

it IS a problem.

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Keid of Freedom

Normally, I'm not one to comment on these ongoing but futile discussions. (In case you weren't aware, the situation required either the use of the admin channel for alerts or some significant delay of i10. The developers don't think the current situation is acceptable, so they are working on an alternative.)

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...miss vital messages from my team mates in missions. that spam have caused many of the groups i've been in to wipe ALOT...

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I'm sorry, but this is just wildly melodramatic. What vital information could a teammate possibly have to tell you that would change the course of a wipe? Sorry, multiple wipes . . . either you're exaggerating, or you've been trained to play the game with someone else holding your hand every single step of the way. BTW, if there's so much vital information getting lost, maybe you should give Teamspeak a shot. (Not much help on PUGs, mind you, but then PUG's are less likely to be tackling tasks that require a high degree of coordination.)

I get it. The messages annoy you. People telling you that you shouldn't be annoyed annoys you. All I can tell you is that the developers have already stated that they are aware and working toward a solution. Bleating "Are we there yet?" doesn't actually make the car go any faster.

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--- My Mains ---
Nrg/Nrg Blaster - 50
Fire/Axe Tanker - 41
Claws/Invul Scrapper - 50
Earth/Emp Controller - 50
TA/A Defender - 50
Peacebringer - 50
Warshade - 50
Fire/Dark Corrupter - 50
Nrg/Nrg Brute - 50
Blade/Regen Stalker - 50
Ice/Ice Dominator - 50
Thug/Poison Mastermind - 50

Personally, I really never understood why the Rikti invasion announcements needed to be made global. I'm in St. Martial, running missions. Do I really give a hoot if Mercy Island is being invaded? No, not really. Much less a zone over in Paragon City. It should have been made a zone-wide broadcast, at best. And maybe not even that. The Rikti are suppossed to be technologically advanced. What are they doing, calling ahead and letting people know what their intentions are?

St. Martial Arachnos headquarters, how may we help you?
Yes, this is Tur'Kar from the Rikti. I just want to let you know that we'll be carpet bombing your area in about five minutes, followed by some of our troops teleporting right next to any Villains we see.
Mmmmm, ok, we'll let everyone know via our Emergency Announcement system. Anything else?
Err...yes. Just in case they miss the announcement, we'll also be turning the sky green. Oh, and could you please make sure you turn your sirens on when we arrive? It makes us feel important and all.
Absolutely! We've been itching to have an excuse to use the sirens since they were installed. Due to our weather never changing, people have been complaining that it was a waste of money. NOW we'll see who's laughing!
Uhhh, ok, whatever. Everything is set then, we'll be by in a few, just have to gather a few volunteers and what not.
Good! Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but anyone you defeat won't be punished via debt or anything. Does that work for you?
Absolutely. We just want to make sure everyone knows we're coming. It's more for the benefit of our leaders, really. They're always making a big stink that we're not making our presence known enough, so this should satisfy them. Well, thank you for your cooperation, do make sure you let EVERYONE know we're coming.
Oh, thank YOU for breaking our boredom. And don't worry, we'll let EVERYONE know, regardless if it affects them or not. See you soon!
Indeed.

Maybe not quite what's really happening, but honestly, if you can't tell your zone is being invaded from the sky changing color, the sirens, the ships appearing in the distant skyline, then...maybe you need to get out more.

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To help others, first you must be able to help yourself.

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A number of players have expressed their concern with the use of the Admin chat channel to announce Rikti zone invasions. We wanted to let you know that we are aware of the concerns and working to address it.

Thanks for your feedback and continued support!

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Even just a different color would be good. Maybe green or something?

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@bpphantom
The Defenders of Paragon
KGB Special Section 8

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I actually would have liked no announcements at all, so each invasion event caught us "unaware". Given the way the event unfolds a player not wishing to participate would still have plenty of time to leave the zone before being attacked.

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HA! Not if you logged off under the Atlas statue and you log in DURING an invasion... That happened to me yesterday, and, let me tell you ... I was dead within 30 seconds! It was still fun - I enjoy the invasions.

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Global channels and the like would pass along info on what zones were being invaded for players actively seeking out the events.

But if an announcement must be made, I'd prefer new tech that didn't put it into chat channels at all but rather put it into an unobtrusive icon that would blink when an invasion started. Click the icon and a pop-up alerts you to all unfolding invasion events. Close the pop-up when done. Simple. And if you ignore the icon altogether it automatically stops blinking after a few moments but changes to a different color (not RED) to note it has "unread" messages.

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I like the idea of some kind of clickable item that opens a window telling you where there are invasion events going on.

I disagree with some that it's not important to know what is happening in other zones, even the Rogue Isles when you're in CoH or Paragon City when you're in CoV - this is a CoX-world-wide event. If I played villains (I have a couple - I just prefer the hero side), I might want to switch to a villain character to fight in the Rogue Isles. Badges, accolade anyone?

I agree, however, that the way the announcements are currently being made makes it incredibly difficult to even tell them apart from each other, let alone tell them apart from other, far more important Admin channel messages.

My 2 inf.

Storm

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Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm ...

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But if an announcement must be made, I'd prefer new tech that didn't put it into chat channels at all but rather put it into an unobtrusive icon that would blink when an invasion started. Click the icon and a pop-up alerts you to all unfolding invasion events. Close the pop-up when done. Simple. And if you ignore the icon altogether it automatically stops blinking after a few moments but changes to a different color (not RED) to note it has "unread" messages.

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I think this is a great idea. One addition I think would be necessary is that once an invasion in a zone has ended, or if you log off, that message would automatically be deleted. That way you won't have 15 million messages lined up when you click on the icon to see which invasions are currently happening. In other words, don't keep a history of past events.

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