New Message System

[Chenier]

When i think about it i kinda like old message system more than this new one...

As do I. I don't like the idea of losing messages I once had, not more than the idea of others gaining access to messages they never had.

I'm also not very found of the interface which feels overwhelming.

[Foxglove]

I'm also not very found of the interface which feels overwhelming.

I agree. My sense of it just now is that it's confusing. Whether that would change with repeated use is something only time would tell.

I'm also wondering if it's possible to preview a message before you send it as it is in the current messaging system. I find that very useful, and I'd be sad to see it go.

[Bedwyr]

I think once the kinks get worked out this is going to be one of the best things to happen to the game.

Regarding the sci-fi or other aspects, my suggestion would be that you have a whole host of scribes, and you are just saying "bring me all messages in X category".

I do want to echo the concerns about losing access to messages.  Gaining access to older messages is fine, from my book, as if you don't want someone gaining that access, you don't use the official channel.  There are plenty of ways around that, I'm not going to worry about it.  But by the same token, if you lose access to the official channels, then I would expect to see a rise in pseudo-official channels where everyone in the realm knows that this player-created channel is the real Council discussion channel, just so they can keep the messages.

[Chenier]

I think once the kinks get worked out this is going to be one of the best things to happen to the game.

Regarding the sci-fi or other aspects, my suggestion would be that you have a whole host of scribes, and you are just saying "bring me all messages in X category".

I do want to echo the concerns about losing access to messages.  Gaining access to older messages is fine, from my book, as if you don't want someone gaining that access, you don't use the official channel.  There are plenty of ways around that, I'm not going to worry about it.  But by the same token, if you lose access to the official channels, then I would expect to see a rise in pseudo-official channels where everyone in the realm knows that this player-created channel is the real Council discussion channel, just so they can keep the messages.

Many conflicts can arise from rulers not really sharing with their peers what the other rulers say on the ruler's channel. If one can kick the ruler out and instantly know everything that was said on the rulers' channel, including by his own former ruler, then it makes peace efforts much easier.

[Bedwyr]

Many conflicts can arise from rulers not really sharing with their peers what the other rulers say on the ruler's channel. If one can kick the ruler out and instantly know everything that was said on the rulers' channel, including by his own former ruler, then it makes peace efforts much easier.

Heh.  Have you read the Hitchhiker's Guide?  Remember how people thought that about the Babelfish?  Certainly people hide things they have said to make peace harder.  People also hide things said to make peace easier, and I've seen that happen a lot more often.  If a Ruler gets replaced, and the new person goes back and sees all of the insults...Heh.

[Chenier]

Heh.  Have you read the Hitchhiker's Guide?  Remember how people thought that about the Babelfish?  Certainly people hide things they have said to make peace harder.  People also hide things said to make peace easier, and I've seen that happen a lot more often.  If a Ruler gets replaced, and the new person goes back and sees all of the insults...Heh.

Within the last month...

I don't see this happening as much. Rulers get replaced more easily when things go bad (losing a war), than when things go well. If the other rulers send insults, and the ruler hides this to help keep the peace, then on what grounds are his realm mates going to replace him on? Odds are he'll lose his power later, over unrelated events, and by then the next ruler will no longer have access to the insults anyways.

[Eldargard]

I thing that the new message system will take some getting used to and will get better as things are tweaked.

Old System:
Messages felt like letters being written and delivered to people. The focus was on people writing to each other. There were tools that allowed for easy mass messaging but the fell was still from me to you (or yall).

New System:
I people seem to be buried behind channels. It took me a while to figure out how to write to an individual. I do not get the same 'missives have been delivered to me' feel of the old system. I like that new players have access to past realm wide messages and past army wide messages. I do not, however like the idea of message history coming with any other channels though - assuming they do. At the same time, I am not sure if it makes much sense having all nw nobles get this message history. I am sure that we can make up a creative reason as to why all new nobles suddenly get a mass delivery of all messages of all channels they belong to but it feels a bit forced.

[Nosferatus]

I'd like to request Conversations to be called custom channels or just channel.
Its confusing as its a different term for the same thing.
Create channel already applies its custom, no need to use a different term.
I dont think create conversation is clearer then create new/custom (comunication) channel.

Overall, its a system we need to simply get used to.
But after testing it for a while, i found it very convenient and a huge improvement.
I also have my doubts about accessing the history of a ruler channel for example after beeing just elected.

[fodder]

"Correspondence"? Private correspondence?

as in... private mail between people, as opposed to mail between office.. which is what the ruler channel, etc is about.

so, someone wanting to write to a ruler in private should write to the ruler in "conversation". no one else will see those, i expect... (aside from torture?)

---
1 further thing... when you flip from unread/today/yesterday/etc timeline... the toggle setting isn't retained..

eg... when you tick hide all by default and then toggle on personal only (say.. today only) then you change the timeline, then everything is turned on by default. so it means you have to go and untoggle everything.

which is awkward. i think the selection should be retained when you flip timeline. until you leave the message page.

[Nosferatus]

"Correspondence"? Private correspondence?

as in... private mail between people, as opposed to mail between office.. which is what the ruler channel, etc is about.

so, someone wanting to write to a ruler in private should write to the ruler in "conversation". no one else will see those, i expect... (aside from torture?)

Creat conversations basicaly just creates a new channel(like all in realm, or all lords of x)
There is nothing private about it, but corespondance could fit to, still my point was that two different terms for the same thing is confusing.

[fodder]

eh.. private.. as in, the next ruler won't be able to read it. because it's channel between 1 noble to another noble, not 1 noble to a ruler

[Chenier]

"Correspondence"? Private correspondence?

as in... private mail between people, as opposed to mail between office.. which is what the ruler channel, etc is about.

so, someone wanting to write to a ruler in private should write to the ruler in "conversation". no one else will see those, i expect... (aside from torture?)

I doubt the kings of then had all of the bureaucracies we had today, and laws and procedures that ensure that information gets shared between leaders to ensure continuity. Writing to an "office" sounds ridiculous given the context. Sure, you are writing to King Bob of Bobistan because he's the King. But you are writing to Bob nonetheless.

[fodder]

i'm just explaining how you can view the channels. afaik, what i said is valid. you are not writing to bob, because if you are, the next king won't be able to read your messages to bob. you are writing to the king, hence the next king can read it.

call it office or whatever if it makes understanding it easier.

[Chenier]

i'm just explaining how you can view the channels. afaik, what i said is valid. you are not writing to bob, because if you are, the next king won't be able to read your messages to bob. you are writing to the king, hence the next king can read it.

call it office or whatever if it makes understanding it easier.

It's how the new system works, I'm not contesting that.

But I don't feel it's how it ought to work. The principle of continuity with the change of leadership is a modern thing.

[Nosferatus]

It's how the new system works, I'm not contesting that.

But I don't feel it's how it ought to work. The principle of continuity with the change of leadership is a modern thing.

I must agree with Chenier here, i like how it works now and i also really like to keep secrets.
Its the most fun aspect of the game.