First, something forum related. Get rid of drupalchat, put it on a separate page, whatever. It's in the way and if I want to use it I'll open a new tab for it. It also slows down my browser.
Second, radio based chat. This may be slightly more difficult. When I fly thousands of sectors out into the unknown, to build my own hidden base, it is odd that I can communicate just fine with the rest of civilization. I'd like to see a more complicated chat system.
A block called a Radio Device is used to communicate with other players. The Radio Device can do a number of things: create a channel, generate a signature, connect to a channel, broadcast to a channel, and amplify a channel.
The Radio Device can create a channel. These channels are the foundation of all communication. When one player wants to chat with another, they use a channel. When one player screams for help when being attacked by pirates, he uses a channel. Channels can be used in two ways: Hail mode, and All mode. Hail mode is a PM to one player, and All mode sends a communication to anyone on the channel. To send a PM to a player, you need to know the player's signature...
A Radio Device can randomly generate a new signature. That signature is broadcasted to the channel: if you are in a channel then everyone knows that a Radio Device with your signature is in it. However, as an option you may broadcast your name with the signature. This allows people to PM you without knowing your signature beforehand, at the cost that people may know your position upon further analysis...
Radio Devices can only connect to an amplified channel within a 3x3 sector block. The Radio Device automatically amplifies its own channel within that 3x3 area. However, other channels can be amplified. Someone could create an Empire-wide channel, and create regular Radio Devices across the Empire to amplify that channel. Anyone in the vicinity of one of those Radio Devices could connect to the channel. Also, all ships could host a sort of meshnet channel.
Radio Devices are supposed to be expensive, and not send signals very far. However, with the addition of an antenna to the Radio Device, communications can go farther. Each level of antenna increases the spread: 0=3x3, 1=5x5, 2=7x7, etc. Antennae are fragile, and will probably be the first things broken in a combat, thus encouraging the use of spacestations as stationary communication platforms.
I hope half of that made sense. I got the idea while I was drunk so yeah
Second, radio based chat. This may be slightly more difficult. When I fly thousands of sectors out into the unknown, to build my own hidden base, it is odd that I can communicate just fine with the rest of civilization. I'd like to see a more complicated chat system.
A block called a Radio Device is used to communicate with other players. The Radio Device can do a number of things: create a channel, generate a signature, connect to a channel, broadcast to a channel, and amplify a channel.
The Radio Device can create a channel. These channels are the foundation of all communication. When one player wants to chat with another, they use a channel. When one player screams for help when being attacked by pirates, he uses a channel. Channels can be used in two ways: Hail mode, and All mode. Hail mode is a PM to one player, and All mode sends a communication to anyone on the channel. To send a PM to a player, you need to know the player's signature...
A Radio Device can randomly generate a new signature. That signature is broadcasted to the channel: if you are in a channel then everyone knows that a Radio Device with your signature is in it. However, as an option you may broadcast your name with the signature. This allows people to PM you without knowing your signature beforehand, at the cost that people may know your position upon further analysis...
Radio Devices can only connect to an amplified channel within a 3x3 sector block. The Radio Device automatically amplifies its own channel within that 3x3 area. However, other channels can be amplified. Someone could create an Empire-wide channel, and create regular Radio Devices across the Empire to amplify that channel. Anyone in the vicinity of one of those Radio Devices could connect to the channel. Also, all ships could host a sort of meshnet channel.
Radio Devices are supposed to be expensive, and not send signals very far. However, with the addition of an antenna to the Radio Device, communications can go farther. Each level of antenna increases the spread: 0=3x3, 1=5x5, 2=7x7, etc. Antennae are fragile, and will probably be the first things broken in a combat, thus encouraging the use of spacestations as stationary communication platforms.
I hope half of that made sense. I got the idea while I was drunk so yeah