Planetarion Forums

Rambit · 31 Oct 2009, 22:11

Hi, I am an ex-PA player from years ago but from the looks of things the chat is still on IRC. I was wondering what you would think of changing to a different method.

I am here on behalf of a website in which I am part of, however I do not want this to be seen as advertising in anyway so I will not name it or post links until someone here has given me permission to do so.

Basically what we do is provide a lobby system for old CD-ROM games where players can chat, find games and launch games from. Recently we have added a browser feature to it, so it is somewhat of a browser with a chat feature. It includes private messaging, private chat rooms and most of the basics you would find on IRC. Also it has the possibility of sending players to their alliance chat room automatically and similar things.

So please let me know if this interests you at all, I will be more than happy to show some screen shots and give the URL so you can take a look for yourselves.

Appocomaster · 31 Oct 2009, 22:22

I think that if we have a chat system it would be more backwards compatible with IRC, which has a large amount of the persistent community.

Our current system supports chat rooms and does not require any installation; it allows you to join galaxy and alliance channels, as well as official channels. Casual chat would also be a lot harder to moderate - are you wanting us to join your system and so on? Is it moderated?

Rambit · 31 Oct 2009, 23:09

Well yes there is no way to connect without downloading the program, we can't avoid that. However if you were comparing it it mIRC and such, it is a much more easy to use method, with no commands to learn or connections to set up.

As far as moderation goes, currently we use volunteers from each game to moderate the games they play. If we were to take care of moderation for you as well we would most likely use the same method.

But we can set it up so you have full control over everything - create all the lobbies you want, select the moderators, set the rules, etc.

Appocomaster · 31 Oct 2009, 23:21

Why compare it to mIRC, when Planetarion now has a CGI:IRC-style semi-integrated chat system?

You basically want to create a duplicate IRC system on your third party software? What's the benefit that we're getting? What's your uptime? Are we going to get more players from your "lobbies" ?

Rambit · 31 Oct 2009, 23:43

Oh, I apologise I was unaware mIRC is no longer commonly used here. I was just reading your IRC guide and assumed it was still popular.

As for what we can offer above IRC, it is chat with a browser all in 1 window. Think of a lobby as an IRC channel. Each lobby will open to planetarion.com with a userlist of who is in the lobby on the side and the chat is along the bottom. It has a messenger for the private messages with a friends list so you can see when ever a friend is online and chat to them regardless of what lobby(s) you are in.

In each lobby there are rooms in which people can chat. Each host can allow up to 100 people in thier room. Anyone can host and anyone can join, provided they meet the requirements the host has set, the host can add a password to the room or set it so only alliance members can join. I'm unsure what kind of numbers you have here nowadays, but if you peak below 1000 users online then everyone could be in 1 lobby and the chat rooms inside that would act as the IRC channels.

As far as getting more players, its likely you will get some, but it will depend on what you want from us. We can set it up so you just send players to planetarion.oursite.com and they launch lobbies from there and that is it. Or we could add you to our game list and people playing other games will see it there. We only peak at around 1300 members online at the moment but we are new and growing.

We are yet to have any down time, but we are new so that isn't saying much.

Markb · 1 Nov 2009, 01:12

The system that you are describing is what IRC currently is. As Appocomaster has said, we do have the CGI::IRC style webclient which allows people to be connected to IRC and use it from a browser window (all browsers now have a tab interface). Most experienced people use mIRC / standalone clients still as it allows more customisable elements than the PA provided web client. Alliances rely on custom written IRC bots that are used to enhance alliance functions.

Rambit · 1 Nov 2009, 03:32

Okay well thanks for your time. Thought it would be beneficial for both parties but if you don't think it is for you then that is fine.

Best of luck for the future!

Makhil · 1 Nov 2009, 11:07

and the third party (the community) ?
Alliances rely on custom written IRC bots that are used to enhance alliance functions
That's the key element.

TcMatic · 1 Nov 2009, 17:29

Sounds to me like another Kali clone

and like replyed above
dont think peeps like to make new tools

Rambit · 1 Nov 2009, 21:05

The only players we currently have play old CD-ROM games. 95% play the age of empires series. They are basically the only reason we exist, MSN Gaming Zone used to host them but then decided to stop that service, so we picked up the pieces.