Introducing VGChartz IM - Article
by Pat Fass , posted on 01 March 2009 / 4,993 Views
We've been working on a new Instant Messaging service for the VGChartz community and are at the point of readying for release. The moderators and contributors have been beta-testing for the past few weeks and, after some initial bugs were squashed, it appears we are close to the finish line. So, before you start using the service, I'd like to explain some of the features, known issues that will be worked on, enhancements that are already in the pipeline, and most importantly, the rules as they apply to using this service.
How to Access
Once the service is enabled for the website, you will notice a new entry on the left hand control panel called ‘VGChartz IM’. It’ll have a red ‘New’ tag next to it, so it’ll be quite hard to miss. Clicking on that will open a new tab/window and allow you to begin your IM session (hint: depending on how your browser is setup, you may find that a new ‘tab’ is inconvenient for messaging – if you right-click on the link and select ‘Open link in new window’ it may improve your experience).
Use of this service will cost you vg$2000 and will be deducted from your account upon your consent – once paid for, it’s yours to use whenever you like. Some may grumble about not having enough $$ to start this service and others may not like the idea of having to pay for it in the first place – but this was a judgment call by me. In an effort to prevent a massive server overload as we open this up to everyone, I felt it was necessary to slow the influx of users so that we can stay on top of any big issues that may come up. As we get more comfortable with how the functionality is working, we may decide to reduce or eliminate the charge altogether – but as of right now, this restriction is necessary.
When you first start out, you will be presented with a ‘buddy list’. Your buddy list will be empty and you can begin adding people to your list. Clicking the ‘Add Buddy’ icon will bring up a separate drop-down box for you to select buddies from. The users in this drop-down are directly tied to your ‘VGChartz Friends’ list – only people you’ve added as VGChartz friends will be available in the drop-down. All moderators and contributors will also be available in the drop-down for selection as well.
Once you’ve begun adding buddies, you are on your way. The IM service works like any other standard messaging service. Double-click a buddy in your list to bring up an IM window and get chattin’.
One additional feature that’s also available is the ability to open and/or enter ‘chat rooms’. In the row of icons at the top of your buddy list is a button to enter a chat room. Clicking this will bring up a display of all current chat rooms and the number of people in each (for now, there is a 30 person limit in any chat room). You can select a room from here and enter or create your own by entering a name in the free text box. All chat rooms are ‘public’ so any user may come and go in any room.
Once you have activated IM service for your account, you will also notice that as other VGChartz users start up their personal IM session, an ‘*IM*’ indicator will be displayed beneath their username throughout the main website (forums, profiles, etc.). This will help you recognize when friends are available and active on the IM service and enable you to jump right in and start chatting.
Rules
The IM service falls under the same policies and rules put in place for the forums. Any violation of these rules could be used as cause to get ‘kicked’ from the IM service as well as banned from it or the site as a whole. Harassment or abuse of any kind will NOT be tolerated. Inappropriate ‘chat room’ names will also be removed – any and all persons in these rooms may be subject to moderation, so consider yourself warned. If you see any questionable chat rooms, stay out or you will likely be found guilty by association.
Any attempt to hack or disrupt this service will definitely not be a good idea and is certain to have you banned from the site – and this is one rule I’m particularly serious about. A lot of time and thought has gone into this to make VGChartz a more involved site and to help bring our community together even tighter. Anyone whose ulterior motive is simply to attack the site or degrade the experience of our community is not welcome here and will be dealt with swiftly.
Known Issues and Future Enhancements
During the beta cycle (as well as testing on my own), a number of ideas and requests came to light. The items listed here are things I am already aware of and will continue to work on as time allows:
· Typing status (IE. ‘TalonMan is typing…’ while I’m replying in an IM)
· Private chatrooms
· Linking VGChartz profiles to the ‘profile’ menu on the buddy list
· Better implementation with certain browsers (works great in FF – IE not so much)
· ‘Rich Text’ entry for IMs – right now, it’s a standard ‘text’. So, while you can change fonts and colors and such, it’s an ‘all or nothing’ type deal (IE. If you toggle bold, ALL characters in the message will be bold)
· Embedding the service into the main VGChartz pages – this is a big one and our ultimate goal. As we move towards the ‘VGChartz 2.0’ that most of you have heard rumors and rumblings about, this will be heavily considered and worked on. It is, without a doubt, one of our ‘most wanted’ improvements for this functionality and we will certainly strive to find a way to do it and do it right. We want to get this out to you all and start opening up how we communicate with each other – but not at the cost of breaking our current website. Just know, this is not something we haven’t already considered – in fact, as I prototyped this for Brett during early development, the initial app was executing on the VGChartz pages. In the end though, we decided to keep it out of the main site at least initially and work it in down the line.
So, that’s it. I expect to open this up in a few hours and we’ll see how things go. If we have major server disruptions, this will be closed down quickly as I look to clear up any problems. My hope is that we’ve corrected any remaining performance issues and are at a point of full release. I will be opening a ‘sticky’ thread in the Website Forum for discussing any bugs, suggestions, or any general comments about the service – please do NOT report any bugs in this article as they will likely get missed.
Good luck everyone – we hope you enjoy!!
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@Faxanadu
So I can't accept criticism, and all of us who like the way he does things are brownnosers? That's what you hear when I tell you that he doesn't need your advice? I think you need to read better.
I should probably have waited for a price drop, but I'm kind of a sucker that way. I blew my entire savings (practically) that I earned just from posting. Maybe I should actually do some of that other stuff. Is there a list somewhere of things to do and what it earns you?
I'll wait for a price cut.
I think I "accidentally" bought it before reading the price tag, lol.
@nordlead: ah ok, then i guess it is fine.
@XBrawl: i am not telling him how to run the site. I merely tell him what I think. You must be very good at accepting criticism. Am I here beacause i like the site? Yes. Am I here to brownnose the owner? No. He has a business to run, not a kindergarden. If you want to tell him how great he is and that he is like awesome and cute and the best, send him an IM.
@Faxanadu
Brett had nothing to do with the IM (other than input) as talonman is the one who coded the whole thing. I don't think talonman is in to gathering and analyzing data, so it doesn't subtract from the website by him adding features like this.
@Brett
Yeah, I haven't made alot of VG$ in a while, but I used to always upload screenshots... Thats why I have money to spend! :)
Question: If the IMing becomes free, will we get our VG$ back? Just wondering.
@Faxanadu
Learn to appreciate what we get on this site and stop trying to tell Brett how to run this site. You do know that he now officially running VGC full time, instead of a Hobby right? I think he can do what ever the f**k he wants! :P
I'll wait till the next price cut
@famousringo
well, said.
I wish Brett would focus on his core competency (i.e. delivering the most accurate sales data), rather than designing ways for us to use an unnecessary feature (bucks) on an instant messaging program while at the same time delaying the weekly sales data flow.
@Brett: Focus and quality, not quantity of features make people come here (at least me).
I wish we could quote people instead of just putting @ 'insert the persons name'
@ Faxanadu
Right, because making posts is certainly the most effective way of making VG$
So I am not ablr to buy it cause I dont spam the forums with unnecesssary comments in order to earn money. Nice.
Oooh, nice. :)
Too bad I don't have enough funds. :p Yet.
Well you guys enjoy it sniffle I-I'll just be o-over here... by myself...
Runs away crying
Damnit... just placed 2.5K in prediction league. Now I only have 1.5K on me....
I'm waiting for a price drop. :-D
It's pretty good so far, nice addition to the site!
Only complaint so far: It takes forever to add all your buddies! @_@
One of the many improvements to come to VGChartz. Very nice guys.
brutal. At least don't make it a charge, rather a requirement, to have VG$2000 rather than to charge it
Either way, i couldn't do it, but it seems strange to make it a charge as opposed to merely a status thing
Too espensive for me
@ Lostplanet22
Ah, so as a suggestion then :-)
@Rainbird: I did that is why I made the comment :).
So will buying it now let me go into the negatives, or will I have to get $2,000 and then buy it?
$2000 is pretty expensive - but since I don't use the VG$ for anything else I went ahead on got IM. Not sure it should 'cost' $2000 VG$ but maybe you need $2000 in your account to begin to use it (it says afterwards even if you lose VG$s) so only the more serious members have it.
sounds like a sweet idea, hopefully one day I might be able to join up.
I like talking, I dont do uploads though, so it might take me awhile
Sounds like a nice idea Brett, no doubt vgchartz will take some punishment with about 100 members uploading... good for records though :)
If people want this then they can get a second job. :) Fortunatly next week I'll pick this thanks to the prediction league.
I need 600$ too... =_=
What's an easy way for me to make 600$? I've been on this site for a long time, contributed to games etc and I still don't have enough $$
@ MM
To get more people on the IM of course! Not like I am the only one trying to get in :-P
hint hint
Excellent. I'll wait for a price drop. I don't do predictions league.
Finally it's live!
@Rainbird: Now why would we want to do that? :P
@ nordlead
Couldn't you be the Robin Hood of VGC and take some money from the rich and give to us poor? ;P
Sweet. Nice, Talonman (and whomever else helped). Gonna try it.
yay, its free for beta testers :-P
Great, now i only need 1100+ VG$ more to access it xD
Anyway, sounds cool!
vg$2000 ????
Damn seems like I need to start gambling again......
ZOMG its the PS3 price fiasco all over again!!!
On a serious note I'm glad to see this has been moving along and can soon be opened to the masses!
@ Lostplanet22
You did read the article right? This part included: "As we get more comfortable with how the functionality is working, we may decide to reduce or eliminate the charge altogether – but as of right now, this restriction is necessary."
In the future I hope this will change to a more 'new' userfriendly restriction like 'Must have 500-1000 posts'.
noooo wish I didn't ask for a ban :*(
I'm not hardcore enough for this :-)
In for what Lostplanet22 said.
This is a good idea, but I have been on this site for over a year, not caused any trouble and a regular. But 2K Vgchartz funds would take me 3 years to get as I don't just put any crap on this site to make news and money :(
I might have to wait until I actually have friends on VG chartz
Stop complaining Lostplanet22... as they get their cost down their pass it to us... jeez :-p
I think it is going to fail, it is way to expensive for the mainstream.
Pretty sure as I do not participate in a prediction league and as I only really use the forums and such like this will just remain a carrot that will forever be outside my grasp. In and ideal world it would be based on time and reputation (i.e. no ban hammers) rather than anything else but we all have to start some place and you gave your reasons.
May the Us and Them be with you...
Looking forward to hanging in a chat room during live streams of this year's E3 conferences :)
It sounds very neat, but 2kVG$ is a quite steep. If it turns out that people are on there, having fun and what else VGC'ers do, then I'll have to go in the red for it.
Unless you need to have 2k in the black, in which case I will come in after a price drop xP
Nice.
It seems kinda steep for members that do not bet in the prediction league and post moderately. I have been here since 07 and can not afford this new feature, I post just over 3 times a day according to the counter thing. It seems as though there should be a grand father clause for new features added. VGC dollars dont seem to be retro active for the posts made prior to the VGC dollar thing.
anyway outside of complaints there always cool to see new features
I just signed up
I'll have to hold out for a price drop
Nice. Don't have enough $ though. Will wait till its free.
Looks like I need to either go to prediction league or wait till I post enough to even think about trying it out. I think it should be 1,500 but oh well...
innovate
I've never really gotten into the whole IM thing. Plus, I'm not sure if I'm prepared to so easily part with my hard-earned VG$ in these trying economic times.
Not sure if I'm going to use this, but it's a neat idea nonetheless.
Finally a use for Vg$
Nice one, day one purchase for me
