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Communication in a MMO Communication is important. To make deals, or just to flip off your opponent. The classic global text chat has been used extensively as a means of communication, though as MMO's become more complex and immersive, the means of communication necessarily also changes. As example Ultima Online had text hovering over the players avatar with no distracting bubble. In a large open world, local discussions just made logical sense. But communication is not only limited to text. Some examples include The Endless Forest, where communication is done through emotes and symbols, and Journey, where players use visual cues to signal intent. The older Battlefield games relied heavily on "Context Menu" communication and in-game sound to communicate. Communicating with sounds and UI elements is much more efficient than the in-game text chat functions. Voice (VoIP) is the next logical step (discussed here), but voice suffers from a large disadvantage: not everyone speaks the same language and even then not with the same proficiency. Emotes (discussed here) are universal, but even with an extensive emote library, it is difficult to conduct a meaningful conversation. Discussion Does DU need a (simple) universal language? Should it be created by NQ or the players? As an alternative, how about a library of emotes which extend beyond the usual "sit" and "flip off" that could convey concepts like "deal" or "no deal"? Or do you think global text chat with a 3rd party voice app is sufficient? Further reading.

A long time ago there was a post about Emotes. This suggestion builds on that: An element (existing or new) that can detect when an emote has occurred within a definable area/location. But what use could such a detector have? Sure, saluting a door to have it open is funny the first few times but let's take it a bit further. How about showing a warning on a screen when someone gestures rudely? Or using a combination of gestures to open a container? Or a drink pops up at the bar when someone waves? Or making a in-game game called Emote Emote Revolution? With LUA the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. DU you have more suggestions of what could be made with an emote detector?