IM sure there will be an option to toggle it on or off

Yep, as long as there's a toggle to turn them off.

Nameplates should be next, optional of course.

This game desperately needs such social-friendly optional features.

PharmaChief wrote: »

which will make it inconsequential as most people will turn it off anyway

Good, then you have nothing to worry about that they implemented a feature LOTS of people have been wanting and asking for. Funny how you know most people's habits, though--let me guess, you're basing that on your perceptions of their use in another game?

I'd personally much rather name plates came first, but this will do for now. Few games are as chat unfriendly as this one--considering you can't click someone and send them a tell, and whispers/tells don't even have an audible, they will even be more welcome than in most games. This will finally make it easy to see who's talking, notice cries for help, get someone's attention, role play, etc.

Of course they'll be turned off in super crowded areas. But they are extremely useful much of the time when there's just a few people around, and when I'm off in the wilderness, alone or with my group, it won't matter, will it?

Oh dear gods! Really?

I thought this was a game not a cartoon?

What next? Little banners saying 'thwack' and 'kapow!' When I hit something?

inspiral1 wrote: »

I know that if i were in a dugeon/raid and was asking to be freed for example and someone dint see because they refused to turn on the feature, i would kick them.

LOL, if someone expected me to pollute my interface with this before being in their group I would run for the hills.

You want communication get TS or equivalent.

daneyulebub17_ESO wrote: »

PharmaChief wrote: »

which will make it inconsequential as most people will turn it off anyway

Good, then you have nothing to worry about that they implemented a feature LOTS of people have been wanting and asking for. Funny how you know most people's habits, though--let me guess, you're basing that on your perceptions of their use in another game?

I'd personally much rather name plates came first, but this will do for now. Few games are as chat unfriendly as this one--considering you can't click someone and send them a tell, and whispers/tells don't even have an audible, they will even be more welcome than in most games. This will finally make it easy to see who's talking, notice cries for help, get someone's attention, role play, etc.

Of course they'll be turned off in super crowded areas. But they are extremely useful much of the time when there's just a few people around, and when I'm off in the wilderness, alone or with my group, it won't matter, will it?

I am NOT against implementing the feature, i am simply stating my personal opinion that this will not help communication that much in the game. The things you say in your middle paragraph would be a lot more useful and i would rather see such methods implemented first...
If chat bubbles do happen i will of course try them although even you agree that they will be trouble in crowded areas which is always the case in PVP.

Personally I've never seen the sky come crashing down in any other game because of chat bubbles.. so it doesn't bother me if they implement them, of course there should be the option to turn them off if that's the players choice...

inspiral1 wrote: »

I know that if i were in a dugeon/raid and was asking to be freed for example and someone dint see because they refused to turn on the feature, i would kick them.

Those people seem to be missing some situational awareness in the first place.. ^^

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

What does it bring to the table that can't be done already?

Better RP, I guess

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

Oh dear gods! Really?

I thought this was a game not a cartoon?

What next? Little banners saying 'thwack' and 'kapow!' When I hit something?

I was watching the Arena batter in the Twitch stream and players already have that. They just changed "twack" to "Exploit now!"

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

I know people want this and making it optional is great but apart from 'my other MMO had it so gimme!' What does it bring to the table that can't be done already?

I preface this by saying that I will likely have this turned off.

Whispers, zone, and guild chat are communications at the player level. This means that they largely exist outside of the environment that the character is in. In this manner, the chat window is a very appropriate place to put these and chat bubbles are not.

Say, Yell, and group are more situational communications at the character level. This means that they exist, or are at least significant, within a certain radius around the character. In this manner, on-screen chat bubbles are helpful, in addition to the chat window.

So, what it brings to the table is the ability to easily associate an on-screen character with what is being said in the local environment.

*IF* you care about such things. I reserve final decision until after I see it, but right now I will likely have this turned off. I am not thinking this because I like a "clean UI" but simply because I will find them distracting.

I'm not much of a chat bubble fan myself but I don't quite understand the opposition for it. I can see it as a problem if they did not have a toggle option but otherwise it is essentially harmless.

daneyulebub17_ESO wrote: »

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

inspiral1 wrote: »

I know that if i were in a dugeon/raid and was asking to be freed for example and someone dint see because they refused to turn on the feature, i would kick them.

LOL, if someone expected me to pollute my interface with this before being in their group I would run for the hills.

You want communication get TS or equivalent.

Yes, nothing more fun then waiting for people to decide which "equivalent" will be used in a casual grouping. Then waiting for the guy who has a problem with it. Then listening to some guy breathing into the mic for two hours. And somebody's dog barking. And their baby crying. And the hard of hearing person that never seems to hear everyone else. And the guy who talks with marbles in his mouth. Etc, etc, etc.

Vent, Team Speak, Mumble are great sometimes. But for times when you don't want voice, or aren't in a group, or are in a very casual PUG, chat bubbles are a great alternative and much better than the chat system they have now. Bubbles are even more needed in this game which doesn't allow you to click on a person you see and send them a tell--which is a big deal, and the controls will never allow. This is needed.

Eh? right click on someone and select whisper on the wheel ?

Zorrashi wrote: »

I'm not much of a chat bubble fan myself but I don't quite understand the opposition for it. I can see it as a problem if they did not have a toggle option but otherwise it is essentially harmless.

I sure won't be using them because I absolutely hate the way they look. Totally destroy immersion for me. Having said that, as long as there's an option to toggle them off, I'm not opposed to them. The only argument against introducing them is this:

inspiral1 wrote: »

I know that if i were in a dugeon/raid and was asking to be freed for example and someone dint see because they refused to turn on the feature, i would kick them.

But then, I wouldn't want to be in a group with someone so intolerant anyway, so it's no big deal. Frankly, if someone in a PUG was demanding that everyone have their UI set a certain way (regardless of what part of the UI), I'd kick that person for wanting to dictate how others play the game.

I wonder what the draw range will be for chat bubbles? I'm assuming towns will be lag-city if everyone is hocking items for sale, and recruiting.

I'm ok with Chat Bubbles and Nameplates as long as they are toggleable and off by default. ('cause, you know, the game should look the more like Elder Scrolls with the default UI)

I don't understand why all the fuss about it, I mean... Some people are being really offensive or making such a drama. Like it? Use it. Don't like it? Don't use it. Yay, everyone is happy.

I'm probably using chat bubbles for RP reasons and not using nameplates for whatever reason. I hate nameplates, but I'm glad that those that like it might have their wish attended some day.

Oh, and for those worrying about PVP, don't: I'm fairly sure we won't have "enemies" nameplates. Not until they're really close and not sneaking, at least.

To everyone saying stuff like "Chat bubbles will ruin this game and make it look like <something culturally different that they certainly claim to be inferior for their lack of alterity and human empathy>", look for The Lord of the Rings Online chat bubbles.

LOTRO is also a game based upon a very strict, complex and profound lore that demands as much respect as ESO's feel and lore. And they've managed to implement a beautiful, simple and almost 'literally' (as in literature) chat bubble. Oh, and it's toggleable, of course. I'm sure ZOS will figure out a clean, beautiful way to do it too.

For anyone wondering and too lazy to look for it, this is a 'chat bubble' in LOTRO. It's no 'bubble' at all, very clean, it dims (and the size reduces) over distance and the chosen font has a very 'text book' feel to it, as if reading our character speech through 'living' lines of a book.