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Chat Interface for PC using Gamepad

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Navarril
Navarril
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On PTS, using Gamepad now brings up the "Console" chat interface. I've looked through the settings and can't find a way to get back to the mouse/keyboard chat interface. The "console" chat interface is a SIGNFICANT QoL downgrade for PC players using gamepad. Is this intentional?

Best Answer

  • ZOS_Kevin
    ZOS_Kevin
    Community Manager
    Hi All, thanks for your feedback here. We wanted to follow up with some information. The change was intentional as part of our testing for improvements to navigation of the gamepad chat UI while using both a gamepad and keyboard/mouse on PC. However, this is still a work in progress.

    That being said, we've gone through feedback in this thread and want to address your concerns. We plan on adding an option to toggle between keyboard/gamepad chat in a future PTS update. We look forward to your feedback there as well.

    Lastly, we want to highlight that the intention here was not to limit player choice, but rather to expand it. Please keep us posted with your feedback as we roll out the keyboard/gamepad chat toggle. Thank you for your continued patience as we work on this feature.
    Staff Post
    Answer ✓
  • Skinfaxe_DK
    Skinfaxe_DK
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    I would like to have the option to switch to be honest. I personally would like to use the console chat interface.
  • Navarril
    Navarril
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    Skinfaxe_DK wrote: »
    I would like to have the option to switch to be honest. I personally would like to use the console chat interface.

    An options would be really nice.
  • NettleCarrier
    NettleCarrier
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    Oh no... this scares me. I ALWAYS use the keyboard/regular chat window when playing in gamepad mode, I simply set the controller down to type. Using the clunky huge chat window would be a massive issue for me if this has changed.
    GM of Gold Coast Corsairs - PCNA
  • mbeetley_ESO
    mbeetley_ESO
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    I would also vote for having an optional setting for this. I much prefer the Keyboard chat window myself, but that doesn't mean I think others shouldn't have the possibility of the gamepad version.
  • WuffyCerulei
    WuffyCerulei
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    I VERY MUCH want an option for this. It’s so annoying.
    "Buzz Lightyear toy isle shot" Stormcalling/Animal Companions/Assassination PVP build hater

    Bring Back Pure Class Build Power
  • phileunderx2
    phileunderx2
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    Yes let me use keyboard for text chat. Do not want controller mode for text chat at all.
  • PrinceShroob
    PrinceShroob
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    This is completely unacceptable. I use chat tabs to filter out nasty discussions I don't want to watch or to focus on group chat or tells. Do not fix what is not broken.

    Additionally, the UI is behaving like it's set to "automatic" when set to "on" -- the button prompts are displaying keyboard inputs until a controller input is pressed, which it's never done before.
  • Jodynn
    Jodynn
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    I use keyboard mouse chat interface and to access gamepad chat I hit start -> X
    Jodynn PC NA
    PvE and PvP MagDK
    The lack of communication from ZOS to player speaks volumes.
  • Jodynn
    Jodynn
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    Are you saying it has changed!?
    Jodynn PC NA
    PvE and PvP MagDK
    The lack of communication from ZOS to player speaks volumes.
  • PrinceShroob
    PrinceShroob
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    Jodynn wrote: »
    Are you saying it has changed!?

    Instead of displaying the keyboard chat tab on the screen, it displays the gamepad chat tab instead, in an unmovable bottom-right location. This means you completely lose access to chat tabs and possibly addons that add functionality to the chat.

  • Jodynn
    Jodynn
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    PrinceShroob wrote: »
    Jodynn wrote: »
    Are you saying it has changed!?

    Instead of displaying the keyboard chat tab on the screen, it displays the gamepad chat tab instead, in an unmovable bottom-right location. This means you completely lose access to chat tabs and possibly addons that add functionality to the chat.

    I.. am actually scared to look
    Jodynn PC NA
    PvE and PvP MagDK
    The lack of communication from ZOS to player speaks volumes.
  • Styxius
    Styxius
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    Jodynn wrote: »
    PrinceShroob wrote: »
    Jodynn wrote: »
    Are you saying it has changed!?

    Instead of displaying the keyboard chat tab on the screen, it displays the gamepad chat tab instead, in an unmovable bottom-right location. This means you completely lose access to chat tabs and possibly addons that add functionality to the chat.

    I.. am actually scared to look

    it's not good
  • HowellQagan
    HowellQagan
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    PrinceShroob wrote: »
    Jodynn wrote: »
    Are you saying it has changed!?

    Instead of displaying the keyboard chat tab on the screen, it displays the gamepad chat tab instead, in an unmovable bottom-right location. This means you completely lose access to chat tabs and possibly addons that add functionality to the chat.

    Yikes.
    That annoying dude on PC-EU.
  • Hotdog_23
    Hotdog_23
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    They changed this for console players as well in the last update and most people I talk to hate it also that uses a keyboard.

    Stay safe everyone and ZOS please fix the green tree micromanaging :)
  • NettleCarrier
    NettleCarrier
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    I feel like this issue needs a lot more attention, it's a huge deal for a lot of people.
    GM of Gold Coast Corsairs - PCNA
  • Navarril
    Navarril
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    NettleCarrier wrote: »
    I feel like this issue needs a lot more attention, it's a huge deal for a lot of people.

    I agree. I spent about an hour today on the PTS, and there's so many changes to be happy about. But, this gamepad chat issue is so disappointing that I just want to shut the game down and go do something else. It totally disrupts the way I play this game.
  • Jodynn
    Jodynn
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    ZOS PLS NO
    I looked it was.. very bad.

    Leave the chat ui alone, if you want gamepad chat you go to it in the menu, not while you are playing.
    Jodynn PC NA
    PvE and PvP MagDK
    The lack of communication from ZOS to player speaks volumes.
  • PrinceShroob
    PrinceShroob
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    Navarril wrote: »
    NettleCarrier wrote: »
    I feel like this issue needs a lot more attention, it's a huge deal for a lot of people.

    I agree. I spent about an hour today on the PTS, and there's so many changes to be happy about. But, this gamepad chat issue is so disappointing that I just want to shut the game down and go do something else. It totally disrupts the way I play this game.

    I agree. This is a matter of accessibility, too, for people who use controllers to avoid injury. I used to get awful wrist pains when playing before switching to controller. There's also the matter of using chat tabs to avoid distressing messages in zone or even just guild drama.
  • phaneub17_ESO
    phaneub17_ESO
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    Post screenshots!
  • PrinceShroob
    PrinceShroob
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    phaneub17_ESO wrote: »
    Post screenshots!

    Here's what my UI looks like on live:

    Screenshot_20210922_204506.PNG

    Here's what it looks like on PTS:

    Screenshot_20210922_204220.png

    (I turned addons off on PTS for the moment because they keep throwing errors, so that's why there's no Combat Metrics and Synergy Tracker boxes.)

    You'll notice that when I pressed the key to take a screenshot, it forced the button prompts on the quest tracker to "T" rather than D-pad right. Additionally, not only can the new gamepad chat UI not have tabs, it doesn't show NPC dialogue (I use a separate tab for NPC dialogue to review it or switch to it to focus on questing).

    The problem is not its aesthetics -- I sort of like it, actually. But it's significantly reduced functionality from what we have on live and there's no way to turn it off.

    Edited by PrinceShroob on September 23, 2021 1:50AM
  • PurpleScroll
    PurpleScroll
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    As a gamepad player on PC, I want to keep the keyboard chat window instead of this gamepad one - same reason as others have mentioned, just put the gamepad down and type on the keyboard.

    This wasn't ever broken on PC, so why has it been 'fixed'?
  • Vylaera
    Vylaera
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    They should add a new setting in the User Interface section called "Use gamepad chat window" with the options "on off"
    Vy • lae • ra | Fan of all things Vampiric | PC NA | Accurate World Map artist | Immaculate Reshade author
  • Navarril
    Navarril
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    BroughBreaux wrote: »
    They should add a new setting in the User Interface section called "Use gamepad chat window" with the options "on off"

    There is a new setting under Social, but it doesn't seem to save. Perhaps an on/off switch is their intention? That would be nice!
  • beardedJoe
    beardedJoe
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    Did they make it where you could text with gamepad like on console? I hate having to reach for keyboard when searching on guild trader or did they just switch the UI and still have to use the keyboard?
  • Navarril
    Navarril
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    beardedJoe wrote: »
    Did they make it where you could text with gamepad like on console? I hate having to reach for keyboard when searching on guild trader or did they just switch the UI and still have to use the keyboard?

    Keyboad still works - but you're typing in the "console" chat UI. Many of us use addons that interface with chat. Many use chat enhancement addons (i.e., pChat). These don't work with the "console" UI.
  • NettleCarrier
    NettleCarrier
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    I'm just more annoyed that they will respond to other off the wall issues but haven't said a word here...
    GM of Gold Coast Corsairs - PCNA
  • PrinceShroob
    PrinceShroob
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    Oh, and they broke the reconstruction menu. It now throws endless errors even with no addons enabled, making it utterly unusable.

    There are certainly additional features I'd like for the gamepad UI -- the ability to use a gamepad on the character select and character creation menus, for one -- but it's baffling to lose functionality.
    Edited by PrinceShroob on September 24, 2021 10:14AM
  • beardedJoe
    beardedJoe
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    It doesn't make sense I can see them changing it so they can add a way to type with gamepad but it doesn't work. You have to use gamepad chat then reach for keyboard type then hit send on gamepad. It's inconvenient and it's a chore to play with gamepad.
  • Baertram
    Baertram
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    This wasn't ever broken on PC, so why has it been 'fixed'?
    After having a look at the code their own ZOs chat related stuff tells us things like
    -- On PC platforms, we do not load a gamepad chat system. Let's reuse the keyboard system instead.
    So I guess this is not an intended change but a bug (or this comment is old and was never changed).

    I think the only reason why the console chat layout could be also given here now in gamepad mode is a setting (which is hidden as we are playing on PC) directly below the "Auto decline duels" and "Ava rank info" UI settings, which will only show if the API function ZO_ChatSystem_DoesPlatformUseGamepadChatSystem returns true.

    It should not return true on PC but unfortunately does. I guess it should only return true on console AND the "Heron" systems.



    Btw: I also dislike this change and IF YOU ZOs really want to force us to this console chat thingy please add an option to disable it and enable keyboard chat at gamepad mode again. This console chat is ugly, bad to use as you need to switch between gamepad and keyboard either way, many addons already use the position where the console chat shows (since years), plus the handling is awfull in that box.
    I hope it really is a bug and was never intendted to be "always" on in gamepad mode...
    Edited by Baertram on September 24, 2021 3:49PM
  • anadandy
    anadandy
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    This is a horrible change! I was shocked when I logged on to PTS - seriously, who asked for this downgrade?!

    Not only is it clunky and ugly. but as someone up thread mentioned it takes away the ability to have chat tabs. I do not want to have to filter through guild recruitment spam, trading spam and the generally low quality garbage conversations in zone when chatting with my friends or group. Hang on guys, let me scroll through eight paragraphs of trash so I can see what you just said in this dungeon...oh sorry I'm dead now.

    Gamepad users on PC already deal with an inferior UI - why take away one of the good things?
    Edited by anadandy on September 25, 2021 2:14AM
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