Chat is the primary in game communication method for players on each server .
Chat is primarily composed of a number of "channels" which players (and Big Point staff) can use to communicate with other players who are online at the same time. Each of the channels has two different types, "global" and "local".
When players create their account for the game, they indicate their preferred language, this becomes the "local" language in game, and "local" messages will be displayed in their language chat only - it will not be displayed on the chat display of other players who have a different local language (e.g. those who have a local language of English will not receive message posted by someone in a local Greek channel).
"Global" messages are those that cross the language barrier, they will appear on the chat display of all other players regardless of their local language. Big Point have mandated that all global messages must be in English. Chat Moderators will remind players who breach these rules if they post non-English language in global chat channels, and repeated infractrions may lead to chat bans.
Players should also be aware that there are word filters which will fliter out common swear words. Staff of Big Point do monitor chat and will intervene if any chat becomes abusive/racist/insulting or the like. Breach of rules may result in warnings or bans from using chat. Use of certain words in any chat (e.g. profanity, abuse) will lead to automatically being kicked out of chat and you unable to use any Chat until you next log in.
Chat in servers is restarted at 3:30 everyday to prevent issues.
Different Chat Types/Channels[]
Be they global or local, there are 4 different types of chat:
Fleet Chat: This is where a sector wide message is sent out to all players online of the same faction on the same server (hence why it is called Fleet Chat). To avoid spam messages, posting a message in Fleet Chat requires players to use one Comm Access item. Players obtain these on a limited basis every day when they login, and may also be purchased from the in-game store for 300 cubits per item. To send a fleet wide message in your local language, you either: (a) Click on the "/FL" button in the chat display and then type in your message then hit "ENTER" on your keyboard to send; or (b) click on the "System" tab, In the chat box (to the right of the USA flag with the :, as shown above) type /fl followed by a space then type your message and hit enter to send. To send a fleet wide message globally, use the process outlined in (b), except type /fg instead of /fl.
System Chat: This is where a message is sent to all players within the same faction who are in the same star system. This channel is default for all players.This channel is reachable by: (a) Clicking on the "SL" button in the chat display and then type in your message then hit "ENTER" on your keyboard to send; or (b) click on the "System" tab, In the chat box (to the right of the USA flag with the :, as shown above) type /sl followed by a space then type your message and hit enter to send. This chat is free to use. To send the message to players in the system regardlesss of their language, use the process outline in (b), except type /sg instead of /sl.
Open Chat: This is where a message is sent to all players of both factions (i.e. Colonial and Cylon) who are in the same star system. This channel is reachable by: (a) Clicking on the "OL" button in the chat display and then type in your message then hit "ENTER" on your keyboard to send; or (b) click on the "System" tab, In the chat box (to the right of the USA flag with the :, as shown above) type /ol followed by a space then type your message and hit enter to send. To send the message to players in the system regardlesss of their language, use the process outline in (b), except type /og instead of /og. Each time you wish to speak to someone in another faction you must retype "/ol" or "og". This feature prevents tactics and etc to be spoiled and revealed to the enemy. This is also the only in game way to talk to enemy players.
Whispers: This is where a private message is sent to a specific player who is also a member of your faction (be it Colonial or Cylon). It will only be readable by yourself and the person it is sent
Whisper
to no one else. There is no distinction of global or local in this case. To send a whisper either: (a) Click on the "/W" button in the chat display, type the name of the person you are sending the message to (n.b. It is case sensitive), type in your message and then hit "ENTER" on your keyboard to send; (b) click on the "System" tab, In the chat box (to the right of the USA flag with the :, as shown above) type /w followed by a space then the name of the person you are sending the message to, type your message and hit enter to send; or (c) If the person is in the same system as you, click on their ship with your mouse to bring up the icon of their ship on your heads up display, right mouse click on their ship icon to bring up a drop down menu and click on WHISPER (see picture to the right), which will then inser ttheir name correctly formatted for a whisper in the chat box, type in your message and hit enter to send it. To reply to a whisper, just click on the username of the sender in their message and the system will correctly format thye message box to send that person a reply. You are unable to send a whisper to a player of the opposing faction.
By default, you will find your Chat is set to start on the "local" channel. If you wish to change it so that it is on the "global" channel, click on the flag icon located near the bottom, left hand side of the chat window. The flag should change to a small globe, and 3 of your channels should change from "/FL, /OL, /SL" to "/FG, /OG, /SG". Your channels will remain like this until you log out when they will re-set back to the "local" channels
The flag and globe icons near the bottom right hand corner of the Chat window are the filters for what messages are displayed in the chat window.
Chat Commands/Options[]
If you are receiving message from another user that you do nopt wish to receive, you can "block" that person so thaty you do not see their messages. This is known as "muting" a user. This can be achieved by typing m/ [name of user] in the chat window. If you have done it correctly, you will get a message saying the person has been successfully added to your Mute List. To remove an individual from your mute list, you just type the same command as that used to add them to your mute list.
Once muted, you will no longer receive Whispers from the Muted Person. If they are in your wing or squadron, and posts from them will not show in your chat window (but it will show in those of your squadron/wing mates). You may see messages from a muted person in Fleet Chat for a short while after you first mute them, this will cease after the server has a chance to refresh.
The user name typed must be in theaxctly the same case as that used by the person you no longer wish to receive message from. e.g. A user called "AnnoyingPerson" sends you messages and you want to mute them. You must type m/ AnnoyingPerson in the Chat window to sucessfully mute them.
There is no known limit as to how many players you can have muted.
To see a list of who you have muted type either ml/ or /mutelist. It should be noted this may include players known as <unknown players>. This is because the informsation has partly corrupted due to the server merges in July 2015 which saw changes in many user names.
To clear your entire Mute List type /mutelist clear.
Squadron and Wing Chats[]
These are two extra chat features which are only available if you are in a group.
Squadron Chat is only available to be used by players who have formed up in a squadron. There is no local or global distinction. If you are in a squadron with other players, click on the "SQUADRON" tab, type you rmessage into the chat box and hit "ENTER". The message will be sent and is readable by all players in your squadron regardless of language. Note you can only form squadrons amongst players of your own faction, and a maximum of 9 players may be in any one squadron. No player other than your squadron members will be able to read and respond to messages in squadron chat. It is adviseable to ensure squadron members can understand each other/speak a common language. Squadrons are ad-hoc and when you log out, you automatically leave whatever squadron you were in at the time (there is a slight delay before this occurs in case your logout occurs due to a game/pc crash, in which case you can log back in and still be in the suqadron if you do so before the delay expires).
Wing Chat is only available to be used by players who have formed a wing within the game. Wings are permanent clans/groupings within the game of players who are all members of the one faction (be it Colonial or Cylon). Once you join a wing, click on the "WING" tab, type you rmessage into the chat box and hit "ENTER". The message will be sent to and is readable by all players in your wing who are online at the time regardless of language and only they may read and reply to it. There is no effective limit on how many players may be in a wing, but you may only be a member of one wing at a time. Players in a wing who are classified as officers also have the ability to use "Officer Chat", which will only display for and be readable by other officers in the wing. To use Officer Chat, eligible wing members type "/O " in front of their message in the wing chat tab. The Leader of the wing determines whiuch levels within a wing are officers, so check your wing roster for details as officer eligibilioty varies wing by wing.
