In game chat is gone - Some games need it

Game development with Board Game Arena Studio
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abcde
Posts: 30
Joined: 24 January 2014, 18:30

In game chat is gone - Some games need it

Post by abcde »

Hi everyone,
I’ve noticed that the in-game chat box is currently missing or inaccessible during matches. I would like to strongly request that this functionality be restored or fixed.
While I understand there have been ongoing community discussions regarding chat clutter, toxicity, or players wanting a "mute" toggle, removing or breaking the default chat box fundamentally hurts the gameplay experience for two major reasons:
1. Cooperative Games Require Direct Communication: Many cooperative titles on BGA inherently rely on active player coordination, strategizing, and planning to be playable. Without a native text box, these games become functional guessing games, ruining the mechanics and intention of the design.
2. Public Lobbies with Strangers Depend on It: When joining a public table with random opponents, it is completely unrealistic to expect players to join a third-party app like Discord just to communicate. The in-game chat is the only tool we have to welcome new players, clarify rules, explain turn delays, and foster a friendly, welcoming environment.
If the intent was to reduce toxicity, a standard "mute player" button or a toggle to hide the window would be a far better solution than completely removing the feature for everyone. For those of us who love playing co-op games and meeting new people in public lobbies, having a reliable in-game chat is absolutely essential.
Could we please get an update on this or look into bringing the default chat box back?
Thank you for your hard work on the platform.
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SodoffBaldrick
Posts: 1
Joined: 04 March 2017, 16:29

Re: In game chat is gone - Some games need it

Post by SodoffBaldrick »

Still available for me, unless I'm missing something?
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thoun
Posts: 1655
Joined: 10 December 2020, 22:25

Re: In game chat is gone - Some games need it

Post by thoun »

Can you give more details, like the concerned games?
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abcde
Posts: 30
Joined: 24 January 2014, 18:30

Re: In game chat is gone - Some games need it

Post by abcde »

Hi everyone,
Thank you for the quick replies!
Update: I am relieved to see that the in-game chat has actually returned and is working normally again today (October 8th).
To answer your question, thoun, the specific turn-based games where the chat box completely disappeared for me yesterday (October 7th) were Viticulture, Gaia Project, Railways of the World, and So Clover.
As a regular player of cooperative games like So Clover, communication is absolutely vital, so I panicked a bit when it vanished across all my active matches! It seems to have been a temporary glitch or a brief interface bug since it affected multiple different games simultaneously.
I really appreciate you jumping in to help look into it. Glad to have the chat back!
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