Why would /auction be OOC?
Maybe the GM's feel that way, but the players don't.
Not long ago, there was a big discussion about the usage of /auction.
The problem is that actual RP in that channel makes it impossible for other people to auction (because it's simply too much chat), whether OOC or IC.
So we agreed on minimalistic usage of that channel in order to make it possible for everyone (but OOC) to offer things to the public.
The actual bidding should be done in /say, in an RP fashion.
It's exactly the same issue with /auction as with /shout. With that many people, a usage as intented is doomed to become undesired due to being simply too much.
I think that the /help channel is the best way to help newcomers.
I thought /help is global? And I agree that /help :should: be the best way to help newcomers. But it needs a lot of improvements to become the prefered way over all.
A /tellall command would be amazingly useful.
Sometime ago I had a discussion with Nethrys and other people about similar things, and Netrhys suggested to have permagroups.
A permagroup works just like a normal group but gets restored at next login.
I think this can elegantly can be combined with your /tellall command.
Just imagine a buddylist like that:
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
NAME TELL Group1
Utm [ ] [ ]
Karyuu [ ] [ ]
Miadon [ ] [ ]
Zorbels [ ] [ ]
The TELL buttons can be used for /tellall like you suggest, that gets reset with relog simply with a /tellall reset.
The Group1 column shows the people you are in group with. Can be used for a /permagroup 1 Hello! . Those settings don't get reset with a relog.
The clue is that you can /permagroupadd, which adds a new column in the buddylist like that:
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
NAME TELL Group1 Group2
Utm [ ] [ ] [ ]
Karyuu [ ] [ ] [ ]
Miadon [ ] [ ] [ ]
Zorbels [ ] [ ] [ ]
and it opens a new group window (similar to the group window now).
So you could /tellall for a one-time "shout" to all, and use invites into /permagroup (maybe the command name is a bit long..) for session-indepedant group talks.
Take into account that the buttons in the TELL column can be clicked on and have direct affect on the command while the "buttons" in the Group1 and Group2 columns
can't be clicked but only indicate who is in the permagroup. To get people in the group, same invite system as it is now for /group.
I see that related with /shout as grouping often is the only way to /shout things without the disadvantage of spamming other peoples chat.
It also is the only way to organise complex RP without using an external IM or teamspeak (or /guildchat).
One idea about /shout: with the different ranges of /shout, one wouldn't have to give a chat output like "Bla shouts strongly: Omgftw!" or "Bla says aloud: Hello!"
It all could be generalised by whisper - say - shout and indicate the steps inbetween by different (more or less bright) colors.
Actually, why not having a /shout [percentage] [text]?
/shout 60 Hello! would only give 60% of the maximum shout range. The maximum shout range could be dependant on the strength and shouting itself could eat up (mental?) stamina just like spells, dependant on the energy you put in.
Thats much more flexible (because of individual ranges) and is also more RP like.