Communication Essentials
	The chat channels in Asheron's Call minimize your exposure to communication that doesn't concern you while allowing you to freely chat with members of your chosen social groups. As chat is extremely important to the ambiance of the game, the designers have created a communication system that gives you as much control as possible over your experience. You can stay in character while still getting help on the side with technical issues. In-Game Communication Chat Box: To talk to someone you see nearby in the game world, click the chat box to bring up a cursor. Type what you want to say, and press RETURN or click the Send button to send it. If you'd like to repeat something, you can use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to scroll through your previous messages, and when the one you want appears in the window, simply press RETURN to resend it. Normally, everyone in your Compass -- and only people in your Compass -- will view your messages. Though often convenient, regular chat has a few drawbacks. People may move out of range before you send your message, and if you're in the midst of a large group of strangers, no one may realize which person you're speaking to. Fortunately, there are many ways to focus your communication. Long-Range Targeted Chat: To the left of the chat window, you'll see the word "Chat" with an arrow beside it. You can click this to bring up a menu for tailoring your chat. Select the appropriate box to have all your messages sent only to the specified people: a selected individual, all members of your fellowship or allegiance, or your allegiance vassals, patron, or monarch. You can also use the menu to toggle back to regular chat. (If you don't know what a fellowship or allegiance is, consult the in-game help, or read the Handbook articles "Coordinating a Fellowship" and "The Allegiance Primer.") Clicking a character in the view window is probably the easiest method of selecting him or her, but you can also click the corresponding dot in the Compass. Either way, the character's name will appear in the Selected Element Display on the lower right of the screen, and his or her Compass dot will display a ring around it. You can then open up the Chat menu and select the option to talk with that character exclusively. The Chat menu lets you set a default mode of communication. When you want to send a single message to a wider or narrower group of people, you can type one of the handy "@" commands, a comma, and then the message. Use @tell to direct the message to a single person; @f, to your fellowship; @v, to your vassals; @m, to your allegiance monarch; and @p, to your patron (who may, of course, also be your monarch). For example, @tell Shreck, You were just at the lifestone, weren't you? or @p, I'm with my vassals in Arwic, my lord. There are some other convenient "@" commands for chat. You can use the command @retell before a message, which will send it to the person you last sent an @tell: @retell Sorry about that lifestone comment. I couldn't resist. This saves retyping the person's name. Similarly, if you use @reply, you will @tell the last person who sent you an @tell message: @reply I can't seem to find the portal you're referring to. Note that you do not need a comma after these two commands. When you select a Chat menu option or use an @ command, your chat will reach its audience anywhere in Dereth. Bear in mind that chat directed at your vassals will not be sent to their vassals, however, so you'll have to either trust your vassals to pass on important allegiance messages or follow up yourself. Chat Resources Outside the Game Both the Asheron's Call chat rooms and the Zone chat tools can be important resources while you're still in the game. After you launch Asheron's Call, you can use ALT+TAB to go back to the game room and chat. Clicking the Resume button on the game room window will reactivate the chat without affecting Asheron's Call as it runs in the background. From that point on, the chat room will continue to be active, even while you play, and your ZoneMessage status, which is set to "Do not disturb" when you first enter the game, will revert to "Online." Use the chat rooms to recruit partners for a group excursion or to get technical help and game tips from fellow players. You can have any number of game rooms open simultaneously if they go to the same world, and you'll show up as present in each one. Role-playing is expected only in one of the chat rooms, and in the others you're free to discuss any issues you have. By toggling over to the Zone when you need to talk out of character, you can stay consistently "in character" within the game world. One trick that players find useful is to go into the game room named after the town they're near -- for example, if your character is wandering near Shoushi, open up the "Shoushi" room -- then post a message with in-game contact info, for example, "Does anyone want to join up with a level 7 sorcerer? If so, @tell Wizzo the Magnificent." Since chat room messages are more persistent than in-game chat and have more visibility than in-game bulletin-board messages, you'll be more likely to get a reply. Similarly, you can ask a question about gameplay in one of the game rooms and ALT+TAB back later to see if anyone answered it. Note that your chat in the game rooms is attributed to your Zone name and not your character name. No regular player can tell who your characters are from your Zone name (or your Zone name from your character names for that matter). This anonymity can be useful, especially when you're seeking information that might affect the characters of other players. Another handy communication tool to use is ZoneMessage. If you know someone's Zone ID, you can send the person a direct message from the Zone if his or her ZoneMessage status isn't set to "Do not disturb." To write a ZoneMessage, double-click the Z icon in your taskbar to bring up your ZoneFriends list, then double-click one of the names, type a message in the box that appears, and press RETURN to dispatch it. You can add friends to your friends list by using the People menu on the ZoneFriends tool. Check the ZoneFriends Help menu for information on setting preferences and other features. Note that while you're ALT+TABbed out of the game, your character is still active and vulnerable in Dereth, so beware! Don't leave your character in a dangerous place while you're chatting in the Zone rooms! Conclusion If you learn to exploit all your communication lines, you'll spend less time wondering what to do and whom to do it with, and more time at heroic deeds. You'll be able to stay in character in the game world, yet still get help with technical issues or post wide-band requests for adventuring buddies. When your vassals have a vexing problem, they'll be impressed that you can sit down, "commune with the gods" for a minute or two (that is, ALT+TAB out into the game room), and then return in a state of enlightenment. Use your new powers wisely, and good luck!