Forums What to do about the Chat Bot

[LW]

Yes it's another one of my threads here.

The Chat Bot is a bit of a pickly situation. Love it, hate it, let's try to make it better. Here's a few things I can come up with:

1. Don't respond to normal conversations
2. Don't make the messages as long (especially when they're not specifically requested)

Don't respond to normal conversations
​

Plain and simple. Stop making the bot reply to obnoxious words. We can't say "Hello" anymore without flooding the chat anymore:


How about we make it reply to every message with a "9" in it with the Lyrics to "99 Bottles Of Beer"?
In short, using words used normally in discussions is outright ridiculous. Don't do it.

However the bot can be useful:

Use commands!

Make some prefix for it, for example messages starting with ?credits will get the answer:

{USER}, Credits are a forum currency. You can read more about them by clicking here.

This can be useful for so many things! Currently we can't really post Links, well we can but it requires one to select it and paste it in a new tab which is a pain in the backside on PC and impossible on Mobile. Just make a few messages we can use to direct people to the right stuff! Here's some more ideas:

?discord

{USER}, You can join the Freedom! Discord server to talk to other Partners as well! Click here.

?store

{USER}, You can use your earned Forum Credits to purchase some nice features like chat colors on the Forum Store! Click here to get to it!

?chat

{USER}, Did you know you could open the chat in a new window to give it even more space? Go here

?ads

{USER}, Please note that advertising and promoting your channel in Chat is against the Chat Rules, posts doing so may be deleted.

?support

{USER}, Sometimes we can't help you out in chat. You know who can probably help you out though? The Freedom! Support Team! Click here to open a new Ticket with them, be as detailed as possible so they can help you!

These are only a few ideas (Rather a proof of concept). Make the bot useful by letting users use it to direct people to useless things. If people use it to deliberately spam, you have my flagging power.

 

[riganthor]

I am more for to kil the bot outright but Iguess this is a bit better

 

[Crazylawrence]

Sometimes it is helpful, sometimes it is just darn annoying, especially when I say hello to somebody else and it thinks it has the authority to speak to me..

 

[pinaypencilart]

I support the idea of modifying the bot but not killing it entirely. It *is* helpful when people ask common questions. I see it throw out links to the partner badge setup from time to time. That's quite handy.

 

[Crazylawrence]

I support the idea of modifying the bot but not killing it entirely. It *is* helpful when people ask common questions. I see it throw out links to the partner badge setup from time to time. That's quite handy.

The real question is, how should it be modified for it not to be annoying but helpful at the same time? Saying hello triggers it, even when I am directing my message to somebody.

Edit: What I am trying to say is it needs to engage in conversation so that people who are new don't feel alone as soon as they join, however it also needs to not say it if someone is speaking to another user.