We need our voices heard (figuratively and literally.)

[Irish.Operator]

How can we convince the devs/ steam licensers to add text chat??

[Iron Phoenix]

This.
So much, I feel your pain.


If that feature genuinely is not in this game and is not just me being ignorant - it seriously needs to be added to the PC version I agree.
I get why text chat may not be required in a console environment, although possible they tend not to use keyboards and generally it is expected that all the players are communicating with mic and or head set combos so they game was designed for that in mind.



But this has now been released not just on Windows some time ago, but now is released on Steam.
While it is literally just another storefront in a way, Steam does have it's own nice integrated chat features although for what ever reasons we have to use the xbox elements to communicate in general for this game.

In the absence of a game using Steam chat, it usually by default offers it's own in game text chat function, however basic.
It would be nice to use Steam chat features in this game, especially with my Steam friends.



But we have to use the xbox app - that is fine to use instead of Steam as a functional enough alternative I guess.
But that is actually exactly my problem.

It offers the alternative tools for communicating with "friends" but in doing so, the game itself misses out on the most basic functionality for some people which is a basic in game text chat that does not require any kind of overlays or requirements of being in friend groups already for example.





Just a natural unrestricted free flowing text conversation with another random player in game.
That is all I want.

They could even still use their profanity filters to control the text chat if that was the issue - of which I first discovered when creating my number plate.
Wow I thought, but OK.

[reverb]

Nice Driving
Nice Driving
Nice Driving

[Iron Phoenix]

Also personally as is my own choice, I do not use a mic online unless in private games with friends.


I am still enjoying the game, and thankfully it runs very well performance wise after sorting out the launch issues mentioned elsewhere.


But this is to me a real barrier and takes me out of the flow of the game if I try to communicate with random people.
For me, in these kind of open world games - it is the random people you meet and the behaviours and things that happen with their cars that add a lot to the experience besides the scripted "campaign" kind of events with the AI.

So yeah, it is kind of a big deal for me and in fact, if I stop to consider it, the actual communication in game has been more frustrating than the well know issues experienced with getting the game running in the first place - and that is saying something.



Virtually every other online game I have played on a PC has the option of text chat as well as mic chat - it is just kind of expected as one of the most basic tools with PC gaming online in most cases.




Yesterday, as one example of my frustration.
I was (for the first time) invited to a convoy or race and was very frustrated that the only apparent communication I had available were canned responses.
We drove around randomly together for a bit but neither of us actually communicated any intentions or anything properly actually besides saying "nice car" and "great" etc.




They could have at least made more useful canned responses available initially to the player like maybe - "want to race", "changing my car", "plotting a route on map", "yes, no, thanks", "follow me" etc

And in truth at that time for me - they were not really that useful in the situation besides continually commenting that someone had a nice car etc - how could I ask a genuine question or even the simplest conversation with such basic vocabulary.
You cannot.


So I had to be missing something here right, surely it isn't that limited...


...Someone please correct me if I am missing something here btw... how to start a text chat instantly with a randomly encountered player, not a friend, not with a microphone and not having to invite them to a group just to have a random chat with the stranger.




I know I can launch the xbox app overlay in the game, and use text chat to someone who is already on my friends list if they are online - in a similar way to Steam, I understand that.

But that really breaks the flow of the game having to stop what I am doing, hoping that the other (non current friend) player doesn't drive off while I pull over and open an overlay, and even once that is open find the text chat option.




My experience til now is that even with the xbox overlay option - unless I am missing something, talking to a stranger in this game basically requires a microphone or being reliant on the "canned chat responses" as there is no instant chat in the game itself for the PC version.

If the "canned responses" are intended for general purpose use and fun, that is fine.
But actual chat...




If I want to chat to someone with text in this game, do I literally have to invite a stranger to my friends list first, or be part of a convoy group before I am given permission to chat...

In the absence of a mic, and wanting to chat to a stranger who is not currently on your friends list - to have to rely on those responses for actual conversation with a stranger instead of a simple in game chat box is very frustrating.

Even more so when I later discover that I have "unlocked" more chat responses.
That can't be right surely, they are allowing me to use a bigger vocabulary because I have progressed in the game



Yes, it was easy enough to initiate contact by pressing the "action" button when near to a player but I checked all the options I could see afterwards and could find nothing relating to initiating a text chat with one simple key or button as is so common and convenient in many other online PC games.

Any help appreciated.

[Iron Phoenix]

Originally posted by Thief 💢:

Nice Driving
Nice Driving
Nice Driving

nice car nice car nice car lol

[Iron Phoenix]

Thief,

Nice reply btw :)

When I clicked the button to quote your post, I might accidentally have clicked on the report button so my apologies if anything comes up for that, it was not my intention.

I don't think it followed through though so prob nothing to worry about.
Sorry again.

[reverb]

its ok i probably need a break from this place anyway