It could be located directly above the ammo UI, and is completely separate from the Chat area.
The there are several problems with using the chat area for server messages. (The way it works now)
- If people are actively chatting while a server message is being played, the message can easily be lost long before you have a chance to read it, or in the case of a multi-line message the message is broken up and difficult to follow.
- A long server message will scroll away real chat messages and can make them difficult to read as well.
- There is some information that players need updated constantly. Currently, the server has two choices: spam the chat area making it useless for anything else OR don't provide up-to-date information and the players lose out.
Examples: countdown to map change, the status of intel, number of kills left (in team deathmatch), how many players left on each team (in last team standing)
This solution fixes these problems. By separating server announcements and status information from chat, those problems are solved.
Possible uses for a dedicated server messages/announcements area:
- Intel Captures
- Intel Status (Safe or Held by Enemy)
- Current Votekick
- For Team Deathmatch: Number of kills left, which team is in the lead.
- For Last Team Standing: Number of people left on each team, who won the last round.
- Server-wide announcements.
- Any other information that is useful at all times.
The server messages area would not scroll like the chat area. The server would have access to 5 message lines independently and could change any of them separate from the others. This would allow for using only one line for countdowns or kill counts without having constant motion in the announcements area.
icon on openGL client
