The Players' Guide to the Cities/User Interface/Help Window/Social
The following is from the Social tab of the Help Window
Chat Basics
To enter chat, a player hits the Enter Key. Whatever the player types appears in the Chat Entry Box at the bottom of the Primary Chat Window. To exit Chat, a player hits Enter again. The text is broadcast along the specified Chat Channel and appears in a word bubble above the hero's head (see Chat Channels).
The window directly above the Chat Entry Box is the Primary Chat Window. There are 4 additional Secondary Chat Windows that can be opened and closed via the 1, 2, 3, and 4 menu buttons on the Primary Chat Window. These windows contain game information (such as damage and rewards) as well as chat from other players.
By toggling the blue button on the Secondary Chat Windows, you can detach each window and move them independantly of the Primary Chat Window.
The Primary Chat Window has a special option to hide the chat pane and only display the menu and Chat Entry Box. This mode can be toggled by pressing the blue up/down arrow on the right side of the Primary Chat Window's menu.
Chat Tabs
A Chat Tab is an independant filter for sending and receiving chat messages. Each Chat Window can contain one or more Chat Tabs.
A Chat Tab may receive messages from as many chat channels as you wish, but may only send chat to a single default channel.
You may specify the name for each Tab, but are not allowed to have 2 or more Tabs with the same name.
You may have a maximum of 10 Chat Tabs at once, and these can be distributed to any of the 5 available Chat Windows.
Chat Tabs can be freely moved among the 5 Chat Windows by left-clicking and dragging a Tab. Two Tabs can swap positions by dragging and dropping one Tab onto the other. Dragging a Tab onto a Secondary Chat Window's corresponding number in the Primary Chat Window's menu (1, 2, 3 or 4) will automatically open the indicated window.
Chat Tabs are colored as follows:
Green Tab, White Text: This is the Active Tab, and will receive chat input if your chat send mode is Active Tab.
White Text: Contains new/unread chat messages.
Grey Text: Does not contain any new/unread chat messages.
The following Chat Tab commands can be accessed via a Chat Window's Tab menu:
Add Tab: Create A new Chat Tab in the corresponding Chat Window.
Edit Tab: Edit the selected Tab's settings.
Delete Tab: Removes a Chat Tab
Clear History: Empties out the chat history in the selected Tab.
When you Add or Edit a Chat Tab, you will be able to choose the chat channels that send messages to the Tab. This can be done by left-clicking on a channel name to highlight it and then pressing the Add or Remove button. An alternate method is to double-click the channel name.
Each Chat Tab may set a default channel that will receive all of your chat input sent to that Tab. If you do not set a default channel, you will not be able to send input to that particular Tab.
Chat Channels
A player can direct his dialogue to specific areas and people through Chat Channels. These are:
Local: The hero will be heard by all nearby players.
Broadcast: The hero will be heard by all players on the same map.
Team: The hero can communicate with his teammates.
Supergroup: The hero can communicate with other members of his Supergroup.
Request: This is a channel reserved for trading, buying and selling.
Friends: The hero will be heard by everyone on his Friends list.
Active Tab: The hero will will send chat input to the default channel of the current Active Tab.
A player can send messages on only one Chat Channel at a time. A player can change Chat Channels by left clicking the buttons above the Chat Entry Box. Each Channel is represented by its first letter; L stands for Local,B for Broadcast, etc.
Chat channel messages are received by all Chat Tabs that contain each respective channel. A Chat Tab's channel list can be customized by selecting Edit Tab from a Chat Window's Tab menu.
Each type of message appears in its own color. This is not customizable.
Active Tab
The Active Tab is the currently selected Chat Tab, and is indicated by a distinct Green color.
You may select the Active Tab by left or right-clicking on any Chat Window with one or more Tabs.
The Active Tab will receive all chat input if the chat entry mode is set to Active Tab (see Chat Channels).
City of Heroes has an internal e-mail system that allows players to communicate even when not online together.
To send an e-mail, a player left clicks the E-Mail Button on the Chat Window. If he has any new messages, he'll see them in the E-Mail Window. To compose an e-mail, a player left clicks the New Button. The player needs to use the other hero's name in the To field.
If the receiver is offline, the e-mail will be stored until it is read. If the other player is online, he'll receive an e-mail notification in the Chat Window.
Friends
The Friends List is a perfect way to keep track of the other heroes a player meets in Paragon City.
To make another person a Friend, a player can right click on the hero and select Friend. Alternatively, a player can type the slash command '/friend PLAYERNAME' into the Chat Entry Box.
To view his Friends List, a player left clicks the Friends Button in the Chat Window. The Friends Window tells him whether each Friend is online or not. If a Friend is online, the Friends Window displays his current Zone.
A player can right click the Friend's name in the window to bring up a list of possible actions with that player.
Friends can be removed from a player's Friends List by right clicking their name and selecting Estrange. The slash command '/estrange PLAYERNAME' serves the same function.
Ignore
If a player no longer wishes to receive any messages from another player, he can add that player to the Ignore List. To do so, he types the Slash Command '/ignore PLAYERNAME' in the Chat Entry box.
To remove a player from the Ignore List, a player types the Slash Command '/unignore PLAYERNAME' in the Chat Entry box.
To view the Ignore List, a player types the Slash Command '/ignorelist' in the Chat Entry box.
Sidekicks
The Sidekick system allows heroes of widely disparate Security Levels to team up and fight crime. The lower level character, the Sidekick, has his level artificially boosted so that he can battle alongside his Mentor (the higher level character).
Heroes can become Mentors once they reach level 10. To sidekick another player, a Mentor right clicks on the other hero. The slash command “/sidekick PLAYERNAME” also works.
The Sidekick's effective level is boosted to one level beneath the Mentor's level.
A Sidekick's damage, Hit Points, defense, and accuracy are all boosted to this new level. His Enhancements continue to provide the same benefits they gave him before he became a Sidekick.
A Sidekick must stay within 200 ft. of his Mentor in order to receive this level boost. If a Sidekick leaves this radius, his level reverts to normal. A Sidekick may not enter any Hazard or Trial Zone that his real level would not allow. Some places are too dangerous for Sidekicks!
Sidekicks gain Experience Points as if they were still fighting foes near their actual level. If a Sidekick takes on a villain 1 level above his boosted level, he'll gain the same XP he would normally gain by defeating a villain 1 level above his actual level.
A Mentor may have only one Sidekick at any time. And a Sidekick may have only one Mentor at a time.
The Mentor or Sidekick can terminate the relationship by using the slash command “/unsidekick” in the <color blueviolet>Chat Entry box.
Supergroups
Supergroups are permanent associations of heroes. A player must be 10th level before he can form or join a Supergroup.
To form a Supergroup, a player needs to go to a Supergroup Registration Desk. These are located at City Hall in Atlas Park or at Freedom Corps Headquarters in Galaxy City.
The founder of a Supergroup must fill out the infamous Form 27 B/6 in entirety. The founder chooses the Supergroup name, motto, message of the day, team colors, and team insignia. He even chooses titles for the different levels of membership. By default, these ranks are Leader, Captain, and Member.
Any member can don the colors and team insignia of his Supergroup. To do this, a player clicks the Super Button in the Chat Window, then Enter Supergroup mode. Immediately, the hero's costume colors and chest insignia change to those of the group.
A player can view the other members of his Supergroup by clicking the Super Button in the Chat Window. This window shows who's online (and in which zone), when they joined, and how long they've played in Supergroup mode.
Members of a Supergroup can all chat on the Supergroup Chat Channel. If a player sends a message in this channel, the entire Supergroup receives the message (See Chat Channels).
Task Forces
A Task Force is a long series of Tasks that usually culminates in a battle with one of Paragon City's Arch Villains. In return for the great risk, Task Forces provide great rewards.
Task Force missions are given by the Surviving Eight, the only heroes who survived the Rikti War. The Surviving Eight are as follows:
Steel Canyon: Positron - Blyde Square, at the foot of the central statue
Skyway City: Synapse - Aerie Plaza
Talos Island: Citadel - New Troy, at the monorail station
Independence Port: Sister Psyche - Bell Medical Center
Founders' Falls: Numina - Williams Square, in the plaza
In order to start a Task Force, a player must first gather a team of the requisite size. Each of the Surviving Eight will tell heroes how many members they must gather. The team leader then clicks on the Surviving Eight hero and accepts the Task Force.
Task Force teams cannot invite additional members. Anyone who drops out of the Task Force cannot rejoin. A Task Force is a large commitment, and players should carefully consider their participation.
A Task Force is terminated when all members of the team quit.
Teams
Other heroes can often make the difference between triumph and tragedy. Consequently, players often find themselves looking for other people to team up with.
To find fellow heroes, a player clicks the Team Button in the Chat Window. By clicking the Seek Team Button, a player adds himself to a list of players actively seeking teams. To find other players who want to team up, a player clicks the Find Members Button. This will pop up a list of all players in that Zone who are currently seeking a Team. Players can see other heroes' Security Levels, Archetypes, and Origins. By right clicking other heroes' names, players can invite them to a Team.
A Team can have a maximum of eight players at once. The Team Leader is the player who invited the rest of the members.
Teams can cooperate to complete any member's Tasks. (See Team Tasks under Contacts for more information)
Teams split Experience Points between members according to their Security Levels. Higher level characters receive a larger share than lower level characters.
Tell
A Tell is a directed message to another player. No one else can hear this message.
Players use the Chat Entry Box to send a Tell. The format of a Tell is:
/tell PLAYERNAME, the message
A common error is to forget the comma following the player's name.
Trade
Players can trade Influence, Inspirations, and Enhancements. Players must be nearby to trade with one another.
To initiate a Trade, a player can do one of three things:
1)Right Click on another hero and select Trade.
2) Target another hero, go to the Actions Menu in the Target Window and select Trade.
3)Enter the Chat Entry Box and type “/trade PLAYERNAME”
The other player is invited to trade. If that player accepts the invitation, the Trade Window opens up for both parties. If the player rejects the invitation, the inviting player is notified.
The Trade Window shows the Influence, Inspirations, and Enhancements owned by a player. To offer items, the player clicks on each item he wishes to give. These appear on the left side of the Trade Window; items offered by his trading partner appear on the right.
Once a player is satisfied with the trade, he clicks the green Offer Button at the top of the Trade Window and waits for his trading partner to do the same. If both parties accept, the trade is immediately executed. If either party declines, the Trade Window closes.