I would like to present this idea to Improve the game socially. Current chat could stay for chat between servers.

However I would like to see a real time chat built in each server in game

with a world chat, that whole server can see and chat
and alliance chat tab for alliances chat of their own members

Circs stay same, can then be used to just throw out key info etc

a chat could go at bottom of screen that can drop up and back down

here is just a rough pic of it, tho I know Zorg could make it nice

always wanted this, but wondered if it will slow game down. I wanted to make the same suggestion too

support +1

This is a social society. ZE greatly lacks this and fails to understand this. Gaurantee Zorg work on this feature, bigger player bases will stick. Socially this is a retarded game. I know of really really crappy stupid games that are hits just because of its social features, people stick it out cuz they like people they chat with, and they become better players to where here, they just quit, its a lonely game for a noob joining, click on chat and all you got there to help you is somelike like Im a farm to degrade ya, or no one at all cuz majority dont come to chat, have it built in, the game will grow and really evolve as proven in any other game that understands, people are social, make the game social friendly with server chat, and alliance chat in game, you log in, you see chatting going on from the start, its just smart move to do, for players, and for bussiness, rubies made payable to Wallmart Speed:)

As long as it doesn't cause lag as mentioned above I reckon it would be handy.If you wanted full screen or just don't want it there is always the hide chat option so yeh a positive from this corner.
Mac

I was actually pretty suprised not to see an ingame pop-up chat for, at very least, alliances.

If server load is an issue, why not integrate an outside program such as mIRC with ingame links to meeting places for ZE.(i.e., Alliance Chat, Universe Chat)

Not sure how hard or how much this would be, but as far as I know...it is free, minus the time and effort to gt it set up for the community to use.

(sorry for the mini necro post...but it would be awesome to be able to talk with my alliance more readily...dig the suggestion in general)

Stu, your idea is already partially realized, there is a button ingame that takes you to the game chat which is for all servers

yes schnit, we all know which d-bag that is.

im more of a K-mart guy anyways

Haha +1 for the idea, nice trolling in there...

I like the idea of integrated chat. I like it so much that i set about creating my own.
I'm a amateur vb.net programmer and created a little test project. Here is a screen shot. I haven't written any advantages into the game and the menu system is practically identical. I have since abanded the project as it was primarily for my alliance to use, but i figured most people wouldn't trust the use of an unsigned .exe and i've also given up on developing an alliance for now. I also realised that the program may be breaking the rules. All of this helped to kill the project.

Having said that, i think it would be great for ZE to come up with something similar.

The argument that it will cause lag is null because you can simply use 3rd Party Chat Servers such as the one we use now. The only thing you're changing is the interface so the ZE servers wouldn't take the hit.