An in-game IRC client?

[deejkdeejk]

Hey, guys! I'm fairly new to Factorio, was introduced to it through Direwolf20's channel on YouTube (a minecrafter). I've been wondering, is there any possible way to develop a 'mod' that acts as an in-game IRC client (similar to say, EiraIRC for Minecraft)? Just curious.

[ssilk]

? The current console is for the inter-player communication... ?

What do you want with an IRC? I mean, I have my client, put it on the second screen, that's fine.

[deejkdeejk]

What I'm thinking of is a mod that allows the console to connect to online IRC servers/channels, specifically in single-player. Do you get what I mean?

[ssilk]

Yes. Now. But why? I mean: How could this be useful?

[deejkdeejk]

I think it'd be useful for newer players like myself, because I'd be able to ask questions to #factorio and receive feedback while I'm playing in-game, instead of tabbing out or setting up a second monitor to view my IRC client. Plus, I could connect to other channels I like, and it would be nice having an 'instant messenger' type of feature in-game. d: It's really a quality-of-life thing, nothing that would greatly improve the game or anything. Just a suggestion!

[ssilk]

I just think: Factorio goes to Steam. 100 new gamer per day. All are sitting in an IRC-channel.

... how do I get my steam engine to work? I've build my first furnace, what comes next? How can I get rid of the items in my hand?

...

I'm hard, but not that hard...

[quinor]

I'd love to see this functionality, especially in standalone servers. Like you can talk with people in-game playing on particular server without even turning factorio on...

[daniel34]

Factorio doesn't even have standalone/dedicated servers right now. (hoping for 0.12 btw)
Server-wide this would only make sense if there was the possibility that one server coordinates several games, and there was an ingame-chat and a server-wide chat.

As ssilk already wrote, integrating one global IRC channel into Factorio would just end up in chaos, with so many people on the channel.

In most multiplayer sessions, there are beginners and more experienced players together, so they can answer these questions. In my case, should I not know something, I would look up the wiki or search the forums before asking that question around.

I'd love to see this functionality, especially in standalone servers. Like you can talk with people in-game playing on particular server without even turning factorio on...

This topic is about IRC/Chat integrated in Factorio, how would you like to use this feature without running Factorio?

As a sidenote, this can't be introduced as a mod because mods don't have the capability to connect to other servers on the internet. (Which is a good thing, in my opinion.)

[quinor]

I know, there are no dedicated servers for now, but in the future... Daniel, I meant if irc is integrated into factorio, then you can connect to irc channel of particular factorio server from outside the game and keep talking with people playing - as when I can't launch factorio but can easily launch irc.

[The Phoenixian]

On the one hand yeah if you had dedicated servers for the game you might need 10-60 rooms but...Would you even need a dedicated IRC server?

I mean, I've played a Minecraft mod that did this and IMO it works pretty well if you can, and have to, pick your own IRC server and room.

[BrightUmbra]

Note that Twitch chat uses IRC internally, and that external IRC clients can connect to it. Integrating an IRC client into Factorio would let people who stream their play sessions the ability to participate in their chat rooms without having to leave the game to do so.

[MF-]

Twitch comments popping-up in-game?
I do see how that would be useful.