Game Server & AOL Instant Messenger Integration

[HostMaster]

I wrote an AIM Bot a while back that I use in our account management software. I could integrate an AIM Bot with the game server. It would serve 2 purposes:

1. Admins could execute tsays and other commands without joining the server.
2. Anyone could ask the AIM bot who's in game and get a reply. Possibly other things as well, like AIM -> Game and Game -> AIM chat convos.

So, the potential is there to AIM somebody from in game and chat that way. Hey dewd, this is HostMaster, I'm in the CS:S server, come play man! You get the point.

So I guess the question is, does this sound like a cool idea?

[Alt F4]

This is a great idea; however, I think there will need to be a hiarchy by which only certain admins can issue tsay commands via AIM, and the like. As I am sure many have noticed in the past, some admins abused the tsay commands. Since players in game will not know who is issuing these tsay commands, I believe only the most trusted and fair admins should be given this specific responsibility.

Other than that, this is a 100% awesome idea.

[Caladium]

Yeah that sounds like a great idea, that way you won't have to alt-tab out of the game to talk to a guy on aim. But I guess thats what friends list is for? :p

[HostMaster]

I will have the AIM Bot include the SN of the person communicating through the bot with the server. Like if they do a tsay or a chat it will show who its coming from that way there is some accountability. Also I will make it log EVERYTHING that is p***ed to or from the bot.

[Alt F4]

Now that is awesome!

[Kitch]

Probably the best thing would be being able to get ahold of an admin while in game, or just standard pub-players reaching an admin.

Example, somebody is cheating, and the server is full of non-regulars, nobody who knows the admins. Somebody can type in "aim_bot_admin_message" and it'll m*** message all admins who are online a pre-set message saying ""username" has messaged asking for ***istance in "Server Name" " or similar.

But it can be potentionally abused. Maybe can only be used once every 5 minutes?

tsay/ssay/psaying into the server would be cool....great way for admins to scare people out w/out loading up HL2. Or just to leave messages to people in the server w/out going all the way into the game

But knowing who is in the server is pointless since Steam does that

And communitcating back and forth from in-game to out-game does have potentional. Depends on how easily it can be done.

[Hostagedown]

I was just about to suggest that idea that would be cool if you could msg admins with it. Also i still think its a bad idea to have it so just anyone can talk through the bot because even if its logged from who people will surely abuse it by creating different aim acounts and logging in from different places.

[Hi BOb]

is there away to block the bot from everyone but people you want to use it ( admins ex)

[MaStEr~X]

Yes, there is Bob, yes.... there is.