Understanding Chat and Communication in Ashes of Creation

[SolarOtter]

What Text Chat Channels Are Available?

Ashes of Creation offers a variety of text chat channels. Each serves a specific purpose, and most players switch between them depending on what they want to communicate.

Here’s a quick rundown of the main text channels:

Local chat (/say): This is for talking to players nearby. Most players use this when exploring towns, gathering resources, or alerting nearby players about events.

Shout (/yell): Shouts reach a wider area than local chat. Players often use this in crowded cities to get attention or announce something urgent.

Party chat (/party): Only visible to members of your party. Usually used for coordinating combat, loot, or travel.

Raid chat: Similar to party chat but for larger groups, often used during dungeons or large-scale battles.

Guild chat: Visible to guild members. Many players rely on this to coordinate guild events or share resources.

Private messages (/tell [playername]): Whisper to a single player. This is often used for trading, making friends, or asking specific questions.

Tavern chat: Accessible in taverns, sometimes combined with voice chat. This is a social hub where players hang out.

Looking for Group (LFG): Helps players find parties for quests or dungeons. In general, LFG chat is active and frequently used.

Trade chat: Focused on buying, selling, or requesting items. Players interested in crafting or acquiring Ashes of Creation gold often keep an eye on this channel.

Settlement citizen chat: A local chat for players within a specific settlement, often used to discuss events, trade, or defend the area.

Global chat (Alpha testing only): Meant for server-wide communication. Most players tend to avoid overusing it to prevent spam.

Some channels like Alliance, Religion, or user-created channels may not always be available depending on the current development stage.

Key Text Chat Features

Text chat in Ashes of Creation comes with several practical features that most players use every day:

Right-clicking names: You can quickly invite players to a party or send a private message. This is faster than typing commands.

Arrow key history: Cycle through your previous messages to resend or correct them.

Item linking: Share items directly in chat so others can see their stats. Most traders and crafters rely on this feature heavily.

Sharing map locations/waypoints: This makes coordinating travel or strategies much easier.

These features make text chat more than just a way to talk—they become tools for coordination, trading, and socializing.

How Voice Communication Works

Voice chat in Ashes of Creation is more limited but practical. It’s designed to support certain types of interactions rather than being available everywhere.

Here’s how it works:

Party and Raid: Both have VoIP support but are not proximity-based. Players use this to coordinate tactics in dungeons or PvP, usually relying on clear communication for critical actions.

Tavern voice chat: VoIP is available and proximity-based. If you want to join in and hear nearby players, you can. Many players treat taverns as social spaces for casual conversations.

Other areas: Open-world, marketplaces, and most points of interest do not have voice chat. Most players coordinate outside the game, usually via Discord, for interactions outside parties or raids.

Voice chat also comes with fully functional mute and preference settings. This is helpful if you want to join a raid or tavern but avoid unwanted noise.

Tips for Effective Communication

From experience, here are a few practical tips most players follow:

Use the right channel: Don’t spam global or trade chat when local chat or party chat would be better. It keeps communication relevant and avoids confusion.

Be concise: Especially in party or raid chat, short messages work best. Long messages can distract during combat.

Coordinate with links: Share map waypoints and items when discussing strategy or trades. This reduces misunderstandings.

Mute selectively: Taverns can get noisy. Using mute or adjusting voice chat preferences lets you enjoy social interactions without frustration.

Keep an eye on trade chat: If you’re looking to earn or spend Ashes of Creation gold, trade chat is often where deals happen. Most players check it frequently for crafting materials, items, or currency trades.

Communication in Ashes of Creation is designed to be versatile, supporting everything from casual social interactions to intense group coordination. Understanding which channels to use and how voice chat functions in different spaces can make your experience smoother. In general, most players benefit from using a mix of text and voice chat, along with external tools like Discord for larger social coordination.

Whether you’re exploring, trading, or raiding, effective communication is key to enjoying the game fully.