Chat window

The Chat window is where you communicate with other players by typing, and see their responses.

The Chat window is composed of two main components:
 * The text display: Typically located in the bottom right area of the screen, it shows the most recent messages and events that took place around your character. See the list of channels below for the meaning of the different colors of the messages.
 * The text entry: Located immediately under the text display. The text entry line can be activated by pressing Enter.

The Chat window key is the tilde key (` or ~) which keeps the text entry bar always visible and shows the chat filters (see below) and the scroll bar for the text display area. It's also activated by pressing the chat bubble next to chat window.

Note: When you are typing into the chat window, you are unable to use keyboard commands until you press enter, or click outside the chat window with the mouse. This is one reason certain people will not talk during a mission, and the solution is to make use of a vocal chat program such as Ventrilo or Teamspeak.

Chat Channels
There are several channels of chat available, represented by tabs just above the window you type into. You can switch tabs by typing the appropriate keyboard character first. The following is a list of Channels of Chat, what to press to quickly access it, followed by a description of what it does.


 * All(Or Local) Chat : Type '!'
 * What you type is sent to every person within your local zone. Many players use this channel to look for party members. However in bigger zones, people also spam trade announcements, ask questions, and talk or taunt back and forth about things no one else cares about. It is poor netiquette to use the Local Chat for trade or for side discussions that only involve a few people.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_local.jpg]]


 * Guild Chat : Type '@'
 * A private chat between you and all members of your guild presently online.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_guild.jpg]]


 * Team Chat : Type '#'
 * A private chat that only you and members of your current party may view.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_team.jpg]]


 * Trade Chat : Type '$'
 * A channel for all players in a zone much like the local chat. It is dedicated to those who wish to sell or buy items. In large areas, so many users are offering to sell items that the trade channel just keeps scrolling almost non-stop. This has two effects. Players not interested in trade turn off their trade channel and traders too impatient with this inefficient system start using the Local chat to make their messages stand out and avoid the trade chat filter.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_trade.jpg]]


 * Emotes: Type '/'
 * While you can not type directly into a channel called 'emotes', you can type a / followed by a keyword (See this list). It will be displayed in your chat window if you haven't unchecked the emote check box.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_emote.jpg]]


 * Whisper: Type "
 * A private chat between two people only. You may speak to any player who is online through use of a whisper even if they are not in your guild, team, or in the same zone as you. To respond to a private message from another player, press Backspace instead of trying to retype their name.
 * Whispers to other players appear in a full green text preceded by ->.
 * Whispers from other players display their name in blue between braces { } and then the message in white.
 * When a whisper conversation is initiated a sound will play for the person receiving the first whisper to draw their attention to it.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_whisper.jpg]]


 * Item Transfer Messages:
 * These light blue messages are used to indicate when items or money are transferred from or to another entity.
 * Appearance: [[Image:chat_transfer.jpg]]


 * System Messages:
 * System messages are events that the game wishes to inform you about but are not messages or emotes from other users. System messages can be:
 * A player gaining a new level or skill point.
 * A monster dropping loot or a player picking up loot.
 * Results of salvaging or upgrading items.
 * Saving a screen shot.
 * Informing about the presence of a new game update.
 * Declaring the result of latest battle in the Hall of Heroes.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_system.jpg]]


 * Observers : Type '#' (replace Team chat in Observer mode)
 * A semi-private channel that replaces Team chat when in Observer Mode. Up to 100 people are able to enter a single Observers chat to discuss the battle they are watching.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_observer.jpg]]


 * Time Messages:
 * Time messages tell the player how long they've been playing for.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_time.png]]


 * GM Chat:
 * GM Chat is seen most often when Gaile Gray comes to Lion's Arch, it is used by the GM's to draw attention to what they're saying.
 * Normal players can't use GM chat, but everyone in the district can read it.
 * Appearance: [[image:chat_gm.jpg]]

Chat Filter
Chat filter allows players to turn off one or more of the chat channels. Chat filter is useful in filtering out local chat in busy town, filtering out Trade channel that is causing the text display to keep scrolling and so forth.

To use Chat filters, press the Chat window key and then uncheck the channels you do not want to see and keep the channels you want to see checked.

It is important to know that using the chat filter will not prevent you from receiving these messages, it simply hides them. If you re-check a channel after unchecking it, all the messages that were suppressed will be reinserted into your chat window. This is important to know in case you wish to park your character somewhere while you are AFK. Parking a character in a busy area will mean that any private messages sent you will be lost, even if you filter out the local and trade channels. If you do not want to miss private messages sent to you while you were away, park your character in an empty area (last district of a remote outpost).