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10-25-09, 02:58 AM   #1
Tonfish
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MSN addon?

I don't know if anyone have mentioned this before, but I'm curious about this. Is there any way that the messenger (windows or microsoft) can work ingame? I think there's a high need for that, I know a lot of people who just ALT+TAB all the time to chit-chat with their msn partner's (including me). I maybe wrong but I think it'd be a great idea to make that happen ingame. And of course it'd be a very popular addon. Is there a technical restriction or is taht prohibited by blizzard? Because if not, why don't somebody did that already?

Don't take me wrong, I'm not an addon author, I can't create something like that, I'm just curious about that.

And of course, I'd be more than happy if someone'd made that possible.
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10-25-09, 03:21 AM   #2
wurmfood
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Can't be done. The UI is sandboxed to prevent it from interacting with anything outside the specifically configured setup in the game. This is one of the major ways in way in which we are protected from malicious addons.

While this may seem like a pain, as it prevents a lot of desired interactions with outside programs, it really is a Good Thing.
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10-25-09, 03:30 AM   #3
Tonfish
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But then again, I know a lot of games which made msn/skype available and well, it's very appeling to me. I maybe wrong but it'd be a great idea for blizzard to make that available. I mean, they can make it themself so it won't be available for other outside programs, but only msn/skype. Maybe they have financial reasons for that I guess :/ Anyway, I'd really love to msn in-game!!
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10-25-09, 04:01 AM   #4
BWarner
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Financial reasons? Yes, but not in the way you are suggesting.

Consider the amount of development time for Blizzard to handle one or more proprietary, third-party messaging programs. Consider the amount of raw "Let's make sure this system ABSOLUTELY CANNOT be exploited for nefarious purposes" testing. Now, consider the net benefit they would be providing to their customers - next to nothing, as this service is easily provided by an external program, and is in no way a feature that is tied to the game itself.

In other words, there is little to no forseeable return on investment, and worse yet, it potentially opens up gaping security holes.

However, look for the new Battle.net to open up some new doors to communication within Blizzard's games.
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10-25-09, 05:46 AM   #5
nightcracker
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This can be done! XFire has a new plugin which can connect to MSN servers. This means you can use the XFire client to MSN! And since XFire has support for world of warcraft you can use MSN ingame.

Get XFire here(the plugin is automaticly included in the latest version) and make an account. Then go to options > manage accounts ALPHA(not sure if it is manage accounts, just manage something ALPHA) and set up for your MSN account. From that point on when you start XFire it will also log into MSN. Thats it!
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10-25-09, 07:06 AM   #6
Tonfish
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Thanks a lot! I'll try that out!

About the financials, I'm sure there is a way for microsoft and blizzard to make a contract which benefits both of them. There'd be no msn in other programs if it wasn't for the benefit of the game.

Anyway, I1ll just use what was mentioned above! And thanks for the quick replies!
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10-25-09, 07:46 AM   #7
Petrah
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Blizz doesn't really need Microsoft for that. They can implement their own chat software just as some of the other MMO's have done in the past. EverQuest had one at one time and then they got rid of it, and were advertising to bring it back right before I stopped playing. Being able to message someone in game from outside of the game has it's advantages if done right.
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10-25-09, 10:04 AM   #8
Tonfish
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I know blizz is capable of doing that, but the point is to implement msn or skype ingame. I think it'd benefit to blizzard and to microsoft as well, because, let's face it, lots of people are using the two, separated.
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10-25-09, 10:30 AM   #9
Zyonin
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Originally Posted by Tonfish View Post
I know blizz is capable of doing that, but the point is to implement msn or skype ingame. I think it'd benefit to blizzard and to microsoft as well, because, let's face it, lots of people are using the two, separated.
I can think of reasons why Blizzard would not want an external program to interact with WoW.
  • It opens cracks in the "sandbox" that can be exploited by others for nefarious purposes.
  • It would open a convenient way for gold/power leveling spammers to advertise their "services" in game of which Blizzard would have no control over. Sure there are steps users can take but how many users actually do restrict who can see their MSN screen name? Do you really want to get gold seller IMs in addition to the in-game spamming?
  • First MSN, then who else? Yahoo and AOL (AIM/ICQ) would want their protocols represented (plus their users). Then what about Jabber and other smaller networks? Not everyone uses MSN.
  • Blizzard loses control over an aspect of their world. Blizzard historically has strictly controled their games and their on-line interaction. For most players, to play on-line with a Blizzard game means the use of Battle.net. Sure, if you are in the same physical building (or close to it) you can use IPX or LAN connections, however beyond that it's Battle.net (and with Starcraft 2 it's Battle.net only). Some hackers have tried creating an alternate way for Blizzard's games to utilize on-line play (BNet), however that was quickly shut down by Blizzard's version of the Nazgul (The Nazgul are the lawyers of IBM's feared Legal Department)
The chance of MSN being able to interact within the framework of any Blizzard game? 0%

Blizzard does not stand to gain from MSN within any of their games and they have plenty to lose from MSN in-game. Besides, as already mentioned, vendors like Xfire offers a solution that is game agnostic.

XFire supports it's own protocol, AIM, and now MSN. I have used XFire in the past and it works quite nicely. The only major issue is it's Windows only (since it relys on using a DirectX overlay that exists as a layer on top of a full screen application (such as WoW, media players, etc).
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10-25-09, 11:10 AM   #10
Tonfish
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Well, I didn't mean an interface which shows everybody's msn address to everybody. Only the parnters of your msn could see you in game, that way, there's no "gold spamming" problem, there is no "advertising" problem, and blizzard really doesn't loses one of the aspects of the game. However, you and the previous posts have a point about the sandbox and security problems. But I'm sure blizzard is capable of dealing with these problems and they can prevent them from happening.

About the icq/aol problem: I don't think that blizzard would implement all of them if they wanted that. But if they only implement msn, then a lot of players would switch from the alternatives to msn and that means a huge business to msn. BUT if blizzard implements them, then maybe the user will have to choose wich program he wants to use, before he logs in. But I think that's only a minor issue and it can be solved in a hundred ways or more.

Last edited by Tonfish : 10-25-09 at 11:14 AM.
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10-25-09, 12:00 PM   #11
Gsusnme
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I personally use XFIRE myself, though I don't use the XFIRE MSN plugin so I can't speak for that, but there is another application that has promise I have been following, still in early stages and not as stable (on a 64bit system, at least) called PlayXpert.

I use it on a limited basis seeing as how 64bit support is still flunky, but it allows you (like xfire) to bring up an overlay in game, but where this is better than Xfire (in idea) is that it allows you to connect to multiple messengers at once, such as MSN, AOL, ICQ, GTalk, Yahoo, and even your XFire account. Give it a shot, you may like it.
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10-25-09, 12:23 PM   #12
Seerah
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Originally Posted by nightcracker View Post
This can be done! XFire has a new plugin which can connect to MSN servers. This means you can use the XFire client to MSN! And since XFire has support for world of warcraft you can use MSN ingame.

Get XFire here(the plugin is automaticly included in the latest version) and make an account. Then go to options > manage accounts ALPHA(not sure if it is manage accounts, just manage something ALPHA) and set up for your MSN account. From that point on when you start XFire it will also log into MSN. Thats it!
Just to clarify, XFire does *not* work from inside the game. So, it still cannot be done. XFire chat is only an overlay.
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10-25-09, 12:23 PM   #13
Jzar
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We know that Blizzard is changing. How bout the new Battle.net? I'm not clear if we're on the new Battle.net now, or if making us login with our new Battle.net accounts is just preparation. But soon, we'll apparently be able to message people on different servers, or in different Blizzard games. (Will this mean we'll finally be able to talk to allies on our own server? Maybe just if we have them friended?) Maybe once they've got this whole universal messaging protocol going, they'll open it up and allow third-party programs like Trillian, Pidgin, or Digsby, to connect to them from outside too.

Just wondering out loud here. Imagining along these lines, I still don't know that I see them letting us use MSN or Google Talk in WoW, but I think it's more possible now than it's ever been in the past.
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10-25-09, 01:59 PM   #14
nightcracker
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Originally Posted by Seerah View Post
Just to clarify, XFire does *not* work from inside the game. So, it still cannot be done. XFire chat is only an overlay.
I'm just trying to help, he wanted an MSN addon, I gave him an alternative. Solution is solution whatever the mechanics are.
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10-25-09, 02:37 PM   #15
Tonfish
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Got that but the main purpose is to be able to chat inside the game, with people outside the game. And I'm not talking about teamspeak/ventrilo, things like that. A simple program like icq,msn,aol implemented inside wow. That's what I'm curious about.
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10-25-09, 04:53 PM   #16
Petrah
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Originally Posted by Tonfish View Post
I know blizz is capable of doing that, but the point is to implement msn or skype ingame. I think it'd benefit to blizzard and to microsoft as well, because, let's face it, lots of people are using the two, separated.
I don't. As soon as I install Windows, the very first thing I do is disable MSN Messenger. Couldn't pay me enough to use that piece of crap lol. I don't really have any use for Skype either.

Either way, what you are suggesting is never going to happen.
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Last edited by Petrah : 10-25-09 at 04:56 PM.
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10-25-09, 04:54 PM   #17
Petrah
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Originally Posted by nightcracker View Post
I'm just trying to help, he wanted an MSN addon, I gave him an alternative. Solution is solution whatever the mechanics are.
Yup yup... and I'm sure your alternative was very much appreciated. It can get the job done.
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10-25-09, 05:04 PM   #18
Landrell
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Blizz just simply won't allow those possibilities at all. As Lykofos stated, there is nothing for them to gain out of making such a transition and "opening" their sandbox like that.

I'll give you a good example why this could be a bad idea. I currently use Skype to keep in contact with family since I've moved. They know I play WoW and using Skype is the only way to get in touch with me. However, while having to keep this program open, I'm liable to get spams from others wanting me to add them to my friends list. I have to report and block these spammers at least 10 a week. And this goes on for a good period of three or more months.

Now imagine Gold Spammers doing this to you while you are playing game using chat programs like this and Blizz allowing your to have this capability initialized in their game. The outcome would be near catastrophic and would actually ruin the game for quite a few folks.

While the idea is good, and the intentions may be sound, the execution could very well ruin the entire process because there are people out there who have nothing but the worst intentions for folks with good ones.

There are other ways though to solve this simple issue that you are having. They may not be what you want to hear, but they do work and that is alt+tab or run the game in windowed mode. They are safe, hassle free, and it doesn't cost anyone any extra money and development to open up a potentially dangerous can of worms.

As far as I know, the new Battle.net system will have some pretty spiffy additions that will also make people who don't play WoW possible to get in touch with you. I'd suggest lBattle.Net to see what they have to offer for what you would like to do. Also this should help you with even more detailed information about the new Battle.Net system.

Trust me, we're not knocking you for your idea or suggestion. It's just that a lot of us have seen what outside programs can do to ruin good games and communities. So we're offering suggestions to help you enjoy the game and your friends without the potential hassle.
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10-25-09, 05:59 PM   #19
Petrah
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What are some of the communication tools available in the new Battle.net?

Our vision is for the new Battle.net to become the ultimate Blizzard Entertainment social network, in addition to its matchmaking foundation. Simply logging in to Battle.net will make it easy to find and chat with your friends across World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, and future Blizzard Entertainment titles, including Diablo III. Keep track of all your buddies in your friends list, view their online status and presence information, voice chat, send out party invites, and broadcast messages to your friends. Detailed character profiles let players keep up to date on friends’ progress and achievements.
As long as I can block new messages from those who are not in my guild, party, or friends list... then I see no issues with this. Although personally, I don't want people messaging me in game. The only use I see for this (again this is me personally) is if I go LD and can't get back on then I can let someone in my group/raid know.
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10-25-09, 07:50 PM   #20
Slakah
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Originally Posted by Petrah View Post
As long as I can block new messages from those who are not in my guild, party, or friends list... then I see no issues with this. Although personally, I don't want people messaging me in game. The only use I see for this (again this is me personally) is if I go LD and can't get back on then I can let someone in my group/raid know.
It seems incredibly similar to steam tbh.
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WoWInterface » AddOns, Compilations, Macros » AddOn Search/Requests » MSN addon?

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