I'm sure most people would agree when they see, "Someone says 'Let's go! :)' it promotes an expression of disgust. If I see someone using emoticons I either think them to be a newbie, a poor RPer, or just an idiot for lack of a more constructive thought process.

At any rate, there's a way to have the CF code eliminate that kind of thing, and perhaps help along the way. Being a coder (yes, along with coding MUDs), I know how 'easy' this is to code in (though tedious)... but I wonder if this would have any use on CF, or any kind of adaptation could be used from it. You be the judge! (Jury and executioner, too.)

I realize that you can "esay" something with a certain emotion to it, but this would merely be a way to improve the RP atmosphere.

The Emoticon Representation Filter, or ERF, would filter out a standard set of emoticons, decided on by the ImmStaff, and "represent" them in an RP kind of way.

There are three options for, and uses of, this system.

Option #1:

You type:
say Hey everyone :) How's it going?

Others see:
Jaehiko smiles and says 'Hey everyone. How's it going?'

Disadvantages: If someone uses more than one emoticon in a sentence it would be hard to determine what expression to precede it with.

Advantages: Less spam.

Options #2:

You type:
say Hey everyone :) How's it going?

Others see:
Jaehiko says 'Hey everyone'
Jaehiko smiles.
Jaehiko says 'How's it going?'

Disadvantages: More spam.

Advantages: Gives a broken-up kind of effect.

Options #3:

Just have the emoticon's filtered out. Obvious ways to code this are to search the print buffer for : or = and then various characters after it. Annoying, but quite possible, and perhaps worth it.

I know when I see a smiley it makes me look at the person differently.

Whatever, just an idea. I kind of think it is too much of a hand-holding thing.

*shrug*

-Zepachu, the furthest from an authority on anything that has ever existed and will ever exist in this whole entire universe.