I want the current PM implementation to be replaced with the roleplay model, but with some tweaks to make it more conductive to being used for little messages:
- Add a new kind of roleplay type, a "private conversation" kind
- This type will look like a chat, but will generate new notifications on message sent to it like a 'standard' roleplay
- This kind of roleplay will not have a time limit to the posts, but will still prune posts older than the 100th message
- This kind of roleplay cannot be edited, but can be promoted to another kind of roleplay, retaining all recent log entries
- This kind of roleplay cannot be created through the roleplay create page and must be spawned by clicking message on someone's profile
- This kind of roleplay differs from traditional ones wherein the person you are messaging is added to the post order immediately, not when they first make a post
Additionally, this will cause tweaks to various parts of the site:
- Clicking 'message' on someone's profile will redirect to a private message roleplay with a person (after sending the message). If it doesn't exist or has been deleted, a new one will be created. If it already exists, another one will not be created.
- The 'inbox' will behave similarly, only there will no longer be any screen for creating a new private message here
- When you delete it, you will not actually delete the model unless both players delete it. If profile A messages B, then A deletes, B will still see it, and if A attempts to message B again before B deletes it, A will see the message sent to B again
- Despite being a kind of roleplay underneath, this will not show up on the mine
roleplaysection. They will appear in the inbox, as they do now
This kind of system will "feel" a lot like private messaging in other chat-based systems, only obviously is not and is more persistent, plus more powerful, as it can be lifted to a proper roleplay at any time. This will leverage all existing roleplay UI and systems, so will update live, show who is involved, etc. etc.
This feature will implement or otherwise resolve the following suggestions, and is based on discussion in several of them: