It's hard for me to make this judgement off of resource intensity without knowing the full server info and seeing the code, but it shouldn't really take up much more resources. The coding would be simple to add and even an "show/hide chat" button above it could easily be implemented.

The reason why I think it should be on always displayed is that it gives the immediate impression of being a community-based game this way. When I first started the game, I had no clue how many active players were, especially since browser-based games are a tad on the older generation side. I've played other games that included the chat and it definitely adds more incentive to stay on the page if the room is active. To deter dumb questions from noobs, you can also force a one time overlay that displays over the chat saying something along the lines of "STOP. Make sure you read the rules and guidelines before entering the chat". If you code this in php, the resources won't make a difference for the client user. JS may take up a slight hair more, but any modern computer should be just fine.

I think that Neo is talking about the time loading the page say when you are at the gym... you may not have had the opportunity to put in the hours and hours of training that some of the players in SD have had to and so we notice the time that it takes to load a page... particularly for those with slower net. Even more so for each click with criming. The page reloads each time so if it is reloading the shoutbox that is a lot more info to load??

we got a shoutbox link and i keep mine open in an extra tab thats enough i believe, and hana is right we dont need extra bs to slow the load times any more and i have slow internet as it is, makes it hard enough without having that, we use to have a lil chat bar thing at the bottom that u could disable if u had respected, that bar made the game load HELLA slower and im glad its gone. spend less time suggesting and more time reading and u will b fine. just click around experience beats anyone telling u what to do and at the end of the day if they dont wanna play they wont.

a crime button with the crimes labeled would b a good idea

musta been before me, cause i just remember the way it is. and i could give a rats ass about the sb. if someone has something to say, pm them.. what we need is our old game back mu!! get all the favs you want, but iv seen first hand what real money has done to what use to be a good, honest game... just miss the real game.

lazy ass @ coins

Please, do tell.

u know it

i miss the old days them brutal days lol

Instead of starting another thread figured i would just use this since the idea involves the same goal which is retaining new players, plus it may have already been suggested but I'm too lazy to search for it.

What about when a player signs up they get a "starter pack" that not only includes items, a few favs and some instructions but some basic amens as well? Most new players can't crime because their stats are too low. Why not have them start with a tv, dvd player, and maybe an xbox reg? Not sure how hard it would be to do but maybe make those specific amens "locked" so they can't be sold/given away to prevent dupes from exploiting.

To be honest if I didn't already have friends who played back in the day who helped me out with amens/items I honestly don't think I would have stuck around for so long. I'm not a huge gamer and PB is the only one I currently play, but everyone that I've tried has always started me off with basic gear to get me rolling.

This is why whole damn country getting soft!!! It's too hard, I don't like it, give me free shit, do it for me..WTF..hate to break it to some of u, but not everybody is a winner, u can't do wtf u want just because..those players that stick around aren't fuktarded millennials they're people who can think for themselves & possess basic comprehension skills. It's not the game that drives new players away..it's all u keyboard tuff guys/gals that constantly call new players dupes or talk shit/down on them because u wasted untold yrs clicking away & feel it entitles u to puff up your chest to lower lvls..puff that shit up when boogie,neo,Ms ko,pistol or untold others who would woop your ass..nah y'all can't do that, might actually have issues with your game play if u did that..this directed at no certain individual, but if u take offense then it more than likely bout your ass