Broadcast messages

The broadcast messages panel allows you to send text announcements, assist users individually through direct messages, and solicit user feedback.

Broadcast messages overview

The Broadcast messages button (highlighted above) gives Moderators the ability to send text messages to all users currently gathered within a region, or to individual users. Moderators can also flag their messages for reply, allowing users to respond quickly and easily.

After accessing the moderator controls, click the Broadcast messages button in the panel that appears on the right-hand side. This will open the broadcast messages panel. A quick rundown of the UI will be helpful before we delve into the various messaging options.

Button or UI component	Function
User selection button	Allows you to select a message recipient (i.e. everyone or a specific user).
Enter user name field	Allows you to manually enter a user name.
Template drop-down menu	Allows you to select a pre-defined message template.
Message field	Allows you to compose your own message.
Message type drop-down menu	Allows you to choose whether users can respond to your message, and how they can respond.
Send button	Sends the current message.
Send and Close button	Sends the current message and closes the panel.
Close button	Closes the broadcast messages panel.

Message types

Region broadcasts

Region broadcasts are incredibly useful when it comes to managing event logistics. You can use them to keep everyone in your region on task, announce schedule changes, or provide event transition cues.

Here's an example of a message intended for everyone within the region. Notice how the options are set up:

• The User selection button is set to Everyone, so everyone in the region will see the announcement.

• The Message type drop-down menu is set to Message, so the announcement will be displayed with no expectation of a reply.

Here's how the example message might appear to users located within the region.

To send a region broadcast message like the one above, follow these steps:

1. Navigate your avatar to the region where you want to communicate with your users.

2. Click the Moderator controls/Key button located on the right side of the screen.

3. Click the Broadcast messages button.

4. In the broadcast messages panel that appears, click the User selection button.

5. The user selection panel will open. The UI is identical to that used for teleporting users. To send a message to everyone in the region, click Everyone. The panel will automatically close.

6. Use the Message template drop-down menu to select a pre-defined message, or type your announcement into the Message field.

7. Set the Message type drop-down menu to Message.

8. Click the Send or Send and Close button.

Direct messages

You can also send direct messages to individual users located in a region. To do so, follow these steps.

1. Navigate your avatar to the region where you want to communicate with your users.

2. Click the Moderator controls/Key button located on the right side of the screen.

3. Click the Broadcast messages button.

4. In the broadcast messages panel that appears, click the User selection button.

5. The user selection panel will open. The UI is identical to that used for teleporting users. To send a message to a single user, click on their name. The panel will automatically close.

6. Use the Message template drop-down menu to select a pre-defined message, or type your announcement into the Message field.

7. Set the Message type drop-down menu to Message.

8. Click the Send or Send and Close button.

Yes-or-no messages

In certain cases, you may want to gather feedback from users in the form of a yes-or-no response. You can broadcast an open question to everyone gathered within your region, or limit your question to a particular user.

Here's an example of how you might approach a specific user. Notice that:

• The User selection button is set to a particular user.

• The Message type drop-down menu is set to Yes or No Response.

Here's how the example message might appear to the intended user.

You can see that in addition to being able to close the message, the user can answer Yes or No by clicking a button.

In our hypothetical example, the user has responded by answering that yes, she is lost. Here's the return message a Moderator might receive. From here, the Moderator can reply again through the message pop-up by clicking the Reply button. Alternatively, the Moderator may close the message by clicking the Close button, and approach the user directly through text or voice chat.

To send a yes-or-no message, follow these steps:

1. Navigate your avatar to the region where you want to communicate with your users.

2. Click the Moderator controls/Key button located on the right side of the screen.

3. Click the Broadcast messages button.

4. In the broadcast messages panel that appears, enter the following information:

   1. Set the User selection button to Everyone or a specific user.

   2. Enter your message text.

   3. Set the Message type drop-down menu to Yes or No Response.

5. Click the Send or Send and Close button.

Input messages

Input messages allow Moderators to solicit detailed responses from users. These messages can be broadcast to an entire region, or targeted at a single person.

In the example image above, a Moderator has sent a message to everyone. Notice that:

• The User selection button is set to Everyone.

• The Message type drop-down menu is set to Input Response.

Here's how the example message might appear to users located within the region.

You can see that a user has received this message and has entered her thoughts in the response field. She can now click Send to reply to the Moderator, or dismiss the announcement pop-up by clicking Close.

Here's an example of how the user's response may appear to a Moderator. The Moderator can now respond to the user by clicking Reply, or Close the conversation.

To send an input message, follow these steps:

1. Navigate your avatar to the region where you want to communicate with your users.

2. Click the Moderator controls/Key button located on the right side of the screen.

3. Click the Broadcast messages button.

4. In the broadcast messages panel that appears, enter the following information:

   1. Set the User selection button to Everyone or a specific user.

   2. Enter your message text.

   3. Set the Message type drop-down menu to Input Response.

5. Click the Send or Send and Close button.