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Chat & Channels

How the chat pipeline and player-managed channels work (src/game/Chat/Channel*, ChatHandler, src/game/Handlers/ChatHandler.cpp).

Built-in Channels

  • General / Trade / LocalDefense / LFG join automatically per zone/city as on retail 1.12; membership follows zone changes.
  • World-defence and trade behaviour differs per faction; LFG channel is global since patch 1.7 timelines (progression-aware).

Custom Channels

Player-created channels (/join name [password]) are in-memory only: no database table backs them, so they vanish on restart. Ownership/moderation model:

Role Capability
Owner initial creator; can transfer ownership
Moderator kick/ban/mute within the channel (when moderation is on)
Banned list per-channel ban entries

Moderation verbs are driven by standard client commands (/channelpassword, /channelmoderator, /channelban, /channelkick, /channelinvite, …) which map to CMSG_CHANNEL_* opcodes handled by ChannelMgr.

All lifecycle notices (joined/left/password changed/kicked…) are the CHAT_*_NOTICE codes in Channel.h.

Server-Side Protections

From mangosd.conf:

Setting Purpose
ChatFlood.MessageCount / .MessageDelay / .MuteTime flood detection: N messages faster than delay → temporary mute
ChatFakeMessagePreventing strip fake system-style messages
ChatStrictLinkChecking.Severity/.Kick validate [item] link payloads to block crafted-link exploits

Mutes issued by flood control or GMs persist through account.mutetime (realmd).

GM Chat Tools

  • .send message <name> <text> - whisper a player.
  • .send mass mail/money/items … - server-wide notices.
  • gm chat toggle - speak in the GM chat badge channel.
  • Channel announcements (CHAT_ANNOUNCEMENTS_ON/OFF) are player-facing toggles, independent of these.

See GM Commands Reference for the full trees.