# Chat

> Talking in the room: messages, formatting, narrator and NPCs, files, mentions and private conversations.

Page: https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/mesa/chat/

The chat is the heart of the room: conversation, narration, rolls and notices (who joined, who became a player) all show up in it, in order. The start and the end of each game session show as dividers (see the [session clock](https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/mestres/relogio-da-sessao/)).

*Screenshot:* The room chat: the welcome message, the notices of who joined, the narration in italics, an action, a quoted line, a Perception roll and an NPC's line.

## Writing

- **Enter** sends; **Shift + Enter** breaks the line.
- **Up arrow** brings back your previous messages, one per press (to repeat a roll, for example). **Down arrow** goes forward again.
- While someone is typing, the chat says so: “Luana is typing…”.
- A line that starts with `/` is a command: `/r 1d20+5` rolls the dice, `/me` narrates an action. See [Chat commands](https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/referencia/comandos/).

## The message box

*Screenshot:* The message box with its tools: send file, macros, bold, italic, underline, color, the Speak as selector on NPC with the name Warden, and the quick dice row.

In the first row of buttons:

- **Send file** (the paper clip): sends an image or another file to the chat;
- **Manage macros** (the lightning bolt): see [Macros](https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/mesa/macros/);
- **Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline** and **Text color**: apply the style to the selected text;
- **Speak as**: **Myself**, **Narrator** or **NPC…**, with the **NPC name** next to it. The message goes out with the narrator’s or the NPC’s name instead of yours.

In the second row, the **Quick dice**: one click rolls 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, 1d20 or 1d100.

## Formatting

The chat understands simple markup:

| You type                    | It shows                                  |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `_italic_`                  | *italic*                                  |
| `**bold**`                  | **bold**                                  |
| `*action*`                  | the character’s action, highlighted       |
| `"speech"`                  | the speech, in curly quotes               |
| `--dash speech--`           | — the speech with dashes —                |
| `((out of character))`      | the out-of-character comment, in brackets |
| `{O}nce upon a time`        | the drop cap, large                       |
| `:sorriso:`, `:dado:`, `:)` | 😄, 🎲, 🙂                                |

*Screenshot:* A message with a drop cap, italic, bold, an action, speech, dash speech, out of character, a colored word and a fire emoji.

Headings (`# Heading`), separators (`---`), colors and links work too. The complete list, with the color codes and the emoji, is in [Chat formatting](https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/referencia/formatacao/). If you dislike some markup, you can turn it off for yourself in **Settings → Chat → Message formatting**.

## Files and images

To send a file: the paper clip, drag the file onto the chat (**Drop to send** shows up) or paste an image with **Ctrl + V**. The file stays attached above the message box, with the thumbnail (for images) and the name; the **×** removes it. It only goes when you press **Enter** (or the send button), and whatever you write along goes as its caption, in the same message. While it uploads, **sending…** shows. Images show up in the conversation with the file name underneath; other files, with the name, the size and the **Download** button. The file is kept in your [Desk Cloud](https://docs.rpgdesk.com/en/comecando/arquivos/), linked to the room.

You can also drag an image into the chat: someone’s photo from the **Participants** list, a token or an image from another site. It is attached as an image, not as an address in the text box.

Click an image in the chat to see it large, over the room. There, **Open in another tab** shows just the image in a browser tab; **Close** or **Esc** takes you back to the chat.

## Mentions

Type `@` and someone’s name (or nickname) to call them. They hear a sound and, if the room is in the background, the number on the room’s button turns yellow.

## Private and group conversations

- **Private:** right-click someone’s name, in **Participants**, and choose **Talk privately**. The conversation opens in a tab of its own, next to the room chat, “Marina (private)”, on both sides.
- **Group:** **Start a group chat**, in the same menu, or **+ → Private group chat…**, and pick the people. In the conversation’s tab, **Invite more** calls other people and **Leave chat** leaves it.

*Screenshot:* A private conversation between the game master and Luana, in a tab next to the room chat's tab.

What is said in a private conversation does not show up in the room chat.

## Your name in the room

`/nick Raven` changes your name in this room only; `/nick`, with nothing, goes back to your account name. The same is in your name’s menu, in **Participants → Change my nickname**.

> **History**
>
> When you join, you get the room’s latest messages. The game master chooses, in **Room settings → Permissions**, whether each person sees the whole history or only what happened since they first joined.