products:er-chat
Table of Contents
er-chat
Real-time text communication between the Game Master and players in the room. Runs entirely as a Node-RED flow on the Main PC.
Status: Experimental — a more advanced communication solution is in development.
How It Works
The Game Master sends messages from a dedicated panel (/gm) — either predefined quick messages or custom text. Players see messages on a display in the room (/player). Communication is one-way: Game Master → Players.
Both panels are web pages served by Node-RED and accessed via a browser on the local network. Messages are delivered in real time via WebSocket.
Features
- Predefined messages — configurable quick-send tiles for common hints and instructions
- Custom text — the Game Master can type any message
- Real-time delivery — WebSocket broadcast to all connected player screens
- Multiple displays — any number of tablets or screens can show the player view simultaneously
- Message history — recent messages stored in memory (up to 500, configurable)
- Localization — UI in English, but messages and templates can be in any language (UTF-8)
Endpoints
| Path | Description |
|---|---|
/gm | Game Master panel — send messages and manage communication |
/player | Player view — displays received messages |
/api/messages | GET — message history as JSON |
/api/messages/reset | POST — clear history (useful on game reset) |
/api/config | GET — server configuration (templates, sender name, display options) |
Limitations
- Text only — no images, video, or audio hints
- One-way communication (GM → Players)
- Message history is stored in RAM — cleared on Node-RED restart
These limitations are being addressed in the next-generation communication system currently in development.
products/er-chat.txt · Last modified: by 127.0.0.1