Add Edit and Delete functionality to the Text Chat

Platforms such as Discord allow you or the host (in this case, GM) freely edit and delete posts in the text chat. In order to run a functional text-based tabletop game in Roll20, a delete and edit feature for text chat is necessary. Currently, GMs are forced to use external programs to host text-based games if they want these features, creating an awkward situation where you have Discord for one feature and Roll20 for maps and character sheets. I would prefer to not be forced to use another platform to run games with these chat management features if possible. The 'hide a post' feature, which was recently implemented, is not a delete or edit function, is insufficient, and is and GM-only, making it mostly useless for most instances where a player may wish to delete or modify their text post during synchronous or asynchronous play. 

It took them 7 Years (!!!) to implement the HIDE function for ingame Chat... (although Edit / Delete was wished)... Teller said: Platforms such as Discord allow you or the host (in this case, GM) freely edit and delete posts in the text chat. In order to run a functional text-based tabletop game in Roll20, a delete and edit feature for text chat is necessary. Currently, GMs are forced to use external programs to host text-based games if they want these features, creating an awkward situation where you have Discord for one feature and Roll20 for maps and character sheets. I would prefer to not be forced to use another platform to run games with these chat management features if possible. The 'hide a post' feature, which was recently implemented, is not a delete or edit function, is insufficient, and is and GM-only, making it mostly useless for most instances where a player may wish to delete or modify their text post during synchronous or asynchronous play. 

+1.  Yes, please, but with the qualifier that I'd want "player can edit own posts" to be a game setting.  I really hate having to delete the entire chat to hide an accidental entry that discloses info players shouldn't see (and I've had to do that more than once), and apparently the "hide" function only works on recent posts (you apparently can't hide something once it scrolls off the entries visible in the right column). But at the same time, in a dice-based game, the chat log is an audit log of who did what when, and I refer back to it between games; I wouldn't want my players removing or altering things they did after the fact. But that's my style of play, I can understand other circumstances may apply for other GMs or other kinds of game use. As GM, it would be nice if I could edit a post to remove sensitive/unintended info, rather than hiding/deleting the whole post.  And for Junk Posts (which sometimes happen) deleting is preferable to hiding.

+1  But perhaps put some sort of time limit. Like up to 24 h after the mess was posted. You don't want people to go back and rage-delete everything if they quit.

Perhaps make this a permission set and give a toggle option for "Can edit dice rolls" so there is the option there but players can't alter their previous rolls unintentionally or intentionally if a reference is needed. You could then with this method give custom time based permissions too for full customization for GM style or special use cases.

The DM should be able to see at least "Message was deleted". AND Players should - of course - only be able to delete their own messages... D G. said: Perhaps make this a permission set and give a toggle option for "Can edit dice rolls" so there is the option there but players can't alter their previous rolls unintentionally or intentionally if a reference is needed. You could then with this method give custom time based permissions too for full customization for GM style or special use cases.

Yes please! This is way over due. I'd also like a "Find" function in the chat but that's a lesser need

Jens F. said: +1  But perhaps put some sort of time limit. Like up to 24 h after the mess was posted. You don't want people to go back and rage-delete everything if they quit. +1

This is an interesting option... I'd be very interested in supporting. However, what is to stop someone from posting something really vile and hurtful, then deleting it later.  I think the reason one cannot delete is that there's a permanent record of everything they've done online in Roll20.  Not being able to delete is an accountability aspect.   Don't get me wrong, I wish we had better control of the chat screen... even when one hides the chat, it's still there the next time I log in.  Perhaps, I just don't understand what is supposed to happen.   Cheers... very interesting suggestion.

Pandarian said: This is an interesting option... I'd be very interested in supporting. However, what is to stop someone from posting something really vile and hurtful, then deleting it later.  I think the reason one cannot delete is that there's a permanent record of everything they've done online in Roll20.  Not being able to delete is an accountability aspect.   Don't get me wrong, I wish we had better control of the chat screen... even when one hides the chat, it's still there the next time I log in.  Perhaps, I just don't understand what is supposed to happen.   Cheers... very interesting suggestion. The point would be to have feature parity with Discord, so that using Discord is not required for many types of games. A user can delete any message they wish in Discord, and this is not a problem.

Teller said: The point would be to have feature parity with Discord, so that using Discord is not required for many types of games. A user can delete any message they wish in Discord, and this is not a problem. That ability in Discord  is a problem for some people in some games. Being able to document what has been posted is important, especially when playing in pick-up or paid games. That's why I think that if this ability was made available on Roll20 it should be an option set by the game creator.