Forgotten Soldiers

Hey Grizz or other Admin,
How effective is the Shout function on the Homepage?  Can others see what you write there in real time, more or less?  I see things people type, but seldom does it appear that anyone responds very quickly, if at all.  What I am wondering is this...is it as functional as a chat window in a program like X-fire?  Is it that people are not looking at it for the most part, or is it that it is delayed in posting so that others can't see it in a timely manner?

The site shows other people signed on, but I cannot get their attention to get them to join a game, etc.  Is it usually because they are actually afk, is it the Shout is not visible to them for quite some time, or is it that they just don't notice the message in the Shout box?  If it is the latter, can we somehow attach a sound to it that others who are signed on would hear to make them aware someone Shouted?.  If that can't be done, is there another add-in which would allow people to contact one-another directly though our website while signed onto the page.  I have tried PM's too, but no one seems to notice till the next day, or at least hours later.

This has been my latest area of focus...thanks.  "If you scream and no one is there to hear you...did you make a sound?"  A silent Shout is similar.  Sometimes it's like one of those bad dreams...lol.
Electric

the shout refreshes as you reload the page....
I think it is a combination of people not always looking there and that I also know some people like myself have the homepage loaded but maybe on another tab reading another site or even somewhere else but our site shows uys as signed in while the page is open.....

Been there, done that.  Not much better results.  Not everyone has X-Fire and most do not start it up while viewing the website from what I have seen.  I don't usually, but when I have, the results were no different.  I just thought if it could make a sound to indicate someone shouted, then it would be a much more useful tool.
Thanks,
Electric

we should try build an xfire trend:
if you are here to play, sign on to see who is around...
I and a few others are ALWAYS on xfire...if there were more I could help populate more - always sending out xifre messages to someone saying who is playing and who else is on xfire and may want to play....

we gotta build a habit!

I think you would look rather funny Grizz....wearing a Habit!