Message Center
A new message center that will handle all message types has been added with the following functions:

• You have 5 different message types that you can filter; Auction, Notes, Messages, System and Global
• The filter button displays how many new unread messages you have.
• The messages have an indicator if they have been read or not.
• The Message Center can be minimized for your convenience. New messages will show with and indicator and flash on any new activity.
• You can now send offline messages via the create new message button, a new Conversation UI will open where you can also add multiple recipients up to a maximum of 10.
• You can now create Notes that are can be placed, resized and colored anywhere on the dashboard that are saved until deleted.
• You can drag most messages for edit or reading from message center to dashboard.
• Message Center can be moved and resized in height.

Contacts
A new Contacts UI has been added where you find information about friends, society and nearby avatars. There is also a Player Profile connected to this.

• You can set your online status through a selector; Online, Invisible, Do Not Disturb, Away from Keyboard
• There is a filter panel with several options:

Context flags
Player Registry
SearchFilter - Applicants, Disciple, Society, Team, Friends, Nearby

• Context flags show icons on listed avatars to show your connection to them.
• Player Registry is where you can search for avatars in Entropia. A new button has been added, “Copy Avatar Link”.
• You can list avatars via filter panel. Search will work on selected filter settings. Nearby lists all avatars in radar radius.
• A player profile has been added and can be accessed through context menu on the avatar profile picture. In the player profile you can set biography, set displayed name and chose profile picture.
• Avatars in contact list can be expanded for more detailed information about Location, Profession, Biography, Mentor Status, Society. You can also access private chat, Send message and all other options through context menu on the player profile picture.
• Contacts UI can be moved and resized in height.
   

For a brief rundown on the features of Entropia Universe's desktop UI please check the information published here: http://www.entropiauniverse.com/entropia-universe/beginners-guide/desktop/

This is most likely because the option "Keep Main Chat focus when entering text" is enabled. To turn this off go to Options -> Interface -> Remove the check mark after "Keep Main Chat focus when entering text".

Now the text in the input field should disappear when the message is sent to a channel.

Main Chat
All text communication originates from chat channels. The default chat channels are: Local, Trade, System, Globals, Rookie, Society, Society Seniors & Private Messages.

Custom channels can also be created using the /create command (see below). By default, custom channels are private; the creator of the channel can then invite other members to the channel. Alternatively, custom channels can be made public using the /set command (see below), which allows other participants to /join a public custom channel.

The communications from channels are displayed in chat tabs. There are two default tabs, Main and System, which cannot be removed from the main chat window and have some restrictions on channel management. Custom chat tabs can be created by right-clicking on an existing chat tab and clicking the ‘New Tab’ option. The right-click context menu also offers other tab customization options, such as setting the fade, color and channel settings of a tab. A chat window can have a maximum of 10 chat tabs. Additional chat windows can be created by dragging a custom chat tab’s header outside of the main chat window. Detached custom tabs can then be grouped together in a new chat window.

Other Features

• New messages in unfocused chat tabs display an indicator when the tab contain unviewed messages.
• Links, avatar names, channels and items can be copied to the clipboard via the right-click context menu.
• All links have a set of options accessible through the right-click context menu.
• You now have a permanent ignore list. Use the right-click context menu or the /ignore command to ignore a player. View your ignore list with the /ignorelist command.
• The TAB key can be used to auto-complete avatar names in commands.
• The TAB key can be used to switch channels when the input field for a chat tab is in focus.
• A voice quick bar is available for options, mute and mic.

Commands:

Privacy Status Commands

• /afk - Sets privacy status to AFK (Away From Keyboard).
• /dnd - Sets privacy status to DND (Do Not Disturb).
• /invisible - Sets privacy status to invisible mode.
• /online - Sets privacy status to online.

Channel Input Commands

• /custom - Change the current input channel to an existing custom channel.
• /local - Change the current input channel to the Local default channel.
• /officers - Change the current input channel to the Society Seniors default channel.
• /rookie - Change the current input to the Rookie default channel.
• /society - Change the current input to the Society default channel.
• /team - Change the current input to the current Team channel.
• /trade - Change the current input to the Trade default channel.

Channel Management Commands

• /create (or /c) - Create a new custom channel. Channel names must start with a "#" symbol and may not contain spaces.
• /deop - Remove channel operator status from a channel member.
• /invite (or /i) - Invite a player to a custom channel.
• /join (or /j) - Join a public custom channel
• /kick (or /k) - Kick someone out of a private custom channel.
• /leave (or /l) - Leave a custom channel.
• /listchannels - Lists channels with names containing
• /listmembers - Lists all members of a custom channel.
• /listmuted - Lists all muted members of a private custom channel.
• /mute (or /m) - Mute a member of a private custom channel.
• /op - Grant channel operator status to a channel member.
• /set (or /s) or - Sets a custom channel privacy status to public or private.
• /unmute (or /um) - unmutes a muted member of a private custom channel.
• /unmuteall - Unmutes all muted members of a private custom channel.

Contact Management Commands

• /ignore - Ignores an avatar. All further chat communication from an ignored avatar will be blocked.
• /listignored - List all ignored avatars.
• /return (or /r) - Reply to the latest received private whisper.
• /unignore - Remove ignore status from an avatar.
• /whisper (or /w) - Send a private whisper to someone.

Miscellaneous Commands

• /emote (or /em) - Perform the specified emote. use /emote ? for the available emotes.
• /help (or /?) - View help on a specific command. If a command name is not specified, a list of available commands is displayed.
• /pos (or /p) - Create a position link with your current coordinates in the text input field.