Setting and Managing Ping Channels and Default Channel Mode in Ping Wheel

guide

Ping Wheel uses channels to control who can see your pings. A ping is only sent to, and received from, players who share the same channel as you. If you want your pings to reach a specific group rather than everyone, you set a channel. If you want the standard behaviour, you use the default channel instead.

Understanding Channels

The channel system is straightforward: you and another player must be on the same channel for pings to travel between you. Anyone outside that channel will not send you pings and will not receive yours. This makes channels useful for keeping communication within a chosen group.

When no custom channel has been chosen, the mod reports that you are currently using the default channel. You can return to this state at any time by setting your channel back to default.

Checking and Setting Your Channel

Two actions cover the basics of channel management.

Get your current channel — reports back with a line showing your current channel, for example "Current channel: ..." with the channel name filled in.
Set your channel — changes the channel you are on. To go back to the standard behaviour, set the channel to the default channel.

Channel names are not unlimited. If you try to set a name that is too long, the mod rejects it with a message explaining that channel names are limited to a maximum length. Keep your channel names short enough to fit within that limit.

Default Channel Mode

The default channel mode decides how the default channel behaves. You can look it up or change it at any time.

Get the current default channel mode — responds with "Current default channel mode:" followed by the mode currently in effect.
Set the default channel mode — changes the mode. On success, the mod confirms with "Set default channel mode to" followed by the new mode.

If you enter a mode that does not exist, the change is refused. The mod replies that the mode is unknown and lists the valid options, so you can pick one of those instead.

Several other settings sit alongside channels and affect how pings behave.

Location Ping Alert — a feature related to location pings.
Direction Indicator — controls whether the direction indicator is visible.
Correction Period — a timing setting.
Player Info — shows player information while the relevant key bind is held. This is an action you hold rather than tap.
Player tracking — you can check whether tracking is currently enabled, and you can turn tracking of players on or off. The mod confirms the state with "Player tracking is currently:" or "Player tracking is now:" followed by the value.
Ping usage regeneration time — you can read the current time to regenerate ping usages, and you can set a new time. Responses confirm with "Current time to regenerate:" and "Set time to regenerate to".
Ping usage rate limit — you can read the current rate limit for ping usages and set a new one. The mod responds with "Current rate limit:" followed by the value.

Opening the Settings Interface

The configuration interface can be opened through its described action. Once open, it presents the Ping Wheel Settings screen, where the options above are managed. Any hotkeys tied to these actions are not fixed by the mod itself — assign them yourself in the controls menu, then use the corresponding hotkey for the action you want.

Practical Summary

Set a channel when you want pings limited to a particular group. Check your channel whenever you are unsure why pings are not arriving. Return to the default channel when you want normal behaviour. Review the default channel mode if the default channel is not acting as expected, and remember that invalid mode names are rejected with a list of valid choices. Keep channel names within the allowed length, and use the related settings to control alerts, indicators, player info, tracking, regeneration timing, and rate limits.