The forum's chatroom function actually seems pretty cool -- it reminds me of the old IRC channels that would sometimes sprout up around video game forums I frequented as a teenager -- but no one uses it. I think we should make a concerted effort to do so.
I suspect part of it is the way it's displayed. You currently have to click on it to even be able to see it. Perhaps there's a way it could show up as a sidebar no matter where you are on the site (though it can be minimized, of course)? This would make checking it for new posts super easy and a natural part of the...well, I don't want to say workflow, but playflow?...of using the site.
I made some adjustments, so now you can access the chat from the bottom of the forum, and from the home page. I also added the collapsible forum menu to the home page as well. Let me know what you think.
Why not use a proper chat system like IRC or XMPP? Say #casperforum on irc.libera.chat. I could also set up a room on my XMPP server. That way people can use proper chat clients
@thardin the reason I prefer this solution is because it means that user names will be the same for the chatroom and the forum.