Chat handling should be updated, to perhaps utilize the JSON chat option (BaseComponent system) as this introduced full unicode-support and options to display custom fonts within Minecraft 1.16.
Any additional information that you would like to provide that would be helpful/relevant?
As mentioned did MC 1.16 add support for various things within their JSON text, which are notably custom colors (Any HEX color) and custom fonts, that could be used WITHIN the same message with a separate font. I've put an example image from Slicedlime's info video about the technical changes of MC 1.16 below.
This essentially means that you would no longer need to override specific fonts through a resource pack that could make it unusable for people using that particular language.
Instead could you now just add an additional font type to the server with a resource pack that would add the emojis through this.
The only downside I can currently see with this would be, that you have to use JSON text here and can't just have normal chat in return.
But a (perhaps) benefit could be to have hover text for the emoji, that would display the emoji name, which would be a small but nice addition.
Another (minor?) disadvantage would be that this is only available in 1.16 and therefore not backwards compatible. Additionally do I not know how plugins like ViaVersion with ViaBackwards or ProtocolSupport would handle this custom font and what would be the output for clients that join with older versions like 1.15.2 on a 1.16 server.
Those are just some suggestions and ideas I had in mind and wanted to bring up here.
What do you think should be added/changed?
Chat handling should be updated, to perhaps utilize the JSON chat option (BaseComponent system) as this introduced full unicode-support and options to display custom fonts within Minecraft 1.16.
Any additional information that you would like to provide that would be helpful/relevant?
As mentioned did MC 1.16 add support for various things within their JSON text, which are notably custom colors (Any HEX color) and custom fonts, that could be used WITHIN the same message with a separate font. I've put an example image from Slicedlime's info video about the technical changes of MC 1.16 below.
This essentially means that you would no longer need to override specific fonts through a resource pack that could make it unusable for people using that particular language. Instead could you now just add an additional font type to the server with a resource pack that would add the emojis through this.
The only downside I can currently see with this would be, that you have to use JSON text here and can't just have normal chat in return. But a (perhaps) benefit could be to have hover text for the emoji, that would display the emoji name, which would be a small but nice addition. Another (minor?) disadvantage would be that this is only available in 1.16 and therefore not backwards compatible. Additionally do I not know how plugins like ViaVersion with ViaBackwards or ProtocolSupport would handle this custom font and what would be the output for clients that join with older versions like 1.15.2 on a 1.16 server.
Those are just some suggestions and ideas I had in mind and wanted to bring up here.