[quote=@Avianmosquito]And mostly, I think it's just how much closer the connection to the site is, like it seems to compel people to stay on topic. It doesn't have that random, silly quality of the IRC. And it really makes me regret not being on the IRC while I could.[/quote]

This is both a blessing and a curse, in my opinion. The IRC chat was a clique of people who knew each other very well and talked about anything and everything, but it only felt tangentially related to the Guild. The current chat is a much more cohesive addition.