# Voice Chat: the Future of MMORPG Gaming?



## OneIsALonelyNumber (Mar 28, 2005)

Voice chat was regarded as "essential" in the last two MMORPGs I played. In your opinion, will voice chat be essential in all MMORPGs going forward? Will players without voice chat be refused entry into clans or groups?

I hate voice chat. I hate the sound of my voice. I can't see myself playing a MMORPG for very long if voice chat is "essential".

Another reason I dislike voice chat is because when I'm on the computer I like to have the radio on. Can't do that when you've got voice chat.


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## Steven G. (May 18, 2006)

It seems voice chat will play a big role for RPG's on next-gen consoles. Phantasy Star Universe will feature voice chat for the Xbox360 version, while the PS2 version is keybaord only. 

I like text too, but sometimes voice chat is needed. Alot of poeple I play with on Final Fantasy XI use a 3rd party chat program call Ventrilo. So you see theres already a demand for it. Well hopfully there always be a keyboard option. I think consoles are more likely to have voice chat MMORPG's then PC.


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## Qolselanu (Feb 15, 2006)

Since Planetside, my guild has made extensive use of voice chat. Currently my guild is highly active in World of Warcraft and is using Ventrillo. Having a mic is not required, but listening in is. 

I usually stay quiet, and my guild has noticed this. Kinda irritating for them to notice it. I always play music so I suppose that could be a partial excuse.


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## Message (Sep 20, 2006)

Uh.... I hope not because I play a lot of MMORPGs and when people find out I'm a girl I am verbally abused. XD Especially on FPS games.... 

Girls can shoot guns too!


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## Roberto (Aug 16, 2004)

muh, I hate voice chat! ventrilo, GAH! >.< 

I'm glad I stopped playing MMO before all of that caught on because I would never use it and having to pay attention to it would annoy the hell out of me. it's far more convenient to type. I also enjoyed listening to music while I played.


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## gorbulas (Feb 13, 2004)

voice chat been available for quite some time but not included in the game. im not sure how much bandwidth voice chat uses up ... that might be a limitation.


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## Guest (Sep 23, 2006)

I don't mind talking in online games, but having it to be required is going to be a strain on gaming.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I probably wouldn't be able to handle voice chat, but i quit my gaming career for now so it doesn't matter  
I suppose that it's much easier to communicate and plan strategies through live chat though. It's a hell of a lot faster than having to type it all :lol


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## Nae (Nov 10, 2003)

It completely changes the gameplay. My guild requires ventrillo. You do not have to speak, But you need to at least listen. This is especially important if you are in a player vs. player guild. I am seeing more and more guilds picking up on just how much of an advantage voice communication is and therefor making it a rule to use a voice chat program. I remember when only a few guilds, mine being one, ran with voice chat. It allowed us to demolish some of our enemies. Hehehe. Roger Wilco, Teamspeak, and now Ventrillo. With the right codec Ventrillo is crisper than most phones i've used.

Having the leader quickly able to call out a target, to time attacks, or to quickly ask for a heal, cure, help, whatever... greatly improves your chances of winning. Watching a fight between a group who is using voice chat vs. a group who isn't makes it all to clear how powerful a tool voice chat ccan be if used right.

My phone phobia makes it tough, but I find i'm ok in smaller groups. My guild is rather large so on some raids we have 45-50 people in one room and that makes me nervous even though i've played with some of those guys for 5 years. At one point I was in a leadship position...wow did that test my anxiety. Having 5-6 guys waiting for you to make the decisions in real time was incredibly stressful but also amazingly rewarding.

Oh, and don't worry about being a female in a voice chat! I know guys can be crude in games towards women, but as long as you find some mature players they should treat you as an equal.


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## atypicalpersona (Feb 22, 2008)

I've actually created my own guild for TOR just to avoid having to deal with it. My anxiety prevents me from using it to talk, my hatred of using headsets and not being able to listen to my music prevents me from listening to it.


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## pancakepowder (Jul 9, 2011)

Message said:


> Uh.... I hope not because I play a lot of MMORPGs and when people find out I'm a girl I am verbally abused. XD Especially on FPS games....
> 
> Girls can shoot guns too!


yeah i dont like using the mic because i dont want people to know im a girl, which is dumb


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## Ohhai (Oct 15, 2010)

Voice chat will more than likely be required in top tier teams/guilds.
However there's plenty of guilds that "Just play for fun." while you won't have to worry about a mic with.


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## atypicalpersona (Feb 22, 2008)

Ohhai said:


> Voice chat will more than likely be required in top tier teams/guilds.
> However there's plenty of guilds that "Just play for fun." while you won't have to worry about a mic with.


Yeah but even those tend to require that you listen in, as all it takes is one person hopping in a vent server and most others follow along. Once they do that they have a tendency to ignore the chat window.


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## David777 (Feb 6, 2011)

This is depressing news.

If this really is the new trend in MMOs then I may just stop playing 'em all together.
I mean, one of the joys of an MMO is to completely lose yourself in it. To become a completely different person.

I remember the first time I used voice chat, and really it felt like the death of my character because he was nolonger who he was: he was now me.

Like his whole persona was gone, and replaced with my own, and he could never get his old persona back.

Using my own voice caused the game to become too real for my liking and I eventually quit it.


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## Syndacus (Aug 9, 2011)

Voice chat is useful in raids where having to talk to multiple users while performing keyboard actions. Never thought I go without it.


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## erasercrumbs (Dec 17, 2009)

David777 said:


> This is depressing news.
> 
> If this really is the new trend in MMOs then I may just stop playing 'em all together.
> I mean, one of the joys of an MMO is to completely lose yourself in it. To become a completely different person.
> ...


I feel your pain. I'm one of those weirdos that actually enjoys _role-playing in role-playing games_. And there's no clearer way to diminish the legitimacy of my boorish Dwarven beserker than to hear him talking through my ridiculous Okie accent.


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## King Moonracer (Oct 12, 2010)

I love talking **** on call of duty. I used to be scared, but i am now completely desensitized. 

On WoW its usually just a bunch of retards on so i dont really care. 

LF heals ICC 25 pst gs & spec. VENTRILO IS A MUST!!!


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## Warpedsanity (Sep 12, 2011)

I'm pretty used to ventrilo now since I've been raiding in wow for a long time, I just rarely speak lol


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## Diacetylmorphine (Mar 9, 2011)

I found it useful back when I used to raid.
I rarely spoke though, and I type fast so I was able to respond fairly quick in text.
I healed and was never in a position of power so I just took orders from the GM.


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## atypicalpersona (Feb 22, 2008)

I've used it in raids in EQ2 and AoC but I've never viewed it as something necessary to complete the content. Usually just ends up with people stating things that are obvious. If you have a raid of people who are alert and know how to play their classes and you talk things out ahead of time then you shouldn't need people yelling over vent that the mob is at 50% health or adds are incoming.


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## David777 (Feb 6, 2011)

erasercrumbs said:


> I feel your pain. I'm one of those weirdos that actually enjoys _role-playing in role-playing games_. And there's no clearer way to diminish the legitimacy of my boorish Dwarven beserker than to hear him talking through my ridiculous Okie accent.


*Gives erasercrumbs the secret "weirdos-that-actually-enjoy-roleplaying-in-a-roleplaying-game" handshake.* :b

Nice to know someone else enjoys rping besides myself!


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## low (Sep 27, 2009)

OneIsALonelyNumber said:


> Voice chat was regarded as "essential" in the last two MMORPGs I played. In your opinion, will voice chat be essential in all MMORPGs going forward? Will players without voice chat be refused entry into clans or groups?
> 
> I hate voice chat. I hate the sound of my voice. I can't see myself playing a MMORPG for very long if voice chat is "essential".
> 
> Another reason I dislike voice chat is because when I'm on the computer I like to have the radio on. Can't do that when you've got voice chat.


If you mean in game voice chat, I don't think so because people will always prefer specific voice programmes. Also you need to be logged in the game to their own programme obviously, so multi game guilds, friends that like to stay in touch will have a hard time there.

If you mean voice chat generally, yes. So far as being better at a given group game at least. If you can talk and keep your hands free for moving around etc then you can play the game better. If you have to deal with people who basically aren't very good then sometimes they need direction, well a lot of the time actually. Some people literally need to be told to move out of fire etc. Sometimes unexpected things/RNG happens and you simply can't type out fast enough, quickly re-coordinating over voice chat is a save sometimes. Some games have complex boss fights/strategies, or several different approaches so at least for the first time trying a new boss, even when people have done the right thing and watched videos, learnt the fight a fair amount of explanation is still needed and again it's simply easier to talk rather than type out lists.

To add: I raid leaded for 2 - 3 years. You notice the difference when you have to type. I still don't like talking, I'm glad I don't have to much these days.


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## Warpedsanity (Sep 12, 2011)

^^ Totally agree. I raided in wow for a long time, now I just do casual raiding here and there. I never did have to say hardly anything just as long as I used ventrilo and was able to comprehend anything strategy wise.


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## watashi (Feb 6, 2008)

I'd hate to use voice chat, it's kind of like talking to strangers on the phone, which is a very anxious situation for me. I also don't like my voice and I'd probably be the only female in the group. Fortunately for myself, I prefer the solo gameplay. Sometimes I join a random group, but if they insisted on using voice chat, I wouldn't join.


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## erasercrumbs (Dec 17, 2009)

David777 said:


> Nice to know someone else enjoys rping besides myself!


I've been known to gorge myself on hardcore role-playing nerdery. And by that I mean, I'm a D&D geek. Now I must flee, before I succumb to the inevitable wedgies that accompany such a declaration.

*throws down a layer of 4-sided dice as caltrops before succeeding on a Reflex save and leaping out the window*


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## Joe (May 18, 2010)

Also this thread was started in 2006, so the future is now  But Id hate talking over the mic to people for a raid aswell.


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## Propaganda (Oct 26, 2010)

Yeah, me too, I really dislike speaking over vent/ts, especially when I was in 40 man raids. I mostly only became verbal when I was playing rather intoxicated, my RL friends would call me out on my drunkeness and laugh, but it was cool 'cause I laughing too.

Now, I am really looking forward to voice chat in Diablo 3 with my RL friends considering I am a few hundred miles away.


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## Warpedsanity (Sep 12, 2011)

Yea I'm looking forward to Diablo 3 as well. Need a SAS diablo group hehe


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## Bethy (Jun 23, 2011)

pancakepowder said:


> yeah i dont like using the mic because i dont want people to know im a girl, which is dumb


Ditto


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