Probably because they are doing what I'm doing. I'm not typing. I'm talking with friends in skype, C3, Teamspeak, Ventrillo etc etc while playing. Don't need to talk to strangers to enjoy the game.

Also, I talk with guildies in vent.

I do say things to people in say or whisper them when they ask for help or say something important enough for a response. but that's mostly what people are doing. This isn't the year 1998 or something where everyone types for everything anymore.

Originally posted by itgrowls

Probably because they are doing what I'm doing. I'm not typing. I'm talking with friends in skype, C3, Teamspeak, Ventrillo etc etc while playing. Don't need to talk to strangers to enjoy the game.

Also, I talk with guildies in vent.

I do say things to people in say or whisper them when they ask for help or say something important enough for a response. but that's mostly what people are doing. This isn't the year 1998 or something where everyone types for everything anymore.

i've been using voice comms in Eve for quite a few years now, its faster than typing for most, and a lot easier. maybe it is time that games integrated voice comms into group formations, a ts3 or vent client for instance, is free, but it costs money to have a server to use it on, which is why its normally restricted to guild/corp members only.  besides, in a game like gw2 where players just don't have the time or ability to type things while fighting etc, voice comms are possibly the only realistic alternative. perhaps whats needed is to do away with local text chat, and instead have local voice chat.

for those who feel uncomfortable with guys playing girl toons though, this might be something of a shock.

Not here, chat is active on every map on our server (Gandara), not only active but helpful as well (calling out event / orichalcum locations in Orr etc).  Guess it must be the server community.

I had the opposite concern, as I generally chat in guild or party chat, I figured map chat would be obnoxious as it is in other games and I'd want to turn it off. So far it's been active and while people may bicker occasionally, more good than bad comes of it and I've never had the vomit inducing feeling other games chats have given me or any urge to turn it off.

I agree. Yesterday I played with an alt, was in a large city, searching something and couldn't find it. Noone was talking at all, but I asked anyway. I didn't get any reply. So I tried asking both in english and in german: still no reply. Pffff...

I think that it's the result of MMORPGs being mostly single player games these days.

For example, back in the days of World of Warcraft, before the dungeon finder and meeting stones, people searched in the main cities for other players who'd want to join on a trip to those dungeons. Then you'd meet up with them, and travel there together. Now THAT's a multiplayer game. If not enough people were on, you just listed everyone of about the right level, and asked them directly. Today? Dungeon finder. No communication needed.

Gah...

Also the same as questing. In the early games, the quest givers said "walk east from here, to the hill of somethingsomething that looks like a huge sleeping bear. Then, turn west, and continue until you will find the pine woods. Find the lost well in the woods, and discover it's mysteries". Something like that. And people thought, looked at the map, pondered, tried to find it, maybe failed, asked in the chat, met other people who were searching too, teamed up with them. Now that the game tells you exactly with arrows and markers where to walk, all that is not necessary anymore.

Originally posted by xpiher
People chat all the time and I play 4am EST - 10AM EST. It just depends on where you are. 

No, it doesn't matter where some of these guys are.  They are just looking for a way to keep filling up the forums with empty complaints.  In one hand they will say that GW2 doesn't bring any new features or invovation to the genre (i'm not saying it does, but they like to remind us that it doesn't).  Then on the other hand they will complain becuase it has the same features and social aspects of other mmos and pretty much the same chat set up, yet they say GW2 and it's player base are uniquely the only players and game to be anti-social. 

Most of us who actually play the game see the chat channles filled with idle banter, game discussions, and some Q and A.  So why do these select few mysteriously don't?  The only thing I find odd about chat is the actual lack of WoW conversations.  There is usually one tool in most mmos that can't resist trying to start a WoW conversation.  I'm starting to wonder if that's what some of these guys are doing and being surpirsed that no one wants to oblige them. 

Originally posted by west715
I too play GW2 and it seems no one talks in chat or even in my guild chat.....I think everyone just doing mad dash to lvl 80.

Not my experience, and I play on a EU server where in most games the chat is pretty quiet (or outright hostile). On Far Shiverpeaks the chat is lively most of the timeand usually pretty civilised. I have in fact been extremely impressed by the community where I am.

Maybe it is just your server? We know that different ones grow different cultures in these games.

Anf your guild? well, if noone is talking in channel (and they are not even in TS or whatever), dump it. There are better ones out there.

Originally posted by Phry

Originally posted by RizelStar

Originally posted by compoundcut

Originally posted by Leethe
Honestly? Theere just isn't time between ressing, running, healing, buffing and laying down combo fields. For a game that has no community I sure get a lot of thankyous when I save some guys bacon. During some of the DEs tonight, when a boss spawned, a player turned to me and said "We doin this?" and I was like  "Hell yeah!" and that was it. Nothing else needed to be said because we were were back to back all the way to the end. I seem to spend more time playing like I'm on a team than I do looking or sounding like I am. 

This ^

 

This as well lol

so if you were replaced by a bot.. would anyone notice ?

button mashing does not equate to social interraction..  maybe games do need more voice comms integrated into them

Actually it's funny you mention bots.

I occasionally come across a naked player with a sword just standing there. During a DE they get stomped and sometimes resed but once they're up players can see its just a bot and we then go out of our way to kite mobs toward them and watch them go down. So to answer your very dodgy question: Yes, if I was replaced with a bot everyone would notice.

Originally posted by Phry

Originally posted by RizelStar

Originally posted by compoundcut

Originally posted by Leethe
Honestly? Theere just isn't time between ressing, running, healing, buffing and laying down combo fields. For a game that has no community I sure get a lot of thankyous when I save some guys bacon. During some of the DEs tonight, when a boss spawned, a player turned to me and said "We doin this?" and I was like  "Hell yeah!" and that was it. Nothing else needed to be said because we were were back to back all the way to the end. I seem to spend more time playing like I'm on a team than I do looking or sounding like I am. 

This ^

 

This as well lol

so if you were replaced by a bot.. would anyone notice ?

button mashing does not equate to social interraction..  maybe games do need more voice comms integrated into them

Your making my allergies come back up, would you like to know what I'm allergic to?

There's large chunk of people who use voice-chat while gaming with RL buddies (who may or may not be in the game with them) so the Chat Box is superfluous.

I honestly think people are having so much fun levelling that there isn't much time to type out a conversation.

The game is friendly though, with lots of greets from other players as they pass by.  What I really like is that players are always keen to revive other players, even if it puts them under attack as they do so. I think that bodes well for the future, and when the frantic levelling eases up I think the chat will come.

Originally posted by spizz
Anyone else has the expirience that almost nobody is using the chat for social interaction ? Seriously......I had similar expirience in cheap f2p games some years ago but wonder why this is the case in GW2 currently. Is this a result of an too easy themepark or what is the reason ?

just a thought though ..people have skype(which i use) ,teamspeak ,ventrilo..most will be using those i would think

Originally posted by spizz
Anyone else has the expirience that almost nobody is using the chat for social interaction ? Seriously......I had similar expirience in cheap f2p games some years ago but wonder why this is the case in GW2 currently. Is this a result of an too easy themepark or what is the reason ?

Try using speech bubbles... anyone using them is a rare occasion. Most people just spam in chat channels.

Originally posted by spizz
Anyone else has the expirience that almost nobody is using the chat for social interaction ? Seriously......I had similar expirience in cheap f2p games some years ago but wonder why this is the case in GW2 currently. Is this a result of an too easy themepark or what is the reason ?

IMO, chatting in most MMOGs is what most players resort to in order to relieve the boredom of waiting for groups, raids, or to have something to do in boring positional, rote holy trinity fights. There is no boredom in GW2.  From the moment you log in to the moment you exit you can experience engaging activity and action-packed fun.  I don't play MMOGs to chat; chatting in MMOGs is what I do when the game is failing to hold my attention and provide an enjoyable experience.  I have my chat box set to guild only - I certainly don't have the time to read what everyone in the game is saying.

When a movie is boring and predictable, those watching it often start chatting with each other; when the movie is totally engrossing, nobody is saying a word. GW2 is like the latter.  When I'm logged into GW2, I'm totally engrossed in the show.

Originally posted by kevjards

just a thought though ..people have skype(which i use) ,teamspeak ,ventrilo..most will be using those i would think

There were a couple people in map chat looking for others to join their dungeon group.  They also said, they REQUIRED you to be on SKYPE with them in this group.

One of many dumb things I've read in map chat.

Originally posted by StanlyStanko
Bring up politics or religion for a quick fix on that!

LOL thats the reason I turn off main chat in every MMO when I first login.

There is no lacking of chat for me in my guild chat and even on the VoIP. People nowadays prefer to listen than type. Not to mention in a system that you have to pay attention while fighting, it is not easy to type and do stuff at the same time.

Originally posted by Kuinn

Originally posted by bingbongbros

it's because you never have to group with anyone to do anything at anytime ever.  Everyone gets credit for just running around bashing things during hearts and events so why would you ever chat?

 

I never chat to anyone in gw2. Doesn't help me gain anything so it's unnecessary.

 

And how does chatting help you in other games? I've played a ton of mmorgs and usually people talk only when in dungeon and only at boss for strategies. Keep yapping in chat for most of the time in a dungeon to make sure you get booted for not being active in combat lol.

 

Oh I do chat with people too, in /g and when I'm idling or doing something unimportant that requires only a bit concentration. This usually amplifies greatly after getting at least one char to max level and exploring most of the maps and content. I dont buy mmorpgs to chat all day long on the first few weeks.

Well, I have made some real, lasting, serious friendships, which has been nice. I am still really good friends and have met several people many time who live in Europe (I am in the US) from EQ and WoW. Socializing *can* be fun, but it is hard to even get my damn guild to talk in this game, even in the cities during peak time.

Don't get me wrong, I love this game, and I like it for what it is--a game I am duoing with my wife. This game, to me, has more the feel of some LAN game I am playing with her than a serious MMORPG, just because it is so quiet and no one really socializes.

Originally posted by Furrballs
They're probably afraid of being censored or permabanned for saying something mildly profane lol

whatever you do dont say "poopie" or "frack"

Originally posted by Leethe
Honestly? Theere just isn't time between ressing, running, healing, buffing and laying down combo fields. For a game that has no community I sure get a lot of thankyous when I save some guys bacon. During some of the DEs tonight, when a boss spawned, a player turned to me and said "We doin this?" and I was like  "Hell yeah!" and that was it. Nothing else needed to be said because we were were back to back all the way to the end. I seem to spend more time playing like I'm on a team than I do looking or sounding like I am. 

This. The very definition of social interaction in GW2. I think people seem to think social interaction is just talking. If we shake hands we just interacted socially. If we make eye contact and make a 'silent contract' to go in and kill this boss, we interacted socially.

Originally posted by Leethe
Honestly? Theere just isn't time between ressing, running, healing, buffing and laying down combo fields. For a game that has no community I sure get a lot of thankyous when I save some guys bacon. During some of the DEs tonight, when a boss spawned, a player turned to me and said "We doin this?" and I was like  "Hell yeah!" and that was it. Nothing else needed to be said because we were were back to back all the way to the end. I seem to spend more time playing like I'm on a team than I do looking or sounding like I am. 

In older MMOs that were designed around the concept of a social community that actually acts like one instead of a bunch of "soloers in a group", you had everything that you decribed above and a sense of being among people with actual personalities and interesting or funny things to say... great conversations, etc.

You got to enjoy both. They weren't mutually exclusive.

If someone has never played the older MMOs and actually experienced first-hand what a real and actively social community is, they will never understand that.

Of course, the industry has been heading this way for years now, since WoW broke on to the scene and started catering to the "solo-friendly 'til end-game" mentality. Players pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed for more and more soloable content, considering anything where they had to - heaven forbid - cooperate with someone else to be "forced grouping", as though it was some kind of evil thing to actually work as part of a team instead of a lone wolf.

And please don't come back with the typical hyperbolic answer of, "well I don't have time to stand around for 5 hours a night looking for a group". I never had to, either and I grouped almost exclusively in older MMOs. If you had to spend that much time waiting to get into a group, then you either were putting zero effort into it, waiting for the group to come to you. Or, you had a shitty attitude, sucked to group with, your reputation got around and no one wanted to group with you.

A benefit of real server communities in older MMOs is that your reputation actually meant something - nowadays you'd be lucky if anyone outside your guild or, hell, even in your guild knew of you at all.

MMOs have been going toward catering to the "me, me, me.. it's all about me" generation. GW2 is simply continuing that trend. Anyone who knows what true community is in a MMORPG knows that the idea of "public events" or "public quests" or what-have-you (just like in WAR and Rift) are not actual community activities. It's like this cheesy con-job being played by the developers to sorta give the impression of there being "group activity" without actually having it.

"Oh look! I'm doing stuff among a bunch of other players! This must be what a server community is!" No. Not even close. A bunch of soloers running around in the same area doing the same thing is not group content. Especially when, as I'm seeing mentioned more and more over time about GW2, hardly anyone's even so much as communicating at all.