Voice Chat system (kind of like Teamspeak or Ventrilo) would be very helpful and useful thing in Hero’s Journey such as it is in the upcoming game Dungeon’s and Dragon’s. It would be useful in my opinion because there will be a lot of grouping (not saying that there won’t be any soloing) in which you could use that to come up with strategies etc… and you would not need to type which would save a lot of time. Why not use Teamspeak or Ventrilo? You will not always be in a group with your friends who know the IP address for your server, and it would be a very annoying and time consuming giving it out every time you’re in a new group. What do you guys think about this?

What I don't think you understand, is that a lot of us here, are more focused on roleplaying. Voice chat would pretty much ruin that. I could see voice chat on a PVP server, but on an RP server it is very out of place.

Besides that, those of us who roleplay most likely have a typing speed of about 50wpm or more (I'm at 70 from all that DR) so typing really isn't that much of an issue. I know there are those who still look at the keyboard (my boyfriend does for example) but if I look at the keyboard it really screws me up. It messes up my spelling really bad. Sure my 70 wpm has a few mistakes here or there, but that backspace key is helpful.

I really think a voice chat would never work for HJ, and especially not for most of Simu's current or previous customers. If you really want one, USE one of those programs for it.

On a slightly different topic, I really hope you can't just message anyone anytime either. I LOVE the way it is in DR, where you HAVE TO BE NEAR THEM (same room!) to talk to them or whisper. Unless you like to yell (then you get about two rooms out, right?). The gweths are really nice too, and a great option because if you hate them, DONT WEAR EM!

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx

What I don't think you understand, is that a lot of us here, are more focused on roleplaying. Voice chat would pretty much ruin that. I could see voice chat on a PVP server, but on an RP server it is very out of place.

Besides that, those of us who roleplay most likely have a typing speed of about 50wpm or more (I'm at 70 from all that DR) so typing really isn't that much of an issue. I know there are those who still look at the keyboard (my boyfriend does for example) but if I look at the keyboard it really screws me up. It messes up my spelling really bad. Sure my 70 wpm has a few mistakes here or there, but that backspace key is helpful.

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 Hmm it seems to me that you do not think that there is any strategy involved in RP servers and that there is only strategy in PVP servers. I disagree, i think that there is strategy involved, in what to kill first, any natural enviorment that can be used, who attacks first etc... I do agree that many people who have played roleplaying games before do know how to type fast with little no few mistakes, but word of mouth is still faster. Speed isnt everything either, it is a lot harder to show your tone towards a subject in writing because you would need a lot more words to describe your attitude (for example a joke and having a good time). Again... This is just my oppinions and hopefully ill see what everyone else thinks through this poll, and maybe a brief explanation in a post?!?

I would like to know where I said there was no strategy involved.

Although I know what kind of strategy I'll use. (soloing! yay!)

It's NOT hard to express yourself with words. Besides if you don't know how someone will respond to a joke and you're worrying about it, most likely, THE JOKE SHOULD BE KEPT TO YOURSELF.

Maybe the group should discuss strategy before they go to the fight, or discuss it during the walk. Anyway, whenever I've been in a real fight, nothing besides me and the person fighting was even really there. It was oblivious. (man do I miss those little fist fights)

I know I seem to be getting on you for everything you say, but I think part of it is because you remind me of my ex boyfriend who was absolutely the worst person in the whole world to me, and he did some PRETTY bad stuff. So that's just kinda coming out.

And I'm not one to watch what I say because of someone else. Unless it's someone I really care a lot about.

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx

I would like to know where I said there was no strategy involved.

Although I know what kind of strategy I'll use. (soloing! yay!)

It's NOT hard to express yourself with words. Besides if you don't know how someone will respond to a joke and you're worrying about it, most likely, THE JOKE SHOULD BE KEPT TO YOURSELF.

Maybe the group should discuss strategy before they go to the fight, or discuss it during the walk. Anyway, whenever I've been in a real fight, nothing besides me and the person fighting was even really there. It was oblivious. (man do I miss those little fist fights)

I know I seem to be getting on you for everything you say, but I think part of it is because you remind me of my ex boyfriend who was absolutely the worst person in the whole world to me, and he did some PRETTY bad stuff. So that's just kinda coming out.

And I'm not one to watch what I say because of someone else. Unless it's someone I really care a lot about.

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   I think that voice would be a great addition to the game. I'm not a very good roleplayer, and I know it might present a few problems if you wanted to pose or something, but I also know that it makes getting your point across. I have a tendancy to say sarcastic things, and it doesn't work at all in text.

   Now, the only game that I've played that had voice chat was Phantasy Star Online for the Xbox(I know it's not a MMORPG, but your have groups in it as well.) and the voice chat made things a lot easier. IF someone is new it makes it easier to explain stuff to them, for one. Also, I think it might cut down on dudes playing chicks, which kind of bothers me. Monster Hunter for the PS2 is similar to PSO, but it doesn't have voice chat. I've played both and I gotta say: It was much more fun using voice chat. In fact, it was one of the main reasons that I played PSO. It made it more fun to not have to stop what you were doing(Hard to do when fighting a boss or large group of enemies.) so that you could get a message. For instance: You're grouping with someone who hasn't fought these enemies before(Either new or maybe they've just not been to this particular area before.) and they start throwing fire at a boss. Well, it's resistant to fire, but it's really weak against lightning. This way you could get the message across without stopping, even breifly, the fight with the boss.

   Like I said, it might present some problems to serious RPers, but I feel that these could easily be worked through by the players or addressed by the staff.

   So, in conclusion, I'm all for the addition of voice.

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Originally posted by Kuzzle

   I think that voice would be a great addition to the game. I'm not a very good roleplayer, and I know it might present a few problems if you wanted to pose or something, but I also know that it makes getting your point across. I have a tendancy to say sarcastic things, and it doesn't work at all in text.

   Now, the only game that I've played that had voice chat was Phantasy Star Online for the Xbox(I know it's not a MMORPG, but your have groups in it as well.) and the voice chat made things a lot easier. IF someone is new it makes it easier to explain stuff to them, for one. Also, I think it might cut down on dudes playing chicks, which kind of bothers me. Monster Hunter for the PS2 is similar to PSO, but it doesn't have voice chat. I've played both and I gotta say: It was much more fun using voice chat. In fact, it was one of the main reasons that I played PSO. It made it more fun to not have to stop what you were doing(Hard to do when fighting a boss or large group of enemies.) so that you could get a message. For instance: You're grouping with someone who hasn't fought these enemies before(Either new or maybe they've just not been to this particular area before.) and they start throwing fire at a boss. Well, it's resistant to fire, but it's really weak against lightning. This way you could get the message across without stopping, even breifly, the fight with the boss.

   Like I said, it might present some problems to serious RPers, but I feel that these could easily be worked through by the players or addressed by the staff.

   So, in conclusion, I'm all for the addition of voice.

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(Quoted from the other VoIP thread)

As one who has played Gemstone for almost 10 years, as well as World of Warcraft over the last year, I am convinced that built in VoIP would be detrimental to the immersiveness that most of us are yearning for in Hero's Journey.

I currently run a 100 person Ventrilo server for my WoW guild on an RP server. Since we all got on Vent I've seen less and less discussions taking place in game, thus leaving any Ventless individuals out of the loop! Often times, Ventrilo discussions deviate from the game to "real life." While that is fine, I do not want to be forced to listen to the latest gab about world politics while I am attempting to slay a foul beast.

Spend a few dollars and purchase a Ventrilo or Teamspeak server if you'd like to talk to your friends. Simutronics has more important things to deal with than managing VoIP servers.

Frozz

Voice chat doesn't just hurt RP. It doesn't just hinder RP. Voice chat crushes RP.

D&DO has voice chat because it's a fast-paced action game. If anyone wants voice chat in HJ, that's fine with me, but I will not join their guilds.

I've been looking a long time for an MMORPG with the amount of roleplaying you can only find in an MUD, and this looks like it. Voice chat would ruin that.

Coming from MUD's, I don't think Simutronics is going to even consider voice chat.

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Originally posted by bjornieus

You said that in PvP servers Voice Chat would be a useful thing to have! What i meant was that why is it useful in PvP and not in RP? You must think that there are some times when combat does not end in pvp for a while, and you need to come up with new strategy's all the time. Well your correct, but that happens in RP a lot aswell, and when your in combat you cannot stop and write some kind of new strategy to your group. This is were you said there was no strategy involved in an indirect way. I think that even though you might be an experience gamer, as you said "Although i know what kind of startegy I"ll use. (soloing! yay!)" you lack group knowledge. If you had more experience in grouping you would know that it is easier to orginize a group through a Voice Chat System. The advantage in hearing someone is that you will hear them while in writing you might overlook it and do something that might cause the death of your party. It is very hard to express yourself in word, for example exaggeration while in speaking you can use an exaggerating tone to get your point across, in writing you have to use confusing trick on words. Looking at that statment that you wrote (about expressing yourself) it seems like you do not know what your talking and you do not back it up with any information at all. Maybe groups should discuss strategy before fights but that is not always possible as i explained before. (I dont know what games you played but ive played SWG, CoH, CoV, GW, EvE Online, Horizons, EQII, WoW, and DDO Beta and voice chat really makes a difference). Oh and about your "ex-boyfriend" we do not need to hear any of your personal life, or your problems with him or what he did. This is a post about suggestions for Hero's Journey not about your ex and like you said about that joke thing...( that you obviously did not understand) "SHOULD BE KEPT TO YOURSELF." I only thought that this would be a good improvment to the game (not a priority) and if you do not like it you can just turn it off in the options panel, simple as that. No reason to get angry at me.

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Now, it's quite obvious you read too fast for your level. (In other words RE READ WHAT I WROTE)

I never once said it was useful in a PVP server, I SAID IT HAS NO PLACE IN AN RP SERVER. Please take your time carefully reading this, because if you don't listen to what I say, there is no hope for you. Now the assumption that I have no experience with groups, well that's a big gigantic assumption as well. I was one of the best Elvaan WHMs in FFXI, and that's a pretty big statement even from myself. I ran into a lot of "Oh she won't be good, she's Elvaan" but once they partied with me, it was more like "Wow, when will you be on next?" even at levels where it was HARD for whms to get parties. (Of course I ended up quitting at level 56 or so.. but there were multiple reasons for that) I just PREFER to solo because:
a.) I find it a lot more fun
b.) All the wealth is mine!!
c.) I get to make all my own decisions (which will sometimes lead to death and boy is death fun! But people don't understand the FUN side to death)
d.) I can commit suicide if I WANT to.
e.) If something in real life comes up (and here it is likely to) I don't have to explain why I'm leaving.
f.) That looks like enough reasons.

People who worry about death, need to try a game with Perma-Death and THEN they can worry. (God I hope HJ has perma death) It makes it a lot more fun, and then when you decide to go to level 1000348985 x higher level Warklins (Yes, I know they're 60+) for a suicide mission, for FUN.. well I guess I'm weird.

When was the last time you played a game that took intelligence instead of hackn'slashfunforall. A game where you had to think for yourself..

And quite honestly, I'm not mad at you, I have no reasons to be mad at you, (and it's obvious you find my disagreeing offensive).. but seriously. I'm hoping that Simu is on the Roleplayers side in this game (and I'm not saying abandon the non-rper) because roleplaying is what's really going to make HJ the best game ever. And things that are very non-RP will help ruin that.

Besides, why would they avoid using numbers for HP and such, if they're just going to ruin the environment they're working so hard to create, to throw in a voice chat. It reminds me of when my boyfriend was playing UT, and this little kid was in the server and everyone was getting pissed because he was just saying random stuff with his mic. (We both thought it was funny, but most people have horrible senses of humor)

Bajajaj, and as far as me keeping things to myself because it's off topic, staying on topic isn't really a huge priority of mine. It doesn't matter what the topic is, what REALLY matters is the discussion.

bajajaja. I seem so angry in that post.

I just want to say,

I highly doubt they will EVER put voice chat into HJ. And good.

Also,

When I said you read too fast for your level, I don't think you're stupid, but that you read more like I do when I have very little time, where you skim, and think you got everything but really missed the whole point.

1) I did read your post thoroughly and i said it was in an indirect way/may of missunderstood it.

2) "a.) I find it a lot more fun
b.) All the wealth is mine!!
c.) I get to make all my own decisions (which will sometimes lead to death and boy is death fun! But people don't understand the FUN side to death)
d.) I can commit suicide if I WANT to.
e.) If something in real life comes up (and here it is likely to) I don't have to explain why I'm leaving.
f.) That looks like enough reasons." Thats kool with me i dont care!

3) "People who worry about death, need to try a game with Perma-Death and THEN they can worry." I need would like to know where i said i WORRIED about death... Perma-Death - Kind of like SWG where you grinded for months to get jedi and then if you got killed 3 times you got perma-death and need to start all over again (Pre-Pub 9 i believe).

4)  Hmm i do not know what games you consider "where you had to think for yourself.." but in the last 2months ive played CoH, CoV, DDO Beta, Swg. Past couple years - SWG, EQ2, WoW, Horizons, GW, EvE online, and i think thats about it.

5) "I'm hoping that Simu is on the Roleplayers side in this game (and I'm not saying abandon the non-rper) because roleplaying is what's really going to make HJ the best game ever. And things that are very non-RP will help ruin that." I agree i just dont thing that Voice Chat will ruin that.

6) "Besides, why would they avoid using numbers for HP and such, if they're just going to ruin the environment they're working so hard to create, to throw in a voice chat. It reminds me of when my boyfriend was playing UT, and this little kid was in the server and everyone was getting pissed because he was just saying random stuff with his mic. (We both thought it was funny, but most people have horrible senses of humor)" - Im sure this does happen but there is a new kind of technology called "MUTE" which allows you to not heard that person speaking.

7) "Bajajaj, and as far as me keeping things to myself because it's off topic, staying on topic isn't really a huge priority of mine. It doesn't matter what the topic is, what REALLY matters is the discussion." Yes what really matter is the discussion wheather or not Voice Chat is good. Not about your personal life, please explain to me why its so improtant to compare me to your ex how does that help your argument? I honestly think that its just rude i wouldnt compare you to some drug adicted (for example), just for the heck of it! If you cant stay on topic please do not talk!

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Originally posted by Shroom_Mage

Voice chat doesn't just hurt RP. It doesn't just hinder RP. Voice chat crushes RP.

D&DO has voice chat because it's a fast-paced action game. If anyone wants voice chat in HJ, that's fine with me, but I will not join their guilds.

I've been looking a long time for an MMORPG with the amount of roleplaying you can only find in an MUD, and this looks like it. Voice chat would ruin that.

Coming from MUD's, I don't think Simutronics is going to even consider voice chat.

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Ah so Hero's Journey is lnot a  fast-paced action game. Guesse i got the wrong impression. Hmm i would joina guild by their personnality, humor and kindness, not if they have voice chat or not but thats just me.

*** Oh and again just to make this clear... i do NOT think this should be a first priority and that they should create the game as well as they can. But i thought that it might be a good adition in the couple months to come after its realease

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Originally posted by bjornieus

1) I did read your post thoroughly and i said it was in an indirect way/may of missunderstood it.

2) "a.) I find it a lot more fun
b.) All the wealth is mine!!
c.) I get to make all my own decisions (which will sometimes lead to death and boy is death fun! But people don't understand the FUN side to death)
d.) I can commit suicide if I WANT to.
e.) If something in real life comes up (and here it is likely to) I don't have to explain why I'm leaving.
f.) That looks like enough reasons." Thats kool with me i dont care!

3) "People who worry about death, need to try a game with Perma-Death and THEN they can worry." I need would like to know where i said i WORRIED about death... Perma-Death - Kind of like SWG where you grinded for months to get jedi and then if you got killed 3 times you got perma-death and need to start all over again (Pre-Pub 9 i believe).

4)  Hmm i do not know what games you consider "where you had to think for yourself.." but in the last 2months ive played CoH, CoV, DDO Beta, Swg. Past couple years - SWG, EQ2, WoW, Horizons, GW, EvE online, and i think thats about it.

5) "I'm hoping that Simu is on the Roleplayers side in this game (and I'm not saying abandon the non-rper) because roleplaying is what's really going to make HJ the best game ever. And things that are very non-RP will help ruin that." I agree i just dont thing that Voice Chat will ruin that.

6) "Besides, why would they avoid using numbers for HP and such, if they're just going to ruin the environment they're working so hard to create, to throw in a voice chat. It reminds me of when my boyfriend was playing UT, and this little kid was in the server and everyone was getting pissed because he was just saying random stuff with his mic. (We both thought it was funny, but most people have horrible senses of humor)" - Im sure this does happen but there is a new kind of technology called "MUTE" which allows you to not heard that person speaking.

7) "Bajajaj, and as far as me keeping things to myself because it's off topic, staying on topic isn't really a huge priority of mine. It doesn't matter what the topic is, what REALLY matters is the discussion." Yes what really matter is the discussion wheather or not Voice Chat is good. Not about your personal life, please explain to me why its so improtant to compare me to your ex how does that help your argument? I honestly think that its just rude i wouldnt compare you to some drug adicted (for example), just for the heck of it! If you cant stay on topic please do not talk!

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I am not going to go over all of this, because at the moment I AM CRAMPING AND IT HURTS TOO MUCH. Yuck. (okay I lied it took me about two or three minutes to type all of that and it wasn't too bad)

so please note, I did not say you were worried about death, I said people. Games where you think for yourself usually are strategy or puzzle games, things that test your intelligence, or just plain NEED intelligence to do them.. (Like those web games that have been all the rage lately, usually you have to figure out how to get to the next level with a picture or a saying)

Voice chat would DEFINITELY ruin rp. It would destroy the entire atmosphere. Lets pretend I wanted to make a male character. I wanted to make him strong and buff! But then I talk in voice chat and I have some girly voice. It would completely ruin him. Or if I was going to make an old woman, but then my voice is young and girly. Voice chat has no place with roleplaying.

If there is a mute option but you are partying with people who are using voice chat, it basically leaves you out of the speak. What if someone is deaf? How are they supposed to play? (Too bad we can't do anything for the blind)

and last but not least, my life is very important to me, and if I feel like giving out a bit of information about it, then I shall do so. I don't have anything to hide and there is no point in me changing who I am to please everyone else. The only thing that would come from me changing myself would be that I would become withdrawn and depressed. And quite honestly I would rather be quirky and blunt. And random. And um. not in pain. (grr!)

Because being a girl just sucks every month.

I only have one more thing to say, and we can consider it buried. (well okay maybe two)

On the HJ forums, Zee mentioned that it would be cool if you could change how your voice sounded. Which if you could, I would be much more for it.

However, if they did put it in, there is no way to control what is said on it. They couldn't have GMs listening all the time and it could not be monitored. That makes any problems between people impossible to solve. If they have some text they can go through, that makes a gigantic difference. So basically putting voice chat in, would be making a customer service GM's job EXTREMELY HARD.

I think there are enough tools out there on the internet so that if players wanted to have Voice Chat with other players, they could easily do so. Plus, I really don't think the player base would be too happy if Simutronics were to delay Hero's Journey for 3 months (or however long) to develop embedded voice chat options directly in the game.

Voice Chat. It does make certain aspects of the game easier. But it is not necessary for game play

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Originally posted by HJ-Rowell

I think there are enough tools out there on the internet so that if players wanted to have Voice Chat with other players, they could easily do so. Plus, I really don't think the player base would be too happy if Simutronics were to delay Hero's Journey for 3 months (or however long) to develop embedded voice chat options directly in the game.

Voice Chat. It does make certain aspects of the game easier. But it is not necessary for game play

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To expand on Rowell's comments more. Voice chat is also dangerously hard to imbed into a game without causing serious lag and system resource issues. Planetside tried it, and it went largely unused. BF2 also has it, but it has a lot of restrictions in place to lower lag/resource issues. Server side lag is always a big concern with any game, and I think players would rather see a focus on keeping that down then adding a voice system. External voice tools like Ventrilo and Teamspeak already do a great job of providing voice service for gamers, and with how good broadband has gotten. It's very easy to host a server now that a lot of people can connect to.

GM Illuminatis
World Builder
Hero's Journey

What the previous person meant by D&D being fast paced combat, is thats it something akin to twitch-based combat. You click to attack in quite a way UNLIKE what HJ will be.

That said, I will -not- join a group or a guild that uses voice chat. period.

I did, infact, belong to one for a long time that had a voice chat up almost 24/7. 90% of the people used it. That 10% were really great people that left because they were completely left. out.

Last night I was in a DDO group with 4 out of the 6 people using the built in voice chat. Myself and another were not. We were COMPLETELY ignored, for the most part, until someone happened to notice their chat window. It even got the point where we didn't even know where the rest of the group was, and they didn't even wait for us before completely a quest and screwing the other person and me out of quite a bit of XP and loot.

its unfortunate, but it happens quite often. The people in my example were even people i've grouped with before that this didn't happen a whole lot with. The problem was, they got on a subject and started just talking and playing. They completely forgot about us, and that we couldn't talk.

Voice chat in DDO was THE worst design decision made in the game. Sure its useful in tactical situations when you can't type (typically for PVP because you can't always plan tactics beforehand) but thats when EVERYONE has it. That one person that doesn't is going to be completely alienated.

And for RP, i will definently stick to typing. I don't do RP over voice. It kills it for me, it really does. And I can express more with the typed word, then I can with just my voice. You may think its difficult, but its really not that hard. Its also why books are SO much better then movies and tv. You can express much, much more.

Hey guys good topic with VOIP (Voice over Internet Prot). 

I am a big fan of stepping up technology and doing what wasn’t possible in the past.  That being said Voip for HJ has many many more consequences if implemented than most of us could see right up front.

Things that are obvious to most of us:

1.      The bandwidth it will take up increases what Simutronics has to supply to the user.

2.      Limit of people per channel

3.      What will it do to the lag issues?

4.      ETC ETC

Here are some things that I didn’t see while skimming the boards that are very important:

1. If we devote our time into making a VOIP we will have to sacrifice elsewhere (is this a valid sacrifice with all the amazing VOIP programs already out there?)
2. Text is a whole lot easier to sensor than talking.  The game would be less suitable for all ages if we made broadcast channels without filtering for sexual or profanity filters.
3. There are still certain limitations as to how many can be on a VOIP at 1 time.  The more you cram into 1 channel the more you have to compress the sound or increase bandwidth.   Hence the chat limits on production VOIPs.
4. Compression is a huge issue the more you compress the sound the less it lags &, less bandwidth it takes up.  You sacrifice quality for compression though so if we compressed the sound enough to say fit 100 people in 1 channel you would all sound like chipmunks.
5. There are plenty more, but these are just some quick notes on the technical side to VOIP that make it not quite possible at this time with our current technology IMHO

So since VOIP is already readily available, plus I don’t think technology is quiet there yet for hundreds of chatters in a single VOIP channel, and seeing as how much it would force Simutronics to … Compromise on its quality I doubt we will be implementing a VOIP system soon.

I hope those quick thoughts can help the questions of our gamers keep them coming