Ventrilo: Did it progress or destroy the MMORPG experience?
 

I remember downloading Vent for the first time back on live for guild raids.

Through Velious we did all raiding just by typing into the chat window and it seemed to work fine. Post Luclin the GM decided all officers should be plugged in for strategy. I remember the first time I finally got the setting configured and noise started coming through the headset: I didn't like it.

For me the ability to coordinate in real-time (or close to it) was overshadowed by that problem I was matching a voice to a character. Even EQ's horrible models did a good job masking the identity into a true role play game environment. Hearing a squeaky voiced player as an Ogre or a loud crass person as a high elf spoiled the air a bit.

I'm not a RPG geek, LARP fanatic, or the kind of person who dresses up for movie premiers. It's just odd to put a voice with a character who isn't supposed to be talking (especially if it's nowhere fucking close to the class/race combo).

Thoughts?

i still hate using vent and have to be dragged into it by my guildmates, when we are just shhoting the shit its one thing and i find that enjoyable. however when im trying to play a game i find it annoying/distracting.

I feel the same way about vent. I just don't like it. I don't want to equate ingame characters with RL people. I know there's a person playing them, but I don't want to hear them. It destroys the "magic" and turns it into just a game instead of something more immersive. It's kinda hard to describe.

I also hate talking on the phone. Always have. If I can't talk to someone face to face I don't want to talk to them at all.

i give a 2 of 10 to the poll options

where else would i speak to human beings

Lol! Yea I wasn't getting very creative.

Definitely progress.

When you're playing, you usually don't have time to type. In a high intensity situation, taking the time to communicate via text makes you less effective. This goes especially for heavy-duty classes like bard or shaman, and on PvP servers.

Secondly, it's easier to form personable relationships with in-game friends when you can talk via voice. Text communication is kind of cold and archaic.

It makes you a better gamer and I personally have more fun shooting the shit with online friends. The only downside is that you may one day find yourself in the same Ventrilo as Goobles or Hasbinbad.

Anyone who thinks it's bad are just nostalgia LARP nerds. These are probably the same guys who are in that Youtube thunder bolt video.

If you don't like voice communication, talking on the phone, etc, have fun not being successful in life.

WHAT IN TARNATION IS THIS FANCY VOICE PROGRAM THINGIE? some of the posts sound like that. Vent did a great service for the game, it made it to be much more social, allowed gamers to implement strats MUCH easier, and it helps you adjust much easier on the fly. not everyone has to talk, but as long as everyone is listening your raid / group will probably be better off.

ventrilo/teamspeak is the best thing to happen to online gaming since they invented the internet.

of course old schoolers might remember roger wilco!