Microphones in lobbies

[Farley4Fan]

It's like when the party chat was implemented into xbox live.  It has almost fucking killed the shit talking/teamwork aspect of xbox live because everyone is in parties, but it enabled you to talk to a bunch of your buddies.

[Tidenburg]

You're not going to have voice chat by default?

I've played far less complex team games than CT that practically require a voice-chat team to get a clear win (L4D comes to mind), how do you expect proper strategy when we have to stop to type every few seconds? Or is that not being implemented either.

The "You might want to talk in X app instead" excuse is crap. I've talked to friends via steam while playing L4D, I just turn their mics off and bind-to-key in-game. As said before, party systems kinda ruined a lot of XBL games. Not adding voice-chat just because people might want to talk to others is practically bending the mod over to be assraped by the same 10-foot pole that ruined the few decent teamies xbox had.

Is there any reason you have for NOT adding it?

[frvge]

Voice chat will be there, I guess. But I don't think somehow disallowing other voice-programs is a good cure against cheaters.

[Cronky]

Voice chat will be there, I guess. But I don't think somehow disallowing other voice-programs is a good cure against cheaters.

Cheaters are a problem, but my bigger concern is still gadget functionality. While listening in on the other team via Spy Traps/Spy Bullets was a minor feature compared to what they could do, it was still a significant feature.

Maybe there is a way to "tap" into their Mic regardless of them using the PS Voice Chatting? I don't know HOW it would work or if it's even possible. I imagine that instead of it just opening up the Mic lines in-game, it would go and get the line from their computer... or some such thing.

Starting to sound illegal or some non-sense. Either way, saying that people would probably use other programs anyway, as said before, is a pretty bad excuse to not take a significant part of your games functionality (Voice Chat) and not give it the time it deserves.

[DreadStunLock]

As well as, I miss the part of grabbing the mercenary and adding few "Haha" lines :P

[Farley4Fan]

That was a cool feature but it hardly ever worked for me.

[Gawain]

Cheaters are a problem, but my bigger concern is still gadget functionality. While listening in on the other team via Spy Traps/Spy Bullets was a minor feature compared to what they could do, it was still a significant feature.

Maybe there is a way to "tap" into their Mic regardless of them using the PS Voice Chatting? I don't know HOW it would work or if it's even possible. I imagine that instead of it just opening up the Mic lines in-game, it would go and get the line from their computer... or some such thing.

Starting to sound illegal or some non-sense. Either way, saying that people would probably use other programs anyway, as said before, is a pretty bad excuse to not take a significant part of your games functionality (Voice Chat) and not give it the time it deserves.

QFE

[Farley4Fan]

Cheaters are a problem, but my bigger concern is still gadget functionality. While listening in on the other team via Spy Traps/Spy Bullets was a minor feature compared to what they could do, it was still a significant feature.

Maybe there is a way to "tap" into their Mic regardless of them using the PS Voice Chatting? I don't know HOW it would work or if it's even possible. I imagine that instead of it just opening up the Mic lines in-game, it would go and get the line from their computer... or some such thing.

Starting to sound illegal or some non-sense. Either way, saying that people would probably use other programs anyway, as said before, is a pretty bad excuse to not take a significant part of your games functionality (Voice Chat) and not give it the time it deserves.

QFE

Hahaha...  We could make it so the game goes and finds the merc's secret porn stash from their computer.  Then, the spy could use the merc's porn like a magazine from Metal Gear Solid.  Once the merc gets close to the mag, he's trapped for the entire game.

Or you could make believe that the info on the disks you're stealing have the merc's porn stash on them.  But making believe wouldn't feel illegal... Maybe once you return the disk you can view their porn. 

Porn.

[Spekkio]

This actually should be an easy problem to solve.

You know when you go to uninstall a program and you get "please close the program prior to proceeding"? Well, you can code the same detection into PS. If the program detects a third-party chat, you get a message that states that PS has its own voice chat capability which is integral to gameplay design and asks you to close the program before proceeding. Then code that this check is run periodically, like once every 3 minutes in game and prior to commencing any round. If the voice chat program is open, your game will close and the message will appear.

Now you just need the manpower to devote to coding this.

[frvge]

So when you want to informally talk to Person X on the other side of the world, who's not in-game, we should forbid that? Let me rephrase: if I want to talk to my sis who's on holiday in Australia (example...) via Skype while playing a game, what the hell does the program think it is to disallow that?

I am really against it. It's some sort of restrictive DRM. It blocks the right to use voice-programs. And I don't feel like keeping a database with signatures of the thousands of voice-chat programs.

[LennardF1989]

Solution to all this: Just don't disable voicechat when a player dies, it's lame and makes people get creative using third party tools.

Downside of the above solution: You will be presented a black screen when dead untill respawned.

And for the smartasses thinking "Why not use the 'downside solution' as a solution?", because that will make people use third party tools again to talk about their death, where it happened, who did it, answer to life, favorite movie, etc.

[Spekkio]

So when you want to informally talk to Person X on the other side of the world, who's not in-game, we should forbid that? Let me rephrase: if I want to talk to my sis who's on holiday in Australia (example...) via Skype while playing a game, what the hell does the program think it is to disallow that?

I am really against it. It's some sort of restrictive DRM. It blocks the right to use voice-programs. And I don't feel like keeping a database with signatures of the thousands of voice-chat programs.

You have every right to use any voice program you want, just not while playing the game.

And maybe I'm alone in this, but if I were to chat with my family member halfway around the world, I wouldn't be playing a game that required a lot of my attention...maybe something dumb like solitaire, but not PS.

Solution to all this: Just don't disable voicechat when a player dies, it's lame and makes people get creative using third party tools.

You really think that people use ventrillo and TS because they can't speak to each other for a whole 10 seconds?

[Cronky]

So when you want to informally talk to Person X on the other side of the world, who's not in-game, we should forbid that? Let me rephrase: if I want to talk to my sis who's on holiday in Australia (example...) via Skype while playing a game, what the hell does the program think it is to disallow that?

I am really against it. It's some sort of restrictive DRM. It blocks the right to use voice-programs. And I don't feel like keeping a database with signatures of the thousands of voice-chat programs.

You have every right to use any voice program you want, just not while playing the game.

And maybe I'm alone in this, but if I were to chat with my family member halfway around the world, I wouldn't be playing a game that required a lot of my attention...maybe something dumb like solitaire, but not PS.

Solution to all this: Just don't disable voicechat when a player dies, it's lame and makes people get creative using third party tools.

You really think that people use ventrillo and TS because they can't speak to each other for a whole 10 seconds?

Hey, I agree with you Spekkio! Now that I got that out of the way I'll respond to Frvge.

This program is a game. This game "requires" teamwork. Teamwork requires communication. Unless you're SUCH good teammates that words need not be spoke... which is unlikely.  Sure, typing is an option, but when you type you aren't actually playing. Like Spekkio said, if you're talking to someone important then a game that "requires" teamwork is probably something that you shouldn't be playing.

Plus all those weird faces you'd be making on Skype for your relative would probably cue them into the fact that you aren't actually listening. Considering even without in-game voice chat there is still the in game Music, Sound FX, etc. to get in the way.

You compared it to DRM, but this is far from it. It's creating an atmosphere, and a set of rules. I can hear people already shouting "RULES!?", but let me explain. Gameplay is the point of a game. You want people to use all the features you are giving, that you spent time on. If you spend the time to make a Voice Chat system, why would you give the option to totally disregard it?

"Forcing" people to use it just emphasizes the point that this game requires more communication than your average TF2 match.

[DreadStunLock]

Speaking of using different softwares to communicate, is it possible to fix the echo? Like if you have voice chat in-game, and software running on windows to communicate like Xfire, is it possible to remove the echo effect? Cause in SCCTMP it exists and it sucks we can't use the hack feature :/

[Farley4Fan]

Dude, are you serious?  Of course if you are using 2 programs to communicate you're going to get an echo, and this is true with any game.  All you have to do is mute everyone you're talking with in either the other program or in the game.    >.<