Voice hysteria?

I found it's fun to use it to talk to my sweetheart, but that's about it. I doubt I will just talk to random people now.

I think we also forget about the demographic of people that will log in MORE because of voice. Also, there is a demographic of users that will be drawn to SL BECAUSE of voice.

Also, you have to flip around your "less friendly" comment--it goes the other way too.

I'm not picking on you Colette, I'm simply suggesting that we keep in mind the fact that there are two sides here, and each is affected equally. This does not mean (IMO) that SL will crash and burn--on the contrary, I think SL will be relatively unaltered.

I agree. But then again, I AM her sweetheart ...

You are right - some people will join SL becuase it has voice.

Others will log on more becuase it has voice.


----
Doesnt help the ones who will log on less though.

Which were some of those branded as hysterical.

That is not a valid resolution, because this is not a valid (open-minded) attitude. You can't consider people listening and talking to you "rudely butting in"--that defeats the purpose of an online MMO virtual environment. If you want to role play so hardcore that you don't want people "soliciting" their friendships or opinions...then you're the one disturbing the natural ebb and flow of the SL community.

You can't think people rude for actually talking to you. And if you are having a private conversation, you shouldn't be talking in speach anyway...that's why there is IMing.

For creeps sake, this is why people are so closed off in the real world. People are afraid to talk to strangers, because strangers don't WANT them to talk to them. I think that is a shame, and I think we have so far to go before nirvana...I may be being dramatic, but I hope you guys understand what I mean.

You can't crucify someone for trying to talk to you in SL...that's just retarded.

I think the point is that is was beyond absurd to tell you not to voice--the people "bothered" by your conversation were essentially voicing by having the option turned on, even if they weren't chatting. If they *didn't* have voice on, it makes even less sense to chastise you, as it was strictly bewtween you and your friend. Would they complain if you were IM'ing each other?

So far one of the more civil threads on voice I’ve seen over the past four months.
Michael, Colette…can you two not start with the flaming maybe?
The welcome areas, HiP and OI are still problematic. People still want to go there for the help and the banter. Now though most of what is being said is in voice. Usually seen by non-voicers as the quiet crowd all bunched together in one area.
Anyway it can’t be said enough how important it is to watch the text screen while in voice!

I'm down. I love Colette, I don't know what you mean. I'm just having fun...Humbug!

Yes DaQbet, we are all capable of watching the text screen as we voice. And if the non-voicers want to hear the vocal conversations going on, they can enable voice (this does not mean they have to talk...but they CAN hear if they want)

that makes sense now and no they were not on voice
they did not have the dot, they were not on active speakers

they just came in and via text proceeded to tell all voice users that we were trash

if they thought we were iming each other they probably would complain

Ive done that - both listened and typed back

and Talked while someone else typed back

Its a little weird. I imagine you could get used to it though after a lot of akwardness.

sometimes it is not a matter of not watching the text, as it is missing the text, due to lag, or other problems (like too much stupid spam that scrolls the screen too fast

*waves* hi DaQbet

Well frankly, retarded is a tad harsh do you not think? It is hardly crucifying what I said. Also, since they was no "role-play" involved and I did not even use the phrase, who is being closed minded in assuming such?

If you read my post, perhaps with out preconceptions, you will note that I stated that they discussed us - as in talked about us - NOT TO US - as if we could NOT hear them. They did not engage us in conversation. To that, I would have been quite open and receptive. The person I was speaking with I had just met, therefore, I would hardly consider myself closed off. Further, just the fact that I am here discussing this in an open forum as opposed to just lurking and reading - adds to my non-closed off stance.

It was not a particularly private speech - it was not anything I would need to go hide in a closet to discuss, just getting know about the sim and the interaction with SL we had both had so far. I imagine the situation last night was akin to walking up to two strangers in the checkout at your local market and taking their on-going conversation and hashing it out in front of them while speaking to someone you are with as if the original two people were not even present..If that does not constitute rudeness in your world, I cannot imagine what does.

It seems to me you are purposefully trying to cause conflict in an otherwise calm thread. Peace.

Well, talking about you in front of you is rude, period, text, voice or scribbles on the lunch table. Perhaps they thought they were in private voice chat.

It does raise an interesting point. Text and voice are completely different mediums. Multiple conversations are easier in text (obligatory ymmv caveat here), and voice tends to be faster, at least in words per minute. So, what would be a perfectly reasonable exchange in text, with two conversational threads at the same time, can seem more like someone is continually interrupting in voice.

For example:

Albert: So, I bet the recent penguin attacks have to do with Global Warming, is what I am saying
Albert: Hullo Betty.
Betty: Hullo Albert, Charlie. Walked the virtual dog today?
Charlie: Global Warming is an invention of the Illuminati, we've been over this.
Albert: Fishsticks and corruption, I thought I was to water them?
Betty:LOL
Betty: Wait, them>?
Charlie: Nice dress Betty
Albert: Right, three heads equals "them". You were the one who wanted a Cerberus
Albert: The Illuminati haven't been an issue since 1789, come on. It's all Masons now.
Betty: /dimples @ Charlie
Betty: So, Charlie, feel like walking our dog? I'll give you 50L
Charlie: Masons? They haven't done anything since they killed Mozart!
Charlie: What dog?

While a completely normal SL text conversation, one has to admit that in Voice, the above might be a tad confusing.

Did the penguins have three heads? lol

Just kidding, that was really good - very creative. l

Everyone has been using it, and it annoys me since for one, its hard to keep track of voice conversations (with text, I can read at leisure), and two, I don't have a suitable mic, and I'd rather not people hear my voice. x_X

I haven't been pressured to use voice yet. The reason is that there is so little to actually do socially in Second Life, I haven't been able to be in a social setting long enough for someone to actually bring it up.

My plan, however, if asked why I'm not using voice, is to respond, "I don't want to."

The beauty of that plan, as I envision it, is that I don't want to know anyone who can't accept the fact I don't need to justify doing what I want to do and can't accept the fact that people have freedom to choose what they do simply on the basis of whether or not they want to do it.

The implementation of voice in Second Life will most likely impact women more than men when it comes to demands and pressures to prove one's biological sex. But that's not really Linden Labs's fault. It's more of a reflection of a larger society that still demands strict enforcement of gender-based privileges.

I bought myself a nice USB headset that worked perfectly with the First Look Viewer. It works perfectly with Skype. I tested it again today just to make sure. Does it work with SL? Not. A. Chance. Grrrr! I've been through everything on my computer and can't get a squeak out of it .

OK, I'm still not sure on what's OK, and what's not. Are you saying that it's not OK to listen to someones conversation in a virtual world, and talk about it with a friend? OK, so we've decided that's wrong? Personally, I don't think it is...if they are being rude about it, then yes, that's not cool...but if they are just discussing:

Group Member 1-1: Hey, I'm rebuilding my tool shed.
GM-1-2: Oh ya, what materials are you using?
GM-1-1: Wood

Group Member 2-1: Hey that guys is talking about rebuilding his tool shed...
GM-2-2: Ya, he said wood...I would use metal...

Clearly this isn't a bad thing, regardless of who hears who, and who says what. As long as it's not rude.

You made it seem like any cross-communication in 3rd person is a bad thing. I'm sorry, somehow I pulled that from your post...it's what I gathered.

I'm not trying to flame a potentially peaceful topic. And I'm glad your opening statement was really the ONLY way you could flame me...and you took the opportunity. So who's trying to wage war here? I'm sorry you're offended by the word "retarded"--I'm not. I didn't say YOU were retarded. *shrugs*

BTW: I mean role play in the broader sense...not the MMORPG sense.


Peace.

Oh, you didn't understand. Part of the implementation of voice in Second Life is Linden Labs's hawking of headsets through GBH, Inc.

I haven't tried voice in Second Life yet, but I've assumed that neither of my two headsets, nor my microphone, would work with Second Life, because each was about $20 or $30 from Wal-Mart or Circuit City. No, I'm sure I need the Plantronics Audio 550 Binaural USB Headset with DSP for $73.39 from GBH, Inc., referred by Linden Labs so the Lindens can get their referral fee cut.

I don't think there is a conspiracy with headsets...please don't make it so. I have a standard Logitech headset/mic combo...it works fine.

Yes they give the option of a particular headset...but that's just for the lazy consumer who wants to purchase with a few clicks from the SL site.

OK - so I am in a sim where an avatar literally bumps into me and apologizes. We engage in light banter - and some how or other, not sure how - we end up talking - type - about talking via voice. I try to convey that being on a laptop I had not been able to follow the directions at the beginning of logging on once the talk thing was enabled. Dense, I guess, but hey - he very kindly walks me thru it so that now I have Voice. I log off, come back and voila! We speak - I hear him, he hears me - love the 21st century and this new dimension I can explore! We are talking about just stuff in the sim, how long we've been in-world - trivia. These two, whom we had encountered before having overheard them but did not address - then proceed to stand in front of us, and discuss the conversation they are overhearing. What one of us said to the other and they laugh at make light of what we are speaking. Really uncalled for.

And I apologize if my turning around the close-minded comment can be considered "flaming". I understood from your remark that you believed my attitude to this as being retarded. Truce then - I am not in the habit of initiating nor even perpetuating conflict - I will defend if feel attacked - I took that as an attack and apologize if I misconstrued your intent.

Voice in SL works for me (I have mixed emotions about the whole topic). I have a headset from BestBuy and it was a little under $30. Maybe I can still tweak my settings even though I have tried (I guess I am not all that technically empowered), but the only time I can really hear myself clearly is when I have the streaming music turned off on my land. But since I like having music turned on and/or I frequent a lot of dance clubs and/or attend a lot of SL live music events, it kind of defeats the purpose. To me the music is more important than voice.

But don't assume your hardware will or won't work unless you try it (mine works, just not as well as one would hope it would work). Now if you don't want to use voice, that is a totally different can of worms that I can respect. As I said I have very mixed emotions regarding the whole topic.

Now the new communications window that takes up 1/4 of my screen when I am IMing with a friend sucks. Who is the brainiac who thought that interface was a good idea.

Nice to see things haven't changed in the few days I was away.

Nice to see things haven't changed while we were away.

You again?