Voice

Even before voice was official people were already judged... no, let me correct that... attacked because they had no voice (saw it happen myself in the Welcome Area).

If that is being too dramatic... have it your way. But I think that kind of behaviour is <censored>.

Morwen

Michael i can understand what your saying,but i guess SL is something different to every person on here,i've read a few posts you've made before and without doubt what you want and get out of the experience is different than what i want,which is cool for both of us,i certainlty don't fear voice just don't want to have to use it,great if other people do as long as there is still aplace for text chat then i'm happy.

Jerks are jerks. And they will be a jerks to you whether voice was ever even created. They are not people you should be hanging around anyway. Find new friends.

Come run your mouth in my living room while I'm watching a movie or something that requires me to follow a plot line and see if I let you stay.

No. Why?

I refused to use voice in Ultima Online.
I refused to use voice in Lineage II
I refused to use voice in SWG
I used voice once or twice in Everquest II... and hated it (It almost destroyed the RP I loved so much).

So why would I use voice in SL? I don't say other may not, but I won't.

Morwen.

That was not present in the First Look Viewer ... nor is it present in the main client.

I said, certain sensitive situations are different. Movie watching can be considered one of these.

Although, the majority of people I know, chit-chat during movies with each other anyhow. But yes, I understand what you mean. I'm also sure that important plot driven movies aren't being watched in your house 24/7.

My objection to voice as always been simply that it is completely unnecessary considering skype and ventrilo already exsist and work just fine with the SL platform.

It's the platform that needs fixing, and adding features doesn't fix exsisting problems.

You want a platform that will take you into the furture? Wouldn't you like one that actually works?

Back to this one more time before the thread gets derailed on hair and pissing matches.
NO…no red dot! You’re on crack Monalisa. I practically lived on the beta grid and FL…NO RED DOT for non-voicers. At least not with the Windows client.

Same here, Morwen. And got kicked out of two different guilds on WoW and one on EQ2...they were NOT originally voice-enabled, then they got a bunch of younger folks in and BOOM! voice or out became the rule....and not just voice on raids, but all the time or out.

THe people that say its NOT going to split the community are utterly wrong. Its already starting ... I was at a LINDEN office ours where half the conversation (including the linden apparently) was taking place in voice beta... What reached text was disjointed and quite information-free. For those of us that aren't into mixing VR and RL, welcome to Second(class) Life!

And Michael Bigwig, what game house do you work for? I want to avoid any MMO-type games from them.

I'm fine with voice in SL. One thing I did notice however was that my microphone volume level was significantly lower than what it was in the First Look Viewer even when I had the gain cranked up all the way. Couldn't find anyone else who was voice-enabled to test it with... not even at the usually packed DAMB welcome area (!).

Looks like I'll have to plonk down some cash and pick up a copy of that Screaming Bee voice-altering software a little bit sooner than I expected. The big question for me is: what is a dragon's voice supposed to sound like? Slightly hissy in the sibilants with a dash of growl? Time for me to do a bit of experimenting

I looked at the Screaming Bee voice changing software, and just couldn't justify the cost of that plus a headset ... for a feature I don't want in the first place. Besides, can it be configured to switch voices instantly when I switch between 2 to 4 instances of SL, to change which of my avatars is speaking at that instant? Somehow I doubt it. Nor can it filter out the background noise in my environment, so when they hear in the background the same TV show, the same child's voice, the same barking dog... so much for any illusion that the avatars are distinct individuals.

Personally, I flat out DO NOT WANT TO HEAR the RL voices of the people I RP with. So a voice changer doesn't help there, since that only changes how others hear me.

Heh, a friend and me had a similar encounter before voice was released. A bunch of stuck up people refusing to talk to us because we had no voice client. Stupid people, my friend runs Linux and I have bad experiences using voice before.

The part that troubled me about that encounter, though, was that the stuck up people were wearing Mentor / Voice Mentor titles...

Ok, once and for all people...jeepers.


THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE IS NOT A VALID OPTION FOR THE COMMUNITY.

How I got there:

1) Third party software soaks up additional RAM (more than internal VOIP). Some may not think this an issue, but when you're running an older rig like I am, I need all the RAM I can get.

2) Third party software has to be downloaded, installed, and set up. This is a hassle to some people, and to others it's down-right confusing. Yes, I understand the majority of people installed SL, and run it...but some people (like my Mother) had trouble getting off Orientation Island...Skype, Vent, or Teamspeak would only confuse them more. And what if someone you know has Skype, but you use Ventrilo? For this to work, we would all need every one of the VOIP applications...that would be straight-up silly. We need an internal setup, with plug and play essentials. The easier to setup, the more people involved.

3) Knowing that all citizens have the capability to use voice is comforting. As of now, you have to ask whether they use voice, then open (or download) the program, set it up, and blah blah blah...it's so much easier to know we all have the capability, and either see the white dot above someones head, or simply say, "Hello! Can you hear me?"

Those are just three examples of why third party software should not be relied on. Voice is coming to SL regardless of whether you like it or not...why for the love of Linden would you want to run background apps for voice? Insanity if you ask me.

I for one (and I'm not alone) am not complainiung about the introduction of voice, but the lack of guidance for what looks like the majority of SL inhabitants - ie non-voice users. As Sally pointed out with admirable brevity (take note, Michael) in the FAQ thread, was that the voice FAQ completely ignores non-voice users.

That's all.

Well, I'm very happy with my third-party software and I can't wait for the non-voice update. Guess how I got there? It works.

First thing I'd like people to be well aware of: the forum community does not in any way reflect the grid's community. They attitudes are vastly different, the vibe and feel is different...it's not a good reflection of the actual SL experience.

Second thing I'd say is, the voice FAQ aren't even necessary. Voice setup and preferences are very self explanatory. It's essentially plug and play. If you made it off Orientation Island, you can sure as heck set up voice.

I'm not sure if the voice nay-sayers are aware of this, but you forget one fact--text isn't going anywhere. By the uproar going on over the voice issue, you'd think we are banishing text, and forcing everyone to talk.

My voice is SL has always worked. In fact, to be the Devil's advocate, I've crashed a TON more while running Skype in the background...and also, I have trouble with dropped calls.

SL voice has been much more fluid and efficient for me. And what if my buddy is using Teamspeak? Or Vent? What then? Should we all have all three apps...yes, that's right...we should make our buddies, clients, teachers, students, and audience ALL download ALL the third party apps...and also, have them ALL running at once in the background for ease of switching back and forth.

lol. You guys crack me up. You are more stubborn than a 99 year old jaded donkey.

Didn't you mention working for a game house? Remember, third party software cuts into software houses income, so its never an option / to be banned. With integrated Voice, they can charge sim owners for the privledge of voice, when they can't charge you for running vent. Always follow the money trail when folks in the industry back a braindead decision.

With all due respect to people like your mother (and my dad who is much the same with computers), if you are online, and cannot even install something as simple as Ventrillo and type in THREE lines of setup (name, server name, PW if used), you have NO BUSINESS using voice at all. Why dumb things down that much? Make it easy? Sure! Make it user-friendly? Sure! Make it computer illiterate 'I don't wana learn anything' easy at the majority's expense? Nope.

You can only hear voice if you have voice enabled, I think. However, you can enable voice and then simply mute your mic if you want - it takes literally half a second to turn voice on or off.

I should be used to the fact that you neither read anyone elses's posts but your own, nor ever admit that non-voicer have concerns other than those to which yopu attribute them, but it is nevertheles getting very annoying.

ITS NOT SO MUCH THAT WE DON'T WANT VOICE TO BE INTRODUCED - VOICE AWAY FOR ALL I CARE - BUT WE DON'T WANT THIS CRAP VIEWER! AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DISABLE IT COMPLETELY!

DID YOU HEAR THAT?

Yes, the money thing is there. But it's WORTH the integration. It really is.

And about your Vent comment...what about Skype or Teamspeak? See my above comment...for third party to work the way you guys want, we would ALL have to have ALL of them installed. That's lame. Some people love Skype...some love Vent...some love Teamspeak...that's just not going to work. It's a hassle.

What we need is integration and plug and play. And we got what we asked for...and now everyone bitches. (and yes, we DID ask for it, that's why the tech is here)

You weren't ingame last ngiht apparently...the MAIN topic at clubs and EVERY one of my groups was Voice.... A) that it would split the community, B) That the new commcenter sucks ass and should be reverted, C) How Sim/Club/area would not be enabling it or disabling if on the mainland.

Maybe you and your techie buddies love it, those of us not into 'ZOMG! new and shiny! Must have!!!!!!11!111' and want a useable interface (they can leave voice in, I don't care, won't use it) BUT I WANT A FRIGGING USABLE INTERFACE BACK!

I read ALL posts, and I never skim. That is a fact. That doesn't change human error, or my firm opinion. Don't ASSUME and ACCUSE...you only make an ass out of yourself. How dare you judge me as you act the fool as you are? You sir, are the one that needs to re-work your forum style (starting with all the yelling)

I will have to respectfully DISAGREE. Like I said before, I do not give a flying F**K about voice and the lamers that cannot live without it. My PRIMARY complaint is the total obliteration of the old interface and that abortion that replaced it.

If they put the old interface back, or give us the option to CHOOSE betwen the two, I will be happy. The self-impressed ZOMG! TECH! I AM SO CUTTING EDGE!!!!11!1 like you can have voice and feel so good about being with the future. I merely want USABILITY restored like it was. I will GLADLY avoid voice areas and people if I can communicate easily with other text users once again (and with the new box, I am losing 50% of all vicinity, due to having to tab bteween IM's, local and it is FRUSTRATING!