Integrated voice chat

[Stutoman]

For friends list, teams and societies.

A Society leader would be able to choose to have microphones enabled or not in the settings, individuals can choose to mute the channel if they like and those who haven't muted the channel will show up in a list of listeners, if they have a mic connected then there would be a microphone symbol next to their name so people know if they're able to chat back or not, to know who is speaking the name could light up whilst a person is talking.

For teams it would be the same and chat can be enabled/disabled in the team settings.

For friends list it would be like opening a private chat, but starting a private voice chat.

I can see why mics aren't around for global chat, that would be extreme noise pollution, but for these things listed I think it would be a great way of hands free communication whilst taking part in ingame activities without the need for 3rd party applications or paid servers on these applications.

How this would benifit MA:

Being able to chat whilst continuing an activity, for example hunting, means that you can continue to burn ped without pausing to chat to your team mates! Means a more continuous flow of cash for an extra small requested addition.

 

[Nirfu]

No thx, I play without sound...

 

[ranpha]

ahhhh ..... the laggggggg


No rather keep them off the bandwidth of the main server park please

 

[Stutoman]

ahhhh ..... the laggggggg


No rather keep them off the bandwidth of the main server park please

Doesn't need to be hosted by the same servers. A single server decicated to chat would be able to serve the entire community.

 

[Moonbiter]

There is plenty of alternatives outside the game, like TeamSpeak or Ventrilo. I would rather see MA's development team focused on other issues.

 

[TheVoid]

don't we have access to a public ts server for EU users?

I recall a thread about it but I can't find it

 

[~CHOPPER~]

BYOTS

Bring Your Own TeamSpeak

 

[Stutoman]

Yes, i'm not saying that it should be hosted by Mindark, but perhaps integrate something like teamspeak into the User Interface.

 

[xaph]

Lag on download/upload what a biatch just thinkin

 

[AlphaGeek]

don't we have access to a public ts server for EU users?

Elite has made his TS server available to all EU users. He'll even set up a private channel for your society.

Some societies set up their own VOIP solutions.

I'd just as soon MA/FPC not provide this. Their server park and bandwidth is hard pressed to keep up, The potential for voice spam is too much to think about, and we can customize our Soc Team Speak channels for whatever tactical situation occurs.

AG

 

[Stutoman]

Lag on download/upload what a biatch just thinkin

We have no problems when streaming music so why would we with voice chat that is half the quality.

It's a reasonable request and there are other games that have it. Bandwidth in this day and age is not a problem for things like this any more. Maybe if it were streaming HD video then there would be Bandwidth issues around the subject.

 

[Xefipor]

There is plenty of alternatives outside the game, like TeamSpeak or Ventrilo. I would rather see MA's development team focused on other issues.

Thats truely not plenty of options... And, i'm sure someone has to pay for the server. Plus, everyone would have to have those programs loaded, or would have to install them to use them. If it was client based anyone with the client (game program) would be able to use the feature, with no extra software installed.

VoIP would be a cool option for any MMO now days. And many if not most new MMO's are going with something of this nature.

I think it's a great idea really... Even if you don't play mic'ed or don't play with sound. Many people do.. and i'm sure many people would use it. BandWidth is getting cheaper and greater. And once ip6 is a standard, internet trafic will be alot faster moving.

It's something to think about, and a nice feature. The problem I see with this is a charge in PED for this feature.

The way that i would do it is to make it an item based system. Say a walky talky/hand radio, that gets damaged from wear, and that can be repaired. That way they have another money sink. This also will allow users that want the system to use the system and those that have no desire don't have to buy it.

And if we going that route, it would be interesting if the hand radio could be set to real world internet radio stations.. this feature could even use just the clients bandwidth and not even have to route to the server.

Anyways, thats my thoughts on it,

Thank You.
Xef

 

[ranpha]

Doesn't need to be hosted by the same servers. A single server decicated to chat would be able to serve the entire community.

Dont we have euh .. Xfire for this ??? this once was sponsored by MindArk with a special house etc

 

[Stutoman]

Dont we have euh .. Xfire for this ??? this once was sponsored by MindArk with a special house etc

It's 3rd party where you still need to make an account for it. This creates more complications and more junk mail too coming from Xfire.

And I do believe people were saying it doesn't work anymore since VU10 was implimented.

 

[John BD]

i would love to see option to it.
just aslong as it ads to the game and not couse more problems.
for ones not wanting or able to use it, well dont.

 

[endermigne]

We have no problems when streaming music so why would we with voice chat that is half the quality.

It's a reasonable request and there are other games that have it. Bandwidth in this day and age is not a problem for things like this any more. Maybe if it were streaming HD video then there would be Bandwidth issues around the subject.

Having a few of high quality is the same as having many of low quality. Both won't work on the long run and may reduce the overall experience of EU.

Basically it's the reason why it works these days: just a few use those 3rd party solutions. Providing an EU-internal solution would explode the number of users using this => having all those audio connections routed through MA's network is pretty much not doable.

And guess who will complain when something lags...

 

[Moonbiter]

Having a few of high quality is the same as having many of low quality. Both won't work on the long run and may reduce the overall experience of EU.

Basically it's the reason why it works these days: just a few use those 3rd party solutions. Providing an EU-internal solution would explode the number of users using this => having all those audio connections routed through MA's network is pretty much not doable.

And guess who will complain when something lags...

Aside from technical issues there's also an issue of cost. Developing such system from scratch, would take more than one coder. Licensing and integrating has associated costs as well. And MA currently is not in the position to finance something that brings no direct benefit or more customers.

 

[Jambayze]

Teamspeak works just fine, and causes no additional lagggggg. I just wish it was automatic, not something you have to get everyone to start it up.

 

[Xefipor]

Having a few of high quality is the same as having many of low quality. Both won't work on the long run and may reduce the overall experience of EU.

Basically it's the reason why it works these days: just a few use those 3rd party solutions. Providing an EU-internal solution would explode the number of users using this => having all those audio connections routed through MA's network is pretty much not doable.

And guess who will complain when something lags...

I dont know.. i could stream audio over a dual up connection, low end voice chat doesn't take up to much bandwidth. and the cost charge to use the device, if you look at the idea i posted above, could make up for it.

also... your looking at 23Kbps for VoIP tech.

and teamspeak can be set to use 12.3 Kbps.

so it's really not to large of a data usage per client.

Average MSN chat is about 2-5Kbps transfer rate...

We are not talking about LARGE amounts of data being transfered, and you will save on people talking on voice and typing less.. so thats bandwidth that is saved there.. it's all data.. bits no mater what it is converted from.

Anyways... I just don't see the bandwidth usage being a good arguement for not doing it.

Thank You.
Xef.

 

[Stave]

[YOUTUBE]ITUSDHLlBNs[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Xefipor]

Nice video ^^^

 

[soothsayer]

yea really no ned fro EU to do this. Agree with other when you have ventrilo or teamspeak around and voice servers are cheap enough to run.

When i had my own society we all used ventrilo which was great for hunting of when we had societys events.

I guess in game voice chat would just make things a lotttle easier for them who cant be asked to setup a vent or TS.

the other side of things also is that some players dont like to use voice chat as people like to keep the game in game and RL in RL if that makes sense.

 

[Stutoman]

Having a few of high quality is the same as having many of low quality. Both won't work on the long run and may reduce the overall experience of EU.

Basically it's the reason why it works these days: just a few use those 3rd party solutions. Providing an EU-internal solution would explode the number of users using this => having all those audio connections routed through MA's network is pretty much not doable.

And guess who will complain when something lags...

Bandwidth is not a problem. MindArk are running servers which are likely to be always passing more than 100mb of data every second and whats more it's in the country with some of the fastest internet connections in the world. It won't lag at my end either since I have an average connection at 10mbps which is very sufficient if you ask me. You don't need any more than a 1mbps download speed to run Entropia as it is and an additional 50kbps would be nothing compared. Ingame lag since VU10 was implimented is totally down to the client's hardware or the way the software is running at the client's end.

Take a look at youtube, you think they would not allow people to upload videos because it takes up over a Petabyte (1000 terabytes) a day? Entropia probably uses no more than a terabyte, maybe two, in a month. (Excluding software download and updates)

Aside from technical issues there's also an issue of cost. Developing such system from scratch, would take more than one coder. Licensing and integrating has associated costs as well. And MA currently is not in the position to finance something that brings no direct benefit or more customers.

And what position are you in to comment on MindArk's financial positions? It even has a banking license, i'm pretty sure financing such a small addition would be such a minor setback, since most of the technology is already there they won't need to invest in creating the technology themselves. Remember the whole Entropia platform was created by MindArk and they are not a small company anymore.

 

[~CHOPPER~]

And what position are you in to comment on MindArk's financial positions? It even has a banking license, i'm pretty sure financing such a small addition would be such a minor setback, since most of the technology is already there they won't need to invest in creating the technology themselves. Remember the whole Entropia platform was created by MindArk and they are not a small company anymore.

Do you read MA's financial statements much?

 

[Stutoman]

Do you read MA's financial statements much?

Nope, but the point is MA make their own financial decisions, they don't let others make it for them unless they specifically ask them to.

 

[Moonbiter]

And what position are you in to comment on MindArk's financial positions? It even has a banking license, i'm pretty sure financing such a small addition would be such a minor setback, since most of the technology is already there they won't need to invest in creating the technology themselves. Remember the whole Entropia platform was created by MindArk and they are not a small company anymore.

Well, i'm in no official position to comment obviously, but as Chopper said, i read the financial statements. And the banking license was revoked by the way, due not being able to finance the whole operation.

 

[~CHOPPER~]

Nope, but the point is MA make their own financial decisions, they don't let others make it for them unless they specifically ask them to.

You should read it before making assumptions

 

[Xefipor]

Ohh well.. this is turning into a troll fest...

I still think it's a good idea.

And i'm sure in time it will be added.

As far as useing TS or Vent.

Sometimes it's just easier for people to not to have to configure TS or Vent. I know i've had to walk people through configuring both to work. Some people are not as comfortible working with computers as others. So a in-game feature would help allow many more people to access a system that can be usefull.

And the whole "Some people don't want to use voice" arguement doesn't make any sense to me. It's kinda like 'VoIP telephone service', no one is forcing you to use it. But would you just cancel the whole service just because you don't want to use it.

If you don't want to use it... Than don't... But don't trash it, someone else may be interested in useing it themselves.

Thank You.
Xef.

 

[endermigne]

I dont know.. i could stream audio over a dual up connection, low end voice chat doesn't take up to much bandwidth. and the cost charge to use the device, if you look at the idea i posted above, could make up for it.

also... your looking at 23Kbps for VoIP tech.

and teamspeak can be set to use 12.3 Kbps.

so it's really not to large of a data usage per client.

Average MSN chat is about 2-5Kbps transfer rate...

We are not talking about LARGE amounts of data being transfered, and you will save on people talking on voice and typing less.. so thats bandwidth that is saved there.. it's all data.. bits no mater what it is converted from.

Anyways... I just don't see the bandwidth usage being a good arguement for not doing it.

Thank You.
Xef.

You are simplifying this to a non-productive environment. We are talking about something that is in a productive environment and thousands may use it in parallel. Furthermore, companies tend to have backup-systems (usually the same configuration as the real thing).

Also: if you're hunting in a team, the number of connections multiplies itself. E.g. four players are talking to each other => each player uses four connections (one outgoing, three incoming) making it 16 connections just for this team.

Then you may want to use private voice chat, which is two more connections. Then, how do you want to keep the team chat separate from the private chat? It looks easy at the first glance, but it's a tricky thing to do.

And please don't compare typing to streaming audio. You are talking about maybe 1KB/min vs. 23 Kb/s as you put it. Besides that these are two totally different technologies. It's like comparing apples to cars.

Bandwidth is not a problem. MindArk are running servers which are likely to be always passing more than 100mb of data every second and whats more it's in the country with some of the fastest internet connections in the world. It won't lag at my end either since I have an average connection at 10mbps which is very sufficient if you ask me. You don't need any more than a 1mbps download speed to run Entropia as it is and an additional 50kbps would be nothing compared. Ingame lag since VU10 was implimented is totally down to the client's hardware or the way the software is running at the client's end.

Again, see above. You're simplifying this too much.

Take a look at youtube, you think they would not allow people to upload videos because it takes up over a Petabyte (1000 terabytes) a day? Entropia probably uses no more than a terabyte, maybe two, in a month. (Excluding software download and updates)

You are not comparing MA to YouTube, are you???

Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion in late 2006! 1,650,000,000!!! That would be a large number in PEDs already, but it's in USD...

And Google is not the small company. They run many huge server farms across the globe (Earth that is ).

And what position are you in to comment on MindArk's financial positions? It even has a banking license, i'm pretty sure financing such a small addition would be such a minor setback, since most of the technology is already there they won't need to invest in creating the technology themselves. Remember the whole Entropia platform was created by MindArk and they are not a small company anymore.

As Moonbiter said, the licence is gone. And yes, they are a small company compared to international standards.

 

[Stutoman]

Then you may want to use private voice chat, which is two more connections. Then, how do you want to keep the team chat separate from the private chat? It looks easy at the first glance, but it's a tricky thing to do.

Push button to talk? Simplez.