I think it's time we got an in-game voice chat

MonkeyMadness·Nov 4, 2016·7 votes·925 views

After playing Overwatch pretty hardcore for a few months, I am starting to appreciate just how amazing voice chat can be. I have met so many fun people due to the interactions in voice chat, and I play with a bunch of them on a regular basis. This is just not the case in League. I rarely (if ever) send or accept friend requests anymore as I feel as though I have no real connection with the people I meet in soloQ. If you really want to push this game toward a true team-oriented endeavor (as was your stated goal for Dynamic Queue, btw) you will give us voice chat, and with the new client coming out in the near future, what better time to implement such a feature?

38 Comments

Truly PridefulNov 4, 20163 votes

I'll be honest, I wouldn't use it at all. This community can't handle being mature through text so I have no interest in hearing them through voice chat.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Ok, so I'm guessing you've never played a game with voice chat then. Here's the thing: games with voice chat tend to be much less toxic and immature than League, and I attribute this to the fact that there is a greater sense of responsibility for the spoken word than when you just type. When I do encounter toxicity in Overwatch, it is almost exclusively typed. People feel that hiding behind their keyboards protects their anonymity and they can be toxic without consequence, but when it's their actual voice being used to communicate, they take greater responsibility for their words.

Truly PridefulNov 4, 20162 votes

You would be wrong, I've played plenty of games with voice chat. This game is fairly old at this point and I don't really trust that the entire community could handle it. If other people want to use it that's fine, give me a few pings and it's easy enough to follow. I just have no real interest in it, that doesn't mean you can't want it.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

You are obviously resistant to change. The fact of the matter is this: Riot wants to encourage a stronger sense of team play. That was the reason they forced DQ on us. However, voice comms would solve this problem for literally everyone, not just the people that happen to have friends at their rank. Based on your unwillingness to communicate (based on your statement) I believe that toxicity in your games is likely due to YOU and not your teammates. A refusal to communicate with your team via chat (or simply ignoring it) is the fastest way to get people to hate you in ranked, and this kind of behavior really does encourage toxicity.

Truly PridefulNov 4, 20162 votes

Going right for the insults, nice. I would invite a Rioter to let you know how toxic I've been in my entire time playing this game. I've never seen a warning or punishment of any kind. I respond in chat and make calls and ping relevant objectives. You need to just understand not everyone wants voice chat and that a differing opinion from your opinion is okay.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Congrats on being a classic League of Legends triggered over-sensitive child. Statement of fact is now apparently an insult. K. Kindly grow up, you desperately need a thicker skin to survive in the real world.

TyrekGoldenspearNov 4, 20162 votes

Congrats on being a classic thick headed person who can't understand that differing opinions is okay.

Kindly grow up and realize that you are not always right.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Differing opinions are ok insofar as they don't negatively impact other people. Your "opinion" is a huge detriment to this community. League is falling apart in the wake of Overwatch's success. I'll be completely honest with you, even after playing this game avidly for 5 years, Overwatch is objectively better in all regards. Gameplay is cleaner, the community is worlds better, and the ability to coordinate with your team creates a very meaningful gaming experience. Also, let's look at some basic facts: League is more toxic than Overwatch. This is very plain to see. However, Overwatch has in-game voice chat. So how can you possible make the correlation between voice chat and toxicity when such an obvious counter example is sitting right in front of your face?

OglafNov 4, 20162 votes

{quoted}

Differing opinions are ok insofar as they don't negatively impact other people. Your "opinion" is a huge detriment to this community. League is falling apart in the wake of Overwatch's success. I'll be completely honest with you, even after playing this game avidly for 5 years, Overwatch is objectively better in all regards. Gameplay is cleaner, the community is worlds better, and the ability to coordinate with your team creates a very meaningful gaming experience. Also, let's look at some basic facts: League is more toxic than Overwatch. This is very plain to see. However, Overwatch has in-game voice chat. So how can you possible make the correlation between voice chat and toxicity when such an obvious counter example is sitting right in front of your face?

Correlation does not mean causation.

You need to implicitly prove that what you perceive as a less toxic environment in-game in Overwatch is directly tied to voice chat.

TyrekGoldenspearNov 4, 20163 votes

This^

Also let's not forget that if voice chat becomes an option then suddenly it will become the only preferred option. People who don't want to participate or can't, either because they are sick and can't speak or are young or girls or whatever. The point is that hearing somebody's voice will instantly change a person's perception of them, and if they were already set in their mind to be toxic they will be.

Heck right now people are toxic using generalistic terms, bonus points for being specific if the person's username suggests a gender or age.

But if you hear a girl, then you can start harassing them. This is the major thing that concerns people that don't want voice chat.

Because then people will stop using text and pings and will expect you to voice with them, and won't type or anything to give you any indication of what a plan is.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Fun fact: you don't actually have to talk to be able to listen. Frequently in Overwatch, I encounter players who either don't have a mic or can't talk for various other reasons. But they listen to what I have to say and then either use the "acknowledged" ping if they agree, or type out their disagreement to my proposed strategy.

People who don't want to participate or can't, either because they are sick and can't speak or are young or girls or whatever.

How openly sexist of you. You are implying that there is a stigma associated with girls playing online games. I assure you that this stigma only exists because people like you make such overtly insensitive statements. After 8 months or so of playing Overwatch, I have seen only a single case of a girl being "harassed" by a guy, and it was between two players in my own premade with an obvious mutual understanding of humor. The fact is that no one cares if you are a girl, unless you use that fact to draw attention to yourself. The same is true of kids. No one care if you are a pre-pubescent child with a high pitched voice, they care if you ACT like a pre-pubescent child. And if you are a girl or a kid and this makes you feel self-conscious, I would first urge you to grow up and learn to accept yourself, but if that is for some reason out of the question, then you can at least listen to the chat and ping/type to respond when necessary.

TyrekGoldenspearNov 4, 20161 votes

[slayer-pantheon-popcorn]

You done assuming things about people?

Me sexist? Really? That's what you take from this?

I am simply reporting what I see and what tons of girl gamers had to experience. I am a guy but I have seen stories on these boards. I know that it exsists and if you think me informing you makes me sexist, then I dunno what to tell you.

Keep living in your own world where every one of your ideas is a good one, nobody harasses anybody on comms, and people who don't agree are mentally challenged, are insecure about themselves, or are anti-social.

MonkeyMadnessNov 5, 20161 votes

Sexism in gaming exists in large part because of people like who act like gamer girls need some kind of extra protection. In actuality, I see very little of the sexism that you claim exists. Obviously there are some dickheads, but the majority of gamers do not care about race, gender, etc.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Yes, I'm aware of this, but please enlighten me as to the specific statement I made that implies that voice chat causes or doesn't cause toxicity? All I said was that there is no correlation, and gave evidence to support this claim. Your logical fallacy is pretty glaring to make this jump to "causation".

Truly PridefulNov 4, 20161 votes

Wat? Me being toxic and unwilling to communicate is a statement of fact? I've never played with you and that is the complete opposite of how I am. I'm pretty thick skinned and sorry man, but you didn't hurt my feelings. I thought we could have a civil discussion but you went straight for an attack instead. Thank you for proving my point, you're a good example of someone I wouldn't want to talk to in voice chat.

TalisidNov 4, 20161 votes

I actually quit CSGO after about 15 minutes of some asshole on my team yelling at me for being bad at the game with his Mic.

Overwatch has been better, overall, but generally most people in that game don't even use a mic.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

If you quit a game after only 15 minute, regardless of reason, you are a soft human being and your opinions regarding literally anything should never be considered. Grow a spine.

TalisidNov 4, 20161 votes

There are plenty of other games out there. Plenty of other FPS games even. I didn't see any need to bash my head into a wall to learn CSGO when I'm already playing 4 other competitive games.

MonkeyMadnessNov 5, 20161 votes

There is no way to reason with some as overtly stubborn as you, so I won't bother trying. Fact is, you are being a child to up and quit a game after 15 mins.

Ben SharpioNov 4, 20162 votes

Yes, we should incorporate voice chat. How else am i going to blast music over my mic?

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Ever hear of muting? Also, been playing Overwatch since it's release, never seen this happen. In fact, I would argue that Overwatch is SUBSTANTIALLY less toxic than League, so clearly voice chat =/= toxicity. How about you actually try a voice chat game before you make dumb comments like this?

CocosanNov 4, 20161 votes

Well then you have to look at people who talk through webcams, laptops, or those crappy mics and if you mute them they will most likely be toxic, after all it is soloQ. But Yeah if you know the people or they are cool this could be alright.

Paladin 0f LifeNov 4, 20161 votes

Or partner with curse?

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Well, no. They shouldn't force people into using third party systems. It's just a better idea to enable in-game voice chat.

Wolf QueenNov 4, 20161 votes

In game voice would be nice however if they do put it in, its probably going to cause a lot of grief. I play overwatch too and when i get teams with no voice communication it really discourages me at the start of the game knowing that its likely the other team does have voice.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Agreed, but most people listen even if they don't talk. That helps a lot.

wilosonmeatNov 4, 20161 votes

if you want voice chat go to dota, it has voice chat but has a higher skill cap

wilosonmeatNov 4, 20161 votes

i play both games in case you were wondering

OglafNov 4, 20161 votes

It is bad enough to have to read "kurwa".

I don't want it shouted at me, too.

So hell no.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Virtually every other competitive game on the market has a built-in voice chat and that no other game on the market comes even close to League's levels of toxicity? Clearly voice chat and toxicity are not correlated in this manner, and I actually argue that voice chat REDUCES toxicity, as there is a much greater sense of responsibility for the spoken word than there is when you are allowed to hide behind your keyboard. I mentioned this in an earlier comment, but I'll say it again, in Overwatch, the most toxic players are NOT the people raging over voice chat. Sure, it happens, but the worst toxicity comes from the people that refuse to use the voice chat. They spew their unhinged vitriol in the typed chat, because they feel a sense of security while hiding behind their keyboards.

The fact here is, you are simply resistant to change. League has been this way for years, and it would be a fairly radical change to go from typed comms to full fledged voice comms. If you think it will be any worse, I can tell you from experience that you are wrong. Worst case scenario, it will be the same. However, as I have said before, I find that when people are forced to actually speak in their own voice and stop hiding behind their keyboards, they tend to soften their words a great deal.

Crash ChannelNov 4, 20161 votes

only more for the client to process. how much lag do you want vs. how bad do you want the chance of ragers abusing voice chat. item 3151

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

In my experience, voice chat systems have much less toxicity. People use typed chat to hide behind their keyboards. There is very little sense of responsibility for the typed word. But when you actually have to use your own voice, most people take a greater sense of responsibility. My proof is Overwatch. The potential for toxicity is huge there (easily just as much as in league) but it simply does not exist at the same levels. Sure, you get the occasional dick, but unlike League, it's not an every game occurrence. And in fact, the most toxic players I've seen in Overwatch don't use voice chat. They prefer to hide behind their keyboards and spew their vitriol in typed format.

How about this: you don't make blatantly unprovable assumptions regarding the results of voice chat before it has even been implemented. Stop being so resistant to change and come to grips with the simple fact that EVERY SINGLE COMPETITIVE GAME EVER HAS VOICE CHAT ENABLED. Also come to grips with the fact that League is unique in its level of toxicity. There is literally nothing to lose by trying voice chat, but there is a lot to gain. Riot could finally implement that true sense of "teamwork" that formed the crux of their argument for DQ, and they wouldn't even have to alienate players to do so.

OglafNov 4, 20161 votes

Unless I play with my friends, which I do over Skype rather than some built-in system, I never ever have voice chat active in any game.

Voice chat is cancer.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Why is this community so set on being 100% antisocial? Are you afraid to talk to strangers? People need to wake up and realize that humans developed vocal cords for a reason, and it was not so that they could type frantically in the middle of a teamfight to people that will probably just ignore it anyways.

And to say "voice chat is cancer" is probably the most cancerous opinion on this post. You are so resistant to change that you are unwilling to accept the very basic fact that voice chat is by far superior in all ways to typed chat. It is better for team coordination, it is better for making friends and thus promoting a positive gaming experience, and it is better for reducing toxiciy. Yes, you read that right. Voice chat reduces toxicity. When people are using their own voice instead of hiding behind their keyboard and typing, they have a greater sense of responsibility for their words and tend to be less confrontational. Look at Overwatch. Yes, you get the occasional toxic player in voice chat, but the majority of toxicity actually comes from players that refuse to use the voice chat and type their unhinged vitriol into the chat box. More importantly, if voice chat was in some way correlated to an increase in toxicity, then one would assume that Overwatch would be a complete cesspool. But the fact is that Overwatch is SUBSTANTIALLY less toxic than League, so I really cannot understand why people like you are so opposed to trying out a factually superior form of communication when the evidence actually shows that it really doesn't increase toxicity at all.

OglafNov 4, 20161 votes

I'm clearly not being anti-social as here I am, talking to you on this very forum so that is a nonsensical point. I'm just not too keen on hearing my fellow players, reading what they write is more than enough. If I want good/positive voice chat, I'll do it with friends only.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

LOL because typing a message over a forum to be read by a person that lives literally across the ocean is totally social behavior.

Look at it this way: voice chat is objectively better in terms of communication and team coordination, and in my personal experience, also superior in terms of making real connections with people and creating a much more positive and social gaming experience. If you don't want to have meaningful interactions with other people for whatever reason, that is your prerogative, but don't take away from what might be a great thing for plenty of other people simply because you don't prefer it. You have the option to mute people you don't want to talk to, but I don't have the option to talk to them because it simply doesn't exist.

OglafNov 4, 20161 votes

Could you please stop espousing your opinion as fact? Thank you.

MonkeyMadnessNov 4, 20161 votes

Fact: voice chat is more efficient and much faster form of communication than typed chat.

Fact: voice chat is inherently more social than typed chat because you are forced to actually interact with people

Opinion (based on facts): voice chat is superior to typed chat.

I am not espousing anything. I am presenting facts, and drawing conclusions (call them opinions of you wish, as this is technically correct) based on those facts.