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[jviggy43]

Recently Ive been playing a number of MP centric team based games such as OW and Friday the 13th and have been becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of players communicating and using mics in these games. In order to excel in both these games, communication with your teammates is an absolute must while refusing to do so will heavily stack the odds against you, and this is true of most team based multiplayer games.

Now I understand the common complaint most people have with communicating with randoms online is that they don't feel like dealing with rude, obnoxious players and as such its best to just use party chat and remain in communication with a few people you know. This baffles me that party chat is the relied upon means to circumvent this issue considering every game these days has a mute button which 100% solves this issue while allowing you to remain in communication with those who are genuinely trying to be helpful and would greatly help your chances of success.

The other argument Ive run into when presenting that idea is "Why should I be forced to communicate and play the game this way when I don't want to?", which I find to be a pretty tenuous line of reasoning. If it comes down to "Its my game I'll play how I want" then how is that any different from those trolling or throwing games who would argue the same line of reasoning, "its my game I'll play it how I want to". I'm not equating the two in practice as one is a direct hindrance to success while the other is just an opportunity cost, but ultimately non communication in MP centric games completely undermines and ruins the experience of the game if your goal is to do well, especially for those actively trying to communicate and work together. Thoughts?

 

[mullet2000]

You're going to get torn apart for this post but I agree with you entirely.

Getting into a comp game in Overwatch and having 3 people not using mics is pure suffering.

Edit: To be clear, I mean specifically in competitive playlists and such. In regular modes, quick play, etc, I don't think you have any obligation or expectation to use a mic.

In competitive modes you're limiting the team's ability to work together by not communicating.

 

[vincenth69]

Players that have mics on while not talking and only snorts and puff in their mics during MP centric games ruin them.

I prefer someone that do not talk and still do a correct job than someone that just breath in its mic during the whole game.

Also, if I am playing with randoms, I mostly hear insults toward enemies AND teammates during the whole game instead of strategy­.

 

[Onivulk]

It's always been the opposite for me.

 

[georly]

I find my online experience actually improves if i don't have to listen to children with microphones. If I'm going to play seriously, i'll play with friends and we'll use mics. But strangers? I can't think of a better way to get me to dislike a game.


In a perfect world where no one is a screaming teen or getting angry, then yeah, voice chat would be great. The problem is most people don't use it in a constructive manner and do nothing but place the blame of everything on others.

 

[Jawmuncher]

Haven't used a mic since the 360 days of Halo 3 and Gears 1.

#partoftheproblem

 

[Nanashrew]

I'm sorry that I don't like talking over microphones?

 

[Sinatar]

Players that use mics in multiplayer games ruin them.

I don't want to listen to you yelling at your mom about your homework, whatever shitty music you're listening too, whatever racial slurs you learned on the playground today or whatever random nonsense you feel like talking about today.

Also the people who feel the need to bark "helpful" information can also fuck off. "Enemy on the left!". Left of what you stupid ponce. Just shut up.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

HEY I paid the $30 surcharge to get into the local Football Club so if I wanna kick the ball at everyone's heads and not listen to a single fuckin word I'm gonna go ahead and fuckin do it K M8
That doesn't make me an asswipe even though I'm ruining everyone else's fun and fucking my side's chances at winning this little game here
y'know why?
because I paid the $30 surcharge to get in. Fookin' checkmate



I enjoy console games that are designed so that you don't really need communication to identify where to go and what to do. There's no way to get console audiences to give a fuck about anything besides their own experiences anymore. Not after years of voice chat being abused, not after years of console-centric game design that focuses on enabling the individual to lone-wolf.

If you want to play games where the randoms you're playing with actually give a fuck about the team? Where they communicate, and occasionally even communicate well?
Get a PC. In my experience you are not finding that shit anywhere else. Team play on consoles is dead af w/o just bringing your own party in with you.

 

[Varg]

People have become more sheltered and socially awkward due to party chats and social media. The days where everyone had a mic in the general chat is long over . Sad but thats this generation for ya .

 

[InsaneTiger]

Let my silence burn a hole in your soul.

 

[Cyryus]

I find my online experience actually improves if i don't have to listen to children with microphones. If I'm going to play seriously, i'll play with friends and we'll use mics. But strangers? I can't think of a better way to get me to dislike a game.

This! Totally agree. I'll do my job and I'll do it well. I'll play the objective and time our ults together. I just don't want to talk to anyone else.

 

[bananafactory]

My issue is that I game primarily at night or early morning and my voice carries too much to speak.

So while I understand teamwork is more difficult without verbal communication I'm sorry but I'm not going to stop playing games I enjoy.

 

[RedAssedApe]

Depends on the game. But you can usually tell if someone is playing the objective as opposed to playing for themselves, playing for kd ratio like it's tdm

 

[Mossybrew]

Also the people who feel the need to bark "helpful" information can also fuck off. "Enemy on the left!". Left of what you stupid ponce. Just shut up.

Hah, yeah. And Overwatch as an example? Come on man, everyone knows what to do, it's pretty simple, they really don't need OP on the mic instructing them to pick a different character.

 

[Soulflarz]

Depends on the level?

Like OW I remember smurfing 2000-3000 and just sitting there thinking "I don't actually want to hear opinions from the general community lemme just carry" for the entirety of the time.

 

[RulkezX]

If ruining your game is the cost for me to not hand to talk with kids or forever alone basement dwellers pissed off that no one but them is doing it right....... I cam live with that.

 

[ElfArmy177]

I agree, no mic, get the fuck out of team based ranked games. You ruin it for the people who actually would like to win the game. Looking at you rainbow six siege players. "He's behind you... Behind you, he's... BEHIND Y.. *one friendly remaining* Jesus Christ go play Halo"

Edit: sometimes I don't use a mic, I'm being sarcastic... But kinda not..

 

[PedroLumpy]

Don't you think you're being a tad dramatic? The slippery slope goes both ways "People who choose off-meta picks ruin MP centric games!"

Find friends to yell at or lighten up man.

 

[Chorazin]

Fix the Toxicity of gamers and more people will talk.

Nothing makes people hate mics more than the subhumans who use them just to be monsters.

 

[Roubjon]

I gave listening to people in Overwatch a try multiple times, but more often than not it is a shitty experience. Racial and sexist slurs are always being said either casually or with the intention to make someone feel bad. People often take the game so seriously to the point where they start just being jerks to everyone. Then everyone is arguing and it's awful.

It's just not worth it to me. I don't want to hear that shit in the first place, so I'm not going to go in with it un-muted, then inevitably mute it 10 minutes down the line.

 

[ultron87]

If you want people to play exactly how you want you need to go get a team together.

 

[DeleteMyAccountThankyou]

OP play with a group of friends instead of randoms. I believe you would have some since you're all about opening the paths of communication with internet people.

 

[WoolyNinja]

Everytime - and I repeat - everytime I've used a mic with a group of strangers at least one of them is a toxic jerk. Now maybe I have bad luck but I much prefer no chatting when playing with strangers to getting ridiculed for messing up once in a match.

 

[King Gilga]

Naw, IDC care about talking but I don't want to hear your nasally ass so I'll keep voice chat off aight?

 

[Prologue]

Seems xbox live has a clan/group function to sign up with a crew that has a mic as a requirement. Theres also a looking for group feature that has this ability as well.

 

[meppi]

I talk to my friends only. Random strangers online don't interest me and aren't worth my time, nor the effort.

 

[Nheco]

I generally don't like people and talk just to my friends. Yeah, I'm antisocial.

Play only with friends if you require communication to have fun.

 

[jviggy43]

I find my online experience actually improves if i don't have to listen to children with microphones. If I'm going to play seriously, i'll play with friends and we'll use mics. But strangers? I can't think of a better way to get me to dislike a game.

But if its not helping then mute them and carry on but to not even try in the first place is frustrating for the number of players who are trying to work together and communicate. Going in and just assuming any communication with randoms seems silly to me, especially so if the other team is communicating and working together. At the least, if it isn't helping youre just back to square one of non communication whereas if its helping youve greatly increased your odds. That requires next to no effort and the benefits for the times that it works would go a long way to helping everyone playing.

Players that use mics in multiplayer games ruin them.

I don't want to listen to you yelling at your mom about your homework, whatever shitty music you're listening too, whatever racial slurs you learned on the playground today or whatever random nonsense you feel like talking about today.

Also the people who feel the need to bark "helpful" information can also fuck off. "Enemy on the left!". Left of what you stupid ponce. Just shut up.

Again, there is a mute function.

 

[Kaveman]

For me it's just I'd rather chat with friends in a party on PS4 seeing as the mic quality seems better in a party and i don't really want to deal with randoms.

But every now and then I'll go into game chat and see what's up.

 

[DNAbro]

I feel like if you are going to be actually competitive, get friends or a steady group to play with you. When I solo, I don't want to talk to you. It's also one of the main reasons I stay out of competitive matches in OW. I don't blame people for not talking cause I don't want to talk to you either.


Hell, I actively hate when people spam "NEED HEALING" like bitch i see the icon. shut up and stop pushing so far ahead with your weak ass genji play.

 

[StromboliProtocol]

I'm not gonna talk to strangers. Competitive mode or not.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

It's not 2004 and you aren't playing SOCOM anymore. The Mute All function has been a godsend.

 

[Marvel]

You wanna win? let me play in silence so I can concentrate.

Real talk, talking distracts me way too much my focus is bad enough.

 

[BHK3]

Overwatch is a casual game developed by committee for young gamers, the last god damn thing I need is to hear some dude tell me my pick is bad when we're both in the Plastic bracket. I'm picking my shooter mcbang character and killing people, don't like that then get some friends.

 

[bananafactory]

I agree, no mic, get the fuck out of team based ranked games. You ruin it for the people who actually would like to win the game. Looking at you rainbow six siege players. "He's behind you... Behind you, he's... BEHIND Y.. *one friendly remaining* Jesus Christ go play Halo"

This is a shitty attitude. If you want to play games that seriously then join a community, find some people to make friends with, and party up together.

Some of us just want to have fun

 

[bman94]

Don't like talking online in multiplayer games. 9/10 it's completely unnecessary. I don't play objective based shooters and I don't play multiplayer games that need communication. I don't want to interact with people. I just want to play and relax. That shouldn't involve talking. I got my Xbox One headset still in bag and I bought it in 2015.

 

[Wanchan]

Don't play if you don't speak english, mofos, how dare you don't speak english.

 

[zoodoo]

Did u say something OP?

Sorry I always mute everybody online?

 

[ElfArmy177]

This is a shitty attitude. If you want to play games that seriously then join a community, find some people to make friends with, and party up together.

Some of us just want to have fun

I edited, was being somewhat sarcastic but at the same time.. why the hell would you play a "team" based shooter ranked and not use a mic? How do you communicate properly to gain the upper hand? Sign language?

 

[Mesoian]

If I'm playing in competitive, I'll test the waters and give a "hello" at the beginning of a match.

If one mother fucker, JUST ONE MOTHER FUCKER, starts thinking they're funny? I'm out of the voice chat for the match and reporting them instantly. If we lose, it's their fault that they wanted to be an asshole for no reason.

I don't have time to deal with morons on the internet. Toxicity in online gaming is a behavioral problem that absolutely 0 developers or publishers even want to acknowledge, let alone tackle.

This is a shitty attitude. If you want to play games that seriously then join a community, find some people to make friends with, and party up together.

Some of us just want to have fun

Quick play is for you. Don't muck around in competitive.

I will never understand the mindset of, "I just want to have fun in the video game, but that means making the experience of everyone I'm playing with absolutely miserable because I'M SO PUCKISHLY RASCALISH!"

 

[Strangelove77]

I listen to podcasts while playing mp. That's what I like to do. I won't change it for anything because I don't take mp seriously. This is fun for me.

Don't most games have separate modes for people who really care about stats and winning? Destiny has Trials. Something like that?

 

[5taquitos]

Randos are never worth talking to, or even hearing. Party up if you want to talk competitively, I'll be playing ranked silent and still rocking your shit.

 

[GodofWine]

Party chat has both saved MP gaming, and kinda ruined MP gaming.

There are times Im glad I don't hear all the nonsense, but I also remember so many really fun times with cool randoms that just taking 10 seconds to mute annoying people was worth it.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

I'd rather have fun and not "excel" at a game than have random people shout racial slurs, ethnic slurs, breath heavily, and be otherwise annoying. Maybe if reporting people actually did something, but it doesn't seem to do anything. So, blame those players and platform holders who just shrug their shoulders than us who are tired of this garbage.

Also, part of the problem is that mic users are usually the ones who think that "trash talk" is essential to competitive gaming, and those people suck as well.

 

[LAM09]

I agree for the most part. Do as you please in casual matches, but people should use mics more often than not in comp games. Communication is key in games like OW, Siege, etc.

 

[creatchee]

If I enter a game and somebody is disruptive on the mic, I mute them.

If I enter a game and somebody is helpful and/or enjoyable on the mic, I work with them and probably send them a friend request.

Entering games in party chat takes both opportunities and choices away from me. Also, we cannot communicate with our team, regardless of how pleasurable it might be.

Party chat is great when you have a full team, but suffers with each person less than a full team in the party.

 

[Death Penalty]

Not ruining the experience of someone who is more than likely throwing a fit like a ten year old is not worth the price of subjecting myself to abuse and racial slurs. If you don't like queuing with randos, it's your job to find a team.

 

[NullPointer]

If you want people to play exactly how you want you need to go get a team together.

The cardinal rule of multiplayer gaming.

I agree for the most part. Do as you please in casual matches, but people should use mics more often than not in comp games. Communication is key in games like OW, Siege, etc.

But considering how many people don't use mics, or avoid using them in public channels, I'd like to see more games designed for this. More automated callouts and quick-key voice binds so you can still get some decent communication without mics.

Too many multiplayer centric games presume you've got a team of hardcore players all communicating and the game is built upon that premise, but its just not realistic or pragmatic to expect that.

 

[ghibli99]

TIL people play team-based competitive w/o comms. Who knew!