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[KarneeKarnay]

If you want to play a multiplayer game competitively you need a team. You can't rely on randoms ever and mics aren't going to help. Outside of people I know every game someone with a mic has been in, that some person just yells insults.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Uh, yeah. Modes are designed with specific purposes, and if you're going against that purpose you should be funneled into modes that better suit the players in your company. Ranked is an option. In some games, even just playing with others is a privilege. In many MP games, even in normals, if you're griefing too much, your privilege is getting revoked.

"I paid for it therefore the entire game is my playground" is a bizarre statement to make. You can disagree with the mic mandate, but there are better arguments to make.



I'm not equating them because they're equally bad, I'm equating it because its a thing that's regulated by communities and developers used to revoke privileges of having the full access to a game. That scenario disproves the simple argument of "Did I pay for it? I can play it"

If you're playing competitive mode and trying to rank then you should be playing with an actual team not randoms. If you don't have friends/team then you deal with what randoms give you.

 

[Macrotus]

If you want to play a multiplayer game competitively you need a team. You can't rely on randoms ever and mics aren't going to help. Outside of people I know every game someone with a mic has been in, that some person just yells insults.

This.

If you want everyone in your team to use mics, then just play with your friends or form a pre-made group.

If you're playing competitive mode and trying to rank then you should be playing with an actual team not randoms. If you don't have friends/team then you deal with what randoms give you.

This as well.

 

[Budi]

Played 3 matches of dota 2 today.
Everytime someone used the mic was to complain or insult someone.

¯\_(&#12484_/¯

I don't really want to come in defense of Dota players here, since your experience isn't rare. But sometimes there are people willing to lead and I love it. Just as long they keep it civil. I rarely find that it matters when all others don't use their mics if they are just following the lead. And you can still ping or even type when needed. Also if you are actually aware yourself of what is going on, you don't always need others stating the obvious. But yeah, mostly it's not really constructive.

If you want to play a multiplayer game competitively you need a team. You can't rely on randoms ever and mics aren't going to help. Outside of people I know every game someone with a mic has been in, that some person just yells insults.

This is correct. You have no control over who are you playing with and how they play if you just solo queue. It's silly to expect them to fill your wishes and needs. You might think you are playing seriously when going for ranked, but if you don't put in the effort to gather a group, you are mostly goofing around. Nobody is intentionally trying to ruin your games by not using a mic, people have other means for that. Overwatch has millions of players, if you can't find enough players to fill a team of 6 you haven't even tried. And by that I don't mean that you only have 6 people in your friends list. Add like 20 people that have mics and are using them.

What is the reluctance with these people for making premades? There always needs to be randoms to blame for the loss? People don't want to play with you for some reason?

 

[rai]

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.

I also don't care about winning or losing as much as other many people do. I enjoy playing the game and I don't want to hear other people talking when I play.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Non mic players should absolutely be matched with toxic players. If you don't have a mic, you can't hear the toxicity. So what the hell is the difference? In fact, you're actually doing the community a service as you're absorbing the damage toxic players would inflict to those who do have mics, all at no expense or harm to yourself.

In most games you can still hear others even if you're playing without the mic. The only difference is you can mute all of them from the audio options.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

In League of Legends, in order to play ranked

Cos I paid for the game lol?

You paid for LoL? Someone scammed you, I'm sorry to tell you.

 

[cakely]

You're a real asshole if you don't use a mic in the games where it puts your team at a massive disadvantage. I'd much rather have a complainer or blamer who makes calls than someone who just lets me get flanked without a word. There's just no excuse for most people who don't use a mic. Even if you mute everybody you can still make calls.

There are people that don't use mics in competitive play. If you choose to play with random people on your team, you will be put on a team with those people. The first step is to come to grips with that reality.

Once you've done that, you should look for a solution to your problem.

The solution is not:

• Call these random players assholes (rude, useless)
• Force them to use mics (impossible)

The solution is:

• Stop playing competitive mode with randoms.

 

[Rellik]

Jesus christ. I can't believe there are people on here trying to tell others how to play their game and wanting modes cut off from them for not using a mic. Absolutely pathetic to see such elitist bullshit attitudes.

 

[ironmang]

There are people that don't use mics in competitive play. If you choose to play with random people on your team, you will be put on a team with those people. The first step is to come to grips with that reality.

Once you've done that, you should look for a solution to your problem.

The solution is not:

• Call these random players assholes (rude, useless)
• Force them to use mics (impossible)

The solution is:

• Stop playing competitive mode with randoms.

I proposed a potential solution on the last page.* Right now though my temporary solution is to initiate a vote kick and then block them if given the options. I'd rather play 5v4 or whatever than deal with the frustration of having a teammate that's too lazy to press a button and say a couple words to prevent myself and my teammates from getting flanked.

But ya, they are assholes and calling them out for dragging down the team makes me feel a little better and even lets them know why they're about to be kicked.

* Let us rate teammates based on communication after a match. Then factoring that into matchmaking in the future. Hits 2 birds with 1 stone by working towards getting silent and toxic teammates paired up away from the rest of us. They already do something similar to this with quitters so why not with the other unpleasant players?

 

[Ragnorok64]

Overwatch is the only real team based game I play, and it's infuriating to be playing ranked only to have people refuse to use a mic or at least join the voice channel to coordinate with the rest of team. Good communication wins games.

 

[cakely]

I proposed a potential solution on the last page. Right now though my temporary solution is to initiate a vote kick and then block them if given the options. I'd rather play 5v4 or whatever than deal with the frustration of having a teammate that's too lazy to press a button and say a couple words to prevent myself and my teammates from getting flanked.

But ya, they are assholes and calling them out for dragging down the team makes me feel a little better and even lets them know why they're about to be kicked.

Your mic rating "solution" is terrible and will never, ever be implemented.

The idea that an AFK player is less harmful to your team than someone that's not using a mic is ridiculous.

You're still calling these people assholes, and it's not at all helpful.

 

[ironmang]

Your mic rating "solution" is terrible and will never, ever be implemented.

The idea that an AFK player is less harmful to your team than someone that's not using a mic is ridiculous.

You're still calling these people assholes, and it's not at all helpful.

How is it terrible?

Regarding afk players, this guy already put it quite nicely:

Honestly, I would rather have AFKers than people who don't use a mic. Micless people are just as useless as AFKers. I think I have 4 teammates when I really have 3.

Countless times in CS I've been flanked from an area I thought my teammate was watching but they couldn't be bothered to say 5 words. At least if you're afk I know that area isn't being watched and I can plan around that

And yes, I'm going to continue to call them assholes. Sucks when someone won't do what you want them to do, doesn't it?

 

[J3ffro]

Incredible

You are officially my spirit animal.

 

[creatchee]

In most games you can still hear others even if you're playing without the mic. The only difference is you can mute all of them from the audio options.

This isn't helping no mic-ers case. If you still hear toxic players and have to mute them anyway, then you literally have no excuse not to use your mic to communicate.

 

[feint_ruled]

This isn't helping no mic-ers case. If you still hear toxic players and have to mute them anyway, then you literally have no excuse not to use your mic to communicate.

Afraid not. If you speak and you have an accent, or female, then you likely as not just invite toxicity by speaking. And now, it's directed specifically at you!

 

[creatchee]

Afraid not. If you speak and you have an accent, or female, then you likely as not just invite toxicity by speaking.

Then you mute them too since you're already muting people in the above example. I don't see why this is hard to grasp.

 

[Musky_Cheese]

People ruin multiplayer games. At any time someone talking on a mic can be a blessing or a curse.

I personally think people using m+kb on consoles against controllers are shitty

 

[feint_ruled]

Then you mute them too since you're already muting people in the above example. I don't see why this is hard to grasp.

I don't get it, so you just talk into the void with everyone muted? Easier just to not use a mic than play toxic-dude whack-a-mole. You said there was literally no reason not to use your mic to speak, I gave you one. (Anyway, it's moot as most games allow you to globally disable chat).

Like, I don't want the first thirty seconds of every game being me traversing menus to mute the assholes that are smoked out by the sound of my voice. Even if they are not specifically toxic, I don't want to be repeating myself all the time ("what the fuck are you sayin' maaaaan?!") or putting on some ridiculous fake American accent.

 

[Ragnorok64]

I don't get it, so you just talk into the void with everyone muted? Easier just to not use a mic than play toxic-dude whack-a-mole. You said there was literally no reason not to use your mic to speak, I give you one. (Anyway, it's moot as most games allow you to globally disable chat).

This line of reasoning essentially assumes everyone online is toxic. Whether or not someone is going to be toxic and a detriment to the team is an unknown quantity. They can be muted if and when they become an issue. 1/6th of the team not using chat from the get go is an instant detriment to the team.

 

[MsVariant]

I don't know, I'm hesitant to use a mic in multiplayer games as to avoid harassment. This doesn't mean I don't like the coordination, when I have a squad to play battlefield with I love calling.

 

[Conciliator]

80%+ of the time someone has a mic in OW I feel like I need to mute them. People don't fuckin know how to use mics, and they turn the volume all the way up on their shitty headphone mics and scream and snort and breath into them. Honestly I just find it fuckin miserable when 6 people are trying to use the mic. I'm fortunate in that I have a voice that the average OW kid thinks is manly...I can only recall one time EVER that I heard a woman talk in OW chat and she was taken seriously. That actually was a very good game with multiple mics going, but that's like 1 in 100. 1 in 1000, I don't know.

Also, ALSO, what about those OW people that ANNOUNCE THEIR FUCKIN PLAY BY PLAY CONSTANTLY THROUGH THE MIC. I don't need your life story dva.

So yes, I do use mute. Most of the time. Actually I don't play competitive that much at least partially for this reason, so...

---

OK, final postscript I want to add: Taking solo queue competitive OW seriously is a path to pain and coronary complications.

 

[cakely]

How is it terrible?

Because it would lump silent players in with offensive players. However, it doesn't really matter, because it will never be implemented, anywhere.

Regarding afk players, this guy already put it quite nicely:

Yeah, that's ridiculous. He can't tell who's playing on his team? Is his scoreboard broken?

And yes, I'm going to continue to call them assholes. Sucks when someone won't do what you want them to do, doesn't it?

I'm not telling you can't call someone an asshole. I will tell you it's not helping your cause.

 

[Jayveer]

I'm probably part of the problem, I don't use mics in games even though I realise they are beneficial. Even though I have a headset I found when I used it I concentrated less on the game, probably beacause I still need to get used to it. Also (when playing Overwatch) I find there's always someone that want's to bash his teammates or something, I don't think I have the self-restraint to not get into an argument with someone like that if I was wearing a headset, I generally always play solo as well, never really had any friends that were into gaming.

 

[feint_ruled]

I'm not telling you can't call someone an asshole. I will tell you it's not helping your cause.

Plus they have you muted, so won't hear you ;-)

 

[Raysoul]

I don't think shouting profanities helps in winning multiplayer games.

 

[NotKrankor]

This morning I activated voice chat in OW because I thought "Hey, it can't be so bad and it might actually help" and started to play. One guy spent the entire game insulting the other players and me, giving clueless orders and generally being a jerk. He was probably 16 or something. When, during the third game, another guy started to insult me and called me a f*g for ten minutes, I put back the voice chat volume to zero. I don't have to deal with this.

 

[jviggy43]

Just so we're clear about why I play with randoms on OW, the game prevents you from playing with people ranked at a certain SR lower than you. None of my friends are within 500 SR so I'm forced to play with randoms unless I want to use a Smurf which I don't find fun to do. As an Xbox player finding people online through forums and fb groups isn't easy because most people don't want to play with a full stack at masters and gm. So saying "Why are you playing with randoms" isn't really helping. Obviously I'd love not to be playing with randoms but alas.

 

[mxgt]

So many people can't use a mic properly. I like using a mic for team play, but when most people start calling out pointless shit or describing everything they do, or if you can hear them breathing when they have it turned up too loud, or it's distorted as fuck, or they're just generally obnoxious cunts then it's too much hassle.

 

[jviggy43]

Because it would lump silent players in with offensive players. However, it doesn't really matter, because it will never be implemented, anywhere.



Yeah, that's ridiculous. He can't tell who's playing on his team? Is his scoreboard broken?



I'm not telling you can't call someone an asshole. I will tell you it's not helping your cause.

If the players who are silent are silent because they don't want to hear trolls or offensive players, then they would have no reason not to communicate in a system like this after the initial launch period filtered out the toxic players. If they're being silent just because they don't want to chat or communicate in a competitive mode, then they should be grouped with people who also don't want to communicate with others. Also if they have chat turned off, it wint matter if theyre witj toxic olayers becuase they wont be hearing them to begin with. I'm aware the system would be abused in practice but on paper that's the only thing I've heard so far that would make sense.

 

[ironmang]

Because it would lump silent players in with offensive players. However, it doesn't really matter, because it will never be implemented, anywhere.

Communication is important in some games and I see no problem lumping all the people who are awful at it together. It's often the most important skill and definitely should be factored when we're talking about a skill based matchmaking system. I never said it would be implemented either, I said it's a solution that's better than what we have now. Some games have quitting factored into matchmaking and it's a wonderful thing. Why can't that be expanded to other areas? I'm sure nobody would have a problem with toxic players were matched together in such a way, so why not just add the people who don't find communication important anyways and will just mute everybody?

Yeah, that's ridiculous. He can't tell who's playing on his team? Is his scoreboard broken?

Huh? He didn't say anything like that at all. Like not even close. He said it's better to know a spot isn't being covered than to put trust in a silent teammate who won't say a word as the enemy runs past them and flanks you. In that game you can tell where your teammate is at from the mini map. If a teammate is in that spot you assume they're watching it and will let you know if enemies slip past them. If that spot is unoccupied then you know where you can be flanked and position yourself accordingly.

I'm not telling you can't call someone an asshole. I will tell you it's not helping your cause.

Someone called me an asshole for wanting teammates with poor communication to be matched together. I'm just following their lead. Call them out if you care so much about removing the word from the conversation.

 

[PSqueak]

You paid for LoL? Someone scammed you, I'm sorry to tell you.

Don't be obtuse, Trigo brought the LoL example, but we're talking about general gaming, and more accurately people are more often than not talking about Overwatch specifically, and yes, you have to pay to play Overwatch.

And that's why LoL can get away with gating competitive play behind reaching Lvl 30, because it's free to play, paid games usually don't put such a high lock on comp because you already paid the entry fee, it would be absolute bollocks to gate modes like that.

 

[King Gilga]

I proposed a potential solution on the last page.* Right now though my temporary solution is to initiate a vote kick and then block them if given the options. I'd rather play 5v4 or whatever than deal with the frustration of having a teammate that's too lazy to press a button and say a couple words to prevent myself and my teammates from getting flanked.

But ya, they are assholes and calling them out for dragging down the team makes me feel a little better and even lets them know why they're about to be kicked.

* Let us rate teammates based on communication after a match. Then factoring that into matchmaking in the future. Hits 2 birds with 1 stone by working towards getting silent and toxic teammates paired up away from the rest of us. They already do something similar to this with quitters so why not with the other unpleasant players?

I can understand why you can't get 5 friends to play with you.

 

[Symbiotx]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

 

[creatchee]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

Given their methodology for gaming, I would imagine they would immediately put all users on the forum on Ignore and only read the forum and subforum list.

 

[MsVariant]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

the effort to opt out is much greater for silencing voice chat vs skipping reading a post.

 

[ironmang]

I can understand why you can't get 5 friends to play with you.

Being able to just queue up is much more convenient than waiting. I'll double or triple queue all the time but nobody likes waiting 20 minutes for the 5th to "make a quick call" or whatever. Plus a lot of my friends on my list are lower rank than me and don't have a lot of fun getting matched up against globals/supremes in csgo.

Only times I ever say anything negative to teammates is if they're toxic or refuse to make calls. I don't care about their skill level at all. Don't play the blame-game or bait teammates or troll or anything.

 

[Koyuga]

I only play casual multiplayer games like Overwatch, and I mute the mics. Its not a big deal.

 

[Symbiotx]

Given their methodology for gaming, I would imagine they would immediately put all users on the forum on Ignore and only read the forum and subforum list.

Right? If it's preferable to just prevent hearing from everyone in case they're toxic, it seems like the logical course of action.

the effort to opt out is much greater for silencing voice chat vs skipping reading a post.

Hmm, usually it's very easy in games to mute someone.

 

[cakely]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

The two are nothing alike.

If someone posted something like you typically hear in your typical open chat on GAF, the moderation would ban them instantly. It's not like GAF is the soundtrack for another game that we're playing, this is a forum. We come here specifically to read the posts.

Also, it's not like I "can't handle" hearing open chat, that would imply that it's a deficiency on my part, and it isn't. It's simply that I don't want to hear open chat.

Given their methodology for gaming, I would imagine they would immediately put all users on the forum on Ignore and only read the forum and subforum list.

Your snark is both unnecessary and easily proven false.

 

[AlexBasch]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

You come to forums to read posts and ignore what you don't like or don't think it adds to the conversation.

It's like asking "why don't you read YouTube comments". You come for the video, not reading rubbish from other people.

 

[PSqueak]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

I pretty much only use NeoGAF as a online forum, people in here get banned for saying anything that would actually bother me in a multiplayer game (ie, racist shit).

I used to frequent /co/, but when you're willingly entering 4chan, you automatically don't take the toxicity seriously.

 

[NeonBlack]

You come to forums to read posts and ignore what you don't like or don't think it adds to the conversation.

It's like asking "why don't you read YouTube comments". You come for the video, not reading rubbish from other people.

It not like YouTube comments. You come here to read threads. If you just read post/threads you agree with then this thread wouldn't be going this long.

 

[AlexBasch]

It not like YouTube comments. You come here to read threads. If you just read post/threads you agree with then this thread wouldn't be going this long.

When I wrote "you don't like" I meant "unnecessary snark" or "calling people assholes for not using a mic". I realize I have read stuff I don't really agree with but I can respect that, not only in this thread but all of this forum.

I don't join multiplayer games to hear other people speak (usually bullshit or verbal abuse), I'm coming for the game first.

 

[MsVariant]

Hmm, usually it's very easy in games to mute someone.

Yep, but you see before I can mute someone I have to hear their bullshit, while with a forum post I can just move on if I don't like portions of the post.

* Disable voice = Active action of identifying speaker, and muting them. Have to hear their bullshit while they potentially harass you until you can get that mute on.
* Skip forum post = read a bit, scroll down

 

[Roubjon]

I'm curious... those of you that won't voice chat because you can't handle somebody being annoying or jerks once in a while, how do you deal with comments in forums? How are you able to read through comments that are annoying or toxic?

It's not that I can't handle it, it's that I don't want to bother with bigoted dicks. Why would I want to subject myself to listening to that trash? GAF is the only forum I use and most people get banned for saying the sort of thing found on voice chat all the time. And if I find someone on GAF who says mean stuff like that, then yeah I'll put them on my ignore list.

 

[akira28]

zealots. i get it. i have some things i'm passionate about.

but you're wrong.

i could just as successfully argue that mic zealots ruin the game for people who don't want to feel exposed and just want to play the game.

 

[joecanada]

This has probably been brought up already but I'm not in voice chat because I'm in a party with my friends talking about life. So no I won't be going back to voice chat.

 

[Theonik]

Splatoon had this right tbh

 

[EchoChamber]

I don't use the mic because I don't speak very well English.