Ventrilo, Skype, etc.

[Lucas Drachen]

Last I checked a few guilds had issues with rp'ers using Vent/Skype during PvP. More or less because it does give the vent side a bit of an advantage over those who aren't using it.

I'd say if it's going to be used it should be more for casual chatting, a way of actually keeping GC clear for once.

[Atrus Kien]

no one wants to hear your voice.....

[Linaeus]

Last I checked it isn't against the rules to give orders and instructions in party or GC, so OOC coordination is perfectly acceptable. ;P

[Kas Valentine]

I 'dunno, the more I hear the pros and cons in this thread the more I think that using voice chat would blow up in our faces. 

Whether through distraction, babble or the possibility of disagreement in spoken form.

S'risky.

[Atrus Kien]

It maybe a risk but just like everything else, unless you try you will never know if it will work or not, I say just try it out and see how it does and if it doesnt work then drop it.

[Linaeus]

I see it as being nothing more than a hands-free version of Guild Chat, to be used for the same things and with the same rules as such. Anything that actually frees people up to type as their character rather than having long silences while they type out paragraphs in GC is worth it to me.

[Nicholi Ravnthorn]

As far as I remember this was brought up several years ago. Agreed, it would add to tactical options, being able to coordinate on the battle field. It was ultimately shot down because it was thought that it would damage the RP in game while everyone was busy chit chatting on Vent, they wouldn't be paying attention to IG signals, and the RP side of the battle.

I still agree with that thought, and wouldn't like to see it.

[Marcus Kobra]

People have and always will abuse GC, having Vent is only a quicker version of said communication. The advantages are obvious the disadvantages are equally obvious and the only new disavantage is that people can talk over each other. What vent also allows is multiple channels, if folks really need to chat it up then they can drop into another channel. We won't know until we try it, and admin can globaly mute people, and individuals can mute anyone they don't wish to hear.

[Gregor Eason]

However, in that light, the bonus of having Vent is that perhaps GC would be cleared up.

I'm still shifty on Vent use during battles, but I wouldn't mind seeing a Vent Channel so people can talk if they want to (if you don't want to, don't join the channel - simple) and GC could finally be given some reprieve.

[Kas Valentine]

But if Ventrilo use is based on a simple opt in or opt out principle then won't that lead to a crisis of Command...?

One lot becomes strategically tight and another lot is left in the dark...?

In response to the mute option, doesn't the use of that make using Ventrilo at all a moot point...?

(See what I did there, heh)

/Devil's Advocate

[Sergio]

No because muted people can still listen.

[Kas Valentine]

S'true, why can't we just have that then...?

One person in command, the rest listening, that certainly rules out a lot of issues. If you use the program in this manner then you get exactly what you want from it (streamlined strategy) and rule out a lot of the negative aspects mentioned so far (babbling, argument, distraction, etc).

[Marcus Kobra]

Kas makes a good point regarding that, though people cliqueing off already happens, the same people tend to liek to fight alongside the same, Cant verywel tell our members NOT to use vent, we can't even regualte or enforce that. The arcanists could have their own vent right nwo and none of us would know it (arcanist used as example only) SO really the only real way to gauge its faults is through use. I mean we can argue about it till oblivion take us and the fact that the same faults can already be pointed out in GC, Party Chat, ICQ makes those points moot. Vent also offers the ability to hear my gravely man voice, and Kas' omg is that a real english accent, and a chance to see if Keres really slurs all his words in the same manner as his characters 

I make jokes but seriously give it a test run. What do we need to aquire a channel without burdening any one member? Its not Hoagie, nor Keres, Nor Ilyana, Nor Eason  or anyone else for that matters responsibility to shoulder the financial burden of setting up a channel. Unless we talk an aquaintance of some sort to let BoC use their Vent. . .
So how can we funnel some funds for channel set up?

[Sergio]

Spoiler : Keres does not actually slur his word in vent.

[Park Su-mi]

Speaking as a member of, probably, the only guild you're ever likely to do any major PvP with ever again - I don't think I'd particularly be bothered about fairness if you started using Vent / TS (good luck having a lag-free UO experience with that many people in a Skype chat.)

There are certainly a few people in Grd that'd have a moan about it but they're the same people that moan that you have mages, moan that Orc! have a mystic, moaned that Rbl were always the attackers, moaned about Vesper's cheap tactics and whatever else. That's not a commentary on Grd alone, either, there's sour losers in every guild.

End of the day, BoC need all the advantages they can get eh? 

Be even harder to stomp out the OOC chatter and get people to focus on their RP than it has been since GC was introduced, mind.