It’s late at night, you’ve had a long day at work and you just want to relax with your favourite online game. Then, out of nowhere you hear someone that surely isn’t old enough to own the game in question shout “hacking n00b”. Wait, how did that happen? Where did that come from? Surely they didn’t program the game to shout that at you?
Suddenly, a little icon pops up in the corner of the screen next to a name; what does this all mean? You’re sitting there, wondering what this strange phenomenon is, when you suddenly realise that it must be other players talking! Of course, how could you be so foolish? They must have purchased some form of communication device to enable them to broadcast their feelings to the entire lobby of gamers. Crazy stuff, there.
Now, I really doubt that voice chat is an unknown feature to anyone reading this, and I’m sure that some of us have even used it once or twice. Don’t worry, there’s nothing to feel guilty about. Talking down the mic to other players is actually a big part of online gaming; clans use this feature to discuss strategies, friends use it to have a laugh, random teenagers use it to convey their suspicions of you hacking the game, even strangers have been known to use it to become friends.
There’s not much that’s better than sitting with a few friends and playing some splitscreen, but does voice chat work in the same way? Is it better to see your friends in real life rather than listen to them down the headset? That, however, is just the friend part of this feature; there’s a whole load of people that use for the sole purpose of insulting other players. Do people really find it fun to yell down the headset at someone who is simply trying to have fun?
Then there’s the clans that I mentioned. Playing tactically works, we all know that. Commanding your clanmates to get to a specific point on the map using a headset also helps, as it’s the quickest option. Do people take it a bit too seriously when playing like this? How about the silent assassins; those that choose not to use headsets, but play the game tactically, reveling in their victory alone.
Personally, I believe that online gaming is all about being part of something rather than playing as you would in a single player game; although I’m inclined to use this feature less when I’m not playing with friends, unless I’m aware that the people I’m against are cool dudes. So, what do you think of online chat? Is it useful or do too many people abuse it? How do you use your headset?
jimmy-google
I never use it. I have a headset but I honestly can’t remember the last time it was used. To be honest outside of modnation racers I don’t play online either. I miss the days when multiplayer was all about split screen
gazzagb
Ive got a Jabra Bt125 or something, got it for a tenna off amazon and its briliant. The quality is great, the battery is fine, and most of all, its light weight.
The Official PS Headset is SO heavy, I can’t even wear it; it hurts even after 5mins.
Rocket_345
My headset is only used when i play with friends or need to work out a strategy ala Killzone
Argon123
i wanted a headset so i could play online call of duty with a bunch of my friends. we would mute everyone else in the game and hardly ever talked about the game or tactics themselves. (except the odd occasion where one of us would get a ridiculous kill or get ridiculously killed) we enjoy using it to just sit there and chat while playing call of duty with each other. although i have turtle beach P21’s i specifically bought them and use them because 1. im an audiophile :P and 2. because i want to hear when someone is sneaking up on me. i only speak on my ps3 and use the mic to speak to friends therefore i really would like sony to include it in an update as it would increase my user experience because i think this is the biggest thing sony can do to earn my approval. :)
justboy
I bought the head set, but barely used it. Most of the time I will mute other players as I find distracting; a lot of people only seem to use voice chat to abuse others!
minerwilly
On the Battlefield section of the official Sony EU forums me and 4-5 others regularly play BFBC2 they are all over 21+ (most in thirties!) and we have an absoulute blast . Ive never met nor even seen a picture of these guys but id almost call them real friends . Over a few months we played the game solid and even if losing we would have a blast .
Theres a much more mature crowd on the BF games than CoD (always has been due to the team nature of the game) . I personally cant stand all the kids and people saying Fag this and Jew that and the N word all the time . Im not a churchgoer just your average weekend binge drinker but after a day in work I cant be arsed hearing kids and teenage boys arguing !
I remember someone was sending me all these abusive PSN msg’s during a game of CoD4 just because I wasn’t as good as him or something and have to go to work to earn a roof over my head and not sit in my teenage dirtbag bedroom paid for my mommy all day and night of my stinking existence. I just ignore and never answered his msgs , just gives them bait .
Rainbow 6 vegas 2 and Hustle Kings are great games with a mic .
Stitch
I purchased a cheap headset to play EndWar last year, worked well when it was charged. Used it online once, couldn’t make out a word anyone was saying though!
Origami Killer
I have a headset, mainly use it when my friends r on to play mw2, lbp, rock band or uc2. I never use it when im on my own as i sound like a retard shouting complaints at my tv or other people ( which is best kept unheard), i have to turn my headset volume down lol. They r best used with friends for a laugh or they r completely noobish
OnlineAssassinUK
Ive had many a headset from sony to logitech from bluetooth to usb from £10 to £70 but gotta love my P21’s its like having a set of hifi speakers strapped to your ears the difference in cod and battlefield as you hear people creaping around you is fantastic. Also as a added bonus if im on cod or any game and dont want to listen to the crap people are talking i can just turn them down they also come in handy on cod if im not wearing my P21’s just turn all the sounds down mute the mic plug em in put them on table and ta-da people can shout all the abuse and crap they want and without the rigmarole of goin around muting the individuals FANTASTIC