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TeamSpeak will soon not be needed.
JennysMind
Member UncommonPosts: 869
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2006/05/eve_online_graphics_update_plu.html
Eve Online: Graphics Update, Plug-n-Talk Chat
Just met with CCP, company that makes Eve Online -- they have 120,000 subscribers right now, and for 2007 they're completely redoing the graphics engine for all spaceships. It looks really nice for an online game -- the game already looks gorgeous, but when you see the update compared with the current graphics, it's pretty impressive.
They've also partnered with Vivox to add complete voice integration into the game without the use of any third-party servers. As far as timing, the best they could tell me was that this would be soon -- whenever they can get the patch on there.
In most MMORPGs, you have to set up a voice chat server, then IM your friends to get them to log in. For this you just buy a microphone and plug it in, and you'll be able to hail other ships and talk to other players on them.
At the demo, I put on the headset and talked to some people playing the game in Boston. It was crystal clear.
CCP said the Vivox voice engine can host up to 700,000 users at once.
Comments
SobaKai.com
There are two types of people in this world - people that suck... and me.
I don't know if the interval voice software is going to work well in local or noob corps because of the number of people on simultaneously and trying to speak at the same time. Even though my newbie RMS corp has some good players like SonofaGhost, we also have our fair share of not-ready-for-adult players. I'm not comfortable around people who cuss all the time and definitely don't want to hear 4 letter words, let alone read them.
Actually the RMS channel is pushing me to join a like-minded corp sooner than I intended.
Here is some more info on Vivox. It looks like it's specialized and will be really useful for fleet commanders.
http://blog.escapistmagazine.com/blog/2006/05/10/ccp_not_resting_on_laurels
Yeah, hopefully hey plan on putting some guidelines on it. It'd probably be best if "noob corps" couldn't use it, and the same, I suppose, should apply to the corp players go to in-between corps (ie: The Scope, etc.).
As far as who uses it though, it could be a very helpful tool or a very... VERY annoying tool. Maybe you'll have to join into a specific type of convo window in order to use it/hear it. You know, open up a window option that enables voice speak and type chat instead of just type chat. I dunno... it can be taken in several directions. I, personally, see no need in this tool. Everybody that "needs" this tool is already using Skype, Ventrillo, TeamSpeak, or even Yahoo Voice Conferencing. Sure it adds one more notch to what "the game has to offer," but, to me, it just seems moot.
Whatever though... one thing I've learned about CCP... if it's causing too much trouble... it'll get removed or fixed. They're good about that kind of stuff
SobaKai.com
There are two types of people in this world - people that suck... and me.
The main advantage I see is everyone in a pick-up gang or newb-corp gang will be sure to have the same software now. There's usually several gangs formed from RMS members each day and I've never had more than 2 others able to connect to my TS server per group.
Though it is very surprising the number of people that still don't have a mic either. They're so cheap now, even for a pretty good one.
I wouldn't give up hope on other things being fixed just because they asked someone to help them with a solid voice-chat option.
It's a an easier avenue to facilitate effective team work in a game that's dependant on interacting with others. If you like Ventrilo or Teamspeak you should contnue to use it.
Oh I almost forgot...YARRR!!!
Here is the full press release:
EVE ONLINE® SCREAMS WITH VIVOX REAL-TIME VOICE TECHNOLOGY
Electronic Entertainment Expo, Los Angeles, CA - May 10, 2006 - CCP Games and Vivox today announced that subscribers of the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) EVE Online will soon have real-time, in-game voice communication as the result of a technology integration agreement between the two companies. Vivox will provide CCP with game-embedded voice communication services customized for and integrated into EVE.
EVE players will be able to speak with each other in-game, create audio conference channels for their gang, corporation or alliance, and start, leave or rejoin voice conversations during game play without impacting game performance. On-screen indicators will show the gamer which channels are monitoring audio communications and which player within a channel is speaking. Players will also have moderator privileges to kick, mute, ban and un-ban other players, all synchronized with the rights of existing EVE moderator and user roles.
Players of EVE are attracted by its unique role playing and space simulation features, said Hilmar V. Petursson, CEO of CCP. But when players unite to form corporations and alliances, the games dynamic, immersive experience really comes alive. Now users will be able to talk, strategize, plot and negotiate naturally with each other. To deliver this functionality to our subscribers, we wanted a partner with expertise in delivering voice communications with a simple, scalable and high quality solution so that we could focus on our core expertise of building game content.
Unlike other MMOGs, the entire EVE player base shares the same server cluster. With Vivox providing the in-game voice services and managing the required infrastructure, there are no resource implications that could impact game server performance. This new feature will be a premium service option for game subscribers and, because of itts tight integration into the game, ease of use, and massive scalability, presents a tremendous improvement over burdening gamers with maintainings their own voice servers with third party applications, as some EVE player corporations and alliances currently do.
With its concurrent users numbering in the tens of thousands, and the games distinct depth and challenges, EVE is a stellar stage for our voice technology, said Vivox CEO Rob Seaver. Adding real-time voice to a game like EVE makes for an MMOG experience that grabs users and immerses them in game play thats challenging and entertaining, and creates a sense of community and camaraderie. Its this kind of technology thats going to keep gamers heavily-invested in EVE and excited about the future of MMOGs.
"Memories are meant to fade. They're designed that way for a reason."
Eve played solo without voice comms is such a lonely experience, it's like you're all alone in the ass end of the universe, trying to make a living, theres all these great battles you hear about but you never see it, in fact you hardly see anybody.
Its only when you manage to make 2-3 friends, and play together all the time, when the game finally comes to life, and corporations, pvp, alliances and voice comms just expands on that experience.
Yes you CAN play Eve solo and just npc, you CAN just be a market ho, just sit in one place buying and selling, you CAN spend your entire career mining, you CAN spend your whole career as a Hauler.
But its just so much richer when played as a group, and to do that properly you need voice comms.
This doesn't particularly affect me, but others it will and possibly drive some of the community and possible players away.