Nintendo Wii Forums   Nintendo Wii Forum

The 7 Deadly Sins of Voice Chat

This is a discussion on The 7 Deadly Sins of Voice Chat within the Nintendo Wii Chat forums, part of the Nintendo Wii Forums category; Until about three months ago, voice chat seemed like a feature used only by over-enthusiastic Ghost Recon players. You know? The ones who plan out ...



Go Back   Nintendo Wii Forum > Nintendo Wii Forums > Nintendo Wii Chat

Nintendo Wii Chat General discussion forum for the Nintendo Wii console. Wii Chat covering more broad based topics that dont fit the other forum sections.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-10-2008, 09:13 AM   #1
Let There Be Rock
 
vashivihan's Avatar

 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: canada
Posts: 1,774
Friends: 16
Wii Friend Code: 8799-9801-1544-7718   8799-9801-1544-7718
Default The 7 Deadly Sins of Voice Chat

Quote:
Until about three months ago, voice chat seemed like a feature used only by over-enthusiastic Ghost Recon players. You know? The ones who plan out their squad movements as if they were exorcising some deep-rooted desire to actually be in the middle of a war.

My perception changed when, at the beginning of the year, I moved across country and found my multiplayer habits changing from a post-pub session of Worms in the front room to the full-blown experience of Xbox Live.

Without some sort of communication, online gaming can make you feel isolated. Playing Team Fortress 2 remotely against people who used to scream and shout right next to you only makes it more obvious that you're sitting on a sofa miles away from the last person you spoke to. That said, I'm over the moon to see that Mario Kart is dropping all forms of online voice chat, and not just because I'm scared of being groomed by a child predator.

Advertisement:
Some things are best left untouched. A Disney flick is never the same once someone tells you their twisted theories on its sexual subtext. And whoever makes those Button Moon NSFW pictures is just wrong.

Mario Kart, for me, falls into similar territory. It's fun, joyful and uplifting to play. But voice chat would only bring a whole host of crass voices that would not only be irritating, they also damage the experience of the game. Look what happened to Halo 3. Don't believe me? Here are the sins of voice chat and how they could ruin Mario Kart on Wii.

Lust

I like women quite a bit, but there's nothing more disruptive to a game than to hear a female voice speak on Xbox Live. It's not their fault of course, but a woman's voice has the power of an electromagnetic pulse on Xbox Live. Cars careen off courses, Spartans stand motionless and footballers forget how to kick a ball, as the voice channel explodes with jittery chat.

Even worse are adolescents whose inexperience communicating with the opposite sex leads to intense bouts of misogyny. After ten minutes of listening to a child rant on about how a woman must be ugly and stupid if she spends her time playing games, we begin to think that a sterilisation program based on gamer scores (the higher yours is...) might not be such a bad idea after all.

Mario Kart is, at it's core, a social game. Back when we were students, our mixed house primarily bonded through intense sessions of Mario Kart 64. Had a kid letched upon our female housemate every time she sat down to play, we doubt she would have joined in. Which would have isolated her, and made fourth place inevitable for one of us.

Gluttony

Those who overindulge themselves on Mario Kart are irritating at the best of times. We've come across a fair few people on the DS that have every track down to a pixel of perfection, and by and large we've hated them all. There are two of those 'types' on the CVG team by the way.

Imagine having to listen to them though, as they point out every single flaw in your driving and every bad habit of your technique. Think about their grating voice when they cross the finish line moments after you start lap three and proceed to give you a running commentary on the mistakes you make on your final lap.

There are people in the world that will spend hours perfecting Mario Kart Wii, and I know that one day I'll play against them and lose. That's fine but we don't want to listen to their smug cries of victory.

Greed

No matter how skilled you are at Mario Kart games, the power-ups work to some extent to randomise the outcome of the races - it's this unpredictability that makes it fun.

But this system can be destroyed completely if players start working together. With voice chat enabled, you could see players forming pacts to help each other rank up.

One player could hang back, getting good items and slowing up the competition while their partner in crime speeds off ahead - a perfect rank-boosting tactic. But with no voice chat, these pacts - between strangers at least - will thankfully be impossible.

Nintendo has included the ability to play split-screen online so you won't fully stop teaming up happening, but if Nintendo knows what it's doing it'll only allow those players to join unranked races. Or else there'll be trouble.

Sloth

There's a limit to how much Mario Kart you can hammer in one session. After an hour or so, enthusiasm starts to fade. First, the losing person begins to accept they're rubbish, which erases the competitiveness. Then, the apathy rubs off on to the other players, and within two tracks you've packed up and moved on.

Sloth-like players, in our book, are the ones who continue to play and win even though they're having no fun. Would we actually want to listening to their monotone drones of non-excitement? No, and that's another reason why no voice in Mario Kart is a good thing. It's bad enough that the internet has given every nine year old a soapbox to stand on, but let's try and keep Mario Kart as pure as possible.

Rage

Of course, the other end of the spectrum is when someone cares too much. Shouts and screams are fine when playing against friends, but we're not too sure the 'banter' in the office at lunchtime would be taken as friendly if we heard it coming from random strangers online.

The F-word will be used. It's a fact. With a well-placed banana, a well-timed lightning strike or just a last-minute blue shell, Mario Kart is a game that would have the Queen swearing like Cartman with Tourette Syndrome.

There are those who vent their rage down the microphone, throwing out insults and verbally abusing everyone who manages to beat them (don't look at us). Hear someone explode once or twice and you'll laugh. But get lambasted for fifteen minutes and the fun would soon stop. Maybe Nintendo's been playing Halo 3 and thought better of including voice chat?

Envy

Even without voice chat, we're expecting to feel some repercussions of our obvious Mario Kart greatness when we play online. They'll always be the odd person who takes things to heart, does a 180' on the starting line of the next race and spends the track just hunting us down.

People are very protective over their perceived greatness of Mario Kart, especially when they encounter someone who is actually better than them. We've seen racers completely neglect the other players and the race itself, just to ensure their nemesis doesn't beat them.

Which is all good fun when it's a competitive friend, but anonymous envy online is a little more insidious. Voice would only increase the barrage of sarcastic comments towards one individual to personal and abusive levels. Like Halo.

We'd prefer envious players to direct their feelings at our little kart on their own screen and not directly at us. The idea of a stranger's voice pouring bile out of our speakers directed straight at us would be like having a disembodied stalker right in our living room.

Pride

And lastly, the main sin of Mario Kart. Getting good at Mario Kart brings on a sense of pride. Being the best in a room full of competitors tends to bring out the worst in people. And if it's not us, we really don't want to hear about it.

When you're playing offline or with friends, you know exactly how far the smack talk can go. Online and with strangers though, there's no boundaries. A tirade of snide, sarcastic comments is sure enough to drive you straight from the game. At least without voice-chat, you can't hear them over-gloating. Or they can't hear you...
linkage
__________________



Call of Duty FC : 3480 6196 6904
Onslaught FC : 3180 1649 9648
The Conduit - 1891 9137 3932 ( Mr Vihang)
vashivihan is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 09:28 AM   #2
. ☆ ☆ ☆ .
 
gidget's Avatar

 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: -= ohio, usa =-
Posts: 2,785
Friends: 57
Wii Friend Code: 9999-9999-9999-9999   9999-9999-9999-9999
Default

Retitle this to the 7 deadly sins of forum chat

then sticky this post
__________________
..
click logo to join the...
rainbows & unicorns clan!

gidget is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 09:55 AM   #3
Currently dissatisfied.
 
Monsteroids's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,166
Friends: 10
Wii Friend Code: 6069-9016-3559-6279   6069-9016-3559-6279
Default

Dumb. This guy has got it all wrong.
__________________

Brawl Punching Bag


Chibi Asuka!!
------


Spoiler Alert!

Monsteroids is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 11:05 AM   #4
PM TO JOIN TETRIS CLUB
 
Wii_BrEnDo2007's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Scotland,portglasgow
Posts: 2,820
Friends: 1
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

i agree voice chat is soo overrated anyway
__________________
PS3 PSN: GTRacer1967

if you dont play gran turismo 5 P...you suck at life
Wii_BrEnDo2007 is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 11:23 AM   #5
Super Moderator
Tetris Champion
 
Napalmbrain's Avatar

WiiChat Moderator  
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Posts: 5,112
Friends: 17
Wii Friend Code:  
Blog Entries: 2
Default

I'm afraid I have to disagree with that article. Think about it: playing with other people is basically the whole point of Mario Kart. Getting some friends around, having a laugh, all loads of fun. Playing online could be like that, but without voice chat it won't be as fun or interesting.

Yeah, there'd inevitably be a bit of swearing (I'll admit I can sometimes be quite foul-mouthed), but this is a Nintendo game. It's never gonna reach the levels you see on say, Halo 3 or something. Which reminds me, Xbox Live has a "family zone" where you're not allowed to swear- why not have something like that for the more easily offended?
__________________


I never add friend codes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndThen?
@ROB64 - The longer you spend on this forum, the more you realise that Napalmbrain knows a lot about everything.
Napalmbrain is online now  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 11:32 AM   #6
Explosions in the Sky
 
manred's Avatar

 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wherever Fate Takes Me
Posts: 1,264
Friends: 7
Wii Friend Code: 0101-1351-1849-7027   0101-1351-1849-7027
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Napalmbrain
I'm afraid I have to disagree with that article. Think about it: playing with other people is basically the whole point of Mario Kart. Getting some friends around, having a laugh, all loads of fun. Playing online could be like that, but without voice chat it won't be as fun or interesting.

Yeah, there'd inevitably be a bit of swearing (I'll admit I can sometimes be quite foul-mouthed), but this is a Nintendo game. It's never gonna reach the levels you see on say, Halo 3 or something. Which reminds me, Xbox Live has a "family zone" where you're not allowed to swear- why not have something like that for the more easily offended?
I agree with you all the way.

They could make different zones for voice chats, but they choose not to.
__________________

The Birth and Death of the Day
Music Is Music As Devices Are Kisses Is Everything

Steam I.D.: manredplanet
TF2 & L4D & GMod
manred is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 12:18 PM   #7
KillaCrgz So HiGh!
 
craigkillercraig's Avatar

 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Dallas
Posts: 65
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code: 7255-2084-5635-1535   7255-2084-5635-1535
Default

I think there should be voice chat on all online games. If you cant handle it, then dont use it.
__________________
Im Tokin Off On Da RunWay!
Chet Unit Representa!
MOHH2-NLCrgasarus
GH3-154739238393(Wanna Play? Holla at me!)
craigkillercraig is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 03:01 PM   #8
wii are cool!!!!!
 
jimbo's Avatar

 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: glasgow,scotland
Posts: 512
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

lol, this guy sounds like a nerdy person, who dosnt get out much.

a woman's vioce makes the world stop ffs.

ill agree with 1 or 2 but voice chat appeals to the more than it doesnt
__________________
wii game playing: GH3
wii friend code:1778 9634 2151 5464
gh3 code:502628796471

Last edited by jimbo; 03-10-2008 at 03:08 PM.
jimbo is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 04:00 PM   #9
WiiChat Member
 
zero7980's Avatar

 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 26
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

I personally have no desire to use voice chat for Mario Kart. However, if they had included it, no one would force me to use it.

It might be neat when I played with RL friends over the net, though...

0
__________________
MSC: 305065 529497
zero7980 is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 04:31 PM   #10
WiiChat Member
 
Fillieto's Avatar

 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 95
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

For each 7 points he made, theres one answer:

You can CHOOSE weather to have your earphones in or not. There will be a mute option....and yes, thats right, it wont be stuck to your ear with super glue. If it gets annying then take it off or mute it. Simple.

But when playing against a mate, its a must.
__________________
MOH:H2 = Killer12345
Add me .
www.theplanetx.com
Fillieto is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 04:38 PM   #11
Sonic + Brawl = Ownage
 
Wiimoto's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 232
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

I agree people will be total dicks on the voice chat but who cares, it could be a function that you can turn off so if you dun like it then dont use it.
__________________


Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Warioware Smooth Moves, Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock, Super Paper Mario, Wii Play, Mercury Meltdown Revolution, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz
-=Join the NEW Sonic Fan Club, PM FLYNNN=-

Wiimoto is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2008, 04:52 PM   #12
WiiChat Member
 
Carts's Avatar

 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 28
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

Its sort-of true but wrong at the same time. The example of Halo isnt that bad, if there is a guy you dont wanna hear you just press back, go to his name and press x to mute. That takes maybe 3 - 5 seconds. Or the could just put on option on the online settings for no voice chat. So they should put it for the people that want it, and the people that dont can just use a setting that will not let them hear or talk to anyone.
Carts is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2008, 07:25 AM   #13
www.hencam.co.uk
 
hencam[uk]'s Avatar

 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: West Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 74
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code:  
Default

What I don't understand is Nintendo already have parental controls, so it would be simple for them to enable voice chat unless you have the parental controls enabled.

That way the kids won't hear naughty language, and the adults can have some fun - isn't that what the Wii's all about anyway, a fun experience for all?

It's a bit ridiculous that they've dumbed it down to the lowest common denominator, and I'm not just talking about voice chat in Mario kart, if it's not in this game then can you see them ever offering it?

Both Sony and MS know the value of voice chat, and when the PS3 offers it as standard in all games with the introduction of Firmware 2.4, then they'll have even more of a 'plus' against the Wii with many gamers - I think we'll start to see the Wii's lead decrease then.

If Nintendo could add a voice chat system (even one based on Skype would be amazing) with proper parental controls then they'd be onto a winner - I can't understand why they haven't already - even the DS offered it!

But I still love my Wii...
hencam[uk] is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2008, 07:31 AM   #14
Let There Be Rock
 
vashivihan's Avatar

 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: canada
Posts: 1,774
Friends: 16
Wii Friend Code: 8799-9801-1544-7718   8799-9801-1544-7718
Default

im all up for voice chat. its awesome. ninty got their ass kicked when a casual game called girls diary got full real time voice chat.
__________________



Call of Duty FC : 3480 6196 6904
Onslaught FC : 3180 1649 9648
The Conduit - 1891 9137 3932 ( Mr Vihang)
vashivihan is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-11-2008, 04:38 PM   #15
When will MKT get here?
 
link1305's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 36
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code: 8485-7928-2230-8792   8485-7928-2230-8792
Default

Just about every online PC game for the past 5 years has had voice chat, and being primarily a PC gamer, I just can't understand why they aren't putting it in any of there games (at this point). I agree that there are circumstances that can make it annoying, but there are *always* 2 solutions:

1. Don't get a mic
2a Make it so you can disable it entirely
2b Make it so you can selectively "mute" annoying people

These should not be hard to implement. Come on Nintendo, get with it.
link1305 is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2008, 08:55 AM   #16
WiiChat Member
 
TheAnswerI's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 32
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code: 6394-7935-9781-6435   6394-7935-9781-6435
Default

I would absolutely love it if Nintendo would incorporate voice chat with the Wii. I think it adds a whole new dimension to online gaming.
__________________
SSBB FC: 1590-4354-8694
PSWii60
TheAnswerI is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2008, 08:57 AM   #17
Is mayo an instrument?
 
Axl Rose's Avatar

 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Saugus, CA
Posts: 347
Friends: 13
Wii Friend Code: 0000-0000-0000-0000   0000-0000-0000-0000
Default

What sucks about Voice Chat. If your voice hasn't fully developed you sound like a two-year old girl.
__________________
Axl Rose is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2008, 10:26 AM   #18
WiiChat Member
 
TheAnswerI's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 32
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code: 6394-7935-9781-6435   6394-7935-9781-6435
Default

Well some of us are girls...
__________________
SSBB FC: 1590-4354-8694
PSWii60
TheAnswerI is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2008, 03:21 PM   #19
"tango down"
 
toomstone's Avatar

 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: brizzy baby
Posts: 777
Friends: 4
Wii Friend Code: 8211-0763-7929-1645   8211-0763-7929-1645
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAnswerI
Well some of us are girls...
haha well i feel sorry for you do you actuly think ur life has a purpose? bahhha
__________________
I left wii-chat in the 09 disaster

toomstone is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 03-12-2008, 04:37 PM   #20
WiiChat Member
 
TheAnswerI's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 32
Friends: 0
Wii Friend Code: 6394-7935-9781-6435   6394-7935-9781-6435
Default

Yes it does, actually. Does yours?
__________________
SSBB FC: 1590-4354-8694
PSWii60
TheAnswerI is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Lower Navigation
Go Back   Nintendo Wii Forum > Nintendo Wii Forums > Nintendo Wii Chat

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Sponsored Links


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:37 PM.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2006, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.3.0 ©2009, Crawlability, Inc.
iPhone News - iPhone Forums - PS3 Forums - Photography Forum - PSP Forums