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What do you think about OOC utilities?

BukariinBukariin
edited September 2014 in North of Thera
The recent discussion about Teamspeak (a voice chatting utility) and how it could positively/negatively affect IC interaction in Achaea if widely used got me thinking about other OOC utilities used by other MMOs. Teamspeak would allow groups to clearly and quickly communicate in a combat scenario where text presents challenges (or has to be automated). Jabber is another utility - it's a chat interface that would allow users to receive "pings" if, say, your city/org was being raided and you were on your computer but not logged into Achaea. Do you support OOC tools being utilized to streamline city defense, raiding, group hunting, etc?
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Comments

  • JhaeliJhaeli
    I've used Teamspeak in the past on Guild Wars and had a LOT of fun with it. I could see it making something like hunting a lot less monotonous, for example. As long as it was treated similarly to OOC Clans or the forums, where you should be making a point to not cross IC/OOC barriers, etc., I have no issue with it (and would likely partake).

    However, using it for 'utility', where you've got a raiding group or a defense group or where an organisation asks a player to participate - yeah, I'm not a fan of using OOC mechanisms in these situations and would refuse to join. I'm sure someone else has and/or will explain why it's a bad idea better than I can with a toddler crawling on me, heh!

    "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that [everlasting] life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man." 

  • AktillumAktillum Philippines
    edited September 2014
    If used for group PvP / raids, I don't really care. I've never used any of these programs but it'd be cool to receive a 'ping' when theres a raid, instead of sitting around all day in-game waiting for a raid.

    I don't believe it breaks the OOC/IC barrier if the other side suddenly gets some more people. I'm not one of those people thats like "Oh, look at them using Skype! What a bunch of Skypers!". Its no big deal. I've said this in other threads but, I tend to really only play Achaea for the group PvP - if there's no raids or group PvP going on, I'm probably sitting in Eleusis and playing Minecraft or surfing the web, waiting for some group PvP. Would be cool to just be alerted OOCly instead of sitting in-game.

  • BukariinBukariin
    Aktillum said:
    If used for group PvP / raids, I don't really care. I've never used any of these programs but it'd be cool to receive a 'ping' when theres a raid, instead of sitting around all day in-game waiting for a raid.
    Right - I think this is the most compelling use of OOC tools (and maybe the most controversial). 
  • HaliosHalios
    I've used ventrilo back in the day with cain to raid.

    It made it much more smooth to communicate and organize.

    It does present a bit of a negative atmosphere in some sense -- you will begin to feel "left out" and behind if your group/city doesn't use it -OR- you don't use it personally due to technology or whatever, it may become a cliquish situation.

    Personally I like the idea in almost every other game I play, but I just don't think the implementation would work very well in Achaea, due to the varied nature of the playerbase.
  • VaehlVaehl
    It's odd because iirc party channel was deemed OOC (atleast when Tanris illusioned some party tells to abuse Shallamese autotargeting). But if I started being OOC on party I'd probably get into IC trouble. Dunno.
  • BluefBluef Delos
    edited September 2014
    I voted that I would use it, but frankly I don't want to so I've shied away from any org or group that does. I have a very distinctive voice (sounds a bit like Minnie Mouse on helium). It's easily identifiable. Speaking is therefore a sure giveaway to who my alts are, and I don't want that. For these reasons (and a myriad of others) I do think it is breaks the barrier of OOC/IC.
  • AchimrstAchimrst Nature
    Blah


  • ShirszaeShirszae Santo Domingo
    I find it interesting that so far its mostly even.

    And you won't understand the cause of your grief...


    ...But you'll always follow the voices beneath.

  • BukariinBukariin
    Well, if you count the Maybes as Yes.  I don't want to do a separate poll, but I'm willing to bet the majority of them are okay with the concept (I don't think anybody enjoys scrambling around to type while trying to read combat spam) but not the greater implications (eventually becomes a barrier-to-entry for group combat). 
  • TharvisTharvis The Land of Beer and Chocolate!
    I just use Skype for things that are hard to set up in game and still have a history so I can scroll up to remember what the hell we were talking about. Mainly things like drafts, event ideas, those things. But yeah if those things start getting actively used for combat or to gain an edge in events (egg hunt, Yxxx etc) I can see that becoming a major problem and a very big sense of clique-ism
    Aurora says, "Tharvis, why are you always breaking things?!"
    Artemis says, "You are so high maintenance, Tharvis, gosh."
    Tecton says, "It's still your fault, Tharvis."

  • AktillumAktillum Philippines
    I definitely see what Tharvis is saying. It'd be alright if like, Ashtan's A-Team used ventrilo to coordinate, since they're already a clique. It wouldn't be cool if like, there was a city-wide ventrilo where not joining it meant you were missing out on what the party is supposed to be doing.

    So, yes to cliques using ventrilo, no to having it as a mandatory thing. Of course, the latter would never actually happen, so inb4 pages of arguing against it.

  • JukilianJukilian
    I chat to people OOCly on Skype, usually discuss stuff from the game in it. But we don't take any of it IC (AFAIK). If someone tells me on Skype 'Hey, Hashan is getting raided', then sure I'll jump on. I don't see how it breaks any barriers in that regard.

    Using it during stuff like raids I think could be problematic.
  • SaevaSaeva
    I love to skype with some Achaeans while we play but it's not just with citymates. It's usually a fairly broad spectrum of people from different factions. And we generally just chat while we play, to keep each other good company. Though, I have, on accident, given away location to someone I was raiding against before and had to go CRAP! DON'T LISTEN TO ME WE ARE NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE BYE! And I've been in raid parties with a few of us being on Skype calls but for the most part, everything was still very clearly communicated in IC party chats to ensure that the entire party was up to speed.


  • DatriusDatrius
    There are IC combat parties? What? Aren't all combat parties a mixture of hilarious ooc shit about combat, ripping on each other, and telling dirty jokes? @Jhui You've lied to me this whole time?


    lol.
  • JovoloJovolo
    Don't use it, but would if I could be bothered and don't condemn others for it. It's a game! And PK is probably the most lulzy OOC aspect of it.

    You're not talking about rp, are you? Who would use teamspeak for roleplay? Fking nerds.
  • AepasAepas
    I don't really mind it for many things. It's quite a bit of fun to get on and talk with other people, and I have sometimes done it while raiding. But as was @Blujixapug‌'s post, it's just normally a lot of rabble rabble and laughing. a good way to lighten the tension after a loss.
    It's easier when people are actually talking to eachother and say "well that sucked." When you're alone you might just rage instead.

    That being said, I think it's very important to know what you're doing, when, and why. I typically avoid all kinds of ooc interaction when it comes to achaea, and normally only chat while playing other games. This is because to me, I like being able to look at my comrades and see them as people I am fighting for my life/faith with. While it can be fun to interact with other people on a more ooc level, it does break immersion for me to hear people laughing or swearing completely out of their characters context, and I believe slowly degrades the persona that we try to live out in the game.

    I've had this experience before, and it's given me some good friends but our demeanor has changed from "excuse me sir, can I please have (item/gold/hunting partner/sex) and more like "hey let's doo this! kyaaa"

    Just a personal opinion on the matter, but I don't really mind if other people do it. As I said, it's fun.
    Replies the scorpion: "It's my nature..."
  • BukariinBukariin
    Blujixapug said:
    "Target Byoo-karen."

    "What?"

    "Byoo-karen. Byookaren!"
    EVE Online used to have problems like this, with people naming themselves things like "Aline Tuscon" which sounds the same as "Align to Sun" which is an actual command a commander might give.

    Presumably people would still use PT triggers in raids to automatically switch targets, which is an option EVE-O doesn't have yet (everybody still has to target for themselves).
  • SiduriSiduri
    I replied no. I don't want to hear you guys guffawing and snorting like pigs whenever you kill someone or die. (j/k)

    In all honesty, my brain does not work well with Teamspeak and co. for many reasons:
    1. I have a hard time understanding spoken English because of the notorious accents (I'm French, damnit).
    2. No matter the language, spoken words are classified as ambient noise in my head, and go down the spam folder unless:
    3. I stop and take the time to carefully listen and comprehend what I'm being told. While doing so, I am unable to read what's going on in game, or even type.
    4. My brain suggests 4-5 different sentence formulations at the same time, and I need to make a conscious effort to make my mouth decide which one to use. Still very vulnerable while I focus on speaking.

    This does not show when I post because none of you get to read the five drafts I furiously type before settling on one :P
    It does show when I'm roleplaying live, as in Character to Character with says. Thus I'm very shy from live interactions, all the time, both IC and OOC.

    image
  • HaliosHalios
    Ruth said:
    I guess Teamspeak/Skype chats would make it easier to coordinate but I prefer to keep the IC/OOC barrier since Mhaldor's party channels for raiding are always IC.

    Also, having an OOC chat for such things would, firstly - be weird because you'll be mostly talking to a bunch of random strangers you play with in a text game and secondly, I don't want to engender any OOC/IC feelings of familiarity. It's like saying I am the Tyrannus and you are just a CR1 slave, but because you know and talk to me OOCly, you feel like it's going to be easier to cajole me into relaxing the rules with you.

    I have done Skype calls for some stuff though. I remember having a random call with a bunch of other people in the game (not just Mhaldorians) and it was during the Iniquitous Gala or something where we were having to RP ballroom dancing, so we were giving each other tips on where to move and all that shiz. It was funny and hilarious altogether.
    While I don't disagree, we both know there are plenty of "groups" OOC who play the game and participate in Skype chats or other discussion mediums that go a bit beyond the typical OOC clan.

    Not sure this is a good idea, but to claim it would be weird is a bit disingenuous.
  • RuthRuth Singapore
    edited September 2014
    Halios said:
    Ruth said:
    I guess Teamspeak/Skype chats would make it easier to coordinate but I prefer to keep the IC/OOC barrier since Mhaldor's party channels for raiding are always IC.

    Also, having an OOC chat for such things would, firstly - be weird because you'll be mostly talking to a bunch of random strangers you play with in a text game and secondly, I don't want to engender any OOC/IC feelings of familiarity. It's like saying I am the Tyrannus and you are just a CR1 slave, but because you know and talk to me OOCly, you feel like it's going to be easier to cajole me into relaxing the rules with you.

    I have done Skype calls for some stuff though. I remember having a random call with a bunch of other people in the game (not just Mhaldorians) and it was during the Iniquitous Gala or something where we were having to RP ballroom dancing, so we were giving each other tips on where to move and all that shiz. It was funny and hilarious altogether.
    While I don't disagree, we both know there are plenty of "groups" OOC who play the game and participate in Skype chats or other discussion mediums that go a bit beyond the typical OOC clan.

    Not sure this is a good idea, but to claim it would be weird is a bit disingenuous.
    I guess you could call those "groups" cliques but those within these cliques do not regard each other as strangers because they normally know each other irl a lot more than just knowledge of what personal information was mentioned in passing before. When I mean weird, it's things like, suddenly inviting all the starting novices/people you hardly interact with who join in the raid party to a Skype call and stuff to co-ordinate when a party should suffice without the need to go into OOC utilities.

    The general idea should be perceptible, though.
    "Mummy, I'm hungry, but there's no one to eat! :C"

     

  • HaliosHalios
    Ruth said:
    Halios said:
    Ruth said:
    I guess Teamspeak/Skype chats would make it easier to coordinate but I prefer to keep the IC/OOC barrier since Mhaldor's party channels for raiding are always IC.

    Also, having an OOC chat for such things would, firstly - be weird because you'll be mostly talking to a bunch of random strangers you play with in a text game and secondly, I don't want to engender any OOC/IC feelings of familiarity. It's like saying I am the Tyrannus and you are just a CR1 slave, but because you know and talk to me OOCly, you feel like it's going to be easier to cajole me into relaxing the rules with you.

    I have done Skype calls for some stuff though. I remember having a random call with a bunch of other people in the game (not just Mhaldorians) and it was during the Iniquitous Gala or something where we were having to RP ballroom dancing, so we were giving each other tips on where to move and all that shiz. It was funny and hilarious altogether.
    While I don't disagree, we both know there are plenty of "groups" OOC who play the game and participate in Skype chats or other discussion mediums that go a bit beyond the typical OOC clan.

    Not sure this is a good idea, but to claim it would be weird is a bit disingenuous.
    I guess you could call those "groups" cliques but those within these cliques do not regard each other as strangers because they normally know each other irl a lot more than just knowledge of what personal information was mentioned in passing before. When I mean weird, it's things like, suddenly inviting all the starting novices/people you hardly interact with who join in the raid party to a Skype call and stuff to co-ordinate when a party should suffice without the need to go into OOC utilities.

    The general idea should be perceptible, though.
    Was referring more to the relaxing of rules/favoritism aspect.

    Just seems disingenuous to claim a public teamspeak for Mhaldor raids/activities would do that, but a skype group of ooc friends discussing IC happenings and such wouldn't.
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