Please reconsider text chat for consoles

Caroloces

I know that this feature will not be part of the initial release to consoles, but I implore ZOS to seriously consider adding this in a future update. I watched the ESO live episode last Friday, and I take issue with one of the console presenters who said that console players will, in a sense, be a different breed from PC players because they will have a tendency to play in a more casual manner (living room couch & TV, feet propped up on coffee table, controller in hand). In this scenario (according to the presenter) a keyboard would be out of place.

This casual manner is not exclusive to console players. It is exactly the way I've been playing ESO since early release, over a year ago. I have a home theater PC, an easy chair, and side table (for mouse). I've got keyboard on lap and my feet propped up on hassock. I think with the advent of Steam, more PC players are adopting the "casual" approach to gaming, rather than the old, antiquated way of sitting at a desk with a traditional PC setup.
I am able to text chat with all 5 of my guilds with complete ease, do zone chat when looking for help, and do all of the maneuvering required to play the game with my keyboard on my lap.

To have voice chat as the only means of communication among players (although I believe it will be a nice feature) is simply insufficient. Can you imagine the myriad amount of distracting conversations occurring in a zone? Even enabling guild chat will break immersion. I have already shelled out my $20 for console transfer (so I can play with my nephew), and I look forward to playing on the PS4, this is a major deficit in the console version.

Anyone who doubts this, watch the Force Strategy video on the console beta (he is very positive in his remarks) where he notes the immersion breaking chatter about burger king(?) in which he is forced to turn off zone voice chat.

Please ZOS, Reconsider this element!

Rook_Master

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

Ser Lobo

There were multiple remarks on why it was not added, including sizing constraints, finding a way to make it readable from across the room, and adding keyboard support. Players have also hypothesized that it's possible moderation was a reason, due to voice chat being moderated by Microsoft for Xbox, but would text chat be included?

Other issues which arise include the example of text chat on PC diluting the use of the Looking For Group tool to the point of making it useless, or taking much of the strategy and 'fog of war' out of Cyrodiil due to zone callouts encouraging all players to singular points (which also greatly boosts zerging and server strain, increasing lag). Also the use of text chat has discouraged many players from joining guilds and selling in the in-game market system, as it was easier to spam zone.

Considering the immersion-breaking impact of common chat practices, whether it's players looking for groups, trying to sell motiffs, trying to recruit for their guild or simply talking about the games developers, it seems both voice and text are on par, and the best counter is a simple one: ignore them.



I'm not claiming that any of these are good reasons not to include text. I'm also not saying they are the only reasons, just the ones I understand and am not readily dismissing in their impact and value.

I wouldn't mind seeing a text interface in-game, personally, as long as it is completely off the screen when I don't want it. Not semi-transparent but activates anytime something is said, but completely off. Adding an interface that docks to the side or bottom, pulling up when you start typing on your keyboard or hit the options button on your controller? Sounds very reasonable, and fitting with the UI style and direction of console gaming.

But I will admit that I don't believe the lack of chat is going to do any harm, outside of making it uncomfortable for the rather small population of PC MMO players who will attempt the transition to Console. And due to the intuitiveness of the interface, I believe even that will be a fleeting issue for those players.

Heromofo

Well did anyone watch the streams i love voice chat myself buuuut im worried as hell now. If your in a town and dont turn off voice chat prepare for spam and worse is hearing everything in everyones background as well.

Lol i hope there are filters or something did not see how bad things would be.

NewBlacksmurf

@ruze84b14_ESO Well put. Agree

Heromofo

Babies crying and all the background noise then x that by 20 to 100 people around you.

Juki

You should make a Poll to show them if the console community want a text chat or not...

Yes for me x(

david271749

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

Rook_Master

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

nastuug

Juki wrote: »

You should make a Poll to show them if the console community want a text chat or not...

Yes for me x(

There was one yesterday. Here ya go: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/168026/console-players-we-want-text-typing-chat/p1

david271749

@Rook_Master

The chat was pretty bad until around November/December 2014 when subs started expiring. I remember everything you mentioned including senseless racism. Still, it gets pretty bad in those starter zones. I'm not talking about the islands, but those big zones.

I can imagine how it will be when it's full of console players. You won't have to worry about them, because they'll be on another server.

Ser Lobo

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

Ser Lobo

nastuug wrote: »

Juki wrote: »

You should make a Poll to show them if the console community want a text chat or not...

Yes for me x(

There was one yesterday. Here ya go: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/168026/console-players-we-want-text-typing-chat/p1

A poll that is naturally diluted in the actual opinion of 'console gamers', as it's polling an active forum community made up almost exclusively of PC gamers and a very few console converts.

Even the beta was largely populated by PC converts, which is great as they know the systems far better and can identify issues and weaknesses, but horrible in the sense of getting a readout on the console community as it would be bias by a large margin.

Reddit was a more accurate tempo for console players, in my opinion.

A free, one week open beta placed on Xbox's dashboard, and I betcha the impact and advertising of this game would shoot through the roof! Throw an in-game survey in there after your third or fourth login, asking what the player thought, and they could get some great feedback.

nastuug

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

nastuug wrote: »

Juki wrote: »

You should make a Poll to show them if the console community want a text chat or not...

Yes for me x(

There was one yesterday. Here ya go: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/168026/console-players-we-want-text-typing-chat/p1

A poll that is naturally diluted in the actual opinion of 'console gamers', as it's polling an active forum community made up almost exclusively of PC gamers and a very few console converts.

Even the beta was largely populated by PC converts, which is great as they know the systems far better and can identify issues and weaknesses, but horrible in the sense of getting a readout on the console community as it would be bias by a large margin.

Reddit was a more accurate tempo for console players, in my opinion.

A free, one week open beta placed on Xbox's dashboard, and I betcha the impact and advertising of this game would shoot through the roof! Throw an in-game survey in there after your third or fourth login, asking what the player thought, and they could get some great feedback.

Regardless, it is a poll thread as requested by @Juki

Ser Lobo

nastuug wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

nastuug wrote: »

Juki wrote: »

You should make a Poll to show them if the console community want a text chat or not...

Yes for me x(

There was one yesterday. Here ya go: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/168026/console-players-we-want-text-typing-chat/p1

A poll that is naturally diluted in the actual opinion of 'console gamers', as it's polling an active forum community made up almost exclusively of PC gamers and a very few console converts.

Even the beta was largely populated by PC converts, which is great as they know the systems far better and can identify issues and weaknesses, but horrible in the sense of getting a readout on the console community as it would be bias by a large margin.

Reddit was a more accurate tempo for console players, in my opinion.

A free, one week open beta placed on Xbox's dashboard, and I betcha the impact and advertising of this game would shoot through the roof! Throw an in-game survey in there after your third or fourth login, asking what the player thought, and they could get some great feedback.

Regardless, it is a poll thread as requested by @Juki

True, and I voted, heheheh ...

Rook_Master

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

That's interesting. I think there is some truth to what you say.

However, the fact that anecdotal reports are already coming in from Beta Testers that zone chat is already a mess is unnerving, since those players went out of their way to specifically apply and play in the Beta. If that is full of trolls and crying babies, then how do you think it's going to be when it goes Live?

oehk

david271749 wrote: »

...I can imagine how it will be when it's full of console players.....

I know right because none of the "console players" are PC players and are all 10 years old. None of them could possibly play both PC and console, and be over 40 or something.

Gamers are like asses, some are really nice, and some just stink up the place. Has nothing to do with the platform they access the games through.

Ser Lobo

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

That's interesting. I think there is some truth to what you say.

However, the fact that anecdotal reports are already coming in from Beta Testers that zone chat is already a mess is unnerving, since those players went out of their way to specifically apply and play in the Beta. If that is full of trolls and crying babies, then how do you think it's going to be when it goes Live?

I guess my confusion lies in this: how is that different from zone chat on PC?

You're still left with the basics of internet adaptation: ignore them, close the chat (which you can close voice chat, too), and possibly miss the important things you may have wanted to hear.

In this aspect, how is voice chat any different than zone chat? I'm almost forced to advise plaeyrs to ignore them or turn off chat, as I'm constantly being directed in my complaints about the missuse of zone chat in-game.



The real solution to that, in my opinion, is limiting the number of 'heroes' in city environments. The more players squeezed together, the more possibility for disruption. Area voice limits that disruption down to 20 meters or so, unlike Zone chat which shares the whole zone. But (for consoles, at least) it might be wise for ZOS to cut the number of players allowed in one phase down to 20 or so. Especially in town.

Rook_Master

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

That's interesting. I think there is some truth to what you say.

However, the fact that anecdotal reports are already coming in from Beta Testers that zone chat is already a mess is unnerving, since those players went out of their way to specifically apply and play in the Beta. If that is full of trolls and crying babies, then how do you think it's going to be when it goes Live?

I guess my confusion lies in this: how is that different from zone chat on PC?

You're still left with the basics of internet adaptation: ignore them, close the chat (which you can close voice chat, too), and possibly miss the important things you may have wanted to hear.

In this aspect, how is voice chat any different than zone chat? I'm almost forced to advise plaeyrs to ignore them or turn off chat, as I'm constantly being directed in my complaints about the missuse of zone chat in-game.



The real solution to that, in my opinion, is limiting the number of 'heroes' in city environments. The more players squeezed together, the more possibility for disruption. Area voice limits that disruption down to 20 meters or so, unlike Zone chat which shares the whole zone. But (for consoles, at least) it might be wise for ZOS to cut the number of players allowed in one phase down to 20 or so. Especially in town.

As I see it, the limitation of voice-only chat on consoles raises a few concerns:

1. You have to use voice-chat to form groups for dungeons.

Can you imagine everyone screaming at once near the Undaunted tent? "LFG VET PLEDGE GOLD I AM AWESOME DPS PLZZ" That is going to be absolute chaos.


2. No more zone callouts.

There will be no overall faction coordination or callouts in Cyrodiil about enemy movements. No one will be able to announce when Dolmens are up in PvE zones, etc.


There are probably other problems I'm not thinking of, but those are the major ones.

nastuug

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

That's interesting. I think there is some truth to what you say.

However, the fact that anecdotal reports are already coming in from Beta Testers that zone chat is already a mess is unnerving, since those players went out of their way to specifically apply and play in the Beta. If that is full of trolls and crying babies, then how do you think it's going to be when it goes Live?

I guess my confusion lies in this: how is that different from zone chat on PC?

You're still left with the basics of internet adaptation: ignore them, close the chat (which you can close voice chat, too), and possibly miss the important things you may have wanted to hear.

In this aspect, how is voice chat any different than zone chat? I'm almost forced to advise plaeyrs to ignore them or turn off chat, as I'm constantly being directed in my complaints about the missuse of zone chat in-game.



The real solution to that, in my opinion, is limiting the number of 'heroes' in city environments. The more players squeezed together, the more possibility for disruption. Area voice limits that disruption down to 20 meters or so, unlike Zone chat which shares the whole zone. But (for consoles, at least) it might be wise for ZOS to cut the number of players allowed in one phase down to 20 or so. Especially in town.

As I see it, the limitation of voice-only chat on consoles raises a few concerns:

1. You have to use voice-chat to form groups for dungeons.

Can you imagine everyone screaming at once near the Undaunted tent? "LFG VET PLEDGE GOLD I AM AWESOME DPS PLZZ" That is going to be absolute chaos.


2. No more zone callouts.

There will be no overall faction coordination or callouts in Cyrodiil about enemy movements. No one will be able to announce when Dolmens are up in PvE zones, etc.


There are probably other problems I'm not thinking of, but those are the major ones.

3. Internal guild discussions

Ser Lobo

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

That's interesting. I think there is some truth to what you say.

However, the fact that anecdotal reports are already coming in from Beta Testers that zone chat is already a mess is unnerving, since those players went out of their way to specifically apply and play in the Beta. If that is full of trolls and crying babies, then how do you think it's going to be when it goes Live?

I guess my confusion lies in this: how is that different from zone chat on PC?

You're still left with the basics of internet adaptation: ignore them, close the chat (which you can close voice chat, too), and possibly miss the important things you may have wanted to hear.

In this aspect, how is voice chat any different than zone chat? I'm almost forced to advise plaeyrs to ignore them or turn off chat, as I'm constantly being directed in my complaints about the missuse of zone chat in-game.



The real solution to that, in my opinion, is limiting the number of 'heroes' in city environments. The more players squeezed together, the more possibility for disruption. Area voice limits that disruption down to 20 meters or so, unlike Zone chat which shares the whole zone. But (for consoles, at least) it might be wise for ZOS to cut the number of players allowed in one phase down to 20 or so. Especially in town.

As I see it, the limitation of voice-only chat on consoles raises a few concerns:

1. You have to use voice-chat to form groups for dungeons.

Can you imagine everyone screaming at once near the Undaunted tent? "LFG VET PLEDGE GOLD I AM AWESOME DPS PLZZ" That is going to be absolute chaos.


2. No more zone callouts.

There will be no overall faction coordination or callouts in Cyrodiil about enemy movements. No one will be able to announce when Dolmens are up in PvE zones, etc.


There are probably other problems I'm not thinking of, but those are the major ones.

1) Looking for Group tool may see better use for this than zone or voice callouts. Or, worse case scenario, players advertise for groups on reddit like they do other multiplayer games. Almost assuredly the LFG tool would be more used on PC, even with the lower population count, if ZOS enforced rules of not using zone chat for LFG/Trade spam that ruins immersion and other player's experience.

2) This may be a bonus for many, to be honest. There is almost no 'fog of war' in Cyrodiil on the PC, and zone callouts have gone a long way to help player's natural tendency to zerg. The fewer players at any one fight, the less lag will happen. Plus, on the map, battles that are happening and scroll movement are clearly shown.

3) Internal guild discussions can occur on guild voice chat, guild officer chat, or through an external private guild forum (all guilds I join have them, but that may not be the best example of every players experience). As I've never experienced more than 100 or so players in any particular trade or raid guild online at any particular time, I sincerely doubt players will be so exceptionally capped an unable to communicate.

deadlock007

Maybe they did it as a temporary "fix" to the lag problem. It will be hard to form large groups in PVP therefore making everyone spread out like the last "fix" was supposed to do.

pecheckler

At least for trading and guild recruitment. PLEASE.

NewBlacksmurf

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

Rook_Master wrote: »

Even if they ported zone voice chat to PC I would immediately turn it off.

Have you seen what sort of filth the starter zone chats are filled with post-B2P?

It's the same garbage from pre-B2P.

@Rook_Master

@david271749

The difference was quite stark to me. Before B2P, people were actually helping each other, and chat was on-topic, game-related, and generally friendly.

Now it's full of discussions on politics, religion, drugs, and full of trolls and people trying to get a rise out of others.


The sub definitely kept the maturity at a certain level. Can you just imagine how it will be when it's full of console kids whose parents bought them the game? I shudder thinking about it.

Important note, statistically older and older audiences are playing console games (due to the high price point and entertainment center mentality).

Xbox original was the generation of high school brats. Xbox 360 the generation of college ***hats. And it seems Xbox One is quickly turning into the generation of 'parent with two kids trying to get a game in'.

Not related to Op. Just wanted to make this reply.

good point and I think your pretty accurate.

david271749

oehk wrote: »

david271749 wrote: »

...I can imagine how it will be when it's full of console players.....

I know right because none of the "console players" are PC players and are all 10 years old. None of them could possibly play both PC and console, and be over 40 or something.

Gamers are like asses, some are really nice, and some just stink up the place. Has nothing to do with the platform they access the games through.

@oehk

Pretty sure you misquoted me. I wasn't bashing console players. I was defending them. Please read or quote my whole post next time. I was responding to a guy who called them "console kids," and yet you saw my post and found it offensive. Amazing. Truly amazing. Why should I go the length to defend this community's players when they immediately prove me wrong. lol.

oehk

@david271749 I dont think I found anything offensive, and I did read your post, and the thread. I think you might be reading more into my statements than is really there. It is true that most people tend to not realize that PC gamers and Console gamers are quite often the same people.

Your post:

The chat was pretty bad until around November/December 2014 when subs started expiring. I remember everything you mentioned including senseless racism. Still, it gets pretty bad in those starter zones. I'm not talking about the islands, but those big zones.

I can imagine how it will be when it's full of console players. You won't have to worry about them, because they'll be on another server.

Just my opinion but it did not read like it was defending anyone. Now if you dont mind I am going to have a

david271749 wrote: »

Amazing. Truly amazing.

bagel for breakfast right now. Oops sorry I partially quoted you again.....

david271749

oehk wrote: »

Oops sorry

Thanks!

Vaerth

Caroloces wrote: »

I know that this feature will not be part of the initial release to consoles, but I implore ZOS to seriously consider adding this in a future update. I watched the ESO live episode last Friday, and I take issue with one of the console presenters who said that console players will, in a sense, be a different breed from PC players because they will have a tendency to play in a more casual manner (living room couch & TV, feet propped up on coffee table, controller in hand). In this scenario (according to the presenter) a keyboard would be out of place.

This casual manner is not exclusive to console players. It is exactly the way I've been playing ESO since early release, over a year ago. I have a home theater PC, an easy chair, and side table (for mouse). I've got keyboard on lap and my feet propped up on hassock. I think with the advent of Steam, more PC players are adopting the "casual" approach to gaming, rather than the old, antiquated way of sitting at a desk with a traditional PC setup.
I am able to text chat with all 5 of my guilds with complete ease, do zone chat when looking for help, and do all of the maneuvering required to play the game with my keyboard on my lap.

To have voice chat as the only means of communication among players (although I believe it will be a nice feature) is simply insufficient. Can you imagine the myriad amount of distracting conversations occurring in a zone? Even enabling guild chat will break immersion. I have already shelled out my $20 for console transfer (so I can play with my nephew), and I look forward to playing on the PS4, this is a major deficit in the console version.

Anyone who doubts this, watch the Force Strategy video on the console beta (he is very positive in his remarks) where he notes the immersion breaking chatter about burger king(?) in which he is forced to turn off zone voice chat.

Please ZOS, Reconsider this element!

https://youtu.be/0cgbZqR2AGI

NewBlacksmurf

In another beta post...someone wrote:
No one wants limitations pc nor console should be limit3d. Which i think is happening now. New experience? No way, its more like going back in time without communication voice wont be used that much ingame, look at bf4 tactical game no one talks to the entire team why not? Because no one wants to hear strangers or music or kids or crying babys ect ect many more reasons but no one seems to care

My Response:
While the "limitation" of not having text chat is viewed as such by some, there is also the view that adding text chat creates a "limitation" to voice chat use for others. It's also interesting that comparison are being made that no text chat is going "back in time" because from the games I played 20 years ago that were MMO's the voice chat was never an option. It's also interesting that the extent PC MMO players go interestingly expensive extents to have a great voice chat experience so it would seem evident that voice chat is a step into the future rather than a step backwards.

Background noises...Well voice chat has been with us since ps2 and the original Xbox along with text chat. Text chat has the same annoyances but those appear differently. The spamming and whispers to buy gold or traders and people lfg spamming zone chats. Or even just the hourly trolls in zone chat or those who think zone chat is their personal blog.

All in all each persons perspective will determine how they see this.
I see the valid points for text chat and don't feel that those in favor of not having text chat are in any way "limiting" anyone else's experiences. ZOS decided not to put text chat into the game so if anything, the anger should be towards the company rather than any player in support of the company.

In the end...the game plays well and the absence of text chat will be a breath of fresh air for some. Others claim they will cancel their pre-orders. Honestly, if text chat is a make it or break it then the game isn't going to hold those players anyways. If text chat is the only reason you want to play MMO games so that if the option is not available you're not interested....maybe even the PC version won't hold you until controller support is added.

It comes off to some as mean when people say, we'll go back to PC, but in this situation, a feature that is deemed "required" in your eyes exists on another platform. And it exists in the ways you want it to. It's a logical idea to spend money for experiences that match your desires and not to participate if something doesn't match your desires. It's not otherwise logical to spend money on things you don't like and while it's always ok to suggest that a company changed its product...one product already fits you.

I think ZOS has created a way for everyone to possibly get what they want but this requires us to choose a platform and that's the opportunity as of today.

Respectfully and not saying or pushing anyone around but let's be real with one another.
These are the current options with more support and compatibility coming to PC very soon.

The different groups while seemingly similar have specific interests that are evident in all the different threads that support the ideas that everyone will not play together if certain MMO elements are present for console.

In another thread I also begin to comment about how amazing it is to see ZOS listening and how evident it is I what we see now which has established different opportunities and experiences to address the 2013 criticisms.

The criticisms like why did they ruin TES by adding all those MMO features, I just want to play TES online with a few friends on my controller. There are people who are as adamant about using a keyboard as those about using voice chat.

We often see the...stop complaining and go play XYZ. While those comments are very hard to digest, it's the same argument here. It will make people upset but the PC is ever changing to accommodate many but it still can't accommodate everyone.

There are groups that just don't mix so IF they add text chat to consoles...which could happen you end up with three groups

No mic group, no text chat group and no mic or chat group
Well those already exist on PC BUT WITH ONE MISSING COMPONENT WHICH IS CONTROLLER USE
Controller use is coming to PC so it doesn't make a lot of sense to try and sale the same product to the same audience and expect a different outcome than what PC has proven so.....I think we all should be mature enough to say

Ok maybe this platform or this experience isn't for me. Let me find the best experience for my situation and act accordingly
It nothing wrong with voicing opinions but when you start saying I won't buy this unless you change it....well If the opportunity and features exist on another platform, it's pretty much trying to make the company adjust to your desires on all platforms vs enjoyed the customized experience that best fits you based on what's available and what's coming soon. It's making people accept your way even though you realize they don't like playing those ways...fair or not, the products available and coming seem to address the majority of the RPG crowd and another MMO crowd separately by platform

Alphashado

This is not an RPG. This is an MMORPG. There is a huge difference. One of the major problems with ESO is the blurred distinction between the two. Too many people are looking at ESO as just another ES game.

It will be a terrible mistake if ZoS continues down the road of trying to make both crowds happy. Excluding text chat from an MMORPG in any platform is a terrible, terrible idea. There are simply too many aspects to an MMORPG that require multiple forms of communication. If the game was designed to facilitate a few friends playing together, that would be fine. But then the classification of the game would be COOP RPG, not MMORPG. Every single aspect of an MMORPG is designed around fluid, concise, multiple ways of instantly communicating with multitudes of other people.

NewBlacksmurf

Alphashado wrote: »

This is not an RPG. This is an MMORPG. There is a huge difference. One of the major problems with ESO is the blurred distinction between the two. Too many people are looking at ESO as just another ES game.

It will be a terrible mistake if ZoS continues down the road of trying to make both crowds happy. Excluding text chat from an MMORPG in any platform is a terrible, terrible idea. There are simply too many aspects to an MMORPG that require multiple forms of communication. If the game was designed to facilitate a few friends playing together, that would be fine. But then the classification of the game would be COOP RPG, not MMORPG. Every single aspect of an MMORPG is designed around fluid, concise, multiple ways of instantly communicating with multitudes of other people.

Respectfully the traditional definition of an MMO if we use that, yes it's not an RPG but an MMO is a type of RPG game.

Terrible....hey, I respect your opinion but it doesn't appear that they are making a terrible mistake.

I thinkit's helpful to not apply "our own" must have features when using the category mmorpg game because while this version is different, it's no different than any other online multiplayer game that uses voice chat only for console.

I recall the "an MMO will not survive without a sub" argument and now we see a lot of B2P and F2P MMO games.
Maybe this is the start of a voice chat only MMO genre