Poll: Is multiplayer communication necessary?

[ObnoxiousTwat]

I recently playing a game on Xbox Live with one of my friends when out of the bule this little kid joins the team and begins to shout strings of hateful words ,apparently about how the team was playing, the likes of which would make a rap song sound clean and wholesome.
It was then I began to ponder "Should they allow chat between players"? Give me some of your opinions.

 

[COR 2000]

Well, frankly, it can be essential when it comes to situations like "I'm charging the hill. Watch my back" or "They've stolen our flag!", but for little brat situations, all we need to do is mute them, and that's that. In short, yes, communication is vital.

 

[xitel]

I think early online multiplayer games had the right combination of both. Takes Starseige: Tribes, for example. It had both text-based chat, but it also had a hotkey menu for pre-recorded audio messages like "They have the flag!" "Need healing!" or the like. Plus, they had pre-recorded taunts that stopped people from spamming hate speak. Plus, you could mute the text chat and the audio chat, so that was useful.

 

[Jumplion]

Depending on the game, having headsets can be essential.

Though, with my experience, I don't need it to much. In games like MGO, teamwork is essential yet people seem to be able to do without headsets. Part of that is because it has premade codex messages, and that's all you really need. Other times it's just mutual, people will go in groups automatically just incase someone needs backup. It's a beautiful thing really.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I don't have a headset, but I'm looking to get one.
I can think of many times when I was playing that it would have come in handy, one time that comes to mind was when someone was being snuck up on by an ememy player, I was in the middle of a reload and could not tell them, they were assasinated (it was Halo 3)

I also just recently had a run in with a group of high voiced little kids, Somewhat annoying, but I found they didn't say anything stupid. One even told me "Nice driving!" one time, which filled me with much glee.

 

[black lincon]

look on Xbox live there's this thing called the mute button, i use it liberally. but yes me and my friends tend to play in groups of 6 anyway and were generally big into strategies(in CoD4) we all have are place and we need to communicate to function successfully.

 

[smallharmlesskitten]

I don't have a headset, but I'm looking to get one.
I can think of many times when I was playing that it would have come in handy, one time that comes to mind was when someone was being snuck up on by an ememy player, I was in the middle of a reload and could not tell them, they were assasinated (it was Halo 3)

I also just recently had a run in with a group of high voiced little kids, Somewhat annoying, but I found they didn't say anything stupid. One even told me "Nice driving!" one time, which filled me with much glee.

Go to dicksmiths ninja.... $35 for a logitech headset

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I don't have a headset, but I'm looking to get one.
I can think of many times when I was playing that it would have come in handy, one time that comes to mind was when someone was being snuck up on by an ememy player, I was in the middle of a reload and could not tell them, they were assasinated (it was Halo 3)

I also just recently had a run in with a group of high voiced little kids, Somewhat annoying, but I found they didn't say anything stupid. One even told me "Nice driving!" one time, which filled me with much glee.

Go to dicksmiths ninja.... $35 for a logitech headset

Actually I have a Logitech headset, but I think it's just for computers, it uses a USB plug thingy, would that work on Xbox live or do I need to go and buy one?

 

[smallharmlesskitten]

I don't have a headset, but I'm looking to get one.
I can think of many times when I was playing that it would have come in handy, one time that comes to mind was when someone was being snuck up on by an ememy player, I was in the middle of a reload and could not tell them, they were assasinated (it was Halo 3)

I also just recently had a run in with a group of high voiced little kids, Somewhat annoying, but I found they didn't say anything stupid. One even told me "Nice driving!" one time, which filled me with much glee.

Go to dicksmiths ninja.... $35 for a logitech headset

Actually I have a Logitech headset, but I think it's just for computers, it uses a USB plug thingy, would that work on Xbox live or do I need to go and buy one?

I have no idea.... I would say stick with genuine microsoft products (in this instance)

 

[meatloaf231]

There's a mute button for a reason. I like communication in multiplayer, it really helps the game be more fun for me.

Example: usually while playing CoD4 online, I don't actively engage the other team. I take increased endurance, UAV jamming, and silenced weapons. I sneak around the map telling my team what the other team is doing. It's useful, funny, and completely impossible without voice communication.

 

[stompy]

Actually I have a Logitech headset, but I think it's just for computers, it uses a USB plug thingy, would that work on Xbox live or do I need to go and buy one?

For the Xbox 360, you need to buy the Microsoft head-set.

As for the OP, I'd say it's a necessary evil. I've played games for Battlefield 2142 where we had headsets, and it did help. Adversely, I've played games without a headset, and the in-built message thing (on the default commands, it's assigned to 'q') is fine. If you play team-based games, it's a good way to enhance communication between team mates, though it only works when everyone is civil.

Of course, like I said, necessary evil, so you will get the idiots, but you can always mute. Also, most servers I played on didn't allow swearing of any kind, so it's not like you've gotta live with it.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I need to get a headset that works.

 

[mark_n_b]

It depends on the game, it depends on the chatter. Asshole kids can and should be muted, but in a lot of games strategy makes a huge difference. And when you have a pile of skilled players (even moderately skilled) playing in cooperative fashion they can kick the butts of any team with awesome players calling each other shit heads any time.

I don't FPS on Xbox live, but can't you selectively mute out the bitches, just chat with the lovers?

whenever I am online and gaming collectively if anyone starts being an ass, I just mute 'em all.

 

[xitel]

The problem with muting is that, when the immature little pricks finally decide to shut up and start trying to actually strategically communicate with their team, they can't, because everyone has muted them. It's a temporary solution with its own drawbacks.