Why doesn't anyone talk in MMO anymore.

Waterlily · November 2008

Since playing Everquest, my experience talking to people and amount of contacts has gone down each time.

Everquest had loads of people chatting in general chat, guilds, and /say.

Then I played Vanguard which had a bit less and only region chat and no central hub.

Then I played Guild wars where very few people talked, only in guild.

Then I played WoW, where absolutely no one talks almost, and where I can't access a general chat, just a region chat.

I play MMO to talk to other players and to play with them. If you don't have a general chat in your MMO, but just region chat, and no central hubs, I might as well go play single player games.

Do you talk in new MMO?

Illius · November 2008

I talk but nobody talks back so I stop talking because talking to myself is a bit odd. Shortly after that I log off.

Waterlily · November 2008

Originally posted by Illius

I talk but nobody talks back so I stop talking because talking to myself is a bit odd. Shortly after that I log off.

^lol

Swiftblade13 · November 2008

because MMO's have become single player games with a monthly fee

Ariolander · November 2008

Too buisy with the eternal grind T_T

Waterlily · November 2008

Originally posted by Swiftblade13

because MMO's have become single player games with a monthly fee

Nod, maybe so. I want big guilds and lots of players and places people hang out with to talk and have 1 general chat.

Area's to meet in. Guilds should be social communities, not just entities to get loot.

Now it's just retarted, everyone plays either by themselves or is in a very small guild.

Sovrath · November 2008

Wel, in Lineage 2 and LOTRO people talk quite a bit.

But they talk with the people who matter, their guild mates!

thorwood · November 2008

After playing WoW, I now prefer MMO's where people do not chat constantly. Most of the WoW chat was Barrens style chat where people just baited other people or told inane Chuck Norris jokes.

HardwareGuy · November 2008

This trend concerns me as well but not only as it pertains to the MMO genre.

It has nothing to do with gaming. Sure, there is a decrease spawned by ventrilo use and powerleveler mentality and yada yada yada ... BUT, the main problem is with our society in general.

Noone wants to talk to or get to know thier neghbors like they used to. People are becoming more and more withdrawn from society, not just gamers. It's like something is in the air.

I think if we as people took the time to relax and enjoy the company of strangers/possible future friends then we would be better off for it. it's a hard thing to do though with populations growing and diversity abounding. It's not easy.

Some of the best times to be had is when you make a new friend or find out you just don't fit in with someone. Either way you learn a lot about yourself and always take something away from it.

FikusOfAhazi · November 2008

I think less chatting is by design from the developers. Its a way to combat goldfarming. More and more features will be diluted because of this in the future. All opinion here..i have no idea if thats really a reason.

craynlon · November 2008

Originally posted by FikusOfAhazi

I think less chatting is by design from the developers. Its a way to combat goldfarming. More and more features will be diluted because of this in the future. All opinion here..i have no idea if thats really a reason.

i agree with that

in lineage 2 i was a lot more chatty then in my recent mmos aoc and war

mostly because i was constantly hitting wasd to move and spamming skills while in l2 it was all point and click for me, sometimes even auto-assist (to attack or follow) wich left me more ingame time to chat.

even tough it brought down chatting for me and im yet to be getting used to using vent all the time, more complex game controlls will hinder botting/goldfarming wich is a very good thing.

i just believe were currently in a generation of mmos where the players and the game are not 100% commited to voice over ip chatting wich may be change slowly over time. the only bad thing i see come from that is that the game gets robbed of athmosphere and immersion (seeing an elven girl and hearing an old mans voice) but i heare the guys over at eve online work on voice filters that simulate different voices.

Pharoin · November 2008

I agree but i think the reason is that u have more younger players now. I also believe there are more players who think they are playing a single player game and just want to talk when they want help from people to get an item they want or they talk when they want to link everyone their equipment but maybe i'm wrong...Im just saying.Also i enjoy MMORPG's mainly for the interactions with other real players

Illius · November 2008

I would preffer if the people chatted all over rather then just within the guild. I remember being able to run along and find someone killing or crafting or whatever they're doing and being able to start up a conversation about anything. Now you usually get the "can't talk, leveling" or "busy killing, leave me alone". I think there's not a single thing at fault here but a collection of smaller short comings that add up to a bigger problem. The mentality of games, along with games that are quite easy to overcome on your own don't necessarily breed any sense of camraderie or any need for others around. The stigma now amongst most of these players is that other people are dumb or inept and would only hinder their progression. To them the game is a measuring pole where they can see how well they stack up to the other people and ofcourse they want to be on top, the biggest, strongest, smartest... I think you get my point.

toddze · November 2008

Originally posted by Waterlily

Since playing Everquest, my experience talking to people and amount of contacts has gone down each time.

Everquest had loads of people chatting in general chat, guilds, and /say.
Then I played Vanguard which had a bit less and only region chat and no central hub.
Then I played Guild wars where very few people talked, only in guild.
Then I played WoW, where absolutely no one talks almost, and where I can't access a general chat, just a region chat.

I play MMO to talk to other players and to play with them. If you don't have a general chat in your MMO, but just region chat, and no central hubs, I might as well go play single player games.
Do you talk in new MMO?

There is less talking because the majority of MMO's now are more focused on solo play, so theres really no need to talk. If you want a strong community get away from Western style MMO's. In general Asian developed MMO's have 10X better community because they are more group oriented.

Theocritus · November 2008

Originally posted by HardwareGuy

This trend concerns me as well but not only as it pertains to the MMO genre.
It has nothing to do with gaming. Sure, there is a decrease spawned by ventrilo use and powerleveler mentality and yada yada yada ... BUT, the main problem is with our society in general.
Noone wants to talk to or get to know thier neghbors like they used to. People are becoming more and more withdrawn from society, not just gamers. It's like something is in the air.
I think if we as people took the time to relax and enjoy the company of strangers/possible future friends then we would be better off for it. it's a hard thing to do though with populations growing and diversity abounding. It's not easy.
Some of the best times to be had is when you make a new friend or find out you just don't fit in with someone. Either way you learn a lot about yourself and always take something away from it.

Its kinda cool jsut to go out once in awhile and watch people.....I see a very bad trend though with teenagers just burying themselves in their cell phones and texting without any idea what is going on around them....... You can say hi to someone and they dont even know your there.......Even worse Im starting to see more and more people texting while they drive which is very dangerous.....I watched a lady go right through a stop sign at full speed with her head down texting......

trancejeremy · November 2008

Yeah, I really don't get it. I used to play Sword of the New World a free MMORPG, and no one really talked. So I thought it was the game. Then I switched to Lord of the Rings Online and it even even worse. No one talks, ever. I can play for 3-4 hours and only hear (er, see) 1-2 people talking. Usually someone with a question (which generally goes unanswered) and someone looking for a group (for a quest which I almost never have).

If I got to Bree, sure, I can see a couple people talking. But actually just playing the game, nada.

And I've tried joining a guild (or Kinship they call it), but I guess no one ever recruits people for those (and if they do, they only want very high level people and/or role-players)

I don't think it's because games are designed for solo play; LOTRO is most certainly not, it has a lot of group quests. But actually finding people to do them with is hard, because no one talks (or even is online).

FikusOfAhazi · November 2008

Originally posted by Illius

I would preffer if the people chatted all over rather then just within the guild. I remember being able to run along and find someone killing or crafting or whatever they're doing and being able to start up a conversation about anything. Now you usually get the "can't talk, leveling" or "busy killing, leave me alone". I think there's not a single thing at fault here but a collection of smaller short comings that add up to a bigger problem. The mentality of games, along with games that are quite easy to overcome on your own don't necessarily breed any sense of camraderie or any need for others around. The stigma now amongst most of these players is that other people are dumb or inept and would only hinder their progression. To them the game is a measuring pole where they can see how well they stack up to the other people and ofcourse they want to be on top, the biggest, strongest, smartest... I think you get my point.

The design of the game is just individual reward. Grouping is just hoping there are enough other people on wanting that same reward. Guilds are just tools to make that easier. Factions have no bearing on the game what so ever. Can your side win? can it win anything at all? Nope. People want to fight together and win together, not win individually. See what Im saying? the only reward you ever get is for your own personal improvement.

I think the more people figure this out, the more people will just solo as much as they can. It makes people get put off to grouping simply because they dont want to bother or be bothered. With game mechanics making it harder and harder to chat (type) while playing, and designers making chatting less and less needed to cut down on gold farming, grouping just for some social fun is becoming tedious and harder to find.

These are no longer RPG's. The old mmo's. your were role playing by simply playing the game.And the mechanics of the game fit with the lore and were designed with roleplay in mind. Now you can hardly roleplay even if you wanted to they simplified the games down so much. I'm not a rolepayer btw, i just play the game. I dont believe I should have to RP in an RPG. The mechanics should be so RP and playing the game itself are one in the same.

So we have all game design based on your own personal progression. No roleplay built into the mechanics (of an RPG). no group rewards, no faction rewards, no point whatsoever to even play the game other than personal progression (built into the game mechanics)...no trade, no sell, items. Useless crafting, npc vendors, as many characters you want per server, ect..ect. The only reason (again just game mechanic wise) there needs to be more than one person in the world is because they jacked up the HP on a mob so you cant kill it. Other than that..what need is there for 1 other person. Let alone 1000's?

More people soloing and not talking is whats to be expected in these games. Also,The thing about clones is it doesnt appear you can make one more challanging than than a previous one. You HAVE to make it easier. So its gonna get worse if the industry doesnt collapse first.

Sorry for spelling, hope it wasnt too confusing. Not a great communicater as you can read:) Im also aware that I am probably wrong, and companies are just out for $$.

scotczech · November 2008

Lets face it, most MMORPG'S these days are very easy to play.

Groups are not needed, solo play rules, they are like single player games with some very odd NPC's.

Even when you get a group they don't talk, its a sad situation.

Game companies should have different rulesets on different servers, dont do like EQ2 did and remove any real DP for all, leave the odd server alone, but no they did a clean sweap, easy mode for all.

Why not give us the choice? you didn't so many /QUIT.

Now we have easy, boring and in my opinion pointless games, the social aspect is gone.

All that uber gear you got dont mean shit, and raiding is easy too, same shit just with more people.

LFG now means "looking for a game"

MMORPG'S are lifeless and boring, players are comatose. RIP

IAmMMO · November 2008

That's because communities have already formed. They jump from MMO to MMO as a community (Guild).A lot of these tight nit Guilds are very anti social towards anybody other than their long time guild members. Being a new comer in established guilds you'll often find members who think it beneath them to chat with you, and generally be social with you.

I'm sure many of you know the types. You find a recruiter and you join their guild. Only then to spend the next two weeks saying "HI" in guild chat to a few hello's when you first log on. Then right after another long time member will log in say "Hello" and get a load of greetings which makes you start to wonder if you're invisible. You then realize most members are immature playing the kool kid groupie game within the guild and you end up leaving to find more down to earth like minded group of people who are a more social.

Torak · November 2008

IMHO, there are several things at work here

Voice chat. A very large number of MMO players use this over type text.
Individual style play (solo) A lot of games have swung from group centric toward solo play in the last 5 years. Thats really nothing new anymore at this point
Less complexity - now IMHO this is one of the biggest reasons. Whats there to talk about in most MMO's these days? Classes are predifined, quest basically have built in walk throughs with waypoint markers, crafting in most cases is no different, simple. Very few choices need to be made, you just follow the NPC's instructions. Everything is easily marked and layed out. It basically removes any need to discuse anything. The "mystery" of things has been removed in favor of accessibility.

themanager · November 2008

Originally posted by Torak

IMHO, there are several things at work here

Voice chat. A very large number of MMO players use this over type text.
Individual style play (solo) A lot of games have swung from group centric toward solo play in the last 5 years. Thats really nothing new anymore at this point
Less complexity - now IMHO this is one of the biggest reasons. Whats there to talk about in most MMO's these days? Classes are predifined, quest basically have built in walk throughs with waypoint markers, crafting in most cases is no different, simple. Very few choices need to be made, you just follow the NPC's instructions. Everything is easily marked and layed out. It basically removes any need to discuse anything. The "mystery" of things has been removed in favor of accessibility.

I Stronlgy Agree.

Zayne3145 · November 2008

Originally posted by themanager

Originally posted by Torak

IMHO, there are several things at work here

Voice chat. A very large number of MMO players use this over type text.

I agree that VC is killing conversation in MMO's. I have no problem with it when you need the responsiveness and immediacy for a complex raid or PvP objective that you cannot get with text. But out in the general world environment it just seems to create small cliques of people who are so busy chatting away on VC with their guild, or pool of friends, that the world chat is dead.

Sovrath · November 2008

Originally posted by Illius

I would preffer if the people chatted all over rather then just within the guild. I remember being able to run along and find someone killing or crafting or whatever they're doing and being able to start up a conversation about anything. Now you usually get the "can't talk, leveling" or "busy killing, leave me alone". I think there's not a single thing at fault here but a collection of smaller short comings that add up to a bigger problem. The mentality of games, along with games that are quite easy to overcome on your own don't necessarily breed any sense of camraderie or any need for others around. The stigma now amongst most of these players is that other people are dumb or inept and would only hinder their progression. To them the game is a measuring pole where they can see how well they stack up to the other people and ofcourse they want to be on top, the biggest, strongest, smartest... I think you get my point.

Well that is why I usually turn off general chat. I play online games to "play" a game.

And though I've met great people and enjoy talking with them, most of my conversations go on in the guild. I have had some incredible clan/guild mates and have very much enjoyed their company.

However, I don't want to sit around and "shoot the shit" with someone "just because".Oh sure if a short conversation starts up that's fine, but in the end, if I'm not playing the game then I could be doing something else.

I don't play online games to meet people, I play them to play along side with people.

Now I do understand that many like you enjoy this. But to me that just turns the game into a glorified chat room.

So when I do see the chatty general chat I just turn it off completely. That's a shame as there might be people who need help and perhaps I can even help them. Especially because some people in game can be very insulting for no reason at all and won't help players.

But I just can't abide the whole chat room mentality.

It's very possible that other people are doing the same.

I mean, talk about killing immersion? People talking about cars, politics, debating WoW (because I see a bit too much of this). If you want to talk you can find me in real life.

However, I pay monthly so I can take my sword of "Make Evil Pay" and storm the castle.

Otherwise I can be hanging with my real life friends.

Illius · November 2008

Originally posted by Sovrath
Well that is why I usually turn off general chat. I play online games to "play" a game.

My issue here is that I can't "turn ON" a chat channel just like you can turn it off. It feels really good when you have options to do things your way, but when you're out of luck it's not that fun.

I hang with friends too and most of them if not all of them play games together. The thing is, after working all day long I come home too tired to go out and bar hop so I stay home much like my other friends and game away until the weekend where we can go out and have a good time.

Torak · November 2008

Remember the days when people helped noobs out...because the games were damn hard? You were usually naked with a stick, didn't have a clue what to do next, you had no idea where anything was and some rat was biting you on the arse.

Evasia · November 2008

induviduality small groups guilds/clans, when someone dont belong to one of these groups, there go's an ALARM OFF.

ALERT ALERT DANGER DANGER, dont talk to that stranger it will explode your brain:P

These days its all exclusive little clubs no interaction outside your own club, there on vent or TS.

Social behavior or communications is virtually gone they have learned to only speak to those who belong in your little club, rest arean forbidden zone dont enter

Thats today's reality im affraid.

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