VG - Did Voice Over IP Software Kill the Group Chat Fun? : Vanguard News

Did Voice Over IP Software Kill the Group Chat Fun?
by: Xen_Ji_Woo


We all love them, programs like Team Speak and Ventrilo. Back in the day Roger Wilco was the ever popular VOIP. Now it seems that every guild has a server to communicate with one another. The ever popular headset with boom mic is a staple on every gamer's workstation.

From end game raiding to trade skill chatting, VOIP has freed us from our keyboards and allowed true telephone quality chat to multiple people connected to the servers. The benefits cannot be denied. Organization, instructions and meetings have all enjoyed the boon of spoken word.

There is a dark side however, the nonsensical chat of a pick up group. Gone are the days when gamers would chat idly in group chat to shoot the breeze. After all, why type to complete strangers when I can talk to my guild mates with a mere push of the control key? Instead we have pared down the dialogue to a few acronyms and trendy slang such as pull, add, mana, rdy and the oh so popular HEALME!