Sometimes better to be heard and not seen
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 4:17 pm
So I can’t help but to think that some of what ALFA experiences in drama couldn’t be improved with the help of some modern networking tools. ALFA suffers from what many virtual communities suffer: distance. I am not talking about the actual miles between its members, rather that the all text medium gives a coldness and dryness to communication that lends itself from feeling disconnected from the parties on the other end.
Text is subjective. A witty play on words can equally be perceived as a sarcastic sneer depending upon the perception of the reader. Tone, inflection, emphasis…many of the subtle context clues of verbal communication can get lost in the text medium. People also tend to communicate less volume in text, not wanting to write or compel others to read too many words, which means the result may come across lacking detail and lead to perception of a curt or abrasive result not necessarily intended.
Verbal communication is far more sophisticated. It can convey emotion without narration, which can entirely alter the meaning of the communication through the audience’s perception of the speaker. Verbal communication also tends to be more volume; people talk and listen much more quickly than they type or read, and more gets done in a smaller span of time.
I play other kinds of games too. I like first person shooters for the action and stress release it gives. Those games have groups (clans) which form for competing and organization. It may shock you to learn that they suffer from the same tendencies of all such groups: politics and bickering. (see, that was sarcasm but unless I put additional text to imply that here, you wouldn’t necessarily know) They would have flame wars on their forums, and people getting upset and leaving, etc. But an interesting thing happened over the years as the medium evolved: Voice over IP.
FPS gamers found it immensely helpful to talk to facilitate teamwork. When the tools like Ventrilo and Roger Wilco and Teamspeak came into the picture, the communication went from emails and BBS forum postings to virtual voice rooms, the flame wars changed. They were somehow calmer and resolution seemed to come more quickly and easily. And much of acrimony and bitterness seemed to ease significantly. Oh sure, there are still politics and disagreements, but they seem to be less severe and resolve more quickly when you get into a voice chat room and talk it out.
It’s easy to shrug and write some flame on the forum knowing you’re likely to only get some bits of text from cyberspace in response, but you might think twice about being so degrading when you know you’re going to hear the hurt or anger in their voice in immediate response. It is amazing how dramatically your perception of someone changes when they evolve from flat text in a forum post to the vibrant sound of a real person. It humanizes them, and makes them more immediate and close.
There are also practical benefits to such real time VoIP too. They can be structured to have private rooms so that DM’s and players can segregate themselves into adventure parties. More can communicated quickly, this can eliminate some of the confusion that text can leave. You can agree to leave all the in character stuff on the screen, and take all the out of character administrative stuff to voice.
I humbly suggest that ALFA consider adding real time VoIP as part of its community communication. Imagine how it might change your perception of some of the conversations that happen, and the people with whom you interact. Does Duck have a southern accent and snorts when he laughs? Does Wynna have a warm sultry voice, or a nasally shrill voice? Does Heegz’s talking remind you of that bitter old man down the street who keeps yelling at the kids to stay off his lawn?
I think that adding real time voice communication could be a valuable tool in the gaming experience, and go a long way in bringing the community closer, thereby avoiding some of the drama. Give it some consideration.
Text is subjective. A witty play on words can equally be perceived as a sarcastic sneer depending upon the perception of the reader. Tone, inflection, emphasis…many of the subtle context clues of verbal communication can get lost in the text medium. People also tend to communicate less volume in text, not wanting to write or compel others to read too many words, which means the result may come across lacking detail and lead to perception of a curt or abrasive result not necessarily intended.
Verbal communication is far more sophisticated. It can convey emotion without narration, which can entirely alter the meaning of the communication through the audience’s perception of the speaker. Verbal communication also tends to be more volume; people talk and listen much more quickly than they type or read, and more gets done in a smaller span of time.
I play other kinds of games too. I like first person shooters for the action and stress release it gives. Those games have groups (clans) which form for competing and organization. It may shock you to learn that they suffer from the same tendencies of all such groups: politics and bickering. (see, that was sarcasm but unless I put additional text to imply that here, you wouldn’t necessarily know) They would have flame wars on their forums, and people getting upset and leaving, etc. But an interesting thing happened over the years as the medium evolved: Voice over IP.
FPS gamers found it immensely helpful to talk to facilitate teamwork. When the tools like Ventrilo and Roger Wilco and Teamspeak came into the picture, the communication went from emails and BBS forum postings to virtual voice rooms, the flame wars changed. They were somehow calmer and resolution seemed to come more quickly and easily. And much of acrimony and bitterness seemed to ease significantly. Oh sure, there are still politics and disagreements, but they seem to be less severe and resolve more quickly when you get into a voice chat room and talk it out.
It’s easy to shrug and write some flame on the forum knowing you’re likely to only get some bits of text from cyberspace in response, but you might think twice about being so degrading when you know you’re going to hear the hurt or anger in their voice in immediate response. It is amazing how dramatically your perception of someone changes when they evolve from flat text in a forum post to the vibrant sound of a real person. It humanizes them, and makes them more immediate and close.
There are also practical benefits to such real time VoIP too. They can be structured to have private rooms so that DM’s and players can segregate themselves into adventure parties. More can communicated quickly, this can eliminate some of the confusion that text can leave. You can agree to leave all the in character stuff on the screen, and take all the out of character administrative stuff to voice.
I humbly suggest that ALFA consider adding real time VoIP as part of its community communication. Imagine how it might change your perception of some of the conversations that happen, and the people with whom you interact. Does Duck have a southern accent and snorts when he laughs? Does Wynna have a warm sultry voice, or a nasally shrill voice? Does Heegz’s talking remind you of that bitter old man down the street who keeps yelling at the kids to stay off his lawn?
I think that adding real time voice communication could be a valuable tool in the gaming experience, and go a long way in bringing the community closer, thereby avoiding some of the drama. Give it some consideration.
