Suggestions for online communication between gamers

[Route44]

I am looking for software suggestions that would provide good, solid communication between people who play team oriented online gaming. This is for PC gaming purposes.

I have looked into Ventrilio and though they have a free version it requires at least one person who can provide a server which I don't have and don't plan to have.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Arris]

I know a lot of people use Xfire, don't use it myself so unsure if its 1 to 1 voice communication or group.
One of my friends was telling me of a product that does this without a requirement for a server the other day, but can't remember the name of it. I'll find out and post back.

 

[DjKraid]

I have looked into Ventrilio and though they have a free version it requires at least one person who can provide a server which I don't have and don't plan to have.

A ventrilo server is a very small light weight program...but then again there is a downside to ventrilo too, if you have a free version the number of clients is limited (to 8 if I remember correctly) but there is a older version with no limits (2.2.1 or 2.1.1)

 

[Zen]

A very long time ago, while playing Star Wars Jedi Outcast my old Star Wars gaming clan used a program called "team speak"! Like Ventrillo it is a very lite program on ones system. But one major benefit with Team Speak, the free client version, no talk limits. You can set it up to allow unlimited communication within clan or group or guild. I really liked the program, it was fun being a channel moderator and one of their forum power users. I think we used to use version 1.5 but upgraded to the old version 2.0, now TeamSpeak is offering a version 3.0, but I'd stick to 2.0, less hassles and head aches. If interested, why not research it....

TeamSpeak Download Center
http://teamspeak.com/?page=downloads&archive=1

Have fun and good luck!

 

[tehbanz]

+1 for teamspeak, I believe no one person needs to host a server, if i recall correctly it evenly distributes the hosting duties amongst everyone connected.

Another option is a group chat in Skype, but i would recommend setting up PTT (push to talk) if skype even has that option available.

Also, ventrillo is pretty awesome, the 'server' client is incredibly small and can run on nearly any machine, the problem is bandwidth imho. i remember hosting one at my home for awhile for me and my friends but the delay was pretty high on my 1.5 up.

 

[Arris]

+1 for teamspeak, I believe no one person needs to host a server, if i recall correctly it evenly distributes the hosting duties amongst everyone connected.

Last time I used it, it was still server/client setup. Maybe they have a new version?
Still haven't found out what that software I mentioned was that didn't rely on a server.
Thought it might have been Mumble, but turns out that needs a Murmur server.

 

[tehbanz]

hmmm, pretty sure this was teamspeak 1.xx i used, it had to have been 6~8 years ago and I haven't used it since then. I remember specifically we all downloaded the client and were able to get going in roughly 10 minutes.

This article will interest you OP, and anyone else interested...

http://alternativeto.net/software/ventrilo/

 

[Zen]

Tehbanz is very correct here, TeamSpeak is offered in just about every O.S. format out there. The download takes only about 2-3 minutes, another minute to install, the setting up of channel reservations, and then your 10-8 and smoking with a hot mic. Also version 1.xx as Tehbanz mentioned was their version 1.5, the 6-8 years fits that time line very well. Now a days TeamSpeak is now calling version 1.5 "classic" and has been retired. I can see version 2.0 or just '2" being retired in about 3-5 years, but until then I would jump on the band wagon and use it. Heck, if you really want to you can have fun with TeamSpeak, set up channel moderation, appoint several of you friends to help Police the channels, assign Administrators, nothing better than "slapping" or "kicking" someone off a channel for misbehavior!

Fun times, I miss the "Outcast" days!

 

[Relic]

As already pointed out using TS or Vent shouldn't be a huge deal since they are rather light weight programs. I personally host a small Vent server for when I have several friends on for gaming and we have no public server to join. In some cases I've used Skype three-way for when only a couple friends play. Shoot even Steam provides VOIP, however I recommend using Skype as the quality is significantly better imo.

 

[DjKraid]

Anyhow, I found my old ventrilo server setup on my hdd, it was 2.1.2 that had no client limit...or you can limit it yourself in the "ventrilo_srv.log" and that's also where you have to give a name to the server and so on.... The server software is 365kb so it doesn't rly require that much hdd space

 

[mopar man]

Please also look into Mumble. It's an alternative that a LOT of people (including me) prefer for gaming. It had features that Vent didn't have when it was released and has just as lightweight, high quality sound.

+1 for steam VOIP with just 2 people, because you have PTT.