Skype

[Layander]

A while ago everyone used vent for games, or team speak was popular as well.

Does anyone use Skype now? It seems more convenient to me. What do you think.

[Invictys]

It seems to me to be a regional thing, both for FG and for computer gaming in general. Americans still use Ventrilo and Teamspeak more than Skype. Everyone else seems to use Skype more.

If you care about such things, Skype is very porous security wise and anonymity wise and its not good for large guild type communications (think MMOs).

Obviously for RPGs Skype is perfectly fine since you have usually a smallish group of 5-7 people in on the call.

I personally use Ventrilo both out of habit and because I have a lifetime server through Nationvoice. If I had to pay for it today I think I would use Skype even though I have no desire to use the video portion.

[Ksathra]

I've used, mumble, skype, ventrilo and Teamspeak for different games. I always feel like Skype is more resource heavy and FG is pretty heavy as well so when using a laptop its easier to use Vent or something like that.

FG still does have its TS server as well so there is that. I like the quality on Skype best though, if I can manage the resources.

[Trenloe]

A lot of the Fantasy grounds community use the community FG server, info here:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17071

There are various levels of quality that you can control in teamspeak and I've never had any issues with quality - I frequently steam background music for my games and that has good quality.

Skype is a good solution, but the main issue being that all communications and bandwidth come from the person who initiated the call and so you are relying on them having a great Internet connection, especially the upload speed. It is not recommended for the GM to initiate the Skype call.

For teamspeak (and other server based solutuons) server bandwidth is used for upstream communication and so there is only ever a single person load on each connection.

Also, server based solutions (like teamspeak) allow a sub channel to be created so the GM can easily speak to an individual player without the other players hearing.

There are plenty of voice solutions available and in the end it is whatever works best for an individual group...

[wbcreighton]

We have used Skype for a couple of years now. Never have any serious problems that a quick close/re-open can't fix. I have always liked the persistent IM log, and the fact I can use it from my Android phone on my way home from work, to update players if I get stuck in traffic. :o

[Invictys]

We have used Skype .... I can use it from my Android phone on my way home from work, to update players if I get stuck in traffic. :o

Ventriloid (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jtxdriggers.android.ventriloid&hl=en) allows the same for Ventrilo. Quality is less than optimal but it does work.

Voice quality for server based solutions of all types depends on the codec used. On my server I use one of the highest codecs possible, a 32khz, 5520 Bps and the quality is close to phone-like to my ear.

[Invictys]

Also, server based solutions (like teamspeak) allow a sub channel to be created so the GM can easily speak to an individual player without the other players hearing.


Not sure about Teamspeak but on Ventrilo you can also create custom bindings so that a different push-to-talk key will allow you to speak only to a certain predefined user. No need to swap channels.

You can have a different one set for each player if you wanted to and vice versa so that you can speak directly to only one player (or however many are defined in the binding) and they can do the same to you.

[Blackfoot]

I use Skype, Ventrilo, and the FG Teamspeak server weekly in different games that I play.

All of them seem to work pretty well overall, I find the Teamspeak server to be the most consistent and easy to use.

The Chatlog/IM features of Skype DO make it superior in many ways.

[Blacky]

A while ago everyone used vent for games, or team speak was popular as well.
Does anyone use Skype now? It seems more convenient to me. What do you think.
I've tested it several times, and no it's one of the worst possible choices.

Apart from the fact Skype spy on you (even before Microsoft bought it, Google can give details) it's too hungry on resources. Even with quite decent DSL connexion for everyone at the table, playing with 5 or 6 people on Skype is a regular challenge.

Skype has one good thing: a quite good echo canceler, for cheap bastards without headsets. Otherwise, Teamspeak, or even better Mumble, are far far more appropriate in my experience, and far more powerful. And Mumble is libre and open sourced, one of the best guaranty it's not spying on you.

[Invictys]

Yeah if you use Skype it's best to have someone other than the DM host the call since the lions share of resource usage are on the call host end. The DM already has enough resource issues with FG2 ;)

[JohnD]

Yeah if you use Skype it's best to have someone other than the DM host the call since the lions share of resource usage are on the call host end. The DM already has enough resource issues with FG2 ;)
Most definitely... I was in an excellent Rolemaster game a while ago that used Skype and that is exactly what we had to do.

[Blacky]

Besides resources usage, and Skype spying on you, I find it lacking basic tools I use several times per minute in my rpg sessions. A mute/unmute toggle that can be assigned to any key or button (although, I may have missed it), and a voice detection, are two basic examples.

It also takes way more pixel real estate than Mumble, or even Teamspeak. I know I have difficulties mastering with only two HD (well, 1.9 HD) screens, if I invest in a third I don't want to give a third of it to VOIP when a 1Kpx² is well well enough.

[Invictys]

You can download a plugin called Skype PTT that gives you a push to talk button or a toggle. The rest of your sentiments I agree with completely, though I keep my ventrilo window minimized so screen real estate doesn't affect me personally.

[Honken]

I am mostly using Skype as the voice communication of choise. I have found that having a smaller group of players help with the chaos it can be sometimes. If you are doing dual screens you could use Google groups? I have not tried it myself though.

There is in the advanced settings so you can do hot keys. I think that you might have to change it yourself, but I have made rightctrl-m my mute hotkey.

If any of you have any other setting changes for skype, please share.

/Honken

[Mgrancey]

Yeah, got one group they want to use Skype so we end up doing so, but I would rather use FG TeamSpeak with PTT. They chomp at each other about noise, but still want to use Skype. Go figure.