News

Far Cry 3 chooses "silent communication" over voice chat "with strangers"
Posted: 10.04.2012 13:46 by Simon Priest Comments: 3
Game designer Dan Berlin of Ubisoft's Far Cry 3 feels that voice communication in multiplayer is a 'failed venture', and that's why co-operative elements 'communicate silently'.

People aren't "sitting together in a room" together for today's multiplayer, so they "can’t really talk to each other." Not a lot use voice chat anyway as you get "match-made with strangers".

In our interview with Dan Berlin where we discussed Far Cry 3's multiplayer, he confirmed they choose silence over voice because that's what most players choose anyway.

We asked if he'd say if "multiplayer by way of voice communications is a failed venture?"

"Yes I do," replied Ubisoft's Dan Berlin. The developers have opted to use hard-coded methods to promote the co-operative nature of Far Cry 3's multiplayer team play experiences; voice just isn't popular enough.

"The multiplayer today isn’t really people sitting together in a room, so they can’t really talk to each other."

"Not a lot of people use the voice functionality anyway – I never use it, I’m just sitting alone at home playing on my couch, and I get match-made with strangers, people who I’ve never met before, so that’s why we brought in the silent communication into the game, the backend systems that help you with communications."

Check out our full interview with game designer Dan Berlin.

Far Cry 3 releases on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC September 7th.

Comments

By nocutius (SI Elite) on Apr 10, 2012
nocutius
I'd have to see it in action before i can make a judgement. But I agree in general, I only voice chat with buddies and I make special effort to turn the in-game voice chat OFF.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Apr 10, 2012
herodotus
Two reasons that will make make wary of this:
1/ "FC 2"
2/ Ubisoft
So far Ubi have done no good over the past two years for the titles I have purchased and has seemingly gone to great lengths to destroy long established franchises ("Silent Hunter" and "IL2" for starters). One a company to be relied on for quality products and customer support, their UPlay system and poor customer service these days put them behind even EA in being gamer-friendly.
By SiyaenSokol (SI Elite) on Apr 11, 2012
SiyaenSokol
I also wasn't very impressed with Far Cry 2... especially after a glitch destroyed all of my progress made. (Damn Priest didn't want to give me medicine).