I just recently got an xbox one and Halo 5, and was surprised to find that the majority of my Arena games at the high level (onyx ~1550 CSR) are with people either without mics or in parties where they choose not to listen/talk to me. I know there is an easy access function that allows for someone to switch from party chat to fireteam chat quite easily, but why don’t people do that when they pick up a rando? I always do, it is courteous to always talk to your team or else you are at a disadvantage. Back in halo 3 ( I know a long time ago) anyone playing around 50 in the MLG playlist was mocked for not having a mic, why has that custom changed? Am I just not high enough in onyx to get to people who always use mics?
I was Onyx last season (so I don’t think it really counts), but I don’t use a mic in general chat for 2 reasons and I think both could apply to good players (regardless of my skill).
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you are playing with friends or a team using a private chat. Being tactical or just talking about random stuff, if you were with friends on a subway talking would you want other people constantly adding their opinion/jumping in?
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general chat is full of crappy players who complain about everything or are literally screaming little kids.
Unfortunately the rarity of people with mics even in high level Onyx is extremely low compared to what it used to be. Which makes it tough to solo queue anymore but that’s what I do 95% of the time due to playing much less than the past (work) and not having a team anymore.
Seeing a team full of party chatters and being the only person not in the party really rustles my jimmies
> 2533274808132968;4:
> Seeing a team full of party chatters and being the only person not in the party really rustles my jimmies
Exactly what prompted this post. It is probably the worst experience I have had online in halo. To know that your whole team is talking to each other and actually choosing not to talk to you for no reason.
probably too many bad experiences with randoms. gamers aren’t known for being the most pleasant of people to be around, and i feel like the ones that are nice to be around are the exception not the rule.
It is always frustrating when people don’t have mics/refuse to talk.
I have decided not to use mics when not playing with friends because I am an introvert.
Right there with you, OP. Obviously rolling with a team would eliminate this issue, but that’s not always possible. Luckily, FFA doesn’t require mics. I REALLY feel 343 needs to remove party chat from arena matchmaking though.
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> probably too many bad experiences with randoms. gamers aren’t known for being the most pleasant of people to be around, and i feel like the ones that are nice to be around are the exception not the rule.
But its not about being nice or not, its about basic functionality of the game. You are not playing the game correctly without a microphone, you are missing out on half of the information that could be given to you. Callouts are essential to even basic competitive halo, if someone is an -Yoink- they are an -Yoink-, but id rather have them scream at me a callout then be dead silent. Just my opinion.
No, not at all, what should they ban the deaf from playing because they literally can’t use a mic? Chat is a nice function to have in the game but in NO WAY a mandatory thing that amounts to “playing the game correctly”.
> 2533274920425916;2:
> I was Onyx last season (so I don’t think it really counts), but I don’t use a mic in general chat for 2 reasons and I think both could apply to good players (regardless of my skill).
>
> 1) you are playing with friends or a team using a private chat. Being tactical or just talking about random stuff, if you were with friends on a subway talking would you want other people constantly adding their opinion/jumping in?
>
> 2) general chat is full of crappy players who complain about everything or are literally screaming little kids.
Interesting points. I counter with the concept that making callouts is a part of the game just as 343 added callouts for the spartans to say themselves. The difference is human interaction is just better and more efficient at communicating. Not using your mic, or muting the other part of your team by party chatting just limits yourself as it does your teammates. It takes away a portion of the game. As for the second point, yes chat is full of complaining people, however I think this is a result of your actions of not talking just as much as a reason to not talk. If all the decent minded players shut themselves out then the rest of the players will complainers. My reaction when I get someone that complains is to ask them to refocus and callout just like you get any teammate out of their own head in any team sport.
It’s not just Onyx.
Unfortunately, it’s better to have your own fireteam in team playlists. If you are soloing Halo - play some FFA.
If this is really such an issue try and get players u find in matchmaking and make a steady group of online friends to play with, I mean plus call outs tactically aren’t good unless you are good at working with each other. If there are 4 players and I randomly yell “behind you” with nothing else what happens? Did I save a friendly or mess up a different player when they turn to look. How about if I use my mic and another person starts talking about the show Community and we start going off on that would you still be happy we decided to use the mic?
I mean honestly your point on call outs makes me even more sure that general chat is not good for gameplay other than social fun. Your opinion of what is tactically relevant may be actively distracting to a different player. I mean even when I am playing with friends in a party chat these call out issues can happen and we do know each others real names so its easier to call out.
> 2533274920425916;15:
> If this is really such an issue try and get players u find in matchmaking and make a steady group of online friends to play with, I mean plus call outs tactically aren’t good unless you are good at working with each other. If there are 4 players and I randomly yell “behind you” with nothing else what happens? Did I save a friendly or mess up a different player when they turn to look. How about if I use my mic and another person starts talking about the show Community and we start going off on that would you still be happy we decided to use the mic?
>
> I mean honestly your point on call outs makes me even more sure that general chat is not good for gameplay other than social fun. Your opinion of what is tactically relevant may be actively distracting to a different player.
My point is that back in halo 3, MLG 50’s there would be an expectation that mics are used and there was a generic culture/etiquette behind using the mics. The basics were callout where players are in the map, don’t play obnoxious music, and don’t breathe into the microphone. The reason for the thread was my suprise in the fact that halo 5 does not have that culture.
Sounds like you are more annoyed that there isn’t a greater difference between social and serious playlists. Which is totally legit, just saying there are a lot more good reasons not to use a mic in public chat than reasons to use it as of now. Not trying to just hate on your topic just clarifying. Just think saying someone is “playing the game wrong” cause they don’t use a mic is a little strong. Currently 1 of my normal group of friends can’t even use the XB chat cause his mic is broken so he uses Skype through his computer & we use the app on xbox. Idk maybe you live near gallaudet university and just happened to be matched with deaf people a lot.
I guess they could easily give you what you want, like a matchmaking that requires mics/no parties and must be ranked or something. I mean FFA already has a similar feature.
> 2533274920425916;17:
> Sounds like you are more annoyed that there isn’t a greater difference between social and serious playlists. Which is totally legit, just saying there are a lot more good reasons not to use a mic in public chat than reasons to use it as of now. Not trying to just hate on your topic just clarifying. Just think saying someone is “playing the game wrong” cause they don’t use a mic is a little strong. Currently 1 of my normal group of friends can’t even use the XB chat cause his mic is broken so he uses Skype through his computer & we use the app on xbox. Idk maybe you live near gallaudet university and just happened to be matched with deaf people a lot.
>
> I guess they could easily give you what you want, like a matchmaking that requires mics/no parties and must be ranked or something. I mean FFA already has a similar feature.
You have a great point. I am just trying to compare my experience with Halo 3 MLG playlist and Halo 5 onyx level. And the discrepancies are for many many different reasons, some of which you highlighted.
> 2533274810031784;1:
> I just recently got an xbox one and Halo 5, and was surprised to find that the majority of my Arena games at the high level (onyx ~1550 CSR) are with people either without mics or in parties where they choose not to listen/talk to me. I know there is an easy access function that allows for someone to switch from party chat to fireteam chat quite easily, but why don’t people do that when they pick up a rando? I always do, it is courteous to always talk to your team or else you are at a disadvantage. Back in halo 3 ( I know a long time ago) anyone playing around 50 in the MLG playlist was mocked for not having a mic, why has that custom changed? Am I just not high enough in onyx to get to people who always use mics?
Party chat