GDC – Vivox integrates voice chat into online games with relative ease

Vivox
integrates voice chat into online games with relative ease
By

Michael Lafferty

Company
focuses exclusively on the online game market

Anyone who has
played a massively multiplayer online game can tell you that when it comes down
to situations, taking time to type in suggestions or commands can often mean
failure within the mission. That is why voice chat is a growing element that is
being integrated into more and more games.

Vivox is a
company that specializes in voice chat, and integrating the software into a game
in the form of a simple little SDK file. Publishers can then manage the user
interface to reflect the live chat option any way they wish.

The company was
showing its product at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and
GameZone had the chance to drop in for a visit Wednesday.

It is important
to note that while Vivox can be integrated into a game client, the software,
servers and monitoring remain with the communications company, which monitors
the service 24/7 at its data center.

Completely
focused on the genre of online games, Vivox can be turned on quickly, and is
rather flexible in terms of how it can be used. For example, EVE Online uses a
telephony quality version, while Second Life links volume control with player
location. As you move away, the volume drops. The louder a person speaks, the
more animated his or her avatar becomes.

For security,
the company has IP auditing and role-based access, and will even feature voice
fonts to allow users to change the tonality of his or her voice either as a
security measure or within context of role playing. But while some voice/chat
programs are independent of the client, Vivox works within the client space.
Plans are even in the works to allow cross chat with players in other games that
use the Vivox codec.

Working from
within the client is certainly advantageous, and preferred over third-party chat
systems. As the MMO space continues to expand, it is certain that Vivox will
find its role increase as more game embrace the concept of in-game voice chat.