The gamers guide to online communications!

If you have a special MMO or team-based multiplayer shooter in your life then things aren’t quite complete until you’ve joined a guild or clan. Making new chums and pooling dedicated prowess and sharing skills. You may never meet these people in real life but the common interest creates real bonds, superficial as they may be. Beyond making these new pals,  it’s still about the game and being the superior group of players against all others, and that takes communication.

Coming up in issue 259 (on sale 24th October) we’re going to run you through a variety of voice communication options specifically with the gamer in mind. Taking a further opportunity, we’ve expanded this web pack to encompass the best instant messaging clients doing the rounds.

Follow these links for our other ‘issue 259′ web packs:
The gamers guide to online communications!
Take a peek at Windows 8 today!
Release the full potential of your broadband and Wi-Fi! (coming soon)
Issue 259 game demo roundup! (coming soon)

Mumble
Mumble is a free open source voice chat application designed for gaming, serving up the low latency, high quality sound required. It’s works alongside the Murmur server client that’s needed to make it all work. (free version)
Download from here

TeamSpeak
TeamSpeak almost invented VOIP for gamers. That may or may not be true; it’s certainly been around for a very long time and the software is the most advanced on offer, with a multitude of custom settings, game skins, and peer-to-peer file transfers. TeamSpeak requires a client/server setup, which is completely free on your own PC and bandwidth, but they also offer links to third-party server renting which can cost as little as £2.50 per month. (free version)
Download from here

Ventrilo
This is the other big hitter in the realms of gaming VOIP. Along the same lines as TeamSpeak, Ventrilo provides free client and server software for private users, with the addition of business licenses and help on locating server hosting services around the world. (free version)
Download from here

Raidcall
If the other voice chat gaming options relying on servers seem like a whole lot of effort, then Raidcall maybe worth investigating. The software makes the same promises of clear low-latency voice communication suited for FPS and MMO gaming without a server. (free version)
Download from here

Palringo
The Palringo instant messaging client is available for all flavours of operating system and mobile phone platforms. Though that alone is unlikely to be enough to tear you away from the likes of  MSN, AOL, ICQ or Google Talk and several other established networks.  So instead of competing with them, Palringo simply supports  these and several others in it’s software. Palringo isn’t alone in the multi-protocol support messaging clients arena, but it’s vast OS and mobile phone support might just be what you’re looking for! (free version)
Download from here

Paltalk
We’re covering a number different multi-network IM clients in our round up, and Paltalk continues the trend with it’s ability to connect with AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Facebook, GTalk and ICQ users. It’s compatibility coverage is somewhat limited to the others, but sets itself apart by introducing video chat rooms. Paltalk users have thousands to explore, and it’s as simple as selecting a subject and jumping in. (free version)
Download from here

Pidgin
Pigeon combats the problem of friends, family and work colleagues using different messaging client protocols by combining support within a single program, while allowing simultaneous open channels across networks. Pigeon is compatible with AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr networks. (free version)
Download from here

Digsby
Another popular chat program that covers AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Google Talk, Facebook Chat, and Jabber within a single stand-alone client. In additional you can track Facebook friend updates and receive new email notifications. (free version)
Download from here

Skype
This one needs little introduction or description, a word that’s become synonymous with peer-to-peer VoIP. It’s free for all computer-to-computer calls with added paid for services connecting to mobile phones and landlines. Skype has webcam support, conference calling and file transfer capabilities making it universally successful for both consumer and business users. (free version)
Download from here

mIRC
mIRC (Internet Rely Chat) isn’t likely to be your first choice for one-on-one instant messaging, it’s main purpose is for accessing text-based chat rooms, quite ideal for finding other gamers or anybody else for that matter on any subject you care to imagine. Creating a private channel allows friends to gather without being interrupted and peer-to-peer file transfers adds an additional useful feature. (free version)
Download from here

Trillian
Trillian taps into the multi-protocol IM market with it’s basic and premier subscription variants. Free Trillian hooks into every major network, with the addition of Facebook and Twitter. Of course as with other all-in-one solutions, some less important features are omitted as a consequence. Pay the monthly subscription and Tillian unlocks the video chat function and removes the ads. (free version)
Download from here

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Posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2011 at 5:39 am under Articles. You can subscribe to comments. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.

Tags: Splash Damage