March 7, 2007
CCP Games
Launches Voice Communication In EVE Online
Leading Sci-Fi MMOG Introduces
Player-to-Player Speech Capabilities For Richer Gameplay
CCP Games, the world’s largest independent game
developer, today announced the integration of voice communication into leading
Sci-Fi Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG), EVE Online. Players will now be
able to speak to each other for better coordination, negotiation, socializing
and planning. The addition of voice adds a new dimension to the award-winning
game used by over 160,000 active players.
EVE Voice gives players the ability to
communicate with each other directly from within the game without the use of
third party communication applications. This will enhance coordination of
players during intense gameplay such as battles, improve inter-player
negotiations, enrich planning and bring a new facet to social interaction, as it
will now be an integrated part of the game.
"EVE Online is a deeply strategic, open-ended
game in which thousands of players must cooperate and compete," said Magnus
Bergsson, chief marketing officer at CCP Games. "We recently had a fleet battle
with more than 1,000 players in one sector of the EVE universe. The amount of
communication between those players in planning and executing these maneuvers is
vast.
Adding integrated voice will not just enhance gameplay by accelerating those
plans and allowing players to react quickly as situations unfold in-game, but it
will give combat pilots a strategic advantage."
"Being avid EVE players ourselves, providing
voice to the EVE community is a tremendous experience for us," said Monty
Sharma, vice president marketing at Vivox. "The level of play in EVE is
incredibly sophisticated. Adding voice to a world of this caliber, so that it is
accessible to the thousands of EVE players simply and easily, will augment the
game in many ways. We know that EVE’s players will make the most of these new
features, and we’re excited to watch the creative ways in which the players will
use them to reach their goals."
EVE Voice features
EVE Voice is fully integrated into the EVE client
software, eliminating the need for third party applications, which take up
computer resources, require a dedicated voice server, and pose a security risk.
Features of EVE Voice
include:
- High quality – offers sound quality which is
considerably higher than other IP-based communication applications - Player to player direct chat – with talk
indicator to show which player is speaking - Group chat – allowing corporation, fleet, or
alliance members to communicate one-to-many within a dedicated audio channel - Sub-group chat – allowing smaller groups
within a corporation, such as a squad or gang, to discuss specific topics
among themselves - Group leader talk – instantly mutes other
players on the group’s audio channel ensuring the leader’s instructions can be
heard clearly during crucial times, such as in the heat of battle - Map integration – shows where players are when
speaking, allowing better coordination of tactical assaults, reconnaissance or
search and rescue missions - Moderator controls – allows leaders to kick
other players off the audio channel (in case of abuse, for instance), to mute
them (so they can hear but not be heard), ban (prevent them from accessing the
audio channel) and un-ban players
EVE Voice has been developed in partnership with
Vivox, the leading provider of integrated voice services for online games, which
will also operate the service. See also partnership announcement from May 10,
2006 for details.
EVE Voice will be available from late March 2007
as an optional feature for players at a price of $10 for unlimited usage for 12
months. Players can access the updated client software here:
http://www.eve-online.com/download/
Players must use a compatible headset and microphone to take advantage of the
call quality offered by EVE Voice.
About EVE Online
Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE
Online is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled
with adventure, riches, danger and glory. Supported by a vast player-run
economy, EVE offers professions to choose ranging from commodities trader to
mercenary, industrial entrepreneur to pirate, mining engineer to battle fleet
commander or any combination of these and much more. Your greatest asset is the
starship, designed to accommodate your specific needs, skills and ambitions.
Complementing its lethal arsenal are thousands of
modules and components, allowing for countless customizations. From brokering
business deals to waging war, you will have access to a diverse array of
sophisticated tools and interfaces to forge your own destiny in EVE.
