If you own a PC, you might play games like League of Legends, Starcraft 2, Minecraft, World of Warcraft, or Day Z. If you play all of these games, there might be a certain je ne sais quoi missing from your experience that you wish to supplement. If you feel this way, try a voice chat client! These free clients allow you to connect to an existing server and play with the people there, be it a large community like Penny Arcade or host your own server to play with a small group of your friends. Once connected, you and your friends can speak with one another in real time for precise, concise, and game winning communication. However, there are so many different voice chat clients that you might be a little confused. There are three programs: TS3, Mumble, and Vent, which all need a server. Mumble , Vent, and TS3 are not all identical, though. Each program is different in its own way which leads to a different experience chatting and playing. TS3, Mumble, and Vent are only the top three programs amongst a wide field of programs, and their quirks can appeal to some players or turn off others. Read on for an overview of each program if you’re trying to decide which program is right for you.
TS3
TS3 has developed from a program previously known as Teamspeak, and was one of the first voice chat clients on the scene. Teamspeak was the dominant voice chat client back when games like Dark Age of Camelot were all the rage; today, the competition is more fierce, and so this client is a little less visible than it was in its glory days. As you can figure out from its previous title, TS3 is developed for team speaking and cooperation. You can connect to multiple servers with one instance of the program, which is unique to this program, meaning you can be in several ‘rooms’ at once. When it comes to being on more than one server, Mumble or Ventrilo can’t keep up. This can be handy if you are on a quiet server waiting for people to log on so you can play. In addition, Teamspeak supports some esoteric sound cards that the other devices don’t. The set up options are varied to the point that some people can find them intimidating, so be aware of the amount of customization you might have to fiddle with. There is almost no sound delay between speaking and transmitting, which is handy for gamers who need instant responses in competitive or tense cooperative situations, like a WoW raid or a ranked death match.
Ventrilo
Ventrilo is, in some ways, the most sleekest voice chat program. Compared to the others, it is positively bare bones, with less customization options and less bulk. The set up is foolproof, meaning that nearly anyone can pick it up and use it right away; this is lucky, as Ventrilo is one of the most used programs right now. However, people with certain sound cards and codecs are locked out of Ventrilo for unknown reasons, or their quality severely drops. This means that for some people, they can’t connect to a server; Mumble and TS3 can use it no problem, however. If your guild or team uses a Vent server and spends money on the commercial license, it can feel as though you’re in a bad situation over something that should be fun. There’s also the highest sound delay between any program, which means that in the time that it takes for someone to hear you tell them to move, they can already be dead from a hazard in game. If you’re looking for a barebones, quick option, Ventrilo serves a purpose; if you’re looking for something more customizable and complex, look somewhere else.
Mumble
Out of all the voice chat clients, you might have seen the other two have a server. Mumble is a little less known. However, it has some major positives that make it a delightful experience! You can set up a commercial license, free of charge, for your server. Mumble is the only program to have this option. Mumble has far less conflicts with cards and codecs then the other two programs. There’s a great deal of customization to be done, and although the UI is somewhat bulky, the customizable features are a treat for experienced users. There is nearly no delay between transmission and speaking on the client – your chances of wipes and deaths will drop dramatically!This client is less common, but is beginning to gain traction.
No matter what genre of game you play, it can be enhanced by using a voice chat server. Mumble, TS3, and Vent are all valid options for gamers who want to communicate while you play, but certain programs have strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully, this guide helps you narrow your options down and decide on your client of choice.