3 replies to this topic

[G3TxWr3cK3r3D]

Due to my impatience at looking through forum search pages, I might be asking a question(s) that is(are) easily answerable. For that, I apologize.

I am new to PC gaming (and to MWO). I have finally purchased and built my first gaming PC. I have gone through almost all the various consoles on the market and I am not very impressed these days with what games are offered on them. I am also a fan of the Mechwarrior universe and when I found out that this game existed, getting ahold of a gaming PC was my next gaming goal.

How does the third party VoIP work in concert with MWO? Can I use a headset that will allow me to listen to in game sounds and chat with my lancemates with said VoIP sevice (such as Skype or Teamspeak- which I have downloaded thus far)?

In my search for something reasonable and available to me at the moment (Gamestop in town), I am looking at a pair of Tritton Kunai's.

thanks for any help

[Catamount]

TS is basically the standard for MWO. There are plenty of servers (NGNG, house/unit servers, etc). I've used skype on occasion, too. Either works fine.

Peronsally, I would stay away from gaming headsets; the sound is subpar. Get some real headphones, and then just get a clip-on mic (I have a Zalman mic that costs like $6-$8; works fine). I'm guessing those Kunais are about $50 at the local store, so if that's your budget, I'd get an Audio Technica ATH-M30/M35 instead.


If you could spend a tad bit more, you could also get a Corsair Vengeance 1500, which is among the only gaming headsets with passable sound, and includes fairly good surround.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Yes, Teamspeak is one of the prime servers for voice programs.

Here's the info for three of the standard channels:

- Note I don't see very many players on the euro channel but the Na channel always has players.
- There's also the NGNG (No Guts No Galaxy) server and quite a few over there, and they live stream some of the games.
- Note: Ts3 just dropped some of their third party add-ons, like Ts3 overlay, but they are working with a new group to bring back some of there previously tools.


MechWarrior Teamspeak Community Servers

Comstar Relay Europe (Comstar EU)
TS3 server Address: eu1.mech-connect.net
Password: hG5!4Dg*

Comstar Relay North America (Comstar NA)
TS3 server Address: na1.mech-connect.net
Password: WordofBlake

NGNG Public Server (Outreach)
Server: voip01.n1585.hypernia.net:9992
Password: mechwarrior

That should get you to a channel that has MWO players, and there are many private groups/Units that operate there own servers. Remember, half the quality of the sound you'll hear is from the onboard or added sound card you have, and how it is set up. (always update the sound drivers and reset your correct settings for the type and environment your running in.) - I have different settings for gaming and music/movies.
Headsets are a rather personnel thing, what works for one person is or may not be the best for someone else. Size, quality, options, corded or wireless, all play a role in finding that one which fits best to your use. Whatever you select, make sure they are Cat and child proof. Solid boom on the mike if it's attached. (fold away is great also) Quality of the cord(s) is where most headsets fail, especially the headset connection point. [have a dedicated location to hang/place the unit when not in use and keep the units insides clean. There on your ears for hours at a time.]
- Always read the specs for the few units you are looking at, the type of drivers mounted, the Hz range, and customer feed back should be the selection ranges.
- Price range is your selection, but don't be fooled by "made for gamming" titles.
(as some of those "made for" only means they are painted Red or neon green.)
- If you can try on the set before buying is always a better option.

Good luck,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 23 March 2014 - 09:50 AM.

[Catamount]

For a moment when you said "cat" proof, I thought you were referring to me

I really have broken that many headsets


As far as hardware, integrated sound is fine if you don't want something like dolby headphone, and don't want amplification. The frequency response on desktop integrated cards is as good as entry level aftermarket cards like the Xonar DG. With that said, both dolby headphone and amplification are fantastic to have (well, the later matters more or less depending on the headphones).

Headsets are harder to pin down. Impedence and sensitivity on paper can tell you whether you'll need an amplifier or not to get the most of something, but that's about as far as you'll get with on-paper stuff. Driver size can be a VERY rough guide, but it's just that. There are sets with 40mm drivers that sound better than ones with 50mm drivers, and some with large drivers are just cheap crap with padded numbers, etc. Claimed frequency response is almost always nonsense, because hardware can have gaps in the ranges they give that don't get reported. 20hz-20kz doesn't mean it's completely even across that ENTIRE range.

Then personal preference comes in. Closed backs insulate better, but have inferior soundstages. Some more expensive sets like the A900x (a personal favorite for price/performance) give the best of both words to a limited extent, but those are ~$200 and still strike a middleground there rather than being great at both. This not only impacts sound quality, but placement, so surround works poorly with most closed-ear cans. There's also bass emphasis, from the relatively anemic Audio Technica A700 or my dad's HD280PROs, to Beats on the other end (massively overpriced, but OH THE BASS ). IMO, a little bass emphasis can be nice in games, but only to a quickly-reached point.

So the best thing is to state what you want, collect opinions, and seek reviews to see if you're being recommended what you're looking for. I've always felt sound hardware is like displays: lots of numbers that mean relatively little, in most cases.

In the ~50ish range, my recommendations are still strongly the ATH-M30 (good insulation, detailed and decently balanced sound, poor surround placement, built like tanks fwiw), or the Vengeance 1500s (slightly less decent sound, great surround placement, built in processing and surround, poor insulation, and they are delicate). Others here may, however, have other equally worthy or better recommendations, and you haven't given an absolute price range, so I'm making assumptions here. If you're willing to spend more, you will benefit from it.

Edited by Catamount, 23 March 2014 - 01:15 PM.