Superficial

[HoroBoro]

In my opinion, voice chat is very important.

The competency of a player is dependent upon 3 factors: latency, experience, and learning ability.

Voice chat is like a 50% buff to experience and learning ability. Those experienced with the fight can share their experience much more easily and quickly with voice chat. Also, with voice, you can get thing you won't get through typing (certain social and environmental cues) with helps with the learning experience in new fights.

The only problem that arises is when you discriminate based on the voice that you hear... which.. well... The voice chat program isn't really at fault here is it?

[Alipoprocks]

Also, XI was a turn-based game so you had lots of time to type in party chat, linkshell and send tells all at the same time while playing.

This game is much faster paced so it helps alot to have vent/TS/mumble or w/e. Especially during EM battles or coil.

[cearka]

In my opinion, voice chat is very important.

agreed. If people want you to get on voice chat to participate, there is very little excuse not to get on voice chat. You don't have to grind to use voice chat, its not some mystical house worth 320 mil gil that takes months of time to grinding money to acquire. its a usually free or very cheap program that takes 2 minutes to install and setup.

I don't judge players on ilvl of experience of any of that bullshit, but I'm huge on voice chat. I bought a server, its free to everyone in my FC. People on ps3 are able to put the client on their smartphones and chat from there, so having a ps3 is not an excuse. the only real excuse is being on PS3 AND not having a smart phone (which I can let slide then).

plus voice chat tends to be a really good bonding experience for FC members. you can talk freely about nonsense in voice chat. you have to stop everything your doing when you text chat.