New Player - Voice Chat Questions

[LittleTeapot]

Hey there,
I just got the game today, and I've enjoyed learning how it works but i havent done any online play yet. My biggest concern is the voice chat, because i usually like to play games without the sound on and when i have the sound on i dont really want to be talking to somebody that i dont know. I understand that its apparently a crucial part of the game though so i was wondering what you reccommend. Is there a way that only the captain can talk with me? Is there a way that I can do without?

Thanks guys,
LittleTeapot

[James T. Kirk]

Hey Teapot!
There is a text chat function in the game, which you can access with 'L.' (this will allow you to chat with only the people on your ship. 'K' will display your message to the whole team, and 'J' will show the whole lobby.)

I've seen very good players (who are also quick typers) communicate with only this.

You can also press 'V' to pull up a whole quick chat menu that I'm sure you'll get the hang of quickly.

As for listening to other players, that's kind of a must. Usually, the community is pretty temperate, and there's not too much toxic language being thrown around. If somebody in your lobby is really shouting up a storm, feel free to block them and let a Mod or CA know.

Hope you enjoy your stay!

[LittleTeapot]

Thank you for your speedy reply
I think i can live with that, I just dont always feel comfortable talking to people I dont know, but that seems like a perfectly good compromise.
Thanks again

[Solidusbucket]

to answer your question.

block everyone except the captain. then turn down sfx and music volume.

there ya go. you can hear the captain and nothing else.

keep in mind you should unblock everyone after the match to ensure the matchmaker works to its fullest extent.

[nanoduckling]

Just to add to this, playing without talking yourself is fine, I suspect most players do this. If you need to block everyone in the lobby except the folks on your ship that is a-okay too.

You can crew in silence pretty adequately, and you can pilot with the 'V' menu (accessed by pressing the 'V' key), and the 'B' targeting reticle which highlights what you want to target.

Having the sound settings configured so the pilot is inaudible is considered extremely rude. This is a highly co-op focused game, and if someone cant hear what the pilot is saying it cripples the team. Think playing an FPS after unplugging the mouse. That said if you don't want a conversation that's not going to be a problem for most pilots, just accept load-outs and follow orders and you will be fine.

Just to add to what Solidus said, the reason you need to unblock folks afterwards is that the matchmaker tries not to put you on a team with people you have blocked. If you leave everyone blocked you'll run out of folks to play with.