Here are the results of the TOR survey. No new answers for 5 days so I think that covers it for any but the least frequent visitors. There were 10 replies. Analysis to follow:
---
Results Section
1. How certain are you that you'll be playing TOR either at launch or shortly thereafter?
Dead certain - I've preordered! 60.0% 6
Fairly certain but haven't ordered yet 40.0% 4
Still on the fence and thinking about it 0.0% 0
I'll play if my current game craps out 0.0% 0
Not a chance (please don't complete the survey) 0.0% 0
2. How committed are you to TOR as a game?
It will be my only MMO and I'm banking on its success 20.0% 2
I hope it will be my primary game but I'm continuing with others 80.0% 8
I'll play it along with other games 0.0% 0
I intend to give it a look but I'm not yet committing to it 0.0% 0
3. Do you believe Saga should have a guild in TOR?
Absolutely - no matter how many or how few of us there are 0.0% 0
Yes if at all possible - we should try hard to make one work and recruit as required 50.0% 5
Only if there are enough existing Saga members to make a strong go of it 40.0% 4
Not really - we're already stretched pretty thin 10.0% 1
No - simply not a good idea 0.0% 0
4. If there is a Saga guild in TOR, would you be joining it?
Absolutely - Saga anywhere is Saga everywhere! 30.0% 3
Yes if at all possible, but subject to compatibility 50.0% 5
Maybe - I'm still looking at other options 10.0% 1
Likely not 10.0% 1
No - either not interested or firmly committed elsewhere 0.0% 0
5. Which side(s) do you intend to play and/or are willing to play?
Republic / Jedi - only thing I'll play 0.0% 0
Republic / Jedi - preference but flexibile 30.0% 3
Either - I'll go where Saga is 20.0% 2
Both - but I'll be with Saga where it is 40.0% 4
Empire / Sith - preference but flexible 0.0% 0
Empire / Sith - only thing I'll play 10.0% 1
6. PvP has come up as a topic, as some Saga players seem to have moved in that direction over the years. How do you feel about PvP?
Love it and seek it out 0.0% 0
Enjoy it sometimes, can see it as a significant focus 50.0% 5
Participate sometimes but it can get old 30.0% 3
Tolerate it if friends are doing it and will join them 10.0% 1
See it as a novelty at best 10.0% 1
Don't mind it if it's happening but never participate 0.0% 0
Hate it and being around PvP bothers me 0.0% 0
7. Would you consider playing on a PvP server? Two notes. First, I take it as assumed we are on a RP server regardless whether PvE-RP or PvP-RP. Second, the distinction between a PvP server and PvPing on an PvE server is that in the former case it's always "on" even in the open world, while in the later it's either voluntary in the open world or confined to specific areas.
Absolutely - in fact I'll only play on a PvP server! 10.0% 1
Yes - I'd prefer a PvP server 30.0% 3
No preference, but I'll play wherever Saga plays 10.0% 1
Not thrilled with the idea, but I could be talked into it 30.0% 3
No, it's just not my thing 20.0% 2
8. Are you comfortable with the idea that Saga might go through significant recruiting to make a guild in TOR viable?
Absolutely - we need critical mass and new folks are fun! 40.0% 4
Yes, because it's necessary 50.0% 5
Somewhat - newbies can be nice but I like stability 10.0% 1
Grudgingly, and only slowly 0.0% 0
Not at all - we should run with who we have and add only real-life friends, family, and folks we meet over long periods of time 0.0% 0
9. Do you have existing friends and contacts who you believe will be playing TOR and may be able to join us there?
Absolutely - I have one or two on the hook right now! 10.0% 1
Very likely yes, but will need to confirm 20.0% 2
Not sure, but I'll check 40.0% 4
Probably not 20.0% 2
No - all my gamer friends are already in Saga 10.0% 1
10. Are you comfortable with Saga moving to a voice-chat server, which will be entirely optional most of the time but will be a de facto requirement for the most intensive content such as challenging PvE content and any group PvP? Note - the present assumption is that voice chat will be entirely OOC and not used for RP. If people want to RP in another room of the server they're welcome to, but it's OOC by default.
Absolutely - I prefer it 40.0% 4
Yes, I'm comfortable with it 50.0% 5
I don't use it now but I'm willing to learn 0.0% 0
I'd really rather not, but you can twist my arm 10.0% 1
No - it simply doesn't work with my gaming experience 0.0% 0
---
Analysis Section
Questions one and two indicate we've got 10 people who will very likely be playing, all with a fairly high degree of commitment to the game either as their only or their main MMO.
The third question is revealing and I think it captures people's desire to (a) see Saga in TOR, but (b) concern about being just a nub guild. Because that's no fun. So we want to make it work, but we're aware it needs effort and recruiting. Question eight acknowledges a fairly high threshold for recruiting efforts. We're open to newbies - we just want the right newbies.
Question four shows a couple of people holding back from being sure about Saga. So realistically, we might be down to a starting core of eight existing Saga players. From seeing raw surveys, I know those holding back are doing so for reasons that will be clearer below.
Question five is interesting. We could theoretically get everyone in Saga by going Sith, as only one indicated an inflexible preference, but that one is on the fence about Saga to begin with - likely for this reason. Based on the preferences indicated, I'd rather confirm Jedi.
Questions six and seven are very interesting and I'm glad I did the survey if only for this reason. Folks show significant interest in PvP and willingness to PvP. No one outright vetoed the idea of it. But two folks said they wouldn't go to a PvP server. Conclusion - PvE, but see notes.
Note 1: The one reply that said they'd only go PvP and the one that said only Sith are different answers, but they account for the "likely not" and "maybe" answers in terms of joining Saga in TOR. One of them also accounts for the one answer that we're stretched thin and may not need a guild in TOR. So I consider these replies, with respect to these anonymous family members, to be the most disposable.
Note 2: While only one person said they'd be going PvP for sure, and their interest in Saga was uncertain to begin with, three said they would prefer it. Weighing this against the two who said they wouldn't go PvP at all, and the three more who are very soft on the idea, I have to go with PvE. But if we lost those people who'd prefer PvP in the bargain I think it might bring us below critical mass and I'd be very concerned. If those folks who said they'd prefer PvP could confirm they will still be with us in PvE (with the promise to PvP sometimes!) I'd like to hear that.
Question ten shows surprising openness to a chat server option. This is a definite go. I guess we can, after all, teach old gamers new tricks.
And question nine, finally, leaves us with at least a smattering of options for bringing new folks on board, aside from in game recruiting and online networking.
---
Conclusion Section
I figure we've got a core of eight players to start, who might come through with a few RL friends. I can hopefully bring some over from DCUO, and those who are in Rift and other games and coming over can work that as well (without pillaging other versions of Saga!) to help round things out.
It's tight, but I think we can do it. More importantly, we have a strong vision of what the guild is now (meaning the folks who'll be playing TOR) which helps us to articulate our message and seek out like-minded companions.
We're Jedi by preference, but we may have alts on the other side. We can and will PvP sometimes, but we prefer the atmosphere (read - no griefing) of a PvE server. We're RP, naturally, but we use OOC voice chat to enable our playing. Because, let's face it, we're older and not as hardcore as we once were (even those who were never hardcore are less so now) but we still like to be good and we like to succeed. So we use the tools we have. We want new folks in the guild and by preference in the family. It's no fun to game alone. We won't make it too hard to join us, but we'll be sure to appeal to the right folks.
I'm worried about the expressions of PvP preference. The eight I'm banking on account already for incompatible (though sad) losses. If we lost 2-3 more who decide they'll play PvP anyway we're getting awfully weak in the ranks. It would almost be building a guild from scratch.
So two questions:
1. Does that description sound about right to everyone? It's more or less what I'll be saying to anyone interested in joining us.
2. Can you please confirm you'll be joining us in TOR, if so, to at least give this version of Saga a whirl? As soon as I can recruit the board mavens to help us, I'll get an area set up where newbies can join us and add their names as well.
Val
Soon-to-be Unretired Skymarshal
:exXO:
Your analysis is sound Val. The PvP results are surprising given Saga's history, I guess we all change (not that I complain :)). I think eight potential people to form the core of a guild is not that bad and recruitement is usually easier when a game opens so I'm not too concerned with numbers mid-term (providing the game itself is not a flop which I doubt personnaly).
I'm confirming my presence in Saga-TOR *unless*... lately I keep thinking about WoW at opening time and the way joining a server was geographically restricted based on the copy of the game you had. My pre-order of TOR had to be European, so if any kind of similar restriction applies I might get stuck there. Can't find info for now on this, I'll probably post on the TOR official forum to clear this concern.
Edit: after drilling into the forum found a post dating back to 2010 stating the game client would not be localized.
i'll be there. i got speakers so i'll be able to hear the chat but i'm one of those people who hate listening to themselves on tape/video as it is so i'll probably go mic-less so i don't have to hear myself if that's ok.
Pssst.....you can set the mic so that you don't hear yourself.
As someone who recently got used to voice chat myself, I sympathize with people who find it difficult. There are a lot of things you can do with settings now to make it less irritating. Like anything, getting used to it is half the battle. I'll be happy to help folks with that, and I'm sure others will as well.
Also, as a preliminary point, having a pleasant voice chat environment depends on everyone. When one person has their settings messed up it can impact everyone. Some people try to use voice activation, for example, which means you hear every cough. And if their settings aren't right, when someone else talks it can be loud enough to trigger their mic and so you get echo. Getting everyone on "push to talk" is an important first step.
This can work - we just have to get used to it.
I missed the survey, and I apologize...I pre-ordered TOR yesterday, the day I buckled and decided I would play (the man at Gamestop convinced me that the CE was the way to go...geez, I'm a pushover), and I have cancelled all my games save my one Station Access account (EQ/EQ2/Vanguard/etc). I am also playing in the Star Wars Galaxies emulator (Liberty server)...pre-CU SWG is absolutely the way to go, even if the housing hasn't been back-engineered successfully yet. O0
So I will be there. I will make a Saga toon if a PvP server is chosen, but I loathe open-world PvP (although I do enjoy Battlegrounds/Warfronts quite a bit, for some bizarre reason). The rest is not a worry - whatever Saga decides, that is where I will be.
Quote from: Menemas on August 12, 2011, 09:42:59 PM
Pssst.....you can set the mic so that you don't hear yourself.
i'd still have to go and get a mic first though. don;t have one atm. and naturally didn;t know you could filter yourself out :)
Very nice analysis, Val. The possibility that I can start from day 1 with Saga in TOR makes me that much more excited about it.
I don't think RP-PvP is out of character for Saga, at least not the Saga from EQ. We were frequent defenders of good and neutral cities when the evil folks showed up to attack and who can forget the Battle of Ak'Anon? I think we just need a good reason to fight. Lord, I can STILL hear Shintou poking poor Mixxi shouting "Spear of pain!" and Gore's traditional "Now YOU die!" capper to all his duels. Nearly killing Apep will always be a high point in my gaming memories--my resists were so high hardly anything he threw at me landed and I just kept chasing him around bashing at his kneecaps. Bwahahahaha! I totally suck at PvP, but I have a fun time sucking! (Hmmm. Perhaps need to reword that last...nah)
--Carol/Mixxi
Quote from: MostToys on August 13, 2011, 12:13:59 PM
Very nice analysis, Val. The possibility that I can start from day 1 with Saga in TOR makes me that much more excited about it.
I don't think RP-PvP is out of character for Saga, at least not the Saga from EQ. We were frequent defenders of good and neutral cities when the evil folks showed up to attack and who can forget the Battle of Ak'Anon? I think we just need a good reason to fight. Lord, I can STILL hear Shintou poking poor Mixxi shouting "Spear of pain!" and Gore's traditional "Now YOU die!" capper to all his duels. Nearly killing Apep will always be a high point in my gaming memories--my resists were so high hardly anything he threw at me landed and I just kept chasing him around bashing at his kneecaps. Bwahahahaha! I totally suck at PvP, but I have a fun time sucking! (Hmmm. Perhaps need to reword that last...nah)
--Carol/Mixxi
Heh. Memories like this is what still has me hoping for a smidge more RP-PvP peppered into Rift, espcially since the lore already so adeptly supports it. Don't mind a little here and there but just can't hack it on a full time basis--mostly because, like Mixxi, I sometimes... uh... have a fun time sucking. Most times my characters are intentionally specced out to suck at something if it's fitting fot the character. I could lie about it using in-character/out of character circumvention but I feel like a cheat when I do that.
In light of Lilica's post (yay!) I'll up my estimate of our confirmed launch roster to 9. I've also got a RL friend I'm in DCUO with right now who'll be joining us for certain, and he may bring 1 other from outside. I'll work on current gaming companions as the launch date draws closer.
I think Lilica's and subsequent posts confirm things about our likes and dislikes. The problem with a distinct, RP-PvP server is that it's always on. It affects the atmosphere of the game and griefing becomes a problem. To use a direct RP analogy, players fighting players may indeed be entirely in character. But if that's what you enjoy about it, the problem of open PvP that's always on is that it can force you to essentially "RP" that experience with anyone, at any time. And let's face it - some players are tools we would never choose to game with. So RP-PvE it is, with the expectation and understanding that we'll explore the PvP options there.
On the point of sucking at PvP ... I think we'll wait and see. But don't write yourselves off yet. The main thing is to be coordinated through voice chat, which is why that's so important. If we've got that, and balanced organized teams, we're a huge part of the way there.
When things get closer I'll start a roster thread. In the meanwhile, if you've got friends to interest in the game point them along. Sooner or later (sooner?) the forum powers that be will give us an area to post in.
The direction laid out above...should work for me!
RP-PvE server, with occasional voluntary PvP (through some sort of battlegrounds/warfront instance or intentionally flagging in PvE), is my preference.
I'm not a huge fan of PvP, but I did spend a few months on some of the Zek PvP servers in EQ. I also did some limited PvP in other games. I've tried all the flavors enough to know that the positives of an open-PvP server (excitement, a more challenging opponent than any computer AI, the sense of accomplishment from attaining goals on a "harder" environment) do not make up for the negatives ("dude/leet" attitude of many hardcore PvP players, griefing, a lack of "choice" about when and where to interact with other gamers).
But mostly it comes down to who I am as a gamer. Many times, I just want to log in and putter about with harvesting, faction grinding, shiny-hunting, et cetera. It's my down-time, when I get to mindlessly fart around as a hobby, like real world gardening, knitting, or model-building. I'm not looking for challenge, excitement, competition...I'm just looking to relax and unwind, taking my mind off real world stressors. That option is taken away from me on open-PvP servers, and I really need that option in any MMO I play.
As for voice chat, I like listening. And occasionally talking. And I think the ability to at least "listen" to instructions through voice chat, if you choose to participate in coordinated PvP or difficult PvE situations (i.e., raids and hard boss fights) is essential. But obviously, unless you're leading a PvP/raid team, nobody really needs to talk in voice chat if they don't feel comfortable with it. Just have your "ears on" if you choose to join-in for PvP/raid/boss hunts, so that instructions don't need to be typed out.
Really, the only two things that worry me about TOR so far:
1) Having looked into TOR more since this poll, I am getting very excited to play now. But also very concerned that I will devour it like a single-player game (i.e., Mass Effect/Dragon Age) and then be done with it. I'm not convinced it has the legs to keep me on the treadmill for 1-2 years.
2) I'm shy, and it takes me a long time to read people and get comfortable with them... so I suck at recruiting. But my ideal guild population is one where there is a very good chance that I will find 2-3 people on who are my level, have similar goals, and are interested in grouping... when I log on. And that means quite a few more people than appear in this poll/thread. So I'll be counting on the more gregarious members of Saga to draw in a couple dozen more active people for me to play with!
I'd hate to be in the same situation as Rift, where I have two characters at max level and would love to occasionally do some dungeon-crawling...but there aren't enough active players to even make a full group. :'(
@Askari and others
Yeah, I share your concerns about a half-dead guild. And frankly, the casual nature of our play schedules now means that we need more players rather than less to ensure we have friends to play with. We may manage to schedule specific times during the week or one off events where we make an effort to be on, but much of the fun of a MMO is being able to just log on and play. Any time you do that you're at the mercy of chance to see if any specific person is also on. And if we're all playing less, we need more players to make that work.
So I'm very pleased people have voted (or polled, I guess) in favor of relatively fluid recruiting. As I said before, games have evolved since EQ1 and we have more tools at our disposal now. We can, for example, tag people in game as "recruits" or similar (I can't swear it's there - but they'd by idiots to omit such a common feature) and so expand the guild without too much scrutiny with the understanding that players are still in process of joining. I won't ask that anyone play an active role in recruiting - though I'll encourage anyone who wants to! I'll only ask that everyone show a fair amount of faith and tolerance about it, and accept we may even hit a wrong note once in a while.
I'd like to go old school for a moment and play a long ago EQ1 memory in support of "fluid" recruitment. When I joined FV in EQ1, I joined some half-assed guild called the "Traders Union" led by a ranger who I swear to God never made it past level 20. Though to be fair, that was a time when level 20 was a challenge and anyone with a surname was worthy of notice. I and a few others made friends with Starspun and I negotiated a guild merge where Starspun took everyone that wanted to join from the Traders Union - because our guild was frankly not working.
This merge really rubbed some people the wrong way. And I won't swear they were wrong. Some felt they were having players pushed on them that they didn't want. I had a few nasty chats on the topic. I know that Tuppen did also. And it wasn't too too much after that that Starspun became Saga, with a bit more unrelated drama in the mix.
Despite the awkwardness of the merge, the Traders Union gave us Namae and Caladril and myself and I apologize hugely if I've missed anyone who was TU before they were Starspun/Saga but damn it's been a while! I think I'm on safe ground to say the merge was a good thing, despite drama and reservations.
So for TOR, I want to look back at that style of recruiting. Not exactly shouting in the open world with "Come one and all and join our guild!" but you meet someone you like and with minimal hoop jumping you sign them up. Those who don't fit in the long-run will select themselves out. I can't remember the people from the Traders Union who didn't work out with Starspun but that's exactly the point. They just drifted off.
I'd like to recruit based on this. If I can say "hey, I think this person might be a good fit, and I'm not sure yet, but I'm at least confident they won't make our guild look bad if they wear the tag around for a while" that's good enough for me. And I think if we expand the tent a bit we'll all be pleasantly surprised at the new friends we can make that way.
I was trying to think why I was so worried about recruiting. Valquiss talking of the "good ol' days" in EQ1 (and the new tools available in modern guild interfaces) made me realize why I worry about it now.
In EQ1 (and a couple other early MMOs), the game was often one of the first MMOs a person had ever played. So, you didn't bring a team into the game with you from previous games. Maybe at best, you had a couple real life friends. The guild interfaces had little or no controls on them, so you had to choose wisely. And in the early days, starting a guild was often a noticeable monetary investment.
A lot of people came to the server alone, looking for friends.
But now? Think about it...
What is the chance that an adult starting TOR at launch has never played an MMO before (or isn't real life friends with someone who has)? What's the chance that they don't have real life or online friends from other guilds who are also joining with them and planning to have a guild (just as we do)?
I'm tabbing in between writing this message and Rift. In the Guardian city of Sacntum right now, there are 72 people around me and only 6 of them are unguilded.
My point is that a casual approach to recruiting may not suffice. We may need to actively seek out other small groups like ourselves and merge. Just as Traders Union and Starspun merged.
Hey
That's a fair point, absolutely. That's why I think advance networking is required, and openness to a few things. Also, if we experience any merges, we want to be sure we at least have enough people active to be on the "winning" side of the merge, and maintain our identity.
Having just gone through DCUO, I can say there's a fair number of people who (a) are experienced gamers, but came to the game alone, or (b) have only a few friends gaming, which may be enough to fly a guild flag but isn't really enough to be a real guild, or (c) are actually, honest to God new players.
So it can be done, I think, but it'll take some effort. On that point, btw, I'm getting a guild thing going on the official TOR site atm. Titia has something reserved, to talking with her.
Val
I think TOR actually might get a fair number of first-time players (SWG certainly did) who just love the Star Wars universe, but don't have a lot of experience in gaming. I also think a lot of people will be playing TOR who haven't really played an MMORPG for a long time and are older now.
I think you rarely saw anyone unguilded in EQ, too. The big thing about guilding in EQ on FV was that you only had one character total, so you had to really consider your guild very carefully.
We did some very active recruiting in EQ--don't know about EQII. We held language fairs and aid stations all the time, and that's how our name became known to a lot of the new players. It might be a good idea to try to find something similar to do in TOR that would put us on the map and set the tone for what type of guild we are. Races are a good thing to run, if you have some way of assuring that people don't port. In Rift, for example, you can have a sheep race where people are sheeped and the first person to run to some location and still be in sheep form wins. Can't port, cast, or fight in sheep form, so it's easy to keep people from cheating. I'll keep on the lookout for something similar we could do in TOR.
Quote from: tanare on August 13, 2011, 07:38:40 AM
Quote from: Menemas on August 12, 2011, 09:42:59 PM
Pssst.....you can set the mic so that you don't hear yourself.
i'd still have to go and get a mic first though. don;t have one atm. and naturally didn;t know you could filter yourself out :)
I don't think you actually need a mike to use the software. The last mike I had blew up spectacularly along with a lot of the computer it was attached to following a natural gas explosion at the local iron foundry, that all but fried half the city's grid.
Even when I
have used a mike, it really hasn't meant much. If I say five words the entire evening, that's a large conversation for me (apart from answers to direct questions, which nine times out of ten consist of 'yes' or 'no'). And I have always been able to follow directions in dungeons and raids without needing to talk (and I avoid leadership positions in dungeons/raids if I can possibly help it), so while I am ambivalent on a voice channel, I've spent all the money on mikes that I plan to. A mike on my computer is sort of like false eyelashes on a ferret...occasionally amusing, but serving very little useful purpose.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
So RP-PvE it is, with the expectation and understanding that we'll explore the PvP options there. - ValquissAwesome! Askari's post about PvP stated it as well as it's possible to be put, in my opinion. No more questions, your honors.
Quote from: MostToys on August 13, 2011, 12:13:59 PM
Lord, I can STILL hear Shintou poking poor Mixxi shouting "Spear of pain!"
HA! I made Shintou my bitch.......repeatedly.
Quote from: Menemas on August 13, 2011, 07:47:14 PM
Quote from: MostToys on August 13, 2011, 12:13:59 PM
Lord, I can STILL hear Shintou poking poor Mixxi shouting "Spear of pain!"
HA! I made Shintou my bitch.......repeatedly.
Ahhh. The images are sweet...so sweet....
A quick couple bits that may help you.
The whole Guild process, framework and system that the folks at TOR have set up is different (possibly beefier) than in some other games. Certainly, some of the "aims" may change at launch, but I encourage you to really read over the FAQ here -- http://www.swtor.com/guilds/faq (http://www.swtor.com/guilds/faq) and here -- http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/guilds (http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/guilds)
Quick points: Those who wish to create a guild "now", can, reserving the name, allowing one to recruit "now", get a site, etc. And yes, they give each guild their own space on the Interwebz automagically with all permissions and whatnot. Within the guild system, you can also declare up to 3 allied or enemy guilds ... the purpose of this being to make sure Guild A and all of its people and allied Guild B and all of its people get deployed on the same server at launch. It is also useful in that "small" guilds can come into game already affiliated with a larger guild if they so choose.
The Guild system is in Phase One, currently. This is the phase wherein you create the guild, declare your playstyle preference, write your mission statement, recruit, people join, etc. Phase Two is coming soon in which you can declare enemy and allied guilds. After that is Phase Three, deployment, in which qualifying guilds get deployed onto the servers.
I will tell you that a lot of people out there are utilizing the system, and there is a lot of folks already tagged (so to speak). Some, are also waiting until launch. I personally do not expect the system to be perfect, either.
Am not saying you have to use the system ... but it really is something you should be aware of since so many people are using it to find guilds already.
@Imreriel
Yep - we've got something set up by Titia at present. Just subjecting that to a quick poll before we proceed. We'll be getting on this post-haste in any event.
Cheers,
Val
Quote from: Lilica on August 13, 2011, 07:27:51 PM
Quote from: tanare on August 13, 2011, 07:38:40 AM
Quote from: Menemas on August 12, 2011, 09:42:59 PM
Pssst.....you can set the mic so that you don't hear yourself.
i'd still have to go and get a mic first though. don;t have one atm. and naturally didn;t know you could filter yourself out :)
I don't think you actually need a mike to use the software. The last mike I had blew up spectacularly along with a lot of the computer it was attached to following a natural gas explosion at the local iron foundry, that all but fried half the city's grid.
Even when I have used a mike, it really hasn't meant much. If I say five words the entire evening, that's a large conversation for me (apart from answers to direct questions, which nine times out of ten consist of 'yes' or 'no'). And I have always been able to follow directions in dungeons and raids without needing to talk (and I avoid leadership positions in dungeons/raids if I can possibly help it), so while I am ambivalent on a voice channel, I've spent all the money on mikes that I plan to. A mike on my computer is sort of like false eyelashes on a ferret...occasionally amusing, but serving very little useful purpose.
I'd say it greatly depends on the difficulty of what you're tackling. Even leading groups I never felt I needed to do much speaking unless the group was having a particularly rough time of the content. I tended to avoid speaking just because of the female character/deep male voice thing, tends to unnerve some people. I guess some might find it normal from a dwarf though...
Nice write up and analysis, Val.
Glad you are leading and happy to follow you, Oh Captain, My Captain.