ICQ Phone..Anybody else using it?

rah · April 9, 2001, 14:23

When we got our new computer, I downloaded the lasted and "greatest" version of ICQ. The version I was previously using was so old that I couldn't convert my contact list. (I didn't try real hard) While some of the new features annoy me, the pc to pc phone option is kinda fun. And the price is right.

I have used it a little in four person games with a buddy of mine and found it fun and it added a little interest to the game during some of those slow sections.

Last Friday I was setting up a Duel with War4ever and I mentioned ICQ phone and we agreed to use it during our DUEL.

WOW

It was like a whole different game. For starters, I only knew War4 virtually. Having an actual voice to connect to what previously had been left to my imagination was GREAT. So we choose an small world Island setup and started. Having a voice connection made it even easier on the restarts due to host techs. Even though it was an island world, we both started on the same island and met within the first 10 turns. As a result we had a lot to talk about.

It was such a novelty that we even said things that you normally wouldn't tell your opponent. (i.e) As we were opening our first few huts, I'd hear "damn, warrior code" or I said "POTTERY!!!! NO"

There was one hut that I triggered that was only a few squares from one of each of our cities, (neither had investigated on either side of it) that produced an early LEGION. He destroyed my horse and both of showed the appropriate concern when legions are loosed on the board that early. We were betting which way the legion would move on the next turn. It went his way, and a few turns later I asked him what happened and he said that he had bribed him.

The game turned into more of a friendly chat than the normal cut throat game that we usually play against each other. The races to the wonders were enhanced by the chatter. When someone would time the tech steal perfectly to leap frog, the swearing was hilarious. And then when the person that did the stealing wasn't given the right tech choice, the howling would begin. We both had embassies with each other so we both knew exactly what was happening.

He was slightly ahead when we retired for the night, but all in all, it had been the most entertaining duel that I had ever played. (and I'm not a big fan of duels)

I also now consider WAR4 a little more than just a virtual friend.

It was strange at first when he referred to me as RAH. Voice is so much different then print. Rich is much better by voice.

HAS anybody else started using this feature during games? It would be real useful in 2 on 2 games.

Please feel free to relate any other experiences.

RAH
or better yet, Rich

markusf · April 9, 2001, 15:29

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by rah on 04-09-2001 02:23 PM</font>
I also now consider WAR4 a little more than just a virtual friend.
RAH
or better yet, Rich

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Sounds like the start of something.......

Great another tool to make the slowpokes slower

rah · April 9, 2001, 15:40

Not slower, actually quicker. Diplomacy without typing. No annoying popup chat windows while you're moving. You can be doing something even though you're talking.

Rich

Smash · April 9, 2001, 16:02

What do you need(nuts and bolts) to make it work?

Bird · April 9, 2001, 16:38

rah and I tried it the next night, but unfortunately it wouldn't connect with me. Kept disconnecting immediately after connection.

rah · April 9, 2001, 16:42

icq v2000b

speakers and a mike. That's it.
On my contact list, if it shows a little phone headset next to their name, it means that they are phone enabled.
I bought a real cheap headset to use. ($10.00)

I've only had problems with two people, and that was MING, go figure.

It connected and I could hear him, but he couldn't hear me. AND with Bird, Bird is the only one that didn't have a cable or dsl connection. Don't know if that had anything to do with it.

Don't be sidetracked or concerned if it wants you to set up and icq phone account. That's just if you want to call land lines. PC to PC is free. So you can ignore it.

If you have a icq dialog window open with a person, just press the talk button and that's it. Or left click on their name and select the phone option.

Rich

<font size=1 face=Arial color=444444>[This message has been edited by rah (edited April 09, 2001).]</font>

rah · April 9, 2001, 16:45

We forgot to try it later Bird.

I'm wondering if it was caused by your ISP. They may not allow that type of thing.

Rich

markusf · April 9, 2001, 17:08

if your a dialup user, its going to slow the game wwwwwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy DOWN.

rah · April 9, 2001, 17:27

I used it in one 4 man game for 5 1/2 hours straight.
Of course I was hosting with a cable modem and the person I was talking to had a cable modem. The other two people, one had a cable modem and the other was dial up.

No one reported any lag problems. And it was a reasonably clean night. (only one person dropped twice over a six hour game)

Rich

markusf, I figured you'd love this option so you could tell the person you were playing just how badly you were beating them more easily.

j/k

markusf · April 9, 2001, 17:47

rah, diety comes to mind....

hurry the **** up diety and finish your god damn turn!

rah · April 9, 2001, 18:05

Only had that pleasure once. (I think) It's been so long, I may have forgotten.

Rich

Hydey · April 9, 2001, 18:11

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by markusf on 04-09-2001 05:47 PM</font>
rah, diety comes to mind....

hurry the **** up diety and finish your god damn turn!
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Don't forget that Deity has 2 tins and a piece of string for a phone line so we do not wish to slow him down any more .

markusf · April 9, 2001, 18:23

don't forget his sheep. we all know every aussi has at least 1 sheep

finbar · April 9, 2001, 20:14

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by markusf on 04-09-2001 06:23 PM</font>
don't forget his sheep. we all know every aussi has at least 1 sheep

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

You're confusing him with a New Zealander.

------------------
Founder, ACS Pedantry Institute
Founder, ACS Gourmet Recipe Exchange
Horse and Hydey Wrangler
Mono Rules!
#33984591

War4ever · April 9, 2001, 21:59

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by rah on 04-09-2001 02:23 PM</font>

RAH
or better yet, Rich

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Well Rah or should i say Rich

.... I too very much enjoyed our duel and must admit that putting a voice to the name was great! Now that i also know your real name..... only figured that out now .... and am over the initial jitters of first time calling (felt like i was talking to my long lost pal) i think we should use this option every time.

In fact... anyone with a pc phone whom i play regularly should feel free to call me pc to pc whenever we play civ....

This means you too Ming

BTW Rich that was a fairly even duel.......... would be nice to finish it ....say Saturday night.....it is easter dinner for me on Friday !

Ming · April 9, 2001, 22:29

I would LOVE to use it... but I'm still running into "technical" problems.

People can hear me, but I can't hear them. I can hear all the normal icq noises, so my speakers do work with ICQ, I just can't hear the person I'm talking to... If anybody has ANY suggestions

April 10, 2001, 00:15

The thought of trying to take my turn whilst listening to Hydey and Lowang chat "live" really puts me off this idea.

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CASE CLOSED!

Hydey · April 10, 2001, 07:05

Here the horse whine on and on while waiting for Deity to finish his turn does sound like fun

Also listening to finbar disiplining his dogs for commiting some sort of sex act on the couch , perhaps this is not such a good idea.

rah · April 10, 2001, 08:44

Unfortunately you can only initiate one call at a time. When I was on with War4ever the other night, I had Barono try to call me to see if we could get a group call or have multi-calls open. It didn't work. To accept Barono's call it would have disconnected my current call.

But I will look at the icq site to see if any such options are available.

War4,
I'll be around on Saturday night. With it being the day before Easter, I'm sure a lot of people will be busy, so it may be a good night to continue.

I too will try to use icq phone whenever possible. (we need to keep testing to see if it has any impact on the game.) War4ever, please help an old man remember. Did you only drop once from the game, or were we clean for all 6 hours?

The only problem with icq phone is that we keep our computer in our family room and if the family is in there watching TV, my chattering will annoy them and they might not appreciate some of the conversations that occur.

Rich

Hydey · April 10, 2001, 18:07

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by markusf on 04-10-2001 12:27 PM</font>
There is a difference?

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Aussies will try to have sex with your wife
Kiwis will try to have sex with your sheep

War4ever · April 10, 2001, 19:56

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by rah on 04-10-2001 08:44 AM</font>

War4,
I'll be around on Saturday night. With it being the day before Easter, I'm sure a lot of people will be busy, so it may be a good night to continue.

I too will try to use icq phone whenever possible. (we need to keep testing to see if it has any impact on the game.) War4ever, please help an old man remember. Did you only drop once from the game, or were we clean for all 6 hours?

Rich
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Rich i don't recall one single drop..... the only time i stopped on the call was when the new girlfriend came over for a brief moment

I dont' recall the turns taking any longer either

Tim

markusf · April 11, 2001, 00:27

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by finbar on 04-09-2001 08:14 PM</font>
You're confusing him with a New Zealander.

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

There is a difference?

Ming · April 11, 2001, 08:27

Well, tried ICQ phone again last night with War4... same thing. He could hear me, and I couldn't hear him... ANY SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

finbar · April 11, 2001, 08:40

Tell him to speak up!

------------------
Founder, ACS Pedantry Institute
Founder, ACS Gourmet Recipe Exchange
Horse and Hydey Wrangler
Mono Rules!
#33984591

Carolus Rex · April 11, 2001, 08:43

Rich? Tim? Sounds completely awkward!

Whatever happened to the Lord of the Ferrets and the Merciless Leader of the Mongolian Hordes???

What's next? EyesofNight = Sean?

Carolus

rah · April 11, 2001, 09:09

CR,

Vito and Dolph still consider me their lord.
Eyes

Ming, get your wife to look at it.

I assume you checked all your settings to make sure none were muted.

Tim, thanks for the memory check.

I assume from the lack of response here means no one else is playing with this feature yet.

Rich

drake · April 11, 2001, 09:36

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font>I assume from the lack of response here means no one else is playing with this feature yet.
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

Thats the correct assumption yes.
This would make relations in a diplo game interesting to say the least....

War4ever · April 11, 2001, 09:49

<center><table width=80%><tr><td><font color=000080 face="Verdana" size=2><font size="1">quote:
<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1>
</font><font size=1>Originally posted by finbar on 04-11-2001 08:40 AM</font>
Tell him to speak up!

<img src="/images/blue1.gif" width=100% height=1></font></td></tr></table></center>

I was yelling at him ...... I could hear him working his vocabulary out though

Rich not 100% sure about Saturday...... were going back to the 70's with a rollerskating theme and there will be lots of girls there

...... i am a sucker for these sort of excursions

rah · April 11, 2001, 10:10

Gee, I have almost forgotten what it was like to socially interact with young girls. (it's not quite the same when they are your daughter's friends)

They throw you in jail for that type of thing.

I'll check for you on Saturday, and will take no offense if your plans to play with the women come through.

Rich

War4ever · April 11, 2001, 20:16

What a stroke of luck i must have had...... rollerskating with the gals is still on for Saturday

dinner has been moved to sunday..... I have all day friday off

So come one come all...... Rah stay home..... Ming put your wife in the den with the kids.... someone tell Berzerker and Bird we gots ourselves a game

Seriously though..... Rich and/or Bill...... would really love to play Friday night so please post your availability (spelling?) if you can