• Akouna's Blog:

How To Set Up Ventrilo

By: Akouna

I HIGHLY recommend you set up Ventrilo so you can hear the group/raid leader's instructions. Do this even if you do not have a microphone! You can listen even if you can't talk. It makes understanding the group/raid leader's plan much easier and therefore makes you a better player. Besides, it is more fun when you can hear what everyone is doing. Especially if you are like me..... chat challenged. Can't follow the chat window while doing other things.

You can get the Ventrilo client by following the link on the left side of the Gaiscioch web page (or just go to http://www.ventrilo.com/).

Follow the instructions on the web site to install the client.

Optional.... If you have used Ventrilo you probably have experienced this situation: Someone's voice is very loud. So loud everyone else is drowned out when he speaks. Meanwhile the raid leader's voice is very soft, you can hardly hear him. Well, you can follow these steps to insure that everyone's voice has the same volume. (See http://www.lockergnome.com/game/2008/01/23/ventrilo-normalization-settings/ for more info.)
1) Go to Setup
2) Enable Direct Sound
3) Select the SFX Button
4) Select Compressor and click Add.
5) Under Compressor Properties, use the following settings:
Gain = Adjust for how loud you want people to be. (I use 15)
Attack = 0.01
Release = Around 500
Threshold = Around -30
Ratio = 100
Pre delay = 4.0

Optional.... You can have Vent display an on screen window to show who is speaking.

Next you need to go into Vent
Click the Setup button
On the top of the Setup Window click the Overlay tab
Check the Enable Overlay Support
Note that if you are running Vista or Win7 you will see an informational message about Aero Glass system being disabled until you exit Vent. Just click OK.
Next select the Screen Location where you want the Vent window to appear. I use the lower left corner.

The default selections make a fairly large window. To make the Vent overlay window smaller in the Status Page Options uncheck everything except Receiving from. Now while you are playing Rift you will have just a small window with only the name of the person(s) speaking.