Sub-Groups for Fire-Teams/Communications Improving

[mr.g-c 6]

The more you try to play MP with the awesome VON (Voice-Over-Net) in a realistic way and with some real grouping (Platoon->Squad->Fireteam), the more you see limitations of Arma1s communications and grouping possibilities.

Therefore i suggest:

1. That you can create some sort of "Sub-Groups/Child-Groups" in Arma2, either by Editor or by Scripting-Command and adding units to this "sub-group/child-group".

They will also have their own communications-channel like "Fire-Team" or similar.

But people grouped in "Sub-Teams" should still have possibility over group-channel to write/talk with people of the normal "parent-group".

2. That you can create own Communications(Voice-Over-Net/Typing) channels with scripting commands.

So for instance with a command like

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">"CreateCommGroup = ["PlatooonHQ", #cccccc, administrative];

you create a VON group with the following attributes:

- PlatoonHQ as Name

- #cccccc as color-code (hex)

- administrative as channel-type *1

Then you can have for instance a second command with which you add a player to this channel like that:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">this AddToCommGroup "PlatoonHQ"

So in this case you would add "this" (the units in which init-line you posted it) to the group you created prior called "PlattonHQ".

Of course also a command to remove someone from such a group like that:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">this RemoveFromCommGroup "PlatoonHQ"

Which removes the guy from the communications-group "PlattonHQ".

Now all people in such a "CommGroup" can switch to a new channel called "PlattonHQ" and its presented in "grey" (#cccccc)...

So now they can talk with each other independent!

3. *1:

With "Groupe-Type" Administrative, it is suggested that once someone of a administrative group is talking, for people in that comm-group all other VON communications is automatically reduced in volume (you shoudl still hear them, but just like 75% reduced in Volume), so you can hear the important messages better in that current VON chaos!.

That would fully eliminate the need to use currently both Teamspeak AND VON to have some PROPER communitcations.

You can make a own Comm-Channel for Squadleaders with that scripting commands so you can let them communicate independantly from the others... And together with channel-type "Administrative", other annoying own group-channel talk is dimmed-down in volume when you get important infos from other Squadleaders...

BTW: Did i already mentioned that VON should have some real radio-background noises and confirmations "clicks/beeps" for each channel other than "Direct" and "Vehicle"....

Teamspeak has this and when you play real you can click/beep two times to confirm a order (like in RL)

What you think?

[Serclaes 0]

I'm all for good comms. But your suggestion isnogud

I'd suggest an implementation by frequency. If you're not on the frequency you can't hear. No compromise.

For cadets you could have an autotune "phonebook" as in FSX.

Oh, and if you have chaos on your VON, you could use some radioing procedures. Maybe that will help.

Anyway i think BI thought of something and if not, its too late for any suggestion anyhow.

[mr.g-c 6]

Yes by frequency would be even better!

I just thought its easier for them to implement... so no matter what, at least we should be able to have more channels and add people to those channels...

Quote[/b] ]Oh, and if you have chaos on your VON, you could use some radioing procedures. Maybe that will help.

Hehe Yes/No... For instance when you ONLY use VON and use the Side-Channel (blue) for the Squadleaders, you annoy other people from your squad as they also hear the Side-Channel AND if they make important message over Group-Channel while at the same time a other Squadlaeder makes a more important message over side-channel, you totally get confused.... thats what i suggested some sort of "Dimming" und point 3.

[hund 0]

I guess one way of doing it would be to add a command channel of sorts. If you're leading anyone (AI or human) you would hear and be able to speak on this channel, otherwise you would not.

Kind of like channel commander in TS.

[dslyecxi 23]

VON scripting has been asked for on several occasions... I don't know if it's something that should be expected to show up, though, due to the fact that it's a fairly niche aspect of the experience (meaning - the need for custom channels etc, not VON itself). I can only imagine the amount of MP chaos that would result from each different community establishing wildly different VON channel setups...

I think the whole 'proper hierarchy' thing has been suggested since OFP came out. Perhaps A2 will address it in some capacity? It'd be nice. I would also guess that either they did it already, or they don't plan to - I don't think you should expect to see a suggestion like that get any real traction at such a seemingly late stage of development.

[mr.g-c 6]

Yes well, i never loose my hopes....

I mean the current Arma VON also came later with patch 1.09 (IIRC), which was like one year later after release....

Also at this point BIS was fully in developing Arma2 already..... so i rather think/believe/hope it could come with a patch....

[Nigelwow 10]

yeah a radio channel for the groups is great