Como rose radio?
Vyshus
Join Date: 2005-06-13 Member: 53826Members
Join Date: 2005-06-13 Member: 53826Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Como rose style interface for requests.</div>Some of you may or may not have played bf2/2142, but I'm going to try and make this make sense.
Ok so as the radio is right now (ns1) you have to right click and navigate slowly activating links of a chain effectively killing why radio communications were implemented. If you don't bind your favorite request, you have to: 1. right click 2. go to a branch of radio 3. click a command. I almost never even request meds/ammo because of this.
Now in the bf games, there is a similar system, but with less navigation. Instead of containing chains that you have to navigate, there is a true "rose" style in which there is a central request (could be used to switch from radio to upgrades for co_ maps) and a bunch of options arranged around it. Everything will be displayed, and by holding a key of your choice and a flick of the wrist, you can select any request in a split second!
You could have med, ammo, order, help, taunts, W/E you could possibly need in a circular pattern that is easily accessed and requires no chain clicking.
It could also help the commander to do his job by pointing where you want something dropped or need something dropped before activating the menu so the commander knows EXACTLY where you want it. I know it makes commanding a breeze in bf knowing where your troops need supplies.
My main idea is that the radio menu in ns is currently too clunky and really eliminates a players ability to communicate during the game without a mic. This gives a faster, smoother way of communication during a battle or time when stealth is key.
And I'm not implying that we just copy detail by detail the como rose that bf has, but use it as a base and customize it to the ns universe.
Ok so as the radio is right now (ns1) you have to right click and navigate slowly activating links of a chain effectively killing why radio communications were implemented. If you don't bind your favorite request, you have to: 1. right click 2. go to a branch of radio 3. click a command. I almost never even request meds/ammo because of this.
Now in the bf games, there is a similar system, but with less navigation. Instead of containing chains that you have to navigate, there is a true "rose" style in which there is a central request (could be used to switch from radio to upgrades for co_ maps) and a bunch of options arranged around it. Everything will be displayed, and by holding a key of your choice and a flick of the wrist, you can select any request in a split second!
You could have med, ammo, order, help, taunts, W/E you could possibly need in a circular pattern that is easily accessed and requires no chain clicking.
It could also help the commander to do his job by pointing where you want something dropped or need something dropped before activating the menu so the commander knows EXACTLY where you want it. I know it makes commanding a breeze in bf knowing where your troops need supplies.
My main idea is that the radio menu in ns is currently too clunky and really eliminates a players ability to communicate during the game without a mic. This gives a faster, smoother way of communication during a battle or time when stealth is key.
And I'm not implying that we just copy detail by detail the como rose that bf has, but use it as a base and customize it to the ns universe.
Comments
i know you said this, but it works fine, you dont need a hundred messages.
also, if it was going to change, the radio style on counter-strike etc etc is WAY better than the sounds of what you just mentioned.
just hit z then 1 for med
or z then 2 for ammo, etc.
i think any mouse movement required is slow and a bad idea.
For all maps included in retail, every area name would have a voice file of itself.
So for cetain commands,
say z 1 is Need Backup, it would say "Need backup at Sub-Sector!"
or when the commander gives a waypoint,
Instead of "move to waypoint"
"Go to sub-sector"
"Build phase gate at subsector"
yeah, i think itd be really useful.
Itd allow the commander and players to communicate more efficiently, if they dont have a mic or are a mute.
I think there should be a little default "chat" menu
but players are encouraged to add/remove commands to the list, in their own order. thatd be cool.
and you could also just have plain binds for common ones.
The Vanilla cs menu is also a branching structure, it's just not graphically represented as a radial menu.
The only difference between the two is you can bind the impulse directly rather than memorizing simple number/letter sequences(B->8->2).
The Vanilla cs menu is also a branching structure, it's just not graphically represented as a radial menu.
The only difference between the two is you can bind the impulse directly rather than memorizing simple number/letter sequences(B->8->2).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I said CSS, and that doesnt branch, its simply B > 2
What I would like to see is a mix between the CS2, NS1 and BF2, with an added “sweetenerâ€. Basically I imagine a command rose with numbers for each command/saying. There could be 2 default buttons assigned for the lists, both would open the list with one click. One would be on the keyboard (something like Q or X or something) and one as the mouse wheel click (mouse button 3 or right click if needs be). This would bring up the rose, but then the rest of the buttons would be number related, but you could still select them by moving the mouse around. The rose could be got rid of by pressing the same button again or selecting a command/saying. The sweetener would be that the rest of the rose would be visible even if you weren't scrolling over that section. I imagine it would be like this: the inner ring of the rose is standard NS1, but then the rest of the commands are still on show but at something like 25% transparency (all most visible). With outer options having 2 numbers to select them or by using the mouse, like NS is now.
So you could have the centre as "1 enemy spotted", up and down (or left and right) as "2 med kit" and "3 ammo" and left and right as things that might need more options, like: "4 evolve" and/or "5 orders" or what ever. There would also be up-left, down-left, etc.
When 4 or 5 pressed or hovered over the rest of the options go from 25% to 0% transparent, these would be numbered like so: 51, 52, 53, 54 or 41, 42, 43, 44, etc. Then if more were needed for some reason, these could be numbered 411, 412, etc. But these options would probably be at 50% transparent.
I like Stars idea of the sections of maps having the names being said with them. I do however think this may sound rubbish if done badly. Or maybe having the names just appears on the chat list. This is a pain however, when the chat list gets filled with people just asking for stuff over and over again.
But the best idea of all would be to allow players to build their own command rose, maybe in the options menu, with drop down lists. I can’t imagine it would be that hard. Then players who only want a few orders could have just med kit, ammo and follow me, and then people who don’t have a mic and feel the need to say loads can have loads of orders and request options and put them where they want on a preset rose. Maybe you (the player) could also set the whole rose filled with the same 1/2/3 (/etc.) options for easy access.
But then again, bind is still the best option for med kits and ammo.
It needs to be contextual and dynamic (yes buzz words lol) examples :-
-The menu that lets you select the upgrades/abilities (such as regen) only appear on the screen once your team actually has the corresponding chamber.
-Life forms you don't have the res for won't appear in the menu.
-The Gorges build menu only appears if you are a gorge
-Gorges menu for building a Res tower only appears once you are near a res node, and goes for hives etc
I'd also put communications into one menu, and upgrades/evolves into another.
-If you are injured and you have a gorge in your crosshair you double tap the comm's button and it asks the gorge to heal you, if you were to do the same thing to a lerk, it would ask the lerk to gas you, or a skulk it might tell it to follow you etc. or you can hold the comms button down and select from the como rose
bf2142 one is great because there are only about 10-12 commands so its very easy to hit Q and flick the mouse to the one you want - even noobs can do it.
css also works pretty well, and it also lets people use macros/scripts for their favorite choices
Also what about use the num pad as a type of como rose - 5 being the middle button would open the menu and then you choose from there, with either tapping the corresponding keys or using the mouse to select - then you have the best of both worlds <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
you could tap 5 for the communcations menu
or you could double tap it to get the evolution menu
The possiblities are endless, but all in all it needs to be fast and easy so it can be done in the heat of battle
<img src="http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/4688/comorosefi9.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I still think that Ammo and Med kit for marines, and follow me and Heal for aliens should be preset keys. So Ammo/Follow me would be H or Q or P or what ever and Med kit/Heal would be set for E or O or K or what ever and it just depends what team you are on as to what you say. Cause apart from Weld these are the commands you most use. Although I know people don't use follow me that much on the alien’s team, but they should, it is a good way of getting a group of skulks together for a rush.
<!--quoteo(post=1648042:date=Sep 7 2007, 09:59 PM:name=Stars)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stars @ Sep 7 2007, 09:59 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1648042"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I said CSS, and that doesnt branch, its simply B > 2<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe you <b>meant</b> CS:S but you certainly didn't say it. Regardless you're just reinforcing my point that the CS style menu is the same as the NS style menu.
Contextual would be good. It's more or less the new standard in squad based games.
Using voice communication is kinda a must however for true ease of use. The only counter I can think of to your great argument [and it really is a slow menu system....] other then using a mic, is making the menu system an "all on screen" display. So instead of having to wait for the menu lag to work, everything pops up right away.
I also always thought it might be a good idea to color code the menu bars. Maybe supply, ammo and health type requests would be green colored, "incomin enemies" type bars would be red, mission based statements like "req orders" could be blue, taunts could be orange, etc, etc.
The menu is definitely a problem though. It is slow and I think the only people who use it are the ones who have to, not the ones who want to.