Voice Comm, a new contemporary twist
StixNStonz
Join Date: 2006-11-06 Member: 58439Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2006-11-06 Member: 58439Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Voice communication. Obviously needed in NS2.
But there's a certain voice mechanism that I've only seen in one other game, where it added a huuuuge amount of tactical and strategic depth. I won't even mention the game's name, but anyone who's played it will recognize this idea immediately.
So here it is:
<u><b>Only allow voice chat for players within the active power grid.</u></b>
Furthermore, I would suggest a new upgrade on the Obs that allows voice communication at all times, perhaps at an NS2-equivalent of 10 res or so.
Picture this though. Being within an active power grid would instantly make the player feel that much more connected, that much safer. And wandering outside of the power grid would instantly do the opposite, making them feel vulnerable, alone (even if in a squad), and in 'alien territory' even if it's neutral territory
The concept could even be brought futher. What if the scoreboard and 'kill updater', i.e. the part showing Stix [lmg] Flayra in the top right, were inactive for players outside the grid? That is, a player outside of the grid would show up on the scoreboard to marines as [Unknown], and if he died, there would be no notification to the marines until he spawns back in.
The concept of tying communication into the grid can be minimal, extreme, whatever. There are a huge number of shades greys here. But as a mechanic to gain atmosphere by literally temporarily removing functionality (which is WAAAAAY easier to implement than anything that ADDS functionality), it should definitely be at least considered.
Obviously, this would mean almost nothing for competitive, since they'd be using Team Speak or such anyways.
And screw it, I'll mention the game. If you want to see this concept in action, go play some ChromeHounds multiplayer. It'll rock your socks.
But there's a certain voice mechanism that I've only seen in one other game, where it added a huuuuge amount of tactical and strategic depth. I won't even mention the game's name, but anyone who's played it will recognize this idea immediately.
So here it is:
<u><b>Only allow voice chat for players within the active power grid.</u></b>
Furthermore, I would suggest a new upgrade on the Obs that allows voice communication at all times, perhaps at an NS2-equivalent of 10 res or so.
Picture this though. Being within an active power grid would instantly make the player feel that much more connected, that much safer. And wandering outside of the power grid would instantly do the opposite, making them feel vulnerable, alone (even if in a squad), and in 'alien territory' even if it's neutral territory
The concept could even be brought futher. What if the scoreboard and 'kill updater', i.e. the part showing Stix [lmg] Flayra in the top right, were inactive for players outside the grid? That is, a player outside of the grid would show up on the scoreboard to marines as [Unknown], and if he died, there would be no notification to the marines until he spawns back in.
The concept of tying communication into the grid can be minimal, extreme, whatever. There are a huge number of shades greys here. But as a mechanic to gain atmosphere by literally temporarily removing functionality (which is WAAAAAY easier to implement than anything that ADDS functionality), it should definitely be at least considered.
Obviously, this would mean almost nothing for competitive, since they'd be using Team Speak or such anyways.
And screw it, I'll mention the game. If you want to see this concept in action, go play some ChromeHounds multiplayer. It'll rock your socks.
Comments
I like the idea, its very clever actually. It's a little too extreme I think though.
As he said, with various external voice communication programs, it makes doing anything different in game pointless sadly. Maybe adding automatic squad chat at the most, but nothing limiting communication will be a good idea I think.
For competitive play, maybe. But I think Stix is talking about regular public servers. I mean, you can't expect a team of randomly assigned people to quickly minimize the game, and join some unified NS Ventrillo server....
Too much hassle. Therefore, most pubs will still rely on regular in-game communication only. I think this idea should be given a shot, sounds very interesting.
I can just imagine the aliens destroying part of the powergrid between the marines and the commander so that the commander can't communicate with the other marines, and see if they're under attack.
That would be an ideal time for the aliens to attack the marines I would say....
The idea itself is nice, but based on NS1 the tradeoff might be a little too big compared to the gain.
In L4D, it's somewhat common for a group of friends to make the server alltalk, then use ventrilo, the jerks. Voice comm advantage is pretty useful.
But the powergrid should limit the comms abilities... Not the batteries (or lack of batteries) in the marines walkie-talkies.
But the powergrid should limit the comms abilities... Not the batteries (or lack of batteries) in the marines walkie-talkies.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I was always under the impression that there was a giant speaker in every room of the map (ship?) via which commander would communicate just like the Big Brother would. Therefore it'd be physically wired to the power grid which subsequently would fail to work if the power grid was down...
Personally, I'd like this. It's a good way to help noobs learn and to bring back in some great atmosphere. It also makes incentives for group play. But, it's not intrusive.
Maybe batteries would be an excellent way to keep in contact while pushing into a new room, but it will run out if you rambo too far for too long. Also, it is a strategic choice if you want to wait in the newly powered up room to recharge your comm systems or to charge into the next hostile room.
The one thing I'm a little cautious about is creating a disparity between better and newer players. This may reinforce pubstompers where a group gets onto Vent to get a distinct advantage. Other than that, I'd really love this.
It's not like voice comm is critical to marines surviving out of their base / grid network. But it would absolutely boost the feeling of being 'out in the wild'.
And as mentioned a few times, this would obviously be only for pub games. But, in the pub sphere, I bet there would be very few servers that actually use and succeed in using an alternative voice program. The rare few that already do (in other games) still have tons of voice chatter in-game since the vast majority of pubbers are too lazy to load and configure teamspeak for every random server.
so it mean u actually have to be quiet if you are creeping around.
Instead of cutting off vcomm outside the power grid/DI make it only cut out when you are more then 1 area away from neutral (not controlled) or friendly areas.
So at the beginning marines walking around the uncontrolled map can still talk to each other, but if they were to enter the DI and go deeper (more then 1 area inside the DI) they get cut off from their vcomm. This would allow players to enter enemy territory but pay a cost for going deeper in. You could also allow local area vcomm, so marines in the same zone could still talk to each other. It would be kind of like the DI is cutting off their vcomm transmissions. This would work both ways, so the power grid would hamper alien vcomm as well.
Instead of cutting off vcomm outside the power grid/DI make it only cut out when you are more then 1 area away from neutral (not controlled) or friendly areas.
So at the beginning marines walking around the uncontrolled map can still talk to each other, but if they were to enter the DI and go deeper (more then 1 area inside the DI) they get cut off from their vcomm. This would allow players to enter enemy territory but pay a cost for going deeper in. You could also allow local area vcomm, so marines in the same zone could still talk to each other. It would be kind of like the DI is cutting off their vcomm transmissions. This would work both ways, so the power grid would hamper alien vcomm as well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There's no point in tampering with communications, if it's in any way punishing to use in-game then people wouldn't use the in-game version.
Would you use this, for example when playing with your buddy who's new at the game? He'd most likely not get the hang of this, new players would think this game isn't about squads and teamwork the instant they get in and run away solo, have no communication and just die to get a poor impression of the game when no one came to help him.
The only thing I think a new voicecommunication in this game would possibly use is to have two modes for local and global chat, where local chat is transmitted to their surroundings so that people nearby him hear him from his position. Aliens shouldn't be able to sneak in on their conversations either. It's just a cosmetic feature to make things more immersive and help the players to go in groups, hear someone yell "Help!" and you should be able to know where the point of attack is judging from audio-position.
If it were say a real combat kind of game then this could work but tight corridors with commanders and aliens and whatnot... nah.
One example where this works is in a Half-Life 2 mod called Resistance and Liberation, a realism WW2 shooter where all-talk is always on but you can only hear people within 30 feet of you. This forces players to stay close to their squad leaders and not stray away, where they will be totally cut off except for text chat which is very impractical in such a dangerous, open battlefield.
This feature is loved by the community and it is remains a part of the game in public servers.
So if changing the voice-comm in NS2 makes the game more fun in public servers, go right ahead.
It's sorta like starting with an awesome class and then saying to it 'o wait, within these gridlines, that knife that is laced with nanites capable of penetrating alien armor? Ya, that doesn't work anymore if you're not in the grid'.
Yes your idea adds a bit of 'atmosphere', but with that, comes a huge subtraction. You don't restrict people just to add atmosphere. You restrict things to add to gameplay. This 'gameplay addition' would rage people.