Discussion: Ways to communicate easier with team mates?

Plasma

I was thinking earlier; that if there was a more natural or automated way to communicate with team mates, the gameplay experience may increase.

For example, maybe as a player I can signal to my team I intend to go somewhere (eg, West Wing) maybe just by looking in that direction and pressing my middle mouse button, and it lets other team mates know that I am trying to protect that position.

Other team mates could see when I walk around that I have a slight indicator pointing in that direction or ('Orders: Defend West Wing'), so that a passing player can decide "I will help him defend" instead of thinking I was just walking back to base to reload for eg.

Anyone else have some ideas? I think it would be important to be really simple and automated so that it gets used, and just convey those subtle intents of each player so that people can co-ordinate more easily.

Kouji_San

Seems pretty good, Commander would also get an insight as to where everyone wants to go, instead of just issuing orders/waypoints.

But then again, we do have voice communication. That most people seem be in the dark about (radio voice commands ZX keys). And microphones > all of this. Too bad not everyone uses them :/

Rulgrok

MINIMAP MINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMIN
IMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAP
MINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINI
MAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAPMINIMAP

Did I say we as players need a minimap yet?

Kouji_San

I don't understand, what are you trying to say there Rulgrok?

_Thresh_

Seems he loves the no minimap feature :/

Lock that in devs.

_Thresh_

On plasmas note: the reason for this would be more obvious to anyone playing on australian servers. I've noted US servers are Waaaaaay more chatty than aus servers.

Probably the easiest way to do that is to make it fun. Some more binds, and nice voice effects, would probably encourage this sort of short cut communication.

works quite well in tf2. i.e. "go right" "setup teleporter here" "spy" etc

all would be quite useful given an ns2 makeover.

ScardyBob

I think as long as the commander move/attack orders get fixed, it should be fine. Its frustrating to give a marine a move order and not have it show up on the screen. At the very least, any sort of commander order should also show up on the commander HUD when that marine/squad is selected and it should include the orders location with a line connected to the marine/squad.

Also, I suspect part of the 'no teamwork' feel is because most people are still new to NS2. I've regularly had to repeat/spam move orders of rockdown to show new players where locations such as 'West Wing' are at on rockdown. Once people become more familiar with the game/maps, they'll be more inclined towards teamwork.

AtlantisThief

Hey hey hey! I am a total new NS player, and guys that needs spam are more than just noob they are <fill the word you want to call them here>.
I have to agree that the commander HUD needs improvment, aswell as Rulgrok nicely said: MINIMAP. I got used to Rockdown pretty fast, but i think its just because its so small.
Another thing that could help for the teamplay issue: proper markers! (I always seem to have 2 of them, one above the level and the 2nd in a wall).

About the voice communitcation, i would really like to see some Voice Chat commands. But i think its too early to complain about not having them, since this game is not finished and such things will be added someday.

louis cardinal

in ns1 there was the binded keys that said certain things that are existant in ns2, BUT can we please have the icons that appear on top of marine players/ alien players when they say certain things? like perhaps if they wanted you to follow them there would be the follow sign, or the defend sign for defense. get my saying>

whos with me?