Radio Dead Zone
Gorgeous Gorge
Join Date: 2009-08-26 Member: 68603Members
Join Date: 2009-08-26 Member: 68603Members
Some areas of the map could be designated as "dead zones" where marine communications could not reach. So marines in the dead zone could not do some or all of the following:
Use their voice communicator
Hear voice communications
Type text messages
Get text messages
Get meds/ammo/cat packs
Commanders can't drop structures there
Show up on the map
See where other marines are on the map
Aliens visible to that marine would not show up on the map
For example, there could be a back entrance to one of the hives that is a dead zone. Therefore, it would not be a siege location (this would give map makers more freedom to put areas near hives without screwing up the balance of the map by making an easy siege location).
Marines could try to sneak in through there, but they would be out of contact with their team.
Mapmakers could provide a reason for the dead zone--for example, there would be a very powerful piece of equipment operating nearby that interferes with the marines' communications.
Second, there could be semi-dead zones, which would be dead as long as the marine RT wasn't powering the sector they are in. So as marines expanded their conquest, there would be fewer and fewer dead zones.
The dead zones would add tension to the game, and would fit in well with the general atmosphere.
Use their voice communicator
Hear voice communications
Type text messages
Get text messages
Get meds/ammo/cat packs
Commanders can't drop structures there
Show up on the map
See where other marines are on the map
Aliens visible to that marine would not show up on the map
For example, there could be a back entrance to one of the hives that is a dead zone. Therefore, it would not be a siege location (this would give map makers more freedom to put areas near hives without screwing up the balance of the map by making an easy siege location).
Marines could try to sneak in through there, but they would be out of contact with their team.
Mapmakers could provide a reason for the dead zone--for example, there would be a very powerful piece of equipment operating nearby that interferes with the marines' communications.
Second, there could be semi-dead zones, which would be dead as long as the marine RT wasn't powering the sector they are in. So as marines expanded their conquest, there would be fewer and fewer dead zones.
The dead zones would add tension to the game, and would fit in well with the general atmosphere.
Comments
i say +1 for local hearable marine voice, because as long you are in hearing range you dont need a radio
I think the game loses a bit of its creepiness when the entire human team can communicate with each other. In a way, it's like you're never alone. In a dead zone, you really are only with the marines which went with you into the dead zone as far as communications are concerned. I wouldn't want to see it done often.. at most one room in an entire map. I like the idea that communications could be linked to the room and "unpowered" rooms are all deadzones, though I think that should be a mod and not the standard for gameplay.
Nice idea.
Oh really? How dare they?
I wouldn't call using ventrillo a lack of sportsmanship, as long as both teams agree to it.
I'd wish that using any external program to avoid drawbacks from certain features is officialy deemed cheating - if both teams in a war negotiate to use it, it's ok. it's an offense otherwise.
I don't really care if they have "a dark monitor" (calibrate the game as you're meant to) or the sun's shining right onto it (close the blinds).
I'd wish that using any external program to avoid drawbacks from certain features is officialy deemed cheating - if both teams in a war negotiate to use it, it's ok. it's an offense otherwise.
I don't really care if they have "a dark monitor" (calibrate the game as you're meant to) or the sun's shining right onto it (close the blinds).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you're afraid of a team of good players getting on a pub and using coordinated teamwork? Is that your concern?
In this situation they can communicate tactical information freely while it would be impossible in reversed teams.
back then when voice ingame was an exception, people used ventrillo and teamspeak to communicate data better than with typing and messagebinds. developers acknowledged that and included voice into their games, but they still use external programs for whatever reasons i dont even want to know really.
my point is: if you restrict players with this, they will fall back on external tools, and people abiding the game's rules will be handicaped compared to them.
i've seen players on games where you're not allowed to speak while dead using it, too.
These are all such hypothetical scenarios anyway. A clan would have to join a pub, teamstack(I'd have more of a problem with that sportsmanship-wise), and then be using ventrillo without the other team's knowledge. I guess I agree in that particular situation it would be bad sportsmanship, but that's kind of an edge case.
If everyone was going to swear off using third party programs in NS2 something like the OP could work, but that's an unreasonable expectation without enforcement. TBH it's not the clanners you should be worried about in such a scenario, but pretty much any server. This happens a lot in L4D(using ventrillo to speak to teammates when dead) and just isn't worth it to try and block.
In this situation they can communicate tactical information freely while it would be impossible in reversed teams.
back then when voice ingame was an exception, people used ventrillo and teamspeak to communicate data better than with typing and messagebinds. developers acknowledged that and included voice into their games, but they still use external programs for whatever reasons i dont even want to know really.
my point is: if you restrict players with this, they will fall back on external tools, and people abiding the game's rules will be handicaped compared to them.
i've seen players on games where you're not allowed to speak while dead using it, too.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The first reason players use ventrilo instead of ingame is due to the fact that hl1 voice transmit codecs suck. It's also why some people prefer to use ventrilo over teamspeak.
The second reason players use ventrilo, and why it can't be "outlawed," is due to HLSS/annoying mucks spamming ingame.
Also, I'm fairly positive that the better you get at natural selection, the less communication you need in your team. The best players always know where to be and what to do at all times.
I found the voice ingame pretty good. better than what i could achieve with teamspeak and ventrillo.
sure, ingame can be heavy on the server, but I find it better the server (and everyone else) lags than only me, plus the server's config is bull when that happens.
Main reason for me to not dont use those external tools is even with the lowest still understandable quality my ping went up by one quarter.
apart from not working properly at all.
I found the voice ingame pretty good. better than what i could achieve with teamspeak and ventrillo.
sure, ingame can be heavy on the server, but I find it better the server (and everyone else) lags than only me, plus the server's config is bull when that happens.
Main reason for me to not dont use those external tools is even with the lowest still understandable quality my ping went up by one quarter.
apart from not working properly at all.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
all of your points are completely wrong
1) I've played ZP: Source for a good bit now. I muted people for a while, but that got annoying really fast because of the sheer number of people who were generally annoying over the mic, spamming music and possessing whiney voices. voice_enable 0 it was. (Clients can't be muted in HL1 because the mute function is broken.)
2) The best in-game codec has a much higher compression than ventrilo. Find a better ventrilo server.
3) What?
A) Could be annoying for new players that are wondering why their messages are not going through. They can't even ask why it's happening.
B) People can just use a third-party voice communication program. I would prefer having everyone being on the same communication line and give no incentive for people to play separately from their team who are using a different voice communication program.
sv_allowvoicefromfile 0
Hindering the vital communication and creating a bigger gap between the organised and public plays are far more undesirable elements if you ask me. The terrible HLVoice already limited my fun and ability to co-operate with less experienced players. I'd like to avoid such problems with NS2.
I've always wanted to do this!
if and when I release my map ns_dungeoncrawl (almost into testing), there will be a hive with a giant block over it obstructing com views / meds. To rid of it, theres a weld point that pushes it to the side.
imagine a team of ppl going in to here and waiting on a 90 second weld with no med or commands.
<b>i say +1 for local hearable marine voice, because as long you are in hearing range you dont need a radio</b><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
+2
What a great idea. <3