Don't Everybody Talk At Once.
WarpZone
Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6264Members
Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6264Members
<div class="IPBDescription">"Mmmf Cmndr humph mrrr humpldurgumph!"</div> I played a pub game on a server where amrines were actually (albiet slowly) winning. Okay comm, great teamwork, great map. I actually managed to chew a few enemies up with an HMG HA. I noticed HAs were faster than usual, and the mecha fanboy in me LOVED the noisy clanking of our boots. I eventually left the server though because it was so god damned annoying. The problem? Mics.
Everybody, and I mean literally EVERYBODY had a microphone. Every five minutes, something would happen like a lerk would attack a turret or something, and suddenly everybody would be talking over each other. I had no idea what any of them were saying, and often the commander was one of the voices.
Another thing that bugged me was how the com apparently had his microphone on forever, never turning it off, because sounds would echo and loop through his mic. I know he was the culprit because I could hear the female CC voice very faintly and distortedly going "Your base is under attack." Every possible unpleasent NS player voice was represented, from the teen boy you can't tell if he's got braces or just a lot of static on his mic, to the aformentioned echoing commander, to the person whose voice clips so badly you can never he-- a wo-- he-- -aying. They were all there, and every time something exciting happened, they all yelled about it.
Apparently, all this verbosity was a major boon, because the marines had all KINDS of tech and huge bases, and we took over 2 hives as I was playing. I finally left though because it was just annoying the frell out of me.
So please. Commanders, find out who on your team has a mic, and if it's everybody, have them pick somebody out of the group to be the spokesperson. Everyone else has to type. Soldiers, dig in, and try to resist the urge to report every emergency, unless no one else is saying anything. The comamnder can see it for himself, and if he's good, when you come under attack, he will already have jumped to you before you have time to say anything.
Everybody, and I mean literally EVERYBODY had a microphone. Every five minutes, something would happen like a lerk would attack a turret or something, and suddenly everybody would be talking over each other. I had no idea what any of them were saying, and often the commander was one of the voices.
Another thing that bugged me was how the com apparently had his microphone on forever, never turning it off, because sounds would echo and loop through his mic. I know he was the culprit because I could hear the female CC voice very faintly and distortedly going "Your base is under attack." Every possible unpleasent NS player voice was represented, from the teen boy you can't tell if he's got braces or just a lot of static on his mic, to the aformentioned echoing commander, to the person whose voice clips so badly you can never he-- a wo-- he-- -aying. They were all there, and every time something exciting happened, they all yelled about it.
Apparently, all this verbosity was a major boon, because the marines had all KINDS of tech and huge bases, and we took over 2 hives as I was playing. I finally left though because it was just annoying the frell out of me.
So please. Commanders, find out who on your team has a mic, and if it's everybody, have them pick somebody out of the group to be the spokesperson. Everyone else has to type. Soldiers, dig in, and try to resist the urge to report every emergency, unless no one else is saying anything. The comamnder can see it for himself, and if he's good, when you come under attack, he will already have jumped to you before you have time to say anything.
Comments
Mic communication is much easier than typing (and you can't afford to type in the heat of battle), so I don't see typing happening any time soon. However, the spokesperson idea is nice - that could be implemented in clan play most definitely - but not on public servers. People can't resist the urge to talk, so mute is best.
Just mute who has to be or everyone if you are doing something important. Whenever I sneak into a base or am guarding an important point and nothing said to me will matter, I usually mute everyone...sometimes even comm.
<span style='color:red'>Edit: Changed my post to not be so....offensive.</span>
Here's an example on how it might work in action: A group of 3 marines are moving towards objective. All of them have voice comm turned on channel 2. One of them hears a fade behind and says "Um guys, I think we have a fade following us." They turn and drive away the fade. Next they get ambushed by cloaked skulks. After battle the survivors ask for health and ammo from commander on channel 1 and inform everyone of the previously unknown fact that aliens have cloaking on channel 0.
As Comm, Try muting everybody but a few squad leaders. Sqads: mute everyone but your comm and squad members.
It becomes kind of like yer prototypical military comm heirarchy. When was the last time a General spoke to a Private?