Alternative for sidechat

[landfish 62]

Not sure if this has been suggested before, but since side chat and global chat has been removed, why not have an alternative way that you can contact other players from long distances? Maybe everybody should start with a cell phone or they can just find them in various places. This is probably just like global chat but you're phone should ring first before you can talk to the player calling you. You should also be able to send text messages to other people.

This is probably pretty easy to be abused by trolls and mic spammers so I suggest to add an option to block them so you can't read the text they are sending you and you're phone won't ring if they called you. Players should be issued random phone numbers that can be found in phone books scattered throughout Chernarus. If you want to call your friend, you better search for a phonebook and search for their names. It would also be cool if not all phone numbers belong to players only, a lot of people probably has cell phones before they turned infected, would be a cool thing to put easter eggs on:-)

Risk and limitations:

Phones should use batteries to work, so if you're stranded somewhere and your phone is dead, good luck trying to get help. Phone rings should also be fairly easy for other players to hear and if you're stalking someone, better put that shit on silent or just turn it off.

Minor addition:

Wouldn't it be cool if you can take pictures of places/people ingame with your ingame cell phone? Imagine the possibility of finding a cellphone of a psychopath who left it there for other players to see disturbing photos of things he's been doing. Maybe you could also change your ringtone or whatnot.

As a loot:

If you killed a player and took his cellphone, you should be able to see conversations he's been having and photos he's been taking.

That's all, this is a pretty simple suggestion, just a fancy and more immersive version of side chat and global chat.

[sollaan 1]

it's to much effort, I don't know about you, but im either in TS or Skype when Im playing with people.

[Hershel Green 46]

GSM network up and running in a post-apocalyptic world is not very realistic.

[SmashT 10907]

The main problem I see is cellphone towers wouldn't work without electricity. The current list of chat revisions includes a similar idea but with radios:

- Server/OOC chat (clients can hide/server admins can enable/disable live)

- Direct Chat

- Radio Chat (selectable on a frequency e.g. 800 - 1700)

- Vehicle Chat

Edited January 24, 2013 by smasht_AU

[dzuari 25]

it's to much effort, I don't know about you, but im either in TS or Skype when Im playing with people.

I like it more than global chat. Could add some very interesting/funny encounters such as placing a bunch of phones in a city and watching a survivor freak out as they all start to go off :).

[dzuari 25]

It has to be the ringtone from Jurassic park 3 though.

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

these radios! How you gonna be able to tune into a friends channel? could there be a specific number or open channels?

Imagine the fun you could have stalking a group when you find a channel!

[St. Jimmy 1631]

Hmm giving every character a random unique phone number that you can share who every you want doesn't sound that bad idea. So basically randoms won't contact you if you don't give them your number. There might be some issues if someone is phoning at the same time to you but still have some beans because I've never thought this.

Although I agree that phones might not suit in apocalypse but still a nice idea.

[(OLT) Tom 15]

read this:

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/117768-a-substitute-for-the-side-chat/

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

it's to much effort, I don't know about you, but im either in TS or Skype when Im playing with people.

Wait. You openly use 3rd-party software to give yourself and your teammates an in-game advantage?

HAX!

Seriously though, the fact that most players are on 3rd-party chat all the time is a MAJOR pisser.

The in-game VoIP could add great depth to the experience, but it doesn't get a look in.

[veristaya 71]

Wait. You openly use 3rd-party software to give yourself and your teammates an in-game advantage?

HAX!

Seriously though, the fact that most players are on 3rd-party chat all the time is a MAJOR pisser.

The in-game VoIP could add great depth to the experience, but it doesn't get a look in.

Simple fix: VoIP is always enabled if you have a microphone :D

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

I agree,IMO if a mic is detected, local VoIP should always be on. Even though people would probably switch off their mics to avoid being heard.

More to the point though, telecoms need attention.

The best the devs can do is try to encourage use of in-game communication systems.

Just because everyone is dead, doesn't mean everything is going to be broken.

Maybe not mobiles, but definitely radios/landlines would still be available and mostly functional.

It truly surprises me that more people don't consider "Skype telepathy" a form of cheating.

[CreepySalad 108]

Yeah, no cellphones.

There's no electricity.

Why would there be cellphones?

If there were, they should work realistically.

You can only call one person at a time.

The contacts list should have some random numbers with random names in them. That'd be cool.

Actually, if done correctly, this could be pretty cool.

The text list could have some generated conversations with other phones in the server.

You won't know who the phone belongs to, though.

The phone can ring, attracting zombies and players.

How would you charge them, though?

I think a radio/walkie-talkie idea is fine.

But phones opening up little stories of dead people would be pretty cool.

[fletchernut 29]

I'm thinking a radio that can be found as easily as hatchets. It wouldn't be much, basically just allowing you to use side chat.

So that way it's an in-game item and not a server option.

EDIT: And it would require batteries, too, like NVGs, Flashlights, etc in the SA.

Edited January 26, 2013 by CommunistScootaloo

[zachgibson22 14]

I like the idea but I think radios could be cooler. You could set it up like this:

Let's say there are 100 frequencies or so to Choose from. You could select one at random OR try and find one others are using to stalk them. I think that would be cool. Then you could add batteries to it all and have an option to turn of and on the radio to save battery.

I think this could be a more realistic option and people could have just as much of a fun experience. I also think it would be an easier thing to add in for the creators.

[CreepySalad 108]

I'm thinking a radio that can be found as easily as hatchets. It wouldn't be much, basically just allowing you to use side chat.

So that way it's an in-game item and not a server option.

EDIT: And it would require batteries, too, like NVGs, Flashlights, etc in the SA.

There should be multiple channels.

To make it realistic.

It should also be rarer than a hatchet.

Pretty goddamn rare, actually.

Not car rare, or even M4 rare.

Just...uncommon.

[TheDesigner 1197]

OOOOOOOR we could do this the easy way and just get ACRE devs into the mix and get them to make a boss radio system.

[BwobBwub 660]

Mobile phones eh? Doubt I could get a vodafone signal in Chernarus.

[JuX 72]

I do believe cellphones are good addition for fresh spawns and noobies.

However they need to be limited by areas of poor reception.

Otherwise they should make radios what they are in A.C.R.E so use of radio does require actual knowledge

how to operate it and hands of experts they might even spy on others.

[enforcer1975 1111]

Maybe everybody should start with a cell phone or they can just find them in various places.

And how would i know the phone number of the unknown player? A radio would be the best choice since a lot would use it to communicate IRL.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Enforcer

[Clumzy (DayZ) 377]

Why are you people posting in here, this thread was made six months ago, before radios were announced to replace side chat.

Just let it die

[DayzForumer 284]

Satellite phones for everyone!

Edit: Still don't understand why newbies tend to bump old threads...

Edited July 9, 2013 by DayzForumer

[JuX 72]

And how would i know the phone number of the unknown player? A radio would be the best choice since a lot would use it to communicate IRL.

Obviously radios are the best choice in apocalypse for communication, but realistically speaking finding actually radio wont be easy.

However finding a walkie-talkie is much more likely and there radius is far less then proper radio.

Cellphone itself would be function to help out new players to the game and besides wouldn't your cellphone have your friends number in it?

As for you DayZForumer would you prefer if i spam new topic on same subject?

[Nipernaadi 0]

I was thinking about that earlier, radios basically, fixed to most of the cars, and you can find a walkie-talkie somewhere, but also... if you forget to turn it off, everyone near can hear your conversation etc.