Suggestions on Radio Functionality (and Heli Sites!)

[snwh 24]

Warning: This post is a bit of a wall of text, and not particularly well organized. There is a TL;DR included at the bottom

 

The Walkie Talkie in DayZ is a really interesting and unique item. However, to me, it seems overshadowed by the prevelence of programs such as Skype, Teamspeak and Steamchat. I have nothing against these programs (How else would you be expected to meet up with your friends?), and even if I did, they're not going away.

 

So with that in mind, I've been trying to think up some ways to make the Walkie Talkie a bit more unique and useful. Give people a reason to use one over, or in conjunction with VoIP programs. The main advantage the radio has right now, is in talking to people you are not in teamspeak with. It's main disadvantage is they are only useful if other people carry them.

 

Getting people to carry radios:

 

My first suggestion has to do with the latter problem. It solves it using heli crash sites. If these sites randomly spawn around the map, and change up location periodically. It stands to reason that someone is flying over with a helicopter(and crashing). If you could tune your radio to 121.5 (international air distress) or 243.0 (military air distress), you could pick up their mayday, before they crash.This information could give you a rough idea of where the crash site will be. Thus making a radio essential for anyone wanting to hunt Heli's.

 

 

Of course, this idea kind of sticks its nose where it doesn't belong. Making Heli's easier to find can have far reaching consequences, that would have to be thought about in detail. Off the top of my head, Rare loot becoming easier to acquire, Less point in tracking down heli's the traditional way(if you like that sort of thing) and more players congregating in areas around crash sites.

 

This is all affected by how easy it is to track a heli based on its mayday, does it give you a city name? a town name? GPS co-ords? just a quadrant of the map or a landmark? The concentration of people can also be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it, though I'm inclined to think it would make things more interesting.

 

Radio usability:

 

However the side effect I'm going for would be everyone carrying radios, so by default people are more likely to use them. However, for that to actually happen, radios have to be more user friendly. As they are now, you have to be pretty lucky to catch someone speaking on them. So I think the first and most simple step is to add a monitor, search or seek function, found on most radios today. Quickly rotate through channels, looking for sound that's not static. Making it significantly easier to find someone to talk with.

 

Hand in hand with seek functionality, is making radios more user friendly in general. It would be nice if radios had their own interface, allowing you to play with things like making preset frequencies you can toggle, frequencies to skip while seeking, volume, heck maybe even squelch. It would be something you control with your mouse. perhaps a menu you bring up that looks like a radio? You could have hotkeys for some functions if you like, but it wouldn't be that necessary. Cars would also have built in radios.

 

Another issue with the current radios are their short range. They're called walkie talkies and not radios for a reason I suppose. I would personally change this. I think the most likely (and most interesting) radio to be used in a dayZ situation is a VHF(very high frequency) radio. This is the radio type used by boats and planes for communication. I believe it is also used by FM radio and ham radio operators. This type of radio (according to wikipedia) generally transmits a bit farther than line of sight. Meaning that if a player got up on top of a hill, he would be able to receive and transmit radio waves in a much larger radius around himself. I think this mechanic is rather interesting, it could also cause things like radio dead zones in valleys and such.

 

Radio attachments and advanced ideas:

 

Another thing worthwhile to consider would be attachments. Different types of antennas, such as Rubber Ducky antennas (look it up), whip antennas and telescopic, could have different ranges as well as different profiles (an extended telescopic antenna would be very tall, and probably easy to spot). Different battery types might provide different transmission powers and battery lives, headsets could make it so that nearby people can't hear the radio, (a throat mic could perhaps let you talk into the radio without being heard on local). If you wanted to put even more effort in, there could even be different models of radio, with different customization levels.

 

Finally, another (unlikely to be implemented) thought, for much later in development, is having more powerful radios, requiring setup and such. Being able to put up a Yagi or monopole antenna to transmit to (or receive from) a large area. Perhaps you could even use a generator to power up one of the larger radio antennas around Chernarus and broadcast using that. Some possible uses for something like this would be Clan radio stations, warning people off their turf, players putting out bandit advisory or similar warnings, advertising trade or larger events, sending an SOS (or setting a trap) or even just putting on a radio talk show for the luls. I think if someone was sending out bandit advisories, that would be a very useful frequency to keep your eye on, no matter what your playstyle. Imagine walking into a city and seeing a note pinned on a sign "Electro Bandit Watch: 108.7"

 

 

 

I think radios could be an outstanding feature of this game. I haven't quite collected all my thoughts on the matter yet, and I would also like to get more input from you, the forum goers. So I'll be updating this post int he near future. Its pretty obvious that I don't understand the workings of irl radios too well. So if anyone with experience with that would like to make some points or observations, that would be very welcome.

 

I would also very much like to hear feedback from veteran players about Maydays from crashing Heli's. Do you think it would make things too easy? More interesting? Less interesting? As well as that, it would be nice to hear more ideas about how to get radios in the hands of other players in general. And of course your opinions on the other ideas I had.

 

TL;DR

Suggestions and ideas:

• Radios are able to pick up Heli distress signals before they crash, containing clues to where they may be.
• Radios get a 'seek' function, and their own interface, allowing you to change some settings with the mouse.
• Radio's ranges are based off of VHF radios, being able to pick up transmissions in line of sight and somewhat farther.
• Radios can have attachments, such as telescopic antenna and throat Microphones (allowing you to speak without nearby people hearing you)
• different models of radios, not all models can take all attachments
• Larger, more powerful radios that have to be set up, allowing you to broadcast or receive from a larger area.
• Ability to use large abandoned radio towers, using a generator and some ingenuity. (this is iffy)

 

Thanks for reading this. Please give me some good input!

as a disclaimer, I am not a terribly experienced player, and I know very little about IRL radios.

Edited October 27, 2014 by snwh

[Rags! 1966]

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

TL;DR

Suggestions and ideas:

• Radios are able to pick up Heli distress signals before they crash, containing clues to where they may be.
• Radios get a 'seek' function, and their own interface, allowing you to change some settings with the mouse.
• Radio's ranges are based off of VHF radios, being able to pick up transmissions in line of sight and somewhat farther.
• Radios can have attachments, such as telescopic antenna and throat Microphones (allowing you to speak without nearby people hearing you)
• different models of radios, not all models can take all attachments
• Larger, more powerful radios that have to be set up, allowing you to broadcast or receive from a larger area.
• Ability to use large abandoned radio towers, using a generator and some ingenuity. (this is iffy)

 

Thanks for reading this. Please give me some good input!

as a disclaimer, I am not a terribly experienced player, and I know very little about IRL radios.

 

Not sure about a mayday call on radios (as I'm fairly certain the crashes are in at restart, I may be wrong).  Perhaps a beacon that gets louder the closer you get to a crashsite.  From my limited time with a flight sim, you would pick up frequencies with Identifiers in Morse code repeating, I think it's a means to guide planes to runways.  Buzzer stations or repeating dead broadcasts would be a good addition as well (for us lore nuts).  "Balota наводнен, перенаправить на Krasnostav аэропорт."

I love the idea of attachments for radios, and it has been mentioned in the past that things like headsets would be added later on.

Player radio stations were talked about pre-alpha.  Mostly in the form of web radio that would be broadcast to certain frequencies in game.

Larger radios would be pretty cool as well.  Something to have in your clan base/camp.

[snwh 24]

Not sure about a mayday call on radios (as I'm fairly certain the crashes are in at restart, I may be wrong).  Perhaps a beacon that gets louder the closer you get to a crashsite.  From my limited time with a flight sim, you would pick up frequencies with Identifiers in Morse code repeating, I think it's a means to guide planes to runways.  Buzzer stations or repeating dead broadcasts would be a good addition as well (for us lore nuts).  "Balota наводнен, перенаправить на Krasnostav аэропорт."

I love the idea of attachments for radios, and it has been mentioned in the past that things like headsets would be added later on.

Player radio stations were talked about pre-alpha.  Mostly in the form of web radio that would be broadcast to certain frequencies in game.

Larger radios would be pretty cool as well.  Something to have in your clan base/camp.

 

A beacon is an interesting idea. I wonder if real helicopters have something like that? I'm not too knowledgeable on it.

 

I actually really love the idea of some radio signals still being transmitted from dead military bases and the like, it'd be pretty darn atmospheric. at least the first couple times you listened to it, then it might get old. Then again, you might have to speak russian to actually get the broadcasts lol.

[massacrorBKK 64]

I really like your post because it is not just another post about having radio for make it easier to find heli. There are more ideas in there.

 

I especially like the idea of different models of radio and attachments making the radio something as important as the guns. And in fact it all make sense, because in a DayZ scenario where every means of communication that need power and/or maintenance disappeared what is the last thing that don't need satellites, servers and fiber-optic connections... It's the old reliable and simple VHS radio.

 

Like vehicles, to find a whole radio in good condition could be hard, but you should be able to loot parts here and there and in the end craft one from scrap yourself (other idea).

 

Finally, humans need to talk, even more in an apocalypse scenario where loneliness and danger could completely alienate and overcome the survivors in desperation. According to mod veterans, the global chat was very important for socialization over the map. Socialization is one thing missing right now in the SA. Everybody that is not your friend is a complete stranger because there is no mean of chatting from far away. So on, every social encounter is a threat and may finish in a blood bath.

 

Now, there is no more global chat but we could have radio to replace it.

Edited October 27, 2014 by massacrorBKK

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

A beacon is an interesting idea. I wonder if real helicopters have something like that? I'm not too knowledgeable on it.

 

I actually really love the idea of some radio signals still being transmitted from dead military bases and the like, it'd be pretty darn atmospheric. at least the first couple times you listened to it, then it might get old. Then again, you might have to speak russian to actually get the broadcasts lol.

I had to do a bit of research myself on the topic of distress beacons.  There's types that activate automatically, usually from impact or water immersion in the case of aircraft.  It's a bit too early in the morning for me to discern if they just let the SAR agency know that you've gone down, and possibly just give the GPS location, or if they also act like an actual radio beacon to pinpoint a location.

 

EDIT

I would say to prevent chopper hunters from getting 'op' just because they have a radio, they should follow the rules of range that are set up.  IE your not gonna be sitting in Kamenka using the base model radio, turn it to the emergency frequency and be able to track one all the way to Devil's Castle.

Edited October 27, 2014 by BigMike

[Wolfe(^..^) 9]

Being able to build a large radio to broadcast all over the map is an awesome idea.  There are so many cool things you could do with that.  It would make things like trying to organize player-created trade areas easier, you could have clans that pretend to be friendly and broadcast over a channel as a rescue area, then capture and torture anyone who falls for the bait, or you could just play music over it until someone comes along and blows your head off for having such bad taste in music.  So many endless possibilities.

[snwh 24]

 

EDIT

I would say to prevent chopper hunters from getting 'op' just because they have a radio, they should follow the rules of range that are set up.  IE your not gonna be sitting in Kamenka using the base model radio, turn it to the emergency frequency and be able to track one all the way to Devil's Castle.

 

 

Hmm, that's kind of an interesting point to think about. I think irl, a Heli signal would probably reach most of Chernarus, mostly because its so high up, But this all depends on how good the receiving radio is, how much altitude the heli has lost, etc.

 

My problem is, I've never really gone helicopter hunting, so I don't know what its like currently. I personally think that if the rough location was broadcasted, that would cause the areas population to spike, which could cause a lot of interesting player interaction. Though, most people would probably be hostile to everyone else, since they know everyone is after the heli. In my head, they would still have to do a fair amount of searching for the heli, they would only know the general area, like an area a fourth or eighth of the map in size. That way nearby cities would get a lot of people in them too rather suddenly.

 

But maybe thats not the right way to go about things. I'm sure theres a good argument for keeping people a bit more spread out, and having heli sites as a calm, but hard to find place to loot nice gear.

[rybec 339]

Make the system as simple as ACRE radios in A2 and you're all set. The scan feature would be amazing.

 

I've always wanted to have another experience with someone in the game I'd never meet. Apart from the knuckleheads who'd scream into their microphones, it'd be nice to have conversations with people you aren't even in visual contact with.

A fun little thing that happened in the mod was I shared a tent with a guy I never met up with. We'd take something from the tent and leave something else in it. Food, drinks, weapons, ammunition... Eventually the tent was gone but we did this for a while. Was neat. I imagine the radios could work the same way. Chatting giving information (or likely misinformation) to eachother, casual chat... I'd enjoy it.

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

Well Helis spawn in already crashed, and there is absolutely no intention to make Heli Crashes dynamic (as in you'll hear a distress call and see the actual crash).  I'm not sure if 'story' wise the crashes were recent or if they were way back from the outbreak.  I think most distress beacons on aircraft only transmit for roughly 24 hours before the battery dies (for the ones that automaticly activate anyway).  So if the crashes are not recent the beacon would be dead.  You do raise a good point however, Even a cheap radio would be able to pick up a powerful transmissions, just not transmit very far.

 

Maybe the crash sites could have a 'dying' radio message repeat.  IE what you said where the mayday call keeps broadcasting over and over until the 'battery' dies.  This could be plausible and explain the short range to pick up a crash beacon.  Say the message can only be heard about 5km away when the crash first spawns, and as time goes on the radius decreases.  That and there'd be different versions of the broadcast, depending on the crash type.  IE a MI-8 Crash would broadcast in Russian, Blackhawk crash in English, and if they ever add other crashes they'ed be in their respective languages.

[snwh 24]

I guess we'll have to wait till the new engine to see if they do an animation for Heli's crashing. I know I saw a thread with it as a suggestion around here somewhere. I think it would be pretty cool if they spawned in the sky, and then went crashing down into the ground.

 

But ultimately, the main reason I suggested the Mayday for Heli's is so that more players pick up radios lol. Since you can't have a radio convo if no one else has a radio.

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

I guess we'll have to wait till the new engine to see if they do an animation for Heli's crashing. I know I saw a thread with it as a suggestion around here somewhere. I think it would be pretty cool if they spawned in the sky, and then went crashing down into the ground.

 

But ultimately, the main reason I suggested the Mayday for Heli's is so that more players pick up radios lol. Since you can't have a radio convo if no one else has a radio.

It's pretty much been confirmed that there wont be any dynamic heli crashes, it's not an engine issue (I think someone managed to script one or two in the mod), it's a design choice, just like NPCs (They could be in, and for the most part they look strange as hell because most of the time they just zig zag around the map looking for something to attack).  Keep in mind were in mid alpha, things will keep coming.  More and more reasons will come about for differnt things.  Hell, before no one would pick up a knife because it's just a waste of space when they have a fireax.  Then they added as a can opener option, then hunting/skinning/fishing made it required if you wanted to do those.  Same thing with the other 'useless' items we have such as screwdrivers and pliers.  For now no one's gonna bother picking em up, as things get better and more reasons come about they will.  Like when radio stations are added in, or even as a distraction device.  Turn a radio on, volume up to max, drop it in a clearing and take up a sniper position and either listen when people are nearby or chat to attract them to their doom.

 

It gets better, and suggestions like this may help it do so.  Keep it up.