Voice & Text Communication

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

In ArmA 2, you can use built-in voice and text chat to communicate with others. Default voice push-to-talk key is Caps Lock, and text chat is / (next to right Shift).

Channels

ArmA 2 has several different communication channels. You can change channel by . key, or by opening the text chat and pressing up/down arrows. Your text and voice chat will be broadcasted to the currently active channel, and whether others can receive it depends on which channel you have selected.

Global channel - Everyone on server will hear you (Removed in DayZ version 1.7.1)

Side channel - Everyone in your side will hear you (Removed in DayZ version 1.7.1)

Command channel - Only group commanders can hear you (Removed in DayZ version 1.7.1)

Group channel - In lobby everyone can hear you, in-game people in your group can hear you (= no one in DayZ)

Vehicle channel - Only people who are in same vehicle with you will hear you

Direct communication - Those who are near you hear voice coming from your character. Character's mouth moves when you talk. Voice fades over distance and cuts off at 80 meters. Text range is 40 meters, and longer range is requested.

Note: Using voice chat in any channel will also broadcast it from your character (as if you were using direct communication).

Removal of global channels

Rocket's plan has always been to remove the global channels, leaving only the direct communication channel so you can talk to nearby players. Since DayZ version 1.7.1, the global channels are disabled for everyone. It is confirmed by rocket, that additional communication methods will be introduced in 1.8 forward. This most likely means radios or cell phones.

Voice quality

The quality of in-game voice chat depends on server, as server owner can change the vonCodecQuality setting in the config. The default quality is quite low 3, and maximum is 30.

Edited August 24, 2012 by Wüstenfuchs

[boneboys 7988]

So, if I need to ask an admin (if present) a question, I connect to the Command channel.

This is my only "problem" at the moment.

I agree with the direct only communication in-game and always use the latest beta build.

I have noticed that "death messages" have also disappeared, is this a serverside setting,( I believe so) or something implemented in the last build.

Thanks.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

Kill messages are part of server difficulty settings. These settings are fully adjustable, so "regular, veteran, expert" is quite irrelevant. Server administrator can change the settings any way they want, except on harder difficulties some settings are forced off. For example, regular can be exactly same as expert if server admin has modified the server profile and disabled everything.

[eightiesmullet 0]

Thanks Wusten - this explains why it doesn't always tell of Bandit kills - or "Friendly Fire". This being on would possibly curb the massive Shoot on Site issues.

[migeater 15]

The only problem so far that I've come across with this, is that if it offers no chance of communication with the possible Bandit 100m away. Lately I've noticed that with the removal of Side Chat everyone I've come across, be it in Elektro or Gorka, has been hostile. I'm not disputing the fact they could be legitimate bandits but myself and several others in the community i'm part of agree that it's more-than-likely due to its removal.

An example would be what I encountered today. Travelling North of Msta doing a deer hut circle when we see and hear a guy trapped in a building fending off the Zombies with a Makarov. (It's obvious he had taken notice of this as he looked over at us several times.). So when we approached him after they had been taken care of he proceeds to open up on us with a Makarov. I mean. Really? This kind of 'paranoia' if you will, wouldn't be present if we was able to communicate before even getting within Direct Com range.

This isn't a BAW about the PvP or anything, it's a post to outline why I think (and presumably many more) Side Channel is important for maintaining some sort of 'peace'. (probably not the right word.)

[qksilvr73 4]

I really wish we could talk/chat to everyone. It makes it pretty boring when there is only 10-12 people in a server and can't talk to anyone.

[Farris 0]

Suggestion: Having a radio = access to one form of "global chat", or rather anyone on the same frequency in a certain radius (a few KM?) can hear you.

Would be easy to set-up a "standard" Frequency used for chatting. (Community-wise)

More on topic, it still feels like direct-chat is broken (even if it isn't) cause "friendly!" does nothing :D

This however is a problem with the community *cough*

[pan_chanlegacy@hotmail.com 0]

yeah i thought that was a good idea too, being able to chat further "if" you have a radio.

dunno if u can set frequency on arma though.

[nitrius 0]

The group channel, how does it work? Is it possible to add people to your group somehow so you can talk to them?

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

The group channel' date=' how does it work? Is it possible to add people to your group somehow so you can talk to them?[/quote']

Groups are defined in the mission file. In case of DayZ mission, every survivor is in a different group and there is no way for players to change the group layout during the mission. In DayZ you can only talk to others in group channel when you and the others are in the lobby right after joining the server.

In ArmA 2 technically it is possible to create groups on-the-fly and make players join them, but this functionality is not implemented in DayZ.

[maleitch 14]

Ok...so the disabling of side channel only affects those of us running the beta patch?

So how exactly do I communicate in game with someone that is not running the beta and is attempting to talk to me via side channel? Fortunately the two guys I ran into were cool about it and left me alone, but there was no way for me to let them know I was friendly.

They could see nothing that I sent when I used Chat via Direct Channel.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

If you are using beta patch and server is using latest DayZ mission file, you can't communicate to others with side channel. The direct comm might or might not work with them, as it is very unreliable in ArmA 1.60.

I recommend to either use servers that require all joiners to have beta patch (thus you have fully working direct communication, and no one will be using side), or alternatively start the game without beta patch and join the non-beta servers.

[manta-avoid 36]

Beta and latest version is the way to go. Otherwise, you're sort of strangling yourself with your foot.

Besides, if you don't have a mic you're going to be relegated to typing. And we all know - typing SUCKS.

Direct Communication all the way. Set a key to transmit on it, if you're smart.

And if you're trying to communicate with some twat over 20m away, move closer or light a fire and invite him to it! Worked for the Indians ;)

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

And if you're trying to communicate with some twat over 20m away' date=' move closer or light a fire and invite him to it! Worked for the Indians ;)[/quote']

If you are using voice, it carries up to 80 meters, and if you are using latest beta patch, the text carries to 40 meters.

[LastManOnEarth 14]

Well, I'm really glad there's text chat, too, because I tend to play late at night and simply can't sit there talking to people in-game on mic without waking everyone up in my house. So it just can't be done usually.

Besides, not a big fan of sitting there in a video game and chit-chatting (with voice) with complete strangers--a large percentage of which turn out to be complete tools in my experience with online gaming over many years. Yeah, I'm just not that sociable with utter strangers on the internet. Or even in real life. :)

[sausagefingers 121]

I had a seemingly "friendly" last night in Cherno, call over the side channel " Sausage Identify yourself" to which I simply couldn't because even though he was using side chat, I couldn't.

So I did what ever other normal person would do, I ran around in circles acting crazy.

He shot me dead.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

sausagefingers: To avoid that happening again, join only servers that enforce beta patch for all joiners. Alternatively, start the game without beta patch and join the non-beta servers and you can still use side channel (until next full patch of ArmA 2 is released).

[Ragga (DayZ) 0]

i'm actually very happy that this has been implemented:

this past weekend, a friend and i were running around, but the only way we could communicate without drawing attention to us was through STEAM chat - which is cool, but ingame, sorta sux.

we tried direct communication, but to no avail... it just didnt work.

well i havent tried it yet, so im looking forward to trying it out!

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

we tried direct communication' date=' but to no avail... it just didnt work.[/quote']

Direct Communication should work fine, if you both were using the beta patch (build 93040 or newer), and you were connected to a server running the beta patch.

[slarticus 0]

How about only those who have not murdered another player, or maybe less than 2 murders have access to a global chat. That way if you see someone chatting in side channel you know they are innocent mostly and seeing as humanity survives death you couldn't cheat this by respawning. This idea came to me when we saw people chatting in side when we couldn't due to the beta patch. It would allow those who want to join up to survive to communicate and those TK'ers not to be able to lure people into traps :P

I not a carebear player btw I would never likely have access to this channel just thought it would be interesting.

[bjarnidk 9]

80 meters is way too low for direct.. 20-40 is just ridiculous. It should be more like VIEW distance.

Sometimes I see someone approaching me from far away and I want to call them out but I'll have to wait until they are in my face..

First they remove bandit skin..Then they remove the ability to call out friendly... I REALLY don't like these last few changes, man.. I really don't. Think I'll just switch back to BF3 soon if this is the direction they want to go with Day Z.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

80 meters is way too low for direct.. 20-40 is just ridiculous. It should be more like VIEW distance.

It's just realistic... I mean how far can you really shout with voice in real life. I don't know anyone whose voice carries to kilometer away.

Sometimes I see someone approaching me from far away and I want to call them out but I'll have to wait until they are in my face..

You can always wave your hand (salute) from distance, and see if he is friendly. If he hasn't spotted you, you can take cautious approach stay hidden until you get closer, and then use voice to call out "friendly?".

[revenoff 1]

theres a time when gameplay enjoyability outweighs realism

bye bye doctor wasteland, no more chat channels to call for a medic.

[gray1107 (DayZ) 0]

we tried direct communication' date=' but to no avail... it just didnt work.[/quote']

Direct Communication should work fine, if you both were using the beta patch (build 93040 or newer), and you were connected to a server running the beta patch.

Or just murder absolutely everyone else you see like everyone else since Bandit skins were removed. Seriously, every time I try to signal I'm friendly, I die instantly, so shoot in sight. It sucks but you live longer than half an hour.

[Ragga (DayZ) 0]

I would rather have direct communication working than global anyday... I've found that out of 10 times that I state my position (or the position of a person I encounter) and tell them I am friendly... 9 times out of 10 I am encountered in a hostil way!

There is little incentive for a complete stranger to work with you... they have no clue what you have... and if they do, and visually see a better weapon - in most cases they will kill you for it.

As for direct communication... I can acutally use that with people I know. And... for those who are close I can yell out friendly and if there is no response (now that the chat is no longer clogged up with useless chat) I can assume that the given person is not friendly. You see, when I would see 'Friendly' in chat... I would have no clue if they are talking to me or if they are talking to someone 100 miles away... now we will at least know if we see chat, it is within our range.

But... what I feel will be most important is if the radio could communicate globably... that would be awesome. Or if we could find 'cell phones' or 'walkie talkies' - each with different channels. I know the latter would be much more difficult to implement. However, the radio hopefully could be used easily for global communication.