Voice & Text Communication

[mansen 1]

I disagree.

Thank you for contributing to the discussion' date=' that was some fascinating insight you put forth there.

[/quote']

Thanks - I really tried hard to include those last few counterpoints.

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

This is an ONLINE game, so by definition it should have a social aspect.

First, no. That's not inherent in the definition of an online game. It's just a really common feature.

I claim that befriending a random player with the 1.7.1 beta is impossible. What do you think?

I think it's ashame to see people so quickly dismiss a designer who is willing to take incredible risks and try things that most publishers or designers would scoff at. 99.9% of designers out there would laugh and say "No way! Of course the game needs global chat!" and that would be the end of it but rocket is willing to go out on a limb and say "You know what. Fuck it. Lets try and see what happens" and instead of rising to the occasion what have we done? Page after page of forum moaning and bitching and crying.

Imagine if all the energy we spent talking about what a terrible, awful, horrible, crippling and ultimately game-destroying idea this was instead spent on developing a) suggestions for additional mechanics to facilitate communication and b) working with the community to establish a means to communicate within the existing mechanics of the game.

Just off the top of my head, I can rattle off some compelling ideas for using the current game mechanics to create a system of communication that doesn't require artificial, global communication channels. Some examples:

• At a distance, light a fire to indicate that you are friendly and inviting players to join you.
  
• Throw colored smoke grenades to indicate intent - white friendly, red hostile, green caution - nonagressive but stay away. This would be effective AND create additional demand for these loot items making them valuable not only to distract zombies, but also exchange messages with players.
  
• Morse code via flash lights blinking on and off.
  
• Request for rocket to add colored flags that can be waved/seen from a distance.
  
• Request for rocket to add 'shouting' which is a short burst 200m voice communication that requires some exertion and may attract nearby zombies.
  
• Request for rocket to add colored armbands or hats that can be voluntarily donned to indicate intent at a distance.
  
• Request for rocket to add radios for multi-way communication.
  
• Request for rocket to add pen/pencil and note paper so you can leave notes - for example if you find a player's tent or vehicle instead of stealing it leave a note offering friendship/partnership.
  

There, 90 seconds worth of ideas that came out of me considering the implications of a game without global chat in which I have the desire to communicate my intent to players from a distance without exposing myself to close-quarters combat or fire. All as reliable and trustworthy as "side chat" and all more thoroughly immersed in the world and the lore of the game instead of annoying, obtrusive scrolling text in the lower-right-hand corner coming from people 200km away from me and constantly pulling me out of the atmosphere of the world around me.

Think, people. Adapt. Improvise. Closed minds breed closed systems. Not conducive to sandbox games and emergent mechanics.

[Kolchak (DayZ) 5]

Played for 6 hours last night: On servers without Side chat, I haven't been able to warn people about the melee weapons crashing the servers. Those servers have always gone down within 20-10 minutes due to someone messing with them. On servers with side chat I was repeatedly warning people about the melee weapons and the servers would stay on for around an hour. So if you ever want to know why we need side chat, there ya go.

[GameJeff100 1]

We should keep a global chat at least through alpha so we can report issues like the melee crashing servers ect...

Overall I can do without a global chat of anykind

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

Eh. I guess. It's not as critical as you seem to make out. So the server stayed online maybe a few more minutes? It's not like you were offering a fix. Just report the bugs you find on the forums as normal, and play on servers whose admins are aware and remain vigilant after an update to read up on known issues that emerge and deal with them in a timely fashion.

There are other means to report bugs and server issues - there is only one way to test the radical idea of an online game with severely limited player communication.

[NedEleven 1]

Thread deserves a bump; not quite sure why it isn't a sticky yet.

[DestinyAscension 4]

I think side chat should be enabled. Just for the sake of chatting with ppl on the server. Communicating in direct chat is not cool if you want to ask for help about the game etc. And forging alliances is hardly possible with the direct chat. Approaching somebody to be able to direct chat is always dangerous if you cant tell them you come in peace. Imo side chat itself doesnt change the gaming experience at all though. It makes playing just a lil bit more entertaining.

[..Critical..: 4]

Removal of side channel is fantastic for these reasons:

1. When I'm lone wolfing it I really do feel alone now and adds to the immersion.

2. Not getting distracted by fuck tards chatting random shit.

3. No more....

Child 1:"HEY LOOK IN HERE"

Child 2:"what u found bro?"

Child 1:"A PEPSI"

Child 2:"WOW this mod owns bro!"

Child 1:"HEY LETS GO TO PATOR"

Child 2:"ok, bro"

Child 1:"whats your mum cooking you for dinner?"

*** 20 mins of complete shite later ***

Child 1:"look theres pator, lets go down the road"

Child 2:"Yeh ok bro"

Child 1 was Killed

Child 2 was killed

Critical: Oh no. Thanks for playing ^^

Child 1:"How did you know we were there haxor!!"

4. It's created tears, I like tears

5. Made the learning curve steeper keeping kiddies out, mod should be rated 16-18+ anyway.

[YoChris 1]

for the developers out there.

The side channel and global messaging still works through a glitch, maybe can be looked into. as people who know about this glitch pretend to be an admin, warning people and asking to disconnect etc.

(developers) PM me if you need the info on how this glitch works. as i rather not post it here so other people can use it

[shinjuma@gmail.com 5]

I am glad the global channels have been removed.

One problem... some servers running the latest patches/beta patches don't have direct text comm working. I tried it with a friend over skype standing right next to me and he couldn't hear me. Are admins able to stop direct comm?

Also, like someone said earlier.... An awesome form of Global would be radios. They go in accessory slot and enable you to use global (renamed radio?)

[caterpillar38 1]

I've tried communicating via direct chat and microphone, I've stummbled on like 5 players and they didn't answer me at all... are there servers with limited MIC/Chat ?

(I was 1 meter from them).

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

I've tried communicating via direct chat and microphone' date=' I've stummbled on like 5 players and they didn't answer me at all... are there servers with limited MIC/Chat ?[/quote']

There could be many reasons they didn't respond:

1) They don't know the key for voice/text chat

2) They tried to respond in group or vehicle channel so you didn't see it

3) They were people who can't speak English and didn't understand you

4) Server has disabled VON. As far as I know this is not allowed.

[sexacutioner 1]

Yea I think some people might be just hesitant to talk over voice. I remember playing games when actual text chat was first new. People were afraid to use that too. Now it's no big deal.

This game is revolutionary in it's "talk in person" only mechanic. I think it's a great time to be in on something like this.

People will get used to it, but change is tough, especially for the older ones playing. Give it time.

[Ironil 0]

Greetings,

I've just closed the game now, and for me and a friend the Direct Comm wasn't working at all, nor voice, nor text chat. Same thing yesterday in another server. We changed to Steam chat, and were able to communicate perfectly, so the problem wasn't there.

We are both running version 1.60.93965 and version 1.7.1.4 of the mod, but the server was running beta 93825, could it be that?

[samladouceur@hotmail.com 0]

I have to agree with Ironil. Just tested it out with a friend too in a beta server, direct channel doesnt work via text or mic. switched to steam too.

[BL1P 252]

Works for me and my m8s every time.

distance is very important.

Check your audio settings aswell as you ingame controls .

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

Since 93040 direct communication has worked perfectly for me every time I've met other people. You might have joined a server which has disabled VOIP (there is a server config setting to do that). As far as I know, this is not allowed, but some server admins do that anyways.

Try joining another server and then test direct comm. If you and your buddy are using latest beta patch, it should work 100%. Make sure your selected channel is Direct Communication and that you are holding down the push-to-talk key while you speak. Distance max is 80m for voice, 40m for text.

[livilaNic 13]

What needs to be done so that everyone joins direct comm channel by default when joining a server?

I think that's the main issue as to why others don't respond. At the moment we join group comm channel by default. I understand that all they have to do is use "," or ".", but as we all know, not everyone will know how to do this.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

What needs to be done so that everyone joins direct comm channel by default when joining a server?

I think that's the main issue as to why others don't respond. At the moment we join group comm channel by default. I understand that all they have to do is use "' date='" or ".", but as we all know, not everyone will know how to do this.

[/quote']

Very good point. Direct Communication should be the default channel. I bet large percentage of the people who are not getting a response when they talk to someone in direct comm, is because the other person is replying in group channel.

With voice it's not a problem, because whenever you speak voice in any channel your character is also broadcasting direct comm to those nearby, but text won't be seen if someone types in group channel.

[livilaNic 13]

Oh I thought you needed to be in a channel to be able to hear and talk in it. Or bind the key for push to talk for that channel. So if I was group channel I couldn't hear someone in a vehicle channel. That kind of sucks. Say your in a car and the windows are rolled up (even though you can't roll them down, but you know what I mean). People on the side of a road or where ever you are can hear your voice 40m (since direct comm is on no matter what) away. For text though it's kinda of nice I suppose.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

Oh I thought you needed to be in a channel to be able to hear and talk in it. So if I was group channel I couldn't hear someone in a vehicle channel. That kind of sucks.

No' date=' the channel you have selected affects only to the voice/text that you send out. Your received voice/text depends only on the channel that the other person is using. So it doesn't matter what channel you have selected, if someone talks in a vehicle channel and you are in the same vehicle, you can hear his voice / see his text.

Say your in a car and the windows are rolled up (even though you can't roll them down, but you know what I mean). People on the side of a road or where ever you are can hear your voice 40m (since direct comm is on no matter what) away. For text though it's kinda of nice I suppose.

If you use voice chat (no matter what channel), it broadcasts your voice from direct comm too (e.g. whoever is near you will hear your character speaking, and see your lips moving). If you do this in the car (talking in direct or vehicle channel), the walls of the car will muffle your sound somewhat, but someone standing next to the car would still hear you speaking. Text in vehicle channel is different matter, that will not "leak" outside of the vehicle, only those who are in the vehicle with you will see your text in vehicle channel.

Voice chat direct communication range is 80m btw, not 40m. Text in that particular channel currently carries to 40m though.

[thealgerian 2]

Should be stickied, I was trying to figure this stuff out for a while now.

[livilaNic 13]

Good to know. Thanks, Wüstenfuchs.

I agree. It should be stickied.

[tomfin 25]

I have to agree with Ironil. Just tested it out with a friend too in a beta server' date=' direct channel doesnt work via text or mic. switched to steam too.

[/quote']

DO check that the server is requiring the beta patch in order to connect, and don't just accept what's shown in the server Hostname. I've noticed several servers that have 1.7.1.x / 93xxx in the hostname, but after connecting I can see some players using side chat and direct comms isn't always working.

It's my understanding that servers which don't require the beta will allow clients (i.e. you players) who haven't got the OA beta to connect and play alongside people who have. Since DayZ 1.7.1.x has arrived, it's also my understanding that this is a very bad thing and may lead to other wierdness, as the beta is now meant to be required.

As far as I know, you can check the server really is requiring the latest patch by checking just below the right side of the server browser list:

Required: 1.60

The server allows any ARMA2OA 1.60 client to connect - they don't need any beta patch installed at all. Players without the latest beta will not hear or see your Direct Comms voice or text chat. Some of these players will be using side chat, which is a pretty strong indication that they definitely won't hear or see you on Direct Comms if you have updated. Six Updater now automatically updates your ARMA2OA to the latest beta, so please try to join servers that match that requirement.

Required: 1.60.93xxx

The server requires the beta patch to be installed in order to connect. There will be no side chat whatsoever, but all players should be able to see and hear your Direct Comms text chat and voice. If you don't have the correct beta, you'll be kicked or unable to connect.

Please let me know if I'm wrong about this, especially if you're more familiar with server configuration than I am. This is just my best guess at why anyone is experiencing this kind of problem.

[mail@borisk.biz 28]

i am a admin from a dayz server, can i chat with other people?