48 replies to this topic

[Pocket_Aces]

Once a upon a time I remember all this gushing over in-game VOIP, and look how that played out.

"Wow, we are going to be able to coordinate our attacks."
"Cool, we can now talk to each other."
"We can tell people where the enemy are with out having to type."
etc., etc., etc.

Excuse me for being cynical but this is not going to make much of a difference and coordinated units use VOIP anyway. Would much prefer they look at ways of improving game modes and making the game a little more interesting, rather than wasting resources on a "command wheel" that one person will use and everyone will ignore.

Edited by MatesRates, 15 May 2016 - 08:43 PM.

[Davers]

ScarecrowES, on 15 May 2016 - 12:51 PM, said:

"Very" integrated, according to PGI.

The mini-map is changing too... getting bigger and showing a lot more of the overall map, rather than just your local area.

How often have you heard over VOIP or in the chat window, "Found the enemy," or "I need help over here." Followed by a few seconds of silence. Followed by "where the hell is 'here'?"

Or even, "I see some in H6." Followed by, "no, I'm IN H6, and there's noone here. Do you mean H9?"

So when you use the "help" command, it shows up on the mini-map exactly where you are. When you broadcast an enemy position to the team, it shows on the map. Those two things alone are WAY better than VOIP. And how about drop-calling? Specifiying targets for your team? You want BB to be targeted, select it, and it broadcasts to the team. Everyone can now see where BB is. No more having to guess where in a crowded field of mechs BB is.

Also a bonus... I'm sure the command wheel - since it also plays audible commands and will likely add messaged to the chat window in addition to adding blips on the map - will feature mutliple language support. So when you, a player that speaks English, calls out a target in grid F7, the guy on the other end, who's German, will actually be able to understand what you actually said. VOIP doesn't come with a translator module. Command Wheel likely will.

Insects, on 15 May 2016 - 05:49 PM, said:

Map integration is the useful bit.
Being able to place a marker indicating exactly where you are talking about is a big improvement over the usual VOIP "they are uh G9, no I7 uh yeah that direction its hard to judge".
Being able to place a "look here!" marker is better than "hey you one of the stalkers turn around there is an ecm light sniffing your butt"
Being able to highlight current focus target helps a lot vs cycling through everything to find Charlie Atlas.

Quick text chat, not so much VOIP can do that better right now but is under used.

Of course in PUG land the markers will probably be abused reducing their usefulness. But PUG will be PUG.

Hopefully the markers are small and dont cover up bits of the map like command icons.

I guess it depends on how it is integrated. If people have to use the Battlemap, and I am convinced there are a lot of players who don't even know it exists, it may be pretty cumbersome and slow- kind of like it is now, but with more commands. Just like every other upcoming feature, we know nothing about this and will have to wait until it's in game to judge it.

[Beaching Betty]

"Y0Lo rush #puglyfe"

[ScarecrowES]

Davers, on 15 May 2016 - 08:46 PM, said:

I guess it depends on how it is integrated. If people have to use the Battlemap, and I am convinced there are a lot of players who don't even know it exists, it may be pretty cumbersome and slow- kind of like it is now, but with more commands. Just like every other upcoming feature, we know nothing about this and will have to wait until it's in game to judge it.

The mini-map is getting changed too with the update. It's supposed to be a bit bigger and show the whole map. It won't be necessary to open the battlemap to see the whole battlefield anymore, though that should still come in handy for drop commanders since they get more options on the wheel than normal players get.

We actually know quite a lot about this feature thanks to Russ wanting to talk about it for the last 3 townhalls. But here's his write-up on it from the roadmap...

"Team/Lance Command Wheel
While this was originally slated for the May patch, the Command Wheel will now be coming in June to allow some time for additional refinements. The Command Wheel will allow Lance mates and Lance/Team Commanders to issue orders using a hot key/context sensitive callout system. Need help? Press and hold the E key (by default) and click the center of the Command Wheel. Not only will you be highlighted on the minimap/Battle Grid, but a voice callout and a chat callout will also appear.
Commanders can call for battlefield movements, request Airstrikes/Artillery/UAVs etc. and set priority targets. Scouts can indicate spotted enemies."

Press and hold E key to bring up the wheel... the "help me" option will be in the center of the wheel, with a radial menu with other context/sensitive options available. That means the options will change depending on what you're pointed at/targeting.

Anything you click in the Command Wheel will produce a voice and chat callout (so not only what you want, but who wants it) and mark the map as appropriate. Looks like there's a lot of options as to what you can select. Voice will probably be Bitching Betty. This also means whatever you call out will be displayed to the players on your team in their chosen language.

Seems like a pretty robust and versatile system.

Edited by ScarecrowES, 15 May 2016 - 10:14 PM.

[JC Daxion]

DAYLEET, on 15 May 2016 - 09:37 AM, said:

-MOVE!
-MOVE YOU *******!
-ARE YOU MOVING YET?

LOL I needed this the other night. One match, domination, 4 of us pushed the flank beacon on forest colony, all the team needed to do was either move down one side, F6, so they could not push pass the clearing and we would of cross fired um. OR push the back side F7, because they were all focused on us 4, and they could of just walked up behind um and railled um point blank in the back.. Instead they sat in the center of the circle and watched us die.

PUG LIFE 4EVA!

Edited by JC Daxion, 15 May 2016 - 10:22 PM.

[Appogee]

Alistair Winter, on 14 May 2016 - 09:09 AM, said:

I really hope they've had the foresight to monitor communication in both VOIP and team chat and make a note of what commands and reports are most common.

PMSL! Good one!

[Davers]

ScarecrowES, on 15 May 2016 - 10:04 PM, said:

We actually know quite a lot about this feature thanks to Russ wanting to talk about it for the last 3 townhalls. But here's his write-up on it from the roadmap...

Sorry, I can't stay awake through any of the town halls.

[ScarecrowES]

Davers, on 15 May 2016 - 10:35 PM, said:

Sorry, I can't stay awake through any of the town halls.

It's really rough, I cannot lie.

[zudukai]

things i would like to see are X/Y lines on the mini-map, as well as the grid your crosshairs can see, essentially some combination of target information and map location.

if you could see it more clearly we might be less dependent on the command wheel and hopefully would keep the complexity down, bringing to mind how many options/"commands" are really necessary?