[PR] VOIP: TS vs in-game

[Ronin Storm]

Noticed last night that it was really just me and Piacular on VOIP in-game, where a few more were apparently on TS. You guys not like the in-game VOIP?

Personally, I (much) prefer to use the in-game channel as I feel it's more polite to the other non-THN players, who can then join in, and it is clearly identified as to who is chatting, where they are (on the map) and so on.

I'm also staying off TS during PR games because I'm usually needing to pay attention to way too many other things to need yet another comms channel...

To whit:

1. Squad comms
2. Commander comms (often at the same time as Squad comms...!)
3. The map, including tactics in cohesion with other squads (especially when there's no commander)
4. Squad kits (why oh why do we end up with so many snipers?!)
5. Squad formation
6. Artillery spotting (which is real hard when you have to do it by hand not on the map)
7. Actually shooting people now and then...

Any chance of getting more of you to use the in-game VOIP?

 

[DocBot]

I'll do it, if you go on TS as well. I don't know if you're aware, but the TS server is by far the best way to pick up players for a casual game. Just create a non-ingame channel and sit there (point being, you don't have to be as distracted). If I see you on TS I'll definitely come say hi, and then you can persuade me to join you ingame

Also, TS is great to chat in between maps and so on and so forth.

 

[Pubic_Warrior]

there is no point just using TS as most of the time we only have half a squad of THN soldiers and the other half dodgy randomers so we need to communicate to them just as much as between ourselves, or the squad cant function as a squad and ull get the guy who only joins a squad for the heavy weapons not teamwork

 

[Ronin Storm]

and ull get the guy who only joins a squad for the heavy weapons not teamwork

Yeah, I kick them from the squad when I realise they're not actually there to help. I only want people who will actually play with the squad in the squad.

 

[elDiablo]

What about people flying jets? They need to be in a squad to get the kits, but can't really run around with the rest of the squad? Not asking for any particular reason, of course

 

[Ronin Storm]

What about people flying jets? They need to be in a squad to get the kits, but can't really run around with the rest of the squad? Not asking for any particular reason, of course

In one sense, that's a fair point. However, I believe that there's no place for a jet pilot in an infantry or armoured infantry squad. It just weakens the squad by a man.

From my perspective, the jet is an artillery piece of sorts and should never be attached to a squad. It's a commander tool. The pilot kit only needs you to be in a squad, IIRC, not a 4+ man squad, so they can be on commander call directly without taking up valuable squad space.

Besides, the jet should be supporting the entire team, not just one squad. So, in that case, I'd be kicking them as well.

Seem reasonable?

 

[elDiablo]

Very reasonable. I didn't think about the two(+) pilots being in their own squad so the commander can direct them. From BF2 clan games, having a pilot in their own squad was good so both people could hear commander's orders, and the jets could be used independently (using your view that they are an artillery piece, which is a good one!). So I only saw it as the pilots having to be in a squad to get the kit. Being in a jet squad is probably a good thing. As you said, no need to lose a squad member so the jet can fly!

 

[Ronin Storm]

Ideally, I think I'd put all the transport choppers in one squad, all the jets in another squad, then split the remaining squads up between infantry, armoured infantry and armour. I'd love to see a pure armour squad, as tanks fight better in groups.

I'm a pure infantry SL. Give me close gunship cover, sure, but it doesn't need to be attached to my squad to be effective. Keep me off those mounted guns 'cause I'm useless with them!

I've played with some excellent commanders over the past couple of sessions. I'd rather trust their coordination to get me the close air cover I need than guess what other squads are doing and hope to direct the same resources blindly.

Still, while we appear to be wandering off topic I think this really is on topic; it's very much about what communication channels are available to who and how best to coordinate.

 

[Ronin Storm]

Just create a non-ingame channel and sit there (point being, you don't have to be as distracted).

Yeah, you're right DB. I'm probably missing a trick by skipping TS altogether. I should sign in and, when I'm in game, just mute TS completely (unless we're between maps). Double comms is hard. Triple comms is actually just too tricky to make sense of.

 

[VibroAxe]

I listen quite happily to the InGame VOIP and as a preference would use it.. Currently the microphone port on the Mac doesn't seem to be being picked up by BF2 however, so I have no option BUT to use teamspeak running of my laptop to talk to everyone

 

[Macca]

I do try and use VOIP ingame, although I sort of switch between them sometimes. I think it just comes down to habit. When I'm thinking about talking my brain associates talking with the "Alt" key ("My push to talk key" in TS), rather than the B key (the ingame VOIP key). It's just through years of using TS to communicate rather than the rather crappy VOIP in games like CSS etc. I'll just need to try and remember to use VOIP all the time .