Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

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Jacob
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Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Jacob »

While making a mission where I have radiomen communicating with civilian informants via special comm channel. I had thought about disabling the ability to putt map marks for them. So the informants/Radiomen had to use coordinates/map features to inform each other.

During that, I thought about implementing a system like that for all groups. Where side channel exists for briefing and emergencies only.
Command channel would not exist and communication between groups would be done via radiomen that can not share map markers between each other.
Consider this for smaller missions with 3/4 groups of infantry.
For more complicated or assets heavy missions this would be altered or limited to some units or aspects of missions (e.g. Radioman/CIV informant.).

So I'm asking what do you think before I invest a significant amount of time into this.

(Afterthought: "Use of side channel would result in enemy knowing about your location and nasty stuff would be sent your direction
Don't know if that can be done but most like it can be.").
Eagle-Eye
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Eagle-Eye »

No idea if you can do the afterthought, but I have this code to disable map markers / line drawing:
https://pastebin.com/XMW22y79


Jim recently asked about disabling comm channels here, to which 2600k replied via Discord that this code should work:
https://pastebin.com/kcVxb6GF
Jacob
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Jacob »

Thx. I am aware of what Jim was working on. It was one of my inspirations. But more importantly, what I want to know is if implementing something like this is a good idea. Don't want to spend time implementing something that's going to be dismissed as an unnecessary waste of time.
Eagle-Eye
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Eagle-Eye »

For factions that have no or limited (secure) equipment, e.g. civilians or bandits, or you're simulating some kind of datalinked-jammed environment, I don't see why it could not be used.

IMO, when implemented thoughtfully, it adds an extra dimension and layer of realism to the game. On S1, it may take some time, or even a few tries to get adjusted to the different style of gameplay, but from what I gather here, I'd reckon it's easy enough for most of us to wrap our heads around. Sounds pretty similar to the RTO role we already use on S2 sometimes.
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Jim
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Jim »

Maybe you could get around any scripting by keeping Command Net, but making the Radio dude the unit that others are grouped to but name him RO and have the SL slot elsewhere in the squad.

The extra layer of Chinese whispers might(will) lead to slower and less accurate game play (i like this) and maybe missions implementing this system need balancing accordingly.

I think it'll be important to be able to mark the map initially in the briefing so folk have an idea of the plan (although SLs having to mark up maps in group based on COs initial thoughts would be cool and could lead to hilarious blunders.

Like Eagle said it would add immersion for some factions/time periods. maybe combine it with http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=32083 for super immersion?

Look forward to seeing something in the future Jacob - let me know if you need help testing
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Folau
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Folau »

S2 is nice and easy I suppose, just set who gets the Long Range. I have plans to implement something like this whenever I get time to write again, having a "Rifleman (LR Radio Operator)" role instead of the SL getting the toys. Then I can add corresponding "Platoon Signaller" roles rather than CO having big radios, and I'm sure someone would try and throttle me by the end of the mission :D

S1 would be trickier, and the issue I foresee is people actually taking the time to understand what is going on. You can write all the guides/briefing you want but it's not so easy to get people to *read* it (and I'm guilty of this too!). S1 has a style of mission that long-term players are used do - and even the small changes I made to the medical system seem to cause chaos every time it comes up despite me laying out clearly how it works.

With that in mind, a few thoughts:
  • I actually like the concept of having dedicated Radio Operators for the reasons Jim laid out and my own fantasies about signalling.
  • How are the extra channels added? One issue could be if a Radio Op is KIA - does the squad then lose that capability? What if they disconnect? Probably worth thinking about what issues could occur. Could it be tied to an otherwise-unused item or piece of equipment such as a backpack, and whichever unit has that placeholder has access to the extra channel?
  • Players like to find cheaty workarounds, are there any that would break the system totally and can they be preemptively countered?
  • I thought about deleting map markers, but concluded that not everything that makes things more realistic necessarily improves a mission. Is there a reason why you want to remove those?
Honestly, if I could put just one mod (beyond ZClient) on S1 it would be ACRE/TFAR just because they represent such huge improvements over the vanilla radios.
Jacob
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Jacob »

I am working on some missions where implementing it makes sense. And in the early missions, it is going to be limited only to some units.
  • You have the ability to pick radio from the incapacitated/dead unit.
  • "Why remove map markers?" immersion. I just find it a better system than what it is now. And I am taking it slowly not dumping it all at once on you. And with feedback, I can imagine this being used only for small-scale or limited assets missions.
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Folau
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Folau »

Yeah, I get what you mean. It is a way of a random Rifleman having a sneaky direct line to the whole platoon by marking up where things are. Does "Direct" work so each person can have a local copy of the map to draw on? I can understand knocking them out of Side and Command channels (once briefing is done?), and probably group too, providing I can still draw on Direct for my own use.

I would be interested in implementing something similar if it works and gets good feedback, however based on all the other changes I was making (instant-kills, no group markers, no fireteam markers, no artillery computer) I didn't want to make such a huge step in one go.
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Jim
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Re: Radioman / Altered Comms procedure.

Post by Jim »

I might be talking out my arse when I say this but i think "Direct VON" channel exists as "Global Map". Worth double checking though
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