VOIP delayed - will be in post-release patch

[WhiskeySix]

Unfortunately, it has been announced that built-in VOIP will not be ready in time to make the February 25th release date (for PC version - xbox has it). Rather than delaying the release any further, in what must have been a difficult decision, KAOS/THQ have chosen to provide VOIP functionality (amongst other things) in a post-release patch.


<pause to for hyperventilating>


ok... now that you've got that out of your system... This is obviously not the best situation for us: TacticalGamer is built on good communications and coordinated teamwork. That being said, we will still be launching our server and with your help, we can still provide the most team-oriented, friendliest server out there.... it just won't be as effortless as we'd hoped


We all agree "this sucks!", so no need to post comments of that nature... just kick your dog or puch your wall or whatever instead of venting here Instead, let's use this thread to brainstorm how we can best use TeamSpeak to bridge the gap until they DO release voip! (The good news is that VOIP is working in the Xbox360 version, so for PC they must not have missed the release date by very much!)


Any and all suggestions are welcome!

[WhiskeySix]

(the admin team has a couple ideas, but we'd like to get your input before posting those)

[DigitalAssassin]

Bummer. Hopefully they will get it implemented quickly after release, as well as squad improvements. From reading the FFoW forums it appears many people are disappointed.

I guess what it does do is give us an opportunity to promote the TG server by showing how teamwork can be implemented, even without in-game VOIP. If nothing else, maybe we can use it as an opportunity to position us as one of the premier teamwork servers so that when in-game VOIP IS implemented we can take it to the next level.

[Scarface6174]

You got a link for your ever so bumming news for you PC guys?

[sc1ence]

I would worry about enforcing a must use teamspeak rule. At the same time, this game is essentially incomplete without VOIP for the TG mindset. Hopefully we can keep the tactics appropriately simple till the VOIP patch comes along.

What are the in game coms like? is there a simple menu system for yes no etc?

I think it is unrealistic to expect teamspeak usage to rise above 30% of the server population. But we should make sure that the dedicated TG peeps will be on TS and use it as a game com system. What you want to avoid is TG people developing the habit of playing this without talking teamwork. They will develop hard to break habits. It is not enough to just be in teamspeak, they need to be in squad channels. If everyone is on teamspeak in the same channel, you don't get squad coms and the whole point of teamspeak is lost.

I think you need to look at this game as sort of a work in progress till VOIP comes out. I suggest we take the time to get a good feel what kinds of strategy and tactics the game offers. The learning curve is not as bad as some games, but it is a little bit steep. There really is no "solution" to this in my eyes. The best we can do is let regular pub people know that TS is there as an option and make sure that everyone who is TG understands that it is EXPECTED that they be in TS and use TS as they would use in game VOIP. Establish the culture of talking teamwork before bad habits start.

Then, when squadless kicks and hearing VOIP requirements come along we will have established a culture of talking teamwork. We will have the TG player base to populate the server and start LearnTG squads to show peeps how it is done.

[the lurker]

Is there any clue as to when the patch supporting VOIP will come out? Since it was mentioned that the XBox version has VOIP then the PC version must not be very far behind, hopefully...

[UnDeaD77]

Since this game is already packaged, and ready to be shipped. I'm pretty sure they are working on a patch right now. Hopefully its no more than two weeks after launch.

[draeh]

I sincerely hope its the first thing on the patch list!

[jb4]

Full agreement with others that I have to believe a patch is top of the list and <fingers crossed> it should come pretty quick. Say we have a scenario where it us 2 weeks or less, we will just have to make the best of it. The difficulty will be if we try to expect too much from TS during that time. When there are just a few players (a squad full) it is no problem. With a high population it will be tough to keep the teams straight round after round. Inevitably there will be people crossing channels no matter how hard we try to keep it honorable.

In a perfect world with players on the right channels we could call out squad actions; Squad 1 doing this, Squad 2 doing that... Setting up squad channels in TS will be cumbersome to deal with in the heat of the game and we could not expect external players to be ready for our TS or understand what we are trying to do without some kind of "Star Wars" opening giant message at start-up. Too complicated, imo.

Under the belief that this will be a short-term issue, I suggest we try to keep it simple as possible. All of us here that enjoy this game will become the self-appointed ambassadors of TG FFoW and we all step up every chance we get to SL. We then commit to using the Squad chat to support our kit requests, attack/defend markers, etc. We use the Team chat to coordinate Squad movements like many of us have done on POE when we do not have a CO. JB's squad doing this...Whiskey's squad doing that...

Keeping it simple for that initial, short (hopefully) period will keep it straight for new players. We can communicate the TG gameplay and expectations messages over just a few short lines that can be repeated in game as reminders.

Welcome to TG FFoW: Squadplay and communication are valued and required here. You have 45 seconds to join a squad or you will get cluster bombed.

VOIP is currently not active: Please watch green Squad chat for SL orders and kit requests. For Squad chat press "K" (or what ever it is)

If you are getting sniped over and over, please see this post.

Have the most awesomest day ever etc, etc,

I think we have enough TG regulars here in addition to the new guys that follow our forums who will become regulars here to get the job done.
Whatever we do, put yourself into the shoes of a first time player on our server. Is it easy to understand? Easy to do? If I do, will I see a benefit? Do I want to come back and do that again?

[westyfield]

How about a big sticky thread in the forums encouraging people to come onto TS, and lots of serverspam messages telling people that 'TeamSpeak is the way forward- without it, your life is incomplete!' or something like that.

[HTE1]

A form of muddled TS replacment can be used.

This is dependant on the ability to alt-tab safely in or out of the game to switch channels. Fingers crossed this works and is not the hit or miss 2142 affair.

[Superfast]

By saying that VOIP won't be available at release i atleast believe that they are probably close to adding it.

[sc1ence]

for reference, etqw had to wait about 2 months before we got VOIP. It really hurt that games release badly at TG.

[Exploding_Silver]

My speculation on a VOIP patch is
I hope it will be release with the PC demo mid march
I expect the patch to be longer though
I hope I am wrong and its sooner rather than latter

=========================

as for teamspeak, its a workable option, lets make it happen !

[asch]

Originally Posted by HTE1

This is dependant on the ability to alt-tab safely in or out of the game to switch channels. Fingers crossed this works and is not the hit or miss 2142 affair.

I'm sure one of the FFOW admins will get some helpful tips up soon that explain how to setup hotkeys in teamspeak so you can easily change channels w/o having to alt-tab out of the game.