TeamSpeak

[Riyker]

This is a general post about TeamSpeak usage, but I'm posting here because I've only noticed it during ArmA sessions of late.

GET A MIC!

I've met several good tactically minded players that I enjoy squading with that don't have working/attached/functional/present microphones. But if I'm being honest, I have to say this is a growing annoyance.

PLEASE GET A MIC...

If you are one of those folks, new or old, and have read the SOPs you'll know that TeamSpeak is required -- that doesn't mean, all you have to do is have it running. That's just the minimum so you can hear... ideally you need to be able to communicate.

If you are having technical troubles getting it working I'll be happy to assist, just PM me.

Communication is so important in some of these games; especailly ArmA.

So, please. Take 15 minutes, run over to your local geek store and spend the $4 to pick up a cheap mic. Ask Santa later for your MEGA-mic if that's what you're waiting for.

[curtagain]

Yo! I bought my California Acoustics headphone for $10 before BF2 was released and it still works fine! I just clean the headpiece etc. once and awhile and it's fine.I don't plug in the speaker wire for the phones just the mic so my speakers are what I listen through. Easy!

[Barnaby]

Yes I too find it a pain with constant asking if they are on TS, it's disruptive.

The opening splash states YOU MUST BE IN TS & USE A MIC.

Come on don't be shy we won't bite ;¬/

I've also noticed some are parking up in other TS rooms.
Now this is great if it is as part of an overall plan but it seems to be itty bitty sqds eg I want to drive a tank on my own or I want to take 4 AI's with me.

Just my thoughts

[Uranium - 235]

$100 surround sound speakers and $10 walmart mic = win

[GinSoakedBoy]

Also, on the subject of TS.

People often tend to gather in the main channel instead of moving into the squad channels.

Also, I've found a few people on TS sometimes for both servers and logged into ArmA to find the server empty. Its especially irritating when I decide I want a break from Evo and move to the co-op channel.

[jex]

Agreed - please get a mic

Also going on from GSB above, when players join arma can they make sure they are first on TS, and in the right channel. I get on to find people playing, but not on comms or not even in the arma TS channel.

We also need to have people join in the squad channels, that's what they are there for. If you don't want to squad up, why are you playing on a team orientated server? It gets very frustrating when people don't communicate. A quick hi, I'm in the channel or this is soandso in setting up in squad two. Please make sure someone in the squad is set to channel commander too. text messages don't always get read in the heat of battle so do not rely on them for communication. Channel Commander will be able to speak to all squads.

[JAMerica]

Also.....if you do have a mic, it doesn't mean you have to talk all the time.

1. Use TEXT for chit-chat and non-time critical comms. This gets really bad when half the squad is at base and the other half is still operating. The only people that should be talking are the ones currently engaged/in ops.

2. We should be enforcing the "dead people" don't talk rule (as per SOP's). Pinpointing who/what just killed for the sake of your squad's lives is noble and well intentioned, but immersion really suffers.

[Switch]

I have a mic so don't hate -- but I thought anyone was welcome as long as they're listening on TS. Certain roles like CO/SL/AIR require mics since you need to give orders or communicate on the fly... but don't hate our listen only members! Think of them as super good listeners to orders. Also lots of people play at very strange times of day/night and can't wake the wifey, kiddie, roomie, or just risk sounding like a dork out loud -- 'Badman to Papa Smurf, im inbound and your laser desi is locked. ETA 10 seconds'.

If you're in a command role GET A MIC! If you're just have listen only and want to squad up, feel free to join on me. We may be doing alot of air taxi though, I warn you now.

[=Sarc=]

I don't think the SOPs mention that a mic is required, it's just encouraged. I definitely want those that are listen only to get on mic. You don't have to talk loud for the mic to pick up your voice. It's like talking on a cell phone. You don't have to yell all the time. The other side will hear you just fine if you use a slightly lower than normal speaking voice.

The only issue I see of disturbing another person is if you're in the same room. In that case, that's just creepy... get the other person to play too! :P

[ANGELofDEATH]

Originally Posted by JAMerica

Also.....if you do have a mic, it doesn't mean you have to talk all the time.

1. Use TEXT for chit-chat and non-time critical comms. This gets really bad when half the squad is at base and the other half is still operating. The only people that should be talking are the ones currently engaged/in ops.

2. We should be enforcing the "dead people" don't talk rule (as per SOP's). Pinpointing who/what just killed for the sake of your squad's lives is noble and well intentioned, but immersion really suffers.

AMEN brother.

Being able to communicate does not mean everyone needs to hear your every thought Comms need to be used for mission information(as stated in the SOPs). Remember, there is at least one person in your channel that has Channel Commander on. That means there is a chance that your chit-chat may be blocking the life saving info coming in to the CC.

Same with text. Having these long discussions about mods should be had here in the forums. not in game.. Having these discussions on the servers is taking away from text that is important. sry, I dont want to answer questions about mods, while in game.. questions like what key does what, those are great questions in game... "What sound mod do you use?" Why dont you use..... ?" are for the forums.

Everyone should get and use TSO TeamSpeak Overlay.. It can show you who is talking on TS, your FPS, and even which channel the speaker is in. It is not realistic to have someones name come up in field of view. But it will stop the "who is speaking?" questions all night. It would be nice if everyone started their comms with "Squad leader, This is ANGEL, over".. but that is adding to the already crowded comms.... although, it does get others to STFU in channel

Last night I saw four people light up at the same time, all trying to talk in the same channel.. 2 where chit-chatting, which caused the rest of the squad to miss the valuable info from the fourth "quiter guy". Leading to 3 deaths, including the first 2.

As for dead man speak.. I know I have been guilty of this.. Bad habit from BF2/PoE.. I think this is where alot of the jumbled comms come from..
I will work on keeping my mouth shut when I die

[tHa_KhAn]

Text is so under used in this game. There should be almost no chatter except for your SL, unless there are contacts to report. Also, the I don't have a mic thing is a bit overused sometimes. 50 dollar game, few hundred to a few thousand for a PC, 20-50 dollars a month for high speed. A mic < 10. There's probably enough money for a mic in loose change in the couch...lol....the joy of Wal-Mart.

I would recommend get a set of Medusa's. Best headset with mic you can get. Medusa 5.1's....check it out, they are banned in CAL and CPL events, there has to be a reason.

[Riyker]

Originally Posted by Switch

... but don't hate our listen only members! Think of them as super good listeners to orders.

...

If you're in a command role GET A MIC! If you're just have listen only and want to squad up, feel free to join on me. We may be doing alot of air taxi though, I warn you now.

Pffft! I absolutely want to receive comms feedback. There's been times where they can't make CONTACT calls -- that sucks! Other times, I might need a status update very quickly. Nope -- it's more like "hello? Do you read us?"

Bah!

How about this then Switch...

GET A MIC ... or ... JOIN UP w/ SWITCH!

[Uranium - 235]

Originally Posted by Switch

Also lots of people play at very strange times of day/night and can't wake the wifey, kiddie, roomie, or just risk sounding like a dork out loud -- 'Badman to Papa Smurf, im inbound and your laser desi is locked. ETA 10 seconds'.

That's not really a valid excuse. I've used 4 different sound setups and every one of them I was able to tweak so that a mere whisper into the mic would be amplified tenfold and come out in a raging cacophony of noise, and my speaking is no louder then the smack-clack of keys. You really don't need to shout into mics to use them.

And sounding like a dork? Oh please. If that's the best excuse you can come up with, then I take that as meaning that you don't want to be spending time with 'us dorks'. Speaking over radios comes pretty natural to me as its one of the systems I work One of the bad habits you'll all have to forgive me for is saying "Roj" as acknowledgment instead of that 'cc' crap. F-15 radios are equipped with Have Quick anti-jam and verbal acknowledgment is always required, as 'clicking' the mic is utterly indistinguishable from the standard Have Quick frequency hopping.

[VegaBond]

Yeah, you can whisper when wife is sleeping in other room with the TS outbound set high, unless you have crappy sheet rock

[jex]

Or you can use push to talk.

I don't see the benefit of having a squad member who cannot talk to me. I also do not always read the text comms as I don't always have the leisure. Under fire, as a SL, I need constant communications and quickly. I remember the hassle of playing Delta Force (the original - anyone remember that online? ) and trying to type contact reports - something along the lines of this

"Sqwiyntrty! cointacvt!! due nroth 200m" (usually you try to type so fast that it looks like SleepDoc is in the game )

"Squinty you copy?!"

"Squinty??? Look DOWN in the corner at the text messages. Yes I know there are a thousand scrolling up but you need to pay more attention"

"Hellooooo - SQuinty??"

SQUINTY KILLED BY |_337@Bo|\/|b34|\/|4|\|

"Oh dear..."

And as JAMerica pointed out - DEAD MEN shouldn't talk also. I do it and now I try not to. You're dead and thus shouldn't be telling anyone that you're down, or where the kill came from, or what you see through your dead eyes. It's very easy to do, but we shouldn't really