Tactical TS: A Guide for ArmA2 & Teamspeak

**MarineSeaknight** · 07-25-2009, 01:49 AM

Ever since ArmA2's unstable VON (Voice Over Network) forced us to use Teamspeak as a means of communication while in game, I've been hearing alot of questions regarding the use of the program. In this short guide I'll explain the things that will be relevent for those who will be playing ArmA while using Teamspeak in the background. Let's start with the basics.

UPDATE: ARMA VERSION 1.03 WITH THE BETA PATCH HAS ALLOWED WORKING VON - SO TS IS NO LONGER NECESSARY. WHILE WE ENCOURAGE TEAMSPEAK PARTICIPATION, WORKING IN GAME VON HAS NOW SOLVED MANY COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS.

Getting Started

All registered members of TacticalGamer.com have access to TG's Teamspeak Server. It is the only place where you'll be able to obatin the passwords for the ArmA servers, as well as communicate with your teammates while in game.

First, download the Windows / Linux / Mac OS X Teamspeak Client

Next, you'll want to make sure you're logged into the site. Check the upper right-hand part of your screen and make sure you can see your name and not just a login box. If you're not logged in or haven't registered yet, go ahead and do so now. After you're logged in to the site, press the white Teamspeak button near the top of the screen or click here. Follow the instructions on that page to get logged into the Teamspeak server.

Make sure your microphone is plugged in correctly and now it's time to set a push-to-talk key. Start by selecting the Settings Menu at the top of your Teamspeak and clicking on Sound Input/Output Settings.

Select the Push to talk option, then click on Set and it will prompt you to select whatever key you wish to use to talk on Teamspeak. For example, I pushed the Set button, then hit the 'H' key on my keyboard. I now hold the 'H' key whenever I talk.

Now you're all set! Chat away about "that one time, at band camp..."

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**MarineSeaknight** · 07-25-2009, 02:54 AM

ArmA2's VON is very versatile, allowing Commanding Officers and his Squad Leaders to communicate with each other on the battlefield without interrupting the communications of individual soldiers on the ground. While Teamspeak may not be as versatile, there is a built-in function that allows us to do almost the same. It just takes a little time to set up.

Channel Commander (Squad Leader Radio)

The Channel Commander fuction makes it so players with it enabled are able to speak to other players in other channels who also have it enabled. This allows for Squad Leaders to maintain their normal push-to-talk key to communicate with the squad members in his channel while using a seperate key bind to speak with other Channel Commanders (Other Squad Leaders and COs).

Players who have Channel Commander enabled are identified by a darker circle than those who don't have it enabled (see the screenshot below).

For example, Marine could speak over Channel Commander and only Falcon_262, Skin, and Krispyjc would be able to hear what he is saying. Similiarly if Falcon_262 spoke over Channel CO, only the names mentioned above would be able to hear what he is saying, and not the people in his channel. Falcon could use his normal push-to-talk key to continue and speak normally with the members in his channel and none of the Channel Commanders would be able to hear him.

To set up Channel Commander, click on the Settings Menu and select Key Settings.

At the next screen, click on the Add button.

Then select all the options that you see on the screenshot below. Whisper To/Channel Commander/In Channel Family. Then click on the Set button, and, similiar to how you set up your original push-to-talk key, select another key which you will use to speak over Channel Commander.

Once all that is finished, hit Ok and your screen should look similiar to mine (the key selected for Channel CO being the variable).

Lastly, to enable Channel Commander, select the Self Menu and click on the Channel Commander button. Do the same to disable Channel CO.

Happy Squad Leading!

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