[Spoiler Warning]:improved Communication For Teamplay Without Microphones

[Senoinya]

So our operators talk. I've seen some people hate this, some people like this. I'm of the side that likes it, but wants to see it expanded upon to be more than just an in-mission Ordis. I like the idea of my character having a voice, but right now, it's not what it could be.

 

This was an idea that came into my mind the second I saw my Operator say something in-game - Why not have in-game quick commands using this? It'd be a quick and reliable way to communicate with your team without having to stop to type something into the chat that may not even get noticed, or use a mic that really isn't always that easy to hear over gunfire and the use of abilities and only serves to annoy some people anyway.

 

The idea is to have a key (which could be customized, of course) that brings up a quick command menu. Naturally, this would be organized.

 

When you bring up the quick command menu, you get the following categories:

 

Team

Help

Response

Direction

Alert

 

 

Team is the most unique of the five. Team brings up one to three additional categories that change depending on what frames and how many players are in your team. So, for example, let's say this team has a Trinity, a Nyx, and a Frost.

 

Your categories are:

 

Trinity

Nyx

Frost

 

Let's say you select Trinity. Now you have three message options:

 

Well of Life

Energy Vampire

Blessing

 

Upon selecting one of the three, the Trinity in your team will be notified by your Operator that you are in need of them casting that ability.

 

So, as an example of selecting EV:

 

1: Operator: "I could use some energy over here!" (If energy is over half full)

2: Operator: "Running low on power, mind casting Energy Vampire?" (If energy is less than half full)

3: Operator: "I'm out! Need energy quick!" (If completely depleted)

 

 

Some of these could even be automated. So for example, if an ally runs low on HP and you're a Trinity that can heal them, their Operator will automatically contact you to bring your attention to the fact that they're running low on HP.

 

 

 

The other categories would instantly bring up messages, as follows:

 

Help:

Swarm of Enemies.

Low on Ammo.

Low on Energy.

Trapped in a room by enemies.

 

Response:

Yes

No

Coming

Moving

Thanks

 

Direction:

Go this way! (works with waypoint).

Head to this location (works with waypoint).

Mod here (works with waypoint on mod).

Resources here (works with waypoint on resources).

Follow me!

Split up!

Let's move with stealth.

Go loud!

 

Alert:

The objective is low on health! (Only if defense, excavation, or mobile defense)

Need a powercell at excavator A/B/C/D/E/F! (Only if Excavation)

Life Support is low! (Only if survival)

Activating a canister! (Only if survival)

Taking this point! (Only if interception)

Losing point A/B/C/D! (Only if interception)

The target is getting away! (Only if capture)

Infiltrating vault A/B/C! (Only if Spy)

 

 

 

Thoughts? Improvements? Additions? Share them all.

[Pokeking135]

I aprove of this idea.

 

Also Corpus have plenty of robotics.

[noveltyhero]

Yeah it'd be great, it can also help with language barriers: https://forums.warframe.com/index.php?/topic/262171-how-to-easily-break-down-language-barriers/

 

Because the text would translate into whatever the other person has the game localized in. I know I met a lot of russian players that spoke no english and communicating with them was super hard :/

[CelsiusPrime]

I'm all on board for this. I have several friend I play with that don't use voice and it would be so much easier than trying to type it all out

[Pride]

thats a lot of voice acting but yes its exactly what our operators should be doing with their time. i dont need my operator telling me "wow this place is huge" while im a single tile defense map.  or "we need to find supplies" when im at full ammo max energy max hp

[Hustler-One]

Oh yes, best idea yet for comms, +1 ! :D

[Guardian_Legion]

alot of this might be better being automatic, that being said i would love this. only problem is i dont think the operator speaks if you are in a party with someone that hasnt finished the second dream

[Hustler-One]

Some of these could even be automated. So for example, if an ally runs low on HP and you're a Trinity that can heal them, their Operator will automatically contact you to bring your attention to the fact that they're running low on HP.

YES !

[Senoinya]

alot of this might be better being automatic, that being said i would love this. only problem is i dont think the operator speaks if you are in a party with someone that hasnt finished the second dream

 

I'm sure work-arounds could be created for this issue. Besides, spoiler-protection can't go on forever, this could always be implemented after DE considers spoiler-protection to be over and the whole Operator thing can be openly discussed and shown without spoiler warnings.

[BrotherLame]

If I didn't hate the Operator having a voice (that I can't outright turn off beyond turning the volume down) like nothing else, I'd be all for this. That's not a very constructive response to your idea however.

 

I think this is something that could have a lot of use in pub games, although I feel like voice commands should be limited to the general essentials, plus maybe the ability to have a 'reactive' voice command activated by pressing the hotkey and based on what you're aiming at (i.e. Look at the pod, press voice command key, "Defend the pod!").

 

From previous experience with games that have included these features (Killing Floor, Awesomenauts, and arguably L4D2 and Dota 2), some people will use the heck out of these voice commands, or abuse the feature by spamming a command as soon as it comes off cooldown. I've played games where people will press "Attack!" and "Defend" every ten seconds for every little thing, regardless of whether it was obvious what needed to be done at the time. This can be extremely irritating and can cause friction between players, or detract significantly from the enjoyment of the game (unless you can mute it, which defeats the point).

 

I definitely think that you're onto something with the idea, in an ideal world, this is a great opportunity to implement this kind of feature, but unfortunately this isn't an ideal world, and the Operators weren't well received by all players to begin with. I'm interested to see how others feel about the suggestion, I do think it is a nice one.

[FrozenVoid]

You know there is a option in the Audio menu to turn the Operator Transmissions off....

 

And I dont think such a system would fit into the game. If it were to be a thing I would just add Gestures which cause a Icon to pop up above the Players head indicating what you want them to do

[Owlrrex]

Even before second dream, with Ordis reading the messages, this could have been and should have been a thing. 

 

+1 instantly. 

[StallordD]

I've always loved quick entry style voice commands ala TF2 or Tribes. Would love to see something similar in Warframe.

[GrimMyfanwy]

While, as some have said, this kind of system can be abused, that is true of almost any form of communication (e.g. some guy screaming over VOIP constantly), personally I feel one has to look at the idea as a whole and whether it would be an overall benefit or detraction to the game.

To me, this idea is probably one of the best pieces of feedback I have seen for U18. It can ease communications greatly and I really do hope that DE takes a look at this and seriously considers the iea. 

+1 and Happy Holidays!

[DaftMeat]

I hate voice chat, personally. As long as this is optional and people can disable it though (In the case of those special people who will spam it non-stop), I think it absolutely should be an option that is added.

+1

Edited December 12, 2015 by DaftMeat

[--Q--uaint]

+1, looking forward to having people's operators bugging me for EV every 5 seconds.

 

The excavation, interception, and capture alert messages... probably would be useless at best and annoying if used.

 

I don't think the Help category would be super useful, especially the ones relating to enemies. The time taken to navigate that menu would be time enough to die, generally.

 

I feel like some of these could/should be automatic (especially the "activating a canister" one for Survival), perhaps even allowing the host of a session to politely ask people to consider stealth when they join the game?

[Pride]

i could totally get behind it especially the automatic ones like a

trinity being told that a heal is needed

mag being told shields have run out.

frost being told the pod is taking damage.

any frame telling you when they go down.

spy missions your operator could tell your party "im entering point alpha"

Rescue "the operative has my twin grakata"

red viel assasins are closing in on my location

i got a transmission from the stalker please assist

 

sooooo many options lets get those voice actors to work we got S#&$ to do to fully immerse this new lore aspect

[Mr.Lube]

I have always wanted something like this in Warframe. Ten outta Tenno.

[NKDG]

+1 I cannot tell you how many times this woulda come in handy. This seems like a really good idea, but how would you use the quick chat if you hadn't done second dream?

Edited December 31, 2015 by NKDG

[Mr.Lube]

I'm kinda mad that this thread doesn't have more love.

[KaeseSchnitte]

I like this idea, provided that we are able to make our operator look older. I don't want to be spammed by kids requesting my help or ordering me around.

Edited December 31, 2015 by KaeseSchnitte

[Senoinya]

I'm kinda mad that this thread doesn't have more love.

 

Hopefully it will get more. With enough love, it may become real.

[Mr.Lube]

I like this idea, provided that we are able to make our operator look older. I don't want to be spammed by kids requesting my help or ordering me around.

They only look like kids, at least they don't have annoying voices.

[MumblesMcphatty]

Solid 10/10 - would boss ya'll around again!