ARMA3 MODS PART 1 : COMMUNICATION

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Taliessyn

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Arma Mods Part 1
" Communication "

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As requested - part one of this series of articles deals with the two main communication mods out there for Arma. I'm starting with communication because to me they probably contribute the most to immersion in the game.

These mods are ACRE - which has been around for years now ( http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=11339), and the new entrant Task Force Arrowhead Radio. ( http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=23616 ).

What these mods do at their base level is add proper high fidelity locational audio for players.
Some of you may be familiar with the fact that Arma has built in voice comms, but these are a buggy mess and dont hold a candle to third party solutions.

Being able to hear your teamates actually in the game world, precisely, makes a huge difference to feeling like you are actually in the same space. Marching through a forest and hearing faint voices of the guys up ahead, being pinned down in an alley shouting for your mates to come and help you out, sitting in a vehicle and actually hearing the guys in the back seat talking - little details that make things really immersive.

ACRE ( not sure about Task Force) has built in functionality that matches to your voice level. If you whisper then only those immediately around you will hear you. If you shout your voice travels further. This subtle detail may not sound like much, but having your voice localized to the game world if one of the most important elements in the immersiveness of arma.

In PVP this takes on another dimension. Sneaking around whispering to each other becomes sweaty palm territory. Hearing a clutch of bad guys around the corner makes the heart race.

The other things these mods add are radios. Multiple radio systems are implemented, including GUIS's for all of them. Lots of functionality - the ability to change frequency and transmit power - even the ability to lower the headset out of your ears so you can hear the players around you better ( or alternatively take out one "earpiece" so you hear radio coms from the left or right )

These radios, depending on model, are also effected by terrain and distance. Radio inteference is accurately modelled. Sitting in a forested valley trying to get hold of someone in the next valley over with a 343 is a frustrating experience. Having a radio operator with a manpack radio is essential for long distance comms.

Again this is great for immersion. Hearing a panicked call from a buddy on the radio, gunfire and explosions in the background makes things feel nice and tense.

Both mods use Teamspeak - Task Force is billed as being easier to set up than ACRE, but in my opinion they both not complicated at all to get working.

Excuse my grammer, was written in a bit of a rush.
Any questions?
 
You can also get a free dedicated TS server when you rent a dedicated ArmA 3 server.
 
Not up to date on either of these and I have a question. I usually play late at night when the wifey and kiddo's are in bed. If I have to resort to yelling into my mic for my gaming buds to hear me then I might be able to devot more time to gaming as wife is going to can my arse. Am I hearing you right that it is pretty lifelike. If I need to talk to someone that is across the street taking fire I have to talk loud enough like it was happening fo' real? Or am I looking at this all wrong?
 
While living in Arkansas, my HQ was in our bedroom and when Mary went to sleep, all commo via TS was prohibited, or she wouldn't get any sleep. So I can empathize with your position, eniced.
 
Yeah. I really don't dig when she comes in the room after being woke up with eyes halfway shut giving me that look. The head shakes from side to side in disgust and she returns to bed. Got to make sacrifices sometimes and take on for the team. You guys know what I mean. No shouting for me though. Decibels have to stay at the medium range.
 
I am in a similar situation eniced, so I will also be in a world of pain if I have to yell into my mic.

Not sure I would be willing to take one for the team over this its cold outside ;)
 
I've been using ACRE with ARMA2 since the ACRE inception. It provides directional speech in game. When you are far away from someone they cannot hear you. ACRE Vol Ctl --->There are settings in game to emulate whispering and yelling so people can be heard at different distances.

With or without the vol control mod --> Speaking quietly into your mic has no effect on how far you can be heard. Screaming into your mic may ad to your buddy's emersion but it has no effect on how far you can be heard in game. If you set your vol to 'shout' and whisper into your mic, you will be hear for over 100m ... . If you set your vol to 'whisper' and scream into your mic, only someone who is with arms reach can hear you.

Not sure about ARMA3 - where is the reference for shouting into your mic can be heard at longer distances?


http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?137672-ShackTac-ACRE-Volume-Control
 
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