Message text needs an overhaul...maybe like this

OverwatchX · Post by **OverwatchX** » 2006-06-09 07:12

Is it really necessary to see text for enemy armor spotted, need ammo, etc while the radio message is played at the same time? All that scrolling text is redundant, crams the screen, and detracts from the scenery.

Is there a way to turn it off? Personally, I'd like to see all chatting gone except for those waiting to respawn (and only they can see it). But I realize thats never going to happen. But what about modding it so only typed messages appear on the top left (where they do know) while filtering out all the BS stock text when a player spots an enemy or needs a medic? I mean, it isnt useful to see it when I can hear it plus, I dont even care who says they spot this or that...just that it was spotted really.

Post by **eggman** » 2006-06-09 07:32

Hrm .. yeah .. I hate the chat/message spam too.

Only real use for it was to identify who was spemming the channel, but we've put some controls in place with 0.31 that prevent that from being abused.

I can't really think of any use for these "enemy vehicle spotted" text messages given that you can hear them....

Is there something we're missing here that these are good for?

Cuz if not .. I agree we should rip them out

egg

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-06-09 16:28

Well it's nice to see who's actually saying those things. It's no good just hearing "Enemy car spotted!" if you have no idea where's it coming from. My solution, if you can be bothered to do it:

A non squadded grunt can only be heard (on radio) by the Squad Leaders, the Commander and nearby troops of either team. Only the Commander sees the text versions of radio calls.
A squad member can only be heard (on radio) by his squad mates, his Squad Leader, the Commander and nearby troops of either team. All fellow squad mates and the Commander see the text versions.
A squad leader is seen and heard by all friendly players. Close enemies can hear too.
The commander is seen and heard by all friendly players. Close enemies can hear too.

Sound is no good without text, so this cuts out communications from other players with minimal importance.

A good feature here would be to have the commander lose his 3D view of the Battlefield. Instead, this would be replaced by his old right click spot menu. This way, when a grunt spots a tank or fighter aircraft, the Commander can relay the message to all players who would otherwise not be aware, and of course the Squad Leaders can do this too. If a grunt spots a target everyone sees it, but they'll only hear it if they're in his squad or they're standing near him.

Would be the best solution really, not sure about doability.

six7 · Post by **six7** » 2006-06-09 16:34

Well, it kinda helps to see what people are saying when you're MEC or Chinese. Having the MEC and PLA speaking in English detracts from the game even more so than annoying text.

Harmless_Mad_Man · Post by **Harmless_Mad_Man** » 2006-06-09 17:26

Hmmm Malik's Idea sounds good! But I wouldn't be suprised if once again the bf2 engine is too useless to cope. If so, just get rid of all text as surely it can manage that!
Could you set the colour of text to nothing? Hence invisible? That might be a quick, dirty and easy solution!

No idea about coding really other then HTML....
Oh on the subject of uselessness one Mod team has actually stopped developing for BF2! Check http://www.silentheroes.se/ They say they just don't see it lasting.... Don't ever give up PR!

OverwatchX · Post by **OverwatchX** » 2006-06-10 03:03

Well, I just dont see the value in the text. I mean, the minimap is never going away (I wish it was) as I recall so when you hear that, dont you just look at the minimap to see where the sighted thing is/was?

What the point in seeing:

"Smacktard01: Enemy tank Spotted"
"Dildobaggins: Enemy tank spotted"
"Blabbermouth5: Enemy tank spotted"
"Joker: Enemy tank spotted"
Etc etc????

Why not hear it, then look around to see if you see it or look at the minimap? Doesnt the nametag flash anyway on important messages? So if you can see the tag then you can narrow it down that way. Right?

I mean...K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). Rather than dev'ing this or that and this squad and this squad's cousin's aunt's twice removed, just delete this redundancy....this crutch?

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-06-10 06:59

Well not everyone who plays PRMM is fluent in Arabic and Chinese, so it's not really that simple to do it like that. It's important to know who says what because if you're sniping for example, the difference between a person being spotted 100m in front of you by your spotter and someone else is huge. If your spotter spots something, you know he's in your range and your sights, but if someone else does then you're just wasting your time looking out for your target. Lots of other examples, but that sums it up nicely.

If something that I mentioned above can't be done or is too much fuss, I suggest just leaving it as it is.

Jawbreaker · Post by **Jawbreaker** » 2006-06-10 07:20

Well, it kinda helps to see what people are saying when you're MEC or Chinese. Having the MEC and PLA speaking in English detracts from the game even more so than annoying text.

You know you could turn on English Voice Over only in your audio options, this makes every mec request/spot etc.. english. No more confusion.

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-06-10 08:03

No, it makes them all American which makes it impossible to distinguish who's team the voices are on if this system is in play. I like having the different voices because I can hear for nearby enemy troops and I love hearing them calling "Medic!" in their native tongues once I've killed them. If perhaps we got some proper English voiceovers this would work, for example English in an Arabic or Chinese voice.

OverwatchX · Post by **OverwatchX** » 2006-06-11 18:45

Jawbreaker wrote:You know you could turn on English Voice Over only in your audio options, this makes every mec request/spot etc.. english. No more confusion.

Thats what I do. English only and therefore I dont need to see

JoeBloe: Thanks
Jellohead: Thanks
Radioknob: Thanks

OverwatchX · Post by **OverwatchX** » 2006-06-11 18:49

Malik wrote:No, it makes them all American which makes it impossible to distinguish who's team the voices are on if this system is in play. I like having the different voices because I can hear for nearby enemy troops and I love hearing them calling "Medic!" in their native tongues once I've killed them. If perhaps we got some proper English voiceovers this would work, for example English in an Arabic or Chinese voice.

You're right. I will agree with you there and that has always been a gripe of mine. It would be nice if the game "turned off" english only when I was on the USMC side for a battle and activated it while on the MEC/PLA side. Even still, all that text is just so cluttering.

six7 · Post by **six7** » 2006-06-11 18:50

Jawbreaker wrote:You know you could turn on English Voice Over only in your audio options, this makes every mec request/spot etc.. english. No more confusion.

(R-PUB)six7 wrote:Having the MEC and PLA speaking in English detracts from the game even more so than annoying text.

If necessary, jsut take it all away, I guess. It is annoying.

Also, I think nametags should be removed unless looking directly at a person or they are in you squad (in whcih case they could have their rank or a dot over their head unless you looked at them)