Text Buffer?

[Randy1]

I rarely ever use the dot commands and have wondered why the text input buffer is even used with the excellent voice-radio and clipboard interface.  It seems a bit archaic form a newbies point of view.  I remember the old warbirds hit and miss radios so I was thrilled with the voice-radio quality when I joined Aces High last month.

Am I in the minority?

I would rather have just the system feeds myself.

[Drano]

The radio is great if you want to talk to someone near you or is tuned to your VOX channel. Otherwise the buffer is the only means of comms. Can't bust on or salute the other country on radio either. This works fine. You'll get used to it.

[Lusche]

- dot commands are a very quick way to get many things done instead of bringing up clipboard---click---click---click
- purely radio communication would quickly get overloaded with 100+ players on your team
- it would also often being confusing if you consider several battles being all over thze map at the same time
- if you miss radio comms, you miss them. Text will stay there and you can still read about that enemy CV location when coming back from the kitchen
- some players can't use voice coms for several reasons (mute/deaf, technical issues or language barrier)

[Bizman]

I like the text buffer, so that makes a 3 vs. 1 situation so far.

Why? First, there's the option to use dot commands. I don't use many of them, but sending a private message is much easier by typing ".p name message" than by searching through the clipboard's roster, right-click a name and choose "send this player a personal message". Not to mention how an opponent would react if I tuned to him on voice to explain why I just rammed him, leaving him in a damaged plane to fight alone with a bunch of my squadmates.

Second, there's the option to choose which channels to follow. There are occasions I prefer not to show channel 200, for example. Sometimes I'd like to voice squelch the range channel, too. In the middle of a tight furball I'd rather hear sitreps and check-sixes than small talk like "hey Joe, haven't seen you much lately, how are you? How's your wife? Kids? Dog? Yeah, there's a big furball ahead, let's stay away from it and have a nice chat here..."

Third, there's the option to type things you'd not like your wife to hear...

Fourth, I'm not always sure of my articulation. Typing can be a better way to be understood correctly.

Fifth, well you get my point, don't you?

Speaking about archaic forms of communication, why did you write on this board instead of making a group call on Skype?  

[Traveler]

- dot commands are a very quick way to get many things done instead of bringing up clipboard---click---click---click
- purely radio communication would quickly get overloaded with 100+ players on your team
- it would also often being confusing if you consider several battles being all over thze map at the same time
- if you miss radio comms, you miss them. Text will stay there and you can still read about that enemy CV location when coming back from the kitchen
- some players can't use voice coms for several reasons (mute/deaf, technical issues or language barrier)

I think its more a case of it's cheaper for HiTech to leave the code in place rather then attempt to remove it.  I doubt that the radio communications would quickly get overloaded .  Not sure why you think voice radio would become confusing, there are many on the local channel at the same time but their transmission are limited by distance .  You don't hear chatter from accross the map and seldom from a sector away.  Your right voice comms can be missed.  that's why missions were planned for no voice communication.  As for Mute/deaf, I guess we have a few players like that, but technical issues or language barrier, how does haveing text  help someone that doesn't speak  or read english?

no I'll stick with option one, cheaper to not remove code.

[Lusche]

 I doubt that the radio communications would quickly get overloaded .  Not sure why you think voice radio would become confusing, there are many on the local channel at the same time but their transmission are limited by distance .  

Just imagine replacing the country text channel at peak time with a country radio channel.

but technical issues or language barrier, how does haveing text  help someone that doesn't speak  or read english?

To comprehend and to write in a foreign language you only have some basic grasp of, is WAY easier than speaking it or even listening to it. I know what I'm talking about 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I like the text buffer, so that makes a 3 vs. 1 situation so far.

Why? First, there's the option to use dot commands. I don't use many of them, but sending a private message is much easier by typing ".p name message" than by searching through the clipboard's roster, right-click a name and choose "send this player a personal message". Not to mention how an opponent would react if I tuned to him on voice to explain why I just rammed him, leaving him in a damaged plane to fight alone with a bunch of my squadmates.

Second, there's the option to choose which channels to follow. There are occasions I prefer not to show channel 200, for example. Sometimes I'd like to voice squelch the range channel, too. In the middle of a tight furball I'd rather hear sitreps and check-sixes than small talk like "hey Joe, haven't seen you much lately, how are you? How's your wife? Kids? Dog? Yeah, there's a big furball ahead, let's stay away from it and have a nice chat here..."

Third, there's the option to type things you'd not like your wife to hear...

Fourth, I'm not always sure of my articulation. Typing can be a better way to be understood correctly.

Fifth, well you get my point, don't you?

Speaking about archaic forms of communication, why did you write on this board instead of making a group call on Skype?  

The old WB style text buffer was even more fun when kills were reported on it. I remember many fights where I would mouth off with the enemy, then fight them 3 vs 1 and one by one I drop the opponents

[titanic3]

Just to confirm...

If two people press F12 to talk at almost the same time, whoever pressed it first gets their message out first right?

Ex: Bob and Tom wants to talk using F12, Bob presses at 1.00, but Tom presses it at 1.01. In real time, they both end their message at 1.05 but tom's message doesn't appear until 1:05 and ends at 1.08.

Right?

So if you're in a crowded environment, you might be getting messages that were said 10-30 seconds before you depending on how many people are trying to talk. Right?

[Skuzzy]

Text is the only way I can communicate online.

[Max]

Skuzzy you must learn the ways of the Jedi Knight or the Vulcan mind meld 

[Banshee7]

The text buffer offers me the perfect place to type song lyrics and sing to everyone on 200. 

#S#



Josh

[Bizman]

Just imagine replacing the country text channel at peak time with a country radio channel.

Dare you imagine channel 200 as a radio channel at any given time?  

Even worse: Currently we can have five differently coloured text channels for country, area, squad, 200/all and the numbered channel, plus one for personal messages and one or two for staff messages. It is not too complicated to filter the information that's important for your virtual wellbeing. Having all that information on vox would be like on a crowded market place and cause claustrophoby.

To comprehend and to write in a foreign language you only have some basic grasp of, is WAY easier than speaking it or even listening to it. I know what I'm talking about 

Absolutely +1

[Daddkev]

  I will take a Vulcan mind Melt w/cheese ! 

[Rob52240]

dot commands are fast and easy.

Typing communications are nice because the radio buffer gets full and you don't get asked to repeat yourself.

[tunnelrat]

If it weren't for .ef, Königstiger deaths would skyrocket... the forum would explode...