Voice chat: use module specific PTT keybinds and controls

[NWGJulian]

i think this thread pretty much nails it. this is how it should be implemented.

the button that transmits the radio1/2, intercom, ptt, etc. (dependend of the module), should transmit to the AI menu when short pressed, and to the voicecomm when held down.
no need for extra keybinds, just place the voicecomm buttons to these buttons.

this works for modules like the f16/f18, where you have different buttons for the radios without a PTT button. and also for modules like the apache, where you have a button to cycle through the radios, and a PTT button (again, short press = ai menu, hold down = voicecomm)

[Northstar98]

8 hours ago, NWGJulian said:

i think this thread pretty much nails it. this is how it should be implemented.

the button that transmits the radio1/2, intercom, ptt, etc. (dependend of the module), should transmit to the AI menu when short pressed, and to the voicecomm when held down.
no need for extra keybinds, just place the voicecomm buttons to these buttons.

this works for modules like the f16/f18, where you have different buttons for the radios without a PTT button. and also for modules like the apache, where you have a button to cycle through the radios, and a PTT button (again, short press = ai menu, hold down = voicecomm)

That's my preferred option, though I think that having a dedicated voice chat and radio menu might be beneficial for users that would rather go down that route.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Northstar98
grammar

[mobua]

5 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

That's my preferred option, though I think that have a dedicated voice chat and radio menu might be beneficial for users that would rather go down that route.

Albeit a good option considering the current implementation, to me it leans towards the gamey side of things. The solution, by negating the ability to "click" a frequency, limits prospective future capabilities such as the ability to control the lights at certain airfields:

(https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap2_section_1.html)

[ShaunX]

On 12/24/2021 at 11:16 PM, Northstar98 said:

This isn't related to frequency, in full-fidelity modules, you just tune the radio in the cockpit and that's it as far as setting frequency goes (presumably FC3 aircraft have to use the voice chat UI).

This however, is related to how you transmit on the radio.

Currently, for voice chat, there are separate, global, dedicated keybinds, solely for voice chat, so you have to use the same keybind for every module that doesn't have its own individual keybinds (which right now, only a small number do).

Personally, I would prefer to use the same keybind for both voice chat and the communications menu, for instance, have a short press that's immediately released bring up/hide the communications menu but if its held down the communications menu is inhibited and it acts as a PTT for voice chat. So far the JF-17 has this implemented.

Additionally, it would be good to get individual, dedicated keybinds for voice chat PTTs and the communications menu, for each module; right now, only the AJS 37, AV-8B N/A (?), F-14A/B, JF-17 and Mirage 2000C have the former, while every module has the latter.

It also might be useful for a keybind that does both, but you have a separate bind to toggle between voice chat and the communications menu.

It should be possible to configure exactly what you're looking for with software such as VoiceAttack, as it supports mapping of short and long Hotas button presses to any keystroke combination.

So, don't do ANY mapping in DCS. Map your Hotas Mic buttons for each radio and intercom transmit to short-press VoiceAttack commands, and map those commands in VoiceAttack to the DCS comms transmit key combos. There's your comms menu commands.

For VOIP, map those same HOTAS Mic buttons to long-press Voiceattack commands, and map those commands in Voiceattack to the DCS VOIP key combos.

You can do that generically, or have a seperate Voiceattack profile with different mappings for each aircraft, then just switch to the appropriate profile depending on what you're flying.

I'm a Viacom user so a little more awkward, but I could still achieve it by using short presses to toggle the Viacom voice recognition on and off for each radio, and long presses as above for DCS VOIP. So to speak to Viacom, I'd short press, speak the command and short press again.

Edited December 28, 2021 by ShaunX

[viper2097]

I'm pretty sure @BIGNEWY reads here also, but it would be great to get feedback from ED what they think about that short/long press idea. Probably they already have the intention to make it work like that.

[Northstar98]

1 hour ago, viper2097 said:

I'm pretty sure @BIGNEWY reads here also, but it would be great to get feedback from ED what they think about that short/long press idea. Probably they already have the intention to make it work like that.

Personally, I'd do both implementations:

• Dedicated, individual bindings for each module, some modules already have this - the AJS 37, AV-8B N/A (?), F-14, JF-17 and Mirage 2000C to my knowledge.
• A short press/long press for the communications menu and voice chat - right now the JF-17 has this, though not sure if anybody's tested it.

[shagrat]

Am 17.12.2021 um 20:58 schrieb mobua:

I would rather see an addition of a VOIP category per module in the keybind and controls settings. This would give the user the freedom of mapping any key in accorance with their setup.

I second that! It's vital, if you own a throttle AND a collective, to be able to set individual PTT keys per module!

A buddy from our group brought up another issue: if you would use the "real world" keys, it can lead to a situation, where muscle memory makes you pull the trigger in the Huey, to communicate, but the same muscle memory in a Hornet may be detrimental to one of your buddies when you fire a Sidewinder, when you just want to talk... That's where the best solution is to allow us individual comm triggers separate for each module.  

Am 28.12.2021 um 10:21 schrieb ShaunX:

It should be possible to configure exactly what you're looking for with software such as VoiceAttack, as it supports mapping of short and long Hotas button presses to any keystroke combination.

So, don't do ANY mapping in DCS. Map your Hotas Mic buttons for each radio and intercom transmit to short-press VoiceAttack commands, and map those commands in VoiceAttack to the DCS comms transmit key combos. There's your comms menu commands.

For VOIP, map those same HOTAS Mic buttons to long-press Voiceattack commands, and map those commands in Voiceattack to the DCS VOIP key combos.

You can do that generically, or have a seperate Voiceattack profile with different mappings for each aircraft, then just switch to the appropriate profile depending on what you're flying.

I'm a Viacom user so a little more awkward, but I could still achieve it by using short presses to toggle the Viacom voice recognition on and off for each radio, and long presses as above for DCS VOIP. So to speak to Viacom, I'd short press, speak the command and short press again.

 

The problem is, if I need to buy voice attack to make in game VoIP work, I don't need in-game VoIP as SRS and/or Discord are more accessible. That is even more true for newcomers.

[Northstar98]

On 12/26/2021 at 10:08 PM, mobua said:

Albeit a good option considering the current implementation, to me it leans towards the gamey side of things. The solution, by negating the ability to "click" a frequency, limits prospective future capabilities such as the ability to control the lights at certain airfields:

(https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap2_section_1.html)

Apologies for the delay in replying, but the ability to mic-click shouldn't be negated, you'd just have to hold down the PTT for a little longer to be able to do it.

So sticking with short-press/long-press idea:

• If the switch is held down for less than half a second -> show/hide communications menu.
• If the switch is held down for at least half a second -> mic click.
• If the switch remains held down -> PTT over voice chat.

Perhaps a better way to think about it is to use morse code as an anology, if you wanted to key the radio twice, you'd key 2 dashes instead of 2 dots. It's not ideal but it does have all the functions available.

I've used half a second here, but that doesn't mean it has to be half a second and it could be made shorter, or longer, or even be user defined.

Of course, additionally having separated keybinds for the communications menu and voice chat would also solve the problem. But personally, both methods should be facilitated in each module, as with the JF-17.

[Northstar98]

Looks like HB are adding a short/press long press option for voice chat PTT (in addition to already having module specific keybinds for voice chat and the communications menu):

Quote

• Added third Radio PTT keybinding for short press to open comms menu and long press (hold) allowing transmission over VOIP.

EDIT: Looks like a lot of modules now have module specific communications menu and VOIP PTT binds, with the exception being the Yak-52. Other than that exception, fantastic stuff! Very pleased to see this.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Northstar98

[Buzzer1977]

On 12/28/2021 at 10:56 AM, viper2097 said:

I'm pretty sure @BIGNEWY reads here also, but it would be great to get feedback from ED what they think about that short/long press idea. Probably they already have the intention to make it work like that.