DCS Comms Menu - Please Don't Change

[wilbur81]

Dear Devs,

After a certain new trailer was recently released, it just occurred to me: I LOVE the simple, out-of-the-way, low-key comms menu we have in DCS. Please keep it that way and don't ever change!  Just say "no" to the giant, flashy, "center-stage" comms menus.

 

Edited Monday at 02:48 AM by wilbur81

[SharpeXB]

Oh yeah, I don’t like that at all!

[Exorcet]

Definitely not a fan of wheel menus at all, though I do appreciate getting an update for communications finally. If possible, arranging the new updates in a smaller linear menu would be a nice option.

[Tom Kazansky]

6 hours ago, wilbur81 said:

Dear Devs,

After a certain new trailer was recently released, it just occurred to me: I LOVE the simple, out-of-the-way, low-key comms menu we have in DCS. Please keep it that way and don't ever change!  Just say "no" to the giant, flashy, "center-stage" comms menus.

 

Is this screenshot taken from DCS or F.BMS?

I won't post a link but if yo search for BMS 4.38 Trailer at YT and go to 2:20, there it is.

Edited Monday at 09:45 AM by Tom Kazansky

[Dragon1-1]

While I like the idea of a low key comms menu, the current one we have in DCS is grossly inadequate. It's inconsistent even within a mission (that is to say, "dynamic") and in dire need of an update, not visually, but rather in terms of functionality.

That said, looks like the other sim is taking a cue from HB, which isn't the worst thing in the world... for VR users. In VR, it does make a certain amount of sense to have such an option, it's reasonably quick to interact with using just the PTT button and head movements, which is a vast improvement over fiddling with F keys. Of course, ideally the number keys would still be there, so you could use VA to punch in an appropriate key sequence.

[Tom Kazansky]

2 hours ago, Dragon1-1 said:

In VR, it does make a certain amount of sense to have such an option, it's reasonably quick to interact with using just the PTT button and head movements, which is a vast improvement over fiddling with F keys.

Since ED introduced bindings for their comms menu up/down/back/select/... I find it very simple and less immersion breaking to navigate through the menu(s). I just have a modifier and the 4-way comms button on my hotas to do this. I don't say it is better or worse than the big HB-style wheel, but you already don't have to fiddle with F-keys anymore in VR.

[MAXsenna]

25 minutes ago, Tom Kazansky said:

Since ED introduced bindings for their comms menu up/down/back/select/... I find it very simple and less immersion breaking to navigate through the menu(s). I just have a modifier and the 4-way comms button on my hotas to do this. I don't say it is better or worse than the big HB-style wheel, but you already don't have to fiddle with F-keys anymore in VR.

Hey Tom! Why do you use a modifier? I just use my trim hat, or another hat/buttons combo. It will only browse the menu when the menu is open and function normally when it's closed.

Just like the George and Petrovich interfaces. 

Cheers! 

[Tom Kazansky]

1 minute ago, MAXsenna said:

Hey Tom! Why do you use a modifier? I just use my trim hat, or another hat/buttons combo. It will only browse the menu when the menu is open and function normally when it's closed.

Just like the George and Petrovich interfaces. 

Cheers! 

That's news to me. didn't know I can bind keys that way. sounds very handy. will try that, thanks!

[MAXsenna]

That's news to me. didn't know I can bind keys that way. sounds very handy. will try that, thanks!

Yeah, it's a great nifty feature! I discovered it by accident, thought I needed modifiers too!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[draconus]

10 hours ago, wilbur81 said:

After a certain new trailer was recently released

Fortunately it's not for DCS  But the options we see there are more than welcome, esp. ATC!

23 minutes ago, Tom Kazansky said:

very handy

It is, until you're in comms menu and need to trim at the same time

[MAXsenna]

It is, until you're in comms menu and need to trim at the same time

True, but then just use other hats/buttons. When you get used to it, you can browse it in no time.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Dragon1-1]

What we need is a comms menu that is easily bound to voice commands without fiddling with VAICOM, which is notorious for breaking campaigns and only exists because of ED's misbegotten approach to comms. The menu is badly designed, seemingly originally made with easy comms in mind first.

[wilbur81]

12 hours ago, Tom Kazansky said:

Since ED introduced bindings for their comms menu up/down/back/select/... I find it very simple and less immersion breaking to navigate through the menu(s). 

Same here. 

[MAXsenna]

6 hours ago, Dragon1-1 said:

What we need is a comms menu that is easily bound to voice commands

Agree with this, bundled with something like BeyondATC.

6 hours ago, Dragon1-1 said:

without fiddling with VAICOM, which is notorious for breaking campaigns

Guess I'm lucky as this has never happened to me.  

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

16 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Just like the George and Petrovich interfaces.

Yes indeed! In fact I use the same hat for George/Petrovich/Polychop AI/communication menu and it works very well AND is easy to remember that way

[MAXsenna]

Yes indeed! In fact I use the same hat for George/Petrovich/Polychop AI/communication menu and it works very well AND is easy to remember that way

Oh, cool! The Kiowa supports this too? Haven't gotten that far into the module yet.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[sirrah]

Even before I checked his signature, I knew the OP is obviously not using VR 

 

Current radio menu definitely does need an overhaul (as I'm sure ED knows and is maybe even working on). I don't really care what it will become, as long as it doesn't require a mouse to navigate through.

 

A fully integrated DCS core feature like VAICOM would be the best (and actually the only right thing to do).

[MAXsenna]

19 minutes ago, sirrah said:

A fully integrated DCS core feature like VAICOM would be the best (and actually the only right thing to do).

Amen!

I'd be happy to pay extra for a working DLC. 

Edited Tuesday at 12:58 PM by MAXsenna

[wilbur81]

16 hours ago, Dragon1-1 said:

What we need is a comms menu that is easily bound to voice commands without fiddling with VAICOM, 

This would be the ultimate, for sure.  For my regular VR users: do you not find HB's giant Comm's wheel popping up in front of your face mildly immersion breaking? I've done VR, and it was for me.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

1 minute ago, wilbur81 said:

do you not find HB's giant Comm's wheel popping up in front of your face mildly immersion breaking?

Nope.

[draconus]

13 minutes ago, wilbur81 said:

For my regular VR users: do you not find HB's giant Comm's wheel popping up in front of your face mildly immersion breaking?

It was terrible since the beginning, same for monitor use.

[Lace]

28 minutes ago, wilbur81 said:

This would be the ultimate, for sure.  For my regular VR users: do you not find HB's giant Comm's wheel popping up in front of your face mildly immersion breaking? I've done VR, and it was for me.

Also nope (though I'm mostly a single-seat guy).

[Dragon1-1]

It does what it needs to, and there's precious few better ways to do it. It's annoying and has trouble whenever you need to enter numbers, but it allows you to give commands reasonably fast. Phantom's implementation adds some streamlining that can help minimize its use.

Myself, I prefer to have Jester fully scripted, like in Reforger II or most Reflected's campaigns. So that he gives commands to me, just like it would usually work in a real Tomcat. In fact, with scripting, you can even have him launch missiles. That said, this is strictly SP-only, and in practice restricted to top quality campaigns due to effort it takes to build and debug a mission like that.

Edited Tuesday at 07:41 PM by Dragon1-1