Direct Channel

[mad rabbit]

Originally Posted by beginna

+1
right now i got "direct channel" and "group channel" on mouse.
the other channels on numblock

just out of curiosity - does it make sense to use instead "direct channel" the "vehicle channel"?
does the vehicle channel have the same range and volume outside a vehicle as the direct channel?

Vehicle channel better especially in large helos. It's also not (as) effected by engine noise.

Of course the drawback is that you can't hear it outside the vehicle but there's enough of the other channels to cover that.

[RGG:Dale]

Use vehicle channel if in a vehicle, direct wont reach some people in big vehicles.

[doveman]

Some good info and tips here, perhaps worth adding to the manual's VON section.

I personally think I'll bind my mousebuttons (set to Capslock and ~) to PTT and Direct, as it seems more convenient to be able to change the channel between Group and Vehicle with <> depending on whether I'm in a vehicle and still use the same mousebutton to PTT.

I'll try with the other channels bound to Num keys but I'm not sure if that will cause problems as they're already bound to look commands which I sometimes need in Helos, etc and it might be rather annoying to have the view moving about when I change channel!

Maybe most of you use TrackIR/Freetrack/FaceTrackNoIR so don't use those keys to look. I'm playing with FaceTrackNoIR at the moment but unfortunately the lighting in my room isn't good enough for it to work other than in daylight, so most of the time when I'm playing online in the evenings I won't be able to use it. I'm planning on building a clip for Freetrack though (already got the parts, just need to work out how to build it!)

[mad rabbit]

I've been playing BIS games since OFP v1.46 and this is the key config I've always used if it helps. Modified for PR a bit and centered around the classic first person shooter WASD config:

---
W, S = fwd/back
A, D = strafe
L Ctrl = Sprint/Vehclce turbo
* some people have double-tap W but I find it easier to a single key to press as it's good sprinting between positions and driving

---
Z = stand
X = crounch
C = prone
* C is your 'hit the dirt' instantly key. Useful to press whilst your moving but come under fire and need to dive behind cover.
** Note if you run from a crouched start you'll do a low profile/hunched run, and when you stop you'll be in this position. I use this from going from cover to cover e.g. low brick walls in Takistan/Zagrabad = good height for crouched firing position.

---
Space = optics
Alt-Space = secondary optics e.g. iron sight

* You'll be switching to optics constantly so it's good to have a large key for it i.e. space.

---
Alt = free-look

* hold Alt whilst running to have a look at your flanks with you mouse without changing your running direction

---
L Shift = hold breath

* steadies rifle for that all important long-shot

---
T = step-over

* very important key for getting over low walls, MG nests, hedges to get better position

---
G = Compass
F = Fire-mode
R = Reload

* Important keys that need quick access to change fro auto/single shot, call out the direction you are shooting (compass) and of course reload that spent mag.

---
N = Night-vision/change vision mode
V = Pistol
L = Headlight/Laser
K = Gear
B = Binoculars
O = Watch


* Not too important keys as you'll need to have some time to deal with these actions e.g. eyes adjust from normal vision to NV/binocs, not many kits have a pistol, need time to deal with the gear menu, no-one uses a rifle laser attachment (might as well send up a flare) and in a vehicle you've got a bit more fingers free to switch the headlights on whilst driving

---
Tab = PR Interaction Key
L Win = PR Self-interaction Key
p = player/squad menu
i = scores

* No Tab-ing to lock targets in PR so might as well use this close proximity big key for something

---
Mouse 1 = Fire
Mouse 2 = Zoom

Mouse wheel push-left [Num + remap] = zoom-in
Mouse wheel push-right [Num - remap] = zoom-out

Mouse wheel scroll = ArmA2 action menu (being phased out by PR mod)

* important to have push left towards Mouse 1 as zoom as you don't want to be trying to get your middle finger in between your fore/trigger finger and the scroll-wheel

---
Mouse 4 (thumb) [remap to End/Home as required] = direct chat PTT
Mouse 5 (thumb) [remap to End/Home as required] = channel chat PTT
<, > = change chat channel
? = type in channel
CAPS LOCK = Teamspeak 3 (just in-case)

* So with Mouse 4 you can always shout-out to non-squad team member (not in group channel), taunt an enemy, tell someone to get out of the way/vehicle quickly if you need to. Also keep in mind that direct chat allows directionality of the voice for you squad when group channel (radio) does not which is good for 'frag-out' calls. Its. Just. Handy.
** Mouse 5 radio is the same as the channel your typing on. Slow but more versatile.
*** Do NOT use Voice-Activated for anything. Nothing more annoying for your other squad/team mates.

---

Half the battle with BIS is the key config. Hope it helps!

[doveman]

Thanks, I'm sure there's some ideas in there I can use, particularly using a key for sprint rather than double-tap W.

I'm trying to settle on a mapping that will work for everything (Vanilla, PR, ACE, various heli mods, etc) as whilst I could make a separate profile for PR, Arma seems to operate in this rather stupid way where it takes your online username from the profilename, so if I create a profile called doveman-PR, that's what my online username will show as. I don't know why they don't just put a setting inside the profile to set the username, as then I could have several profiles but all with the username "doveman".

A couple of mods I know I have to be mindful of are MMA and the Aircraft_HUD AircraftHUD - MFD/IHADSS/TADS - Miscellaneous - Armaholic, bd_hellfire mods, as they use various keys (including L Ctrl I think).

[mad rabbit]

Although it's a bit long winded you could interchange your user config file for ArmA2:OA located in:

"C:\[Username]\My Documents\ArmA2\[profilename].ArmA2OAProfile"

So you could:
1) Make a profile in-game with assoc. keys = A
2) Quit ArmA2 and make a copy of the above file
3) Restart the game and remap the keys to another way.
4) Quit ArmA2 and make a copy of the file with the key settings = B
5) Now you can swap files A and B before you start the game as needed but just make sure you rename the backed-up config A/B as the original as required.

[doveman]

Originally Posted by mad rabbit

Although it's a bit long winded you could interchange your user config file for ArmA2:OA located in:

"C:\[Username]\My Documents\ArmA2\[profilename].ArmA2OAProfile"

So you could:
1) Make a profile in-game with assoc. keys = A
2) Quit ArmA2 and make a copy of the above file
3) Restart the game and remap the keys to another way.
4) Quit ArmA2 and make a copy of the file with the key settings = B
5) Now you can swap files A and B before you start the game as needed but just make sure you rename the backed-up config A/B as the original as required.

Thanks, that's a good workaround until (hopefully) BIS sort it out properly

[sparks50]

I do wish direct chat would be lowered for the enemy. It tends to punish people for communicating, and the voice range seems beyond realistic levels already.

Its great for what it is though.

[doveman]

Originally Posted by sparks50

I wish direct chat would be lowered for the enemy. It tends to punish people for communicating, and the voice range is well beyond realistic levels already.

Yeah, in real life you might lower your voice but still be able to be heard by your squad, whilst the enemy might hear something but not be able to make out what's being said or even if it's speech (depending on how near they are) so it's a bit rubbish if you can't use Direct without enemies 40m away being able to hear you clearly.

To make it more realistic it would be better if it filtered it so that the distance it carries depended on how loud the player is speaking, or maybe there could be a shout/whisper mode toggle which would change the distance.

[mayr]

if it filtered it so that the distance it carries depended on how loud the player is speaking

Indeed would be a great feature. However, I think it already works to a degree like that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the distance determine how loud you hear someone on direct channel? Meaning, person 10m from you hears you better than the person 25m away.

So whispering behind your computer might not be as ridiculous as it sounds. If you whisper, people close to you should be able to hear you, but people further away can't.