Press F to select a target. Press C to bring up coms (remote interact, like selecting a weapons comp to link) and depending on what you have installed in your vessel is what you can transmit to them. This would include inviting them to a party (they autojoin the party chat) inviting them to your faction (again autojoins).
If you have neither target nor hardware or permissions to transmit anything else pressing C just broadcasts a local SOS. Which some folks might have blocked. For folks that do have SOS unblocked they can also act as relays. So if you SOS from a trade station other trade stations will get it and relay it. Ignoring an SOS puts that person on a local temp blacklist so you stop getting their transmissions. At least until you log out and back in. If they have other modules and permissions to use something other than the SOS you'll still get those unless you add them to a permanent blacklist. You can also subscribe to your faction's blacklist blocking anyone already blocked by your group even if the blocked party is offline. You can also manually add a name to the coms blacklist. The server should be able to autocorrect/complete the name if they have ever logged iu.
Take a look at glibys voice mod. its implemented simply and well.
This technique could be adapted to give light weight voip.
I would suggest a block with a range depending on the amount of scanner antennas equipped. (with a default radius to avoid redundancy)
I would also make radio block (the above one should be available for ships only) where this would be be on a station only device. it should require an amount of antenna blocks as before the but the ratio is more favorable. If the system is owned the radius should start from beyond the system.
I would have "bands" which are "open", "faction" "ship to ship".
Perhaps also a long range "subspace" but would require a large antenna and on a base only.
I also thought about having a frequency selector in the radio UI so most of the above could be ignored and its up to the players to choose a channel and hope not to be spied on. Perhaps add to this faction encryption or something if people worry about security (perhaps make that a block)
Steam has a VOIP system for talking with Steam Friends. Is there a way for Schine to integrate this into the game, or is that proprietary? Also, Windows OS has a voice-t0-text feature - can that be integrated? These would be less about developing a tool, and more about plugging one in. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=164655181
The way I play Starmade right now, I don't have a lot of use for VOIP. Once gameplay expands and there is more need for tactics I would definitely use it (as of now battles are mostly just a question of building a bigger ship).
Why Starmade VOIP and not an External Program:
1. I don't want to have to exit Starmade to change channels, disable chat, or change settings.
2. I don't want to have to give my Ventrillo information to people I've only known a little while
3. I am more likely to communicate with players if I can talk through Starmade
4. I am more likely to remember players if I hear them rather than read them
5. I can talk and fly at the same time, I cannot type and fly at the same time
6. Integrating chat into the game will make it more immersive
7. As suggested below - ability to leave a message, addition of voice filters,
My Ideas:
1. Hailing System:
---I hate seeing a ship nearby that isn't a pirate, but not knowing who owns it. I have to type over chat "Who owns the Golliath MK1 at 1, 31, -5?" It would be great to be able to talk directly to a ship using a Comm. Module and targeting their ship. Maybe there's a nearby player I've never met, but want to warn about the pirates nearby. I target them/their ship and send a hail; if accepted we can now VOIP.
---If a hail is rejected, it is completely ignored for 5-minutes before a communication from that player prompts another Incoming Message alert. Alternatively, a player can 'auto-accept' or 'auto-refuse' messages, or choose specific players to ignore.
2. Ansible Communication:
---If I create a VOIP channel, it shouldn't be required to be local to my characters position. Sure that should be an option, but anyone on the server anywhere in the Starmade Universe should be able to communicate.
3. Multiple Channels:
---Local - only players in a 4x4x4 sector radius receives the message (or a 'Hail' saying that someone is trying to communicate).
---Faction - anyone in the faction receives the message.
---Sub-Faction - faction members of a specific rank receive the message/hail. This can allow commanders to communicate without the entire faction hearing.
---Faction Allies - a message broadcast to members of another faction, only available if they are faction allies.
---Custom Group - a customized group of people added on a name-by-name basis. For instance, 'Rozcah, Willy121, AceManFighter, Jubilie' as receivers in a channel called 'Pirate Destroyers.' When I talk on this channel, only the specific people get the message/hail.
---Intercom - using a station or ship intercom VOIP is transmitted to everyone in or near the vessel.
4. Astronaut Mode:
---The helmet or suit can have an ansible comm. in it, that way the astronaut can still communicate with their faction across the galaxy. Maybe it's a brain implant. Maybe not, and they have to use a hand-held radio or go to a radio module to get communications. Regardless, in Astronaut mode you get an additional channel 'Proximity' that only sends VOIP to players within 50 meters.
5. Leave a Message:
---If a friend left before you gave them a congratulations, or you want to complement a ship while the owner is offline, or someone parked their freighter on your front lawn you can leave then a 5-second recording. For storage a player can only have 5 audio-messages waiting for them and players are informed if the Ansible is full and can't take more messages. Messages auto-delete after a fixed time.
6. Voice Filters:
---I'm an RP fan. If/When alien races and factions are introduced I don't want them all to sound like normal people. Robotic races get robot filters to sound more robotic, Guinarbs have more reverb, Humans get radio static, Qualins are a higher pitch. Or maybe these filters are just a player-option that can be turned on or off. Maybe players of the same race have no filter, and only other races get filters applied.
7. Ingame GUI Prompts:
---If I turned on 'auto-deny' then how will I know someone is trying to ansible me? Maybe I forgot that auto-deny was turned on. Maybe I'm in a Custom Channel when a Faction Message is coming in. An icon above the audio-output will give a visual indicator that sound is there that I am not hearing (such as a Sound Symbol over an Astronaut's head). Maybe this is the GUI that I have to interact with to accept the hail.
Even the open-source VoIP software that I've looked through doesn't have a Java API yet. There is a rumor of a Mumble Java API in the works, but that hasn't materialized yet.
I like the idea of integrated voice with ambient noise inserted.
I've played other games with well-done integrated voice and all the bloody players still insist on using 3rd-party VOIP networks like Team Speak anyway. So while the idea is cool, I'd personally put integrated voice on a back-burner and focus efforts on game-play improvements.
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