VoIP feature requests/ ideas/ feedback

[Daniel Vogel]

I was wondering what kind of features mod authors would expect from a VoIP (voice over IP) implementation in the Unreal Engine (not necessarily UT2003) and what other products are doing right and wrong with regard to that. Basically, I'm looking for feedback like "I wish I could use the VoIP code to send pre- recorded taunts" or CounterStrike has this awesome feature X or game Y has this really annoying limitation or I'm working on a mod and have this insane idea to use VoIP and would love to see support for Z.

FWIW, the low level code uses a client/server architecture with a server side connectivity matrix and I'm using speex as a compression codec.

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.

[legacy-JamesWalkoski]

I assume you have all the basic features like being able to mute players and team/global chat toggles covered so I won't bother with them.

However, I would like to request that you choose NOT to implement voice modulation technology. It is annoying and makes it difficult to understand people. It doesn't provide any additional anonymity, just a false sense of security.

[legacy-CoFR_Lazarus]

Hey all,

I wrote up a relatively long design outline for a VC system a few days ago. It's more on the technical side, but outlines some of the features I'd like to be able to use for my mod. Here, the full doc:

VC Design (http://www.arteque.com/Unreal/VoiceComm.txt)

Here's the quick summary:

1. I would definitely like to be able to configure channels with arbitrary recipients. This would include "everyone", "my team", "my squad", as well as individual players (private messaging). I'm actually thinking of allowing some enemies to be able to be contacted depending on the game scenario. So, a "switchboard" matrix with full control by the mod would definitely be a big plus, rather than just the team-speak, all-speak modes.

2. I would also like to be able to add a certain level of realism, allowing voice messages to be intentionally spoken out loud or even overheard. This would simply entail being able to instruct the VC system that a particular message is transmitted to all players within a certain radius (possibly in addition to its direct recipients), and with properties that determine relative volume and fall-off as the listener is further away from the speaker.

3. As far as voice quality goes, I haven't encountered anything that even comes close the the quality of Counter-Strike's voice-comm. It's very clear, and doesn't seem to degrade significantly with latency, until you get to a ping of over 500 or so. If anyone else agrees, disagrees, or has any idea what type of technology they use for encoding (if any), it might be very useful to know.

-Laz

[Daniel Vogel]

JamesWalkoski:

VoiceMasking is a neat feature IMO and nobody is forced to use it. There will be a "record/playback mode" so you can hear how you sound.

CoFR_Lazarus:

1.) server side connectivity matrix takes care of that
2.) spatialization & radius option is part of connectivity matrix
3.) haven't played with CounterStrike's VoIP yet

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.

[legacy-JamesWalkoski]

Ok, I understand why some people enjoy playing around with it. I guess what I am asking for is the option to turn it off and hear everyone normally regardless of what their settings are. Is that in the cards?

[Daniel Vogel]

Allowing to bypass it would defeat the purpose. You are always free to tell the involved party that you can't understand him/her and block him/her.

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.

Originally posted by JamesWalkoski
Is that in the cards?

[legacy-BonzoESC]

Originally posted by CoFR_Lazarus
3. As far as voice quality goes, I haven't encountered anything that even comes close the the quality of Counter-Strike's voice-comm. It's very clear, and doesn't seem to degrade significantly with latency, until you get to a ping of over 500 or so. If anyone else agrees, disagrees, or has any idea what type of technology they use for encoding (if any), it might be very useful to know.

-Laz Counter-strike voice communication comes across as unintelligible garbles to me at LAN parties on switched 100BaseT networks, fast university connections, and home cable modem connections, and everybody sounds like they're 12 years old.

-Laz

[legacy-SlayerDragon]

Originally posted by BonzoESC
Counter-strike voice communication comes across as unintelligible garbles to me at LAN parties on switched 100BaseT networks, fast university connections, and home cable modem connections, and everybody sounds like they're 12 years old.

-Laz

Haha... I have the exact opposite problem, I always hear them sounding like Barry White. :eek:

One neat feature would be to allow an electrical shock impulse to be sent across the line when someone is speaking with the mic practically in their mouth. ;)

[legacy-luciano.bargman]

I tryied some Voice comms to recommend for the players of our mod;
Ventrilo is very clear and is not a bandwidth eater, even over dial-up (my case :( )

And as a request, the ability to have self pre-recorded comms are great too, like change the default Affirmative from UT2K3 to my own voice Affirmative.
With this, ppl dont need to read my name on the hud to know that I am the one who is talking

[legacy-CoFR_Lazarus]

That's pretty strange. I've never had much problem with it, even over internet games (through DSL). I can even recognize people by their voce. Maybe it's crappy microphone and soundcards?

[legacy-SlayerDragon]

Originally posted by CoFR_Lazarus
That's pretty strange. I've never had much problem with it, even over internet games (through DSL). I can even recognize people by their voce. Maybe it's crappy microphone and soundcards?

Not to mention ppl who feel the need to eat the microphone while they're talking into it.

[legacy-HbG]

I'm new to VoIP and not too familiar with the other implementations, but all i'd ask for is a good implementation on the unrealscript side of things.
Make sure mod authors have fine control over who hears what, play voices at certain locations in a map (intercom system in the enemy team's base for example), add dsp effects, recording for future playback, and so on.

[elmuerte]

Well I think most server admins want to have their voice chat server off-site, the game server could then redirect the client to that off-site server. Ofcourse that server should have information on what team the player is (and other filter info) in order to provide channels.

[Sir_Brizz]

This should have been in ut2003 :(

[legacy-HbG]

Voice chat off-server i definitely not want for the Game2XS servers i run. There's added complexity, possible linux issues, and probably reduced flexibility on the unrealscript side of things. HTTP redirection is useful because files can be compressed, you can service multiple servers, and because fileserving is an entirely different discipline then the streaming traffic game servers generate. And voice chat is just that.

Really can't think of an argument in favour of a seperate voice server....

[elmuerte]

Added complexity is small, you only have to redirect the clients, the gameserver <-> voicecom server interaction would be the only thing, don't see why there even would be linux issues.
As for less unrealscript control, this could just be replicated over the gameserver <-> voicecom server control channel.

One of the major plus sides of an offsite voicecom server is that you won't lose communication during map changes, this will also give you more control over voicecom when you are going to implement a clustered game type, extended over more than one Unreal server.
You have to keep your options open, it's better to add open ends that "can" be implemented in the future rather than closing all options from the beginning.

[legacy-Vir@s]

Originally posted by vogel
Allowing to bypass it would defeat the purpose. You are always free to tell the involved party that you can't understand him/her and block him/her.

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.

Well and how should I tell them if I don't have any mic - or do you think I have time to type when I'm fraggin' ? :p :D

Anyway - implenting Voice over IP is a good idea, as long as you keep it optional. Also I would like to vote for the idea that the traffic is client - client only and not client-server-client (because then the server would get VERY MUCH traffic).

Mfg, Vir@s

[legacy-Agent-X(UK)]

I have a MS voice commander - i would very much like to beable to use this. It has Team and All buttons, alon with 4 different ones you should beable to configure to the group you want.

Its pretty much the standard Voice hardware, as there isnt no other. Its also very cheap (around the £20 mark) - anything that lets me use this would be a big bonus

[legacy-Pla1]

I expect voice over IP would have 3 options:

1) To talk to all
2) To talk to team
and I think it would be also very good option to have

3) Talk to near by standing person
This will be the same way a person hears the steps of near by persons. So If I talk all near by standers should be able to hear me - louder the closer they are to me.

So if I wisper to a team-mate he will hear me. But if an enemy is hidden near by he would be also able to hear ...

This sound like more fun.

So I suggest having 3 options:
1) radio-talk to all
2) radio-talk to team
3) yell/whisper talk to near by (same as in real life)

Thank you.

[legacy-Spin]

Originally posted by Vir@s
Well and how should I tell them if I don't have any mic - or do you think I have time to type when I'm fraggin' ? :p :D


I think the likelihood of being told your voice is garbled if you have no mic wouldn't really be much of a worry.

[legacy-SoSilencer]

Counter-strike voice communication comes across as unintelligible garbles to me at LAN parties on switched 100BaseT networks, fast university connections, and home cable modem connections, and everybody sounds like they're 12 years old.

They are 12 year olds...

[elmuerte]

why did you revive this 3 month old thread for just that comment ?!

[legacy-SoSilencer]

Hehe sorry. When Wormbo mentioned that source stripping thing in chat I could have sworn he said it was on these forums by Dan so I searched for posts by him and this was one that came up. Didn't realise it was so old.