Key to listen just like you can whisper

[Taxidriver]

Is it possible to add a listen key with the same option the whisper key has?

Right now when I for instance wanna whisper to the sub-channels I might very well interrupt a conversation going on in one of those sub-channels. If there was a key to listen just as there is one to whisper, I could listen for a few seconds to here if any conversation was going on before I start talking. Personally I would use the same keys for whisper and listen so i just hold the whisper/listen key for a few seconds before i start talking, but that could be different for other people.

[Bastian]

As this function would allow "spying" channels you are not in, it won't ever become part of the TeamSpeak software.

[Taxidriver]

As this function would allow "spying" channels you are not in, it won't ever become part of the TeamSpeak software.

Well, I think there are multiple plausible ways to counter that.

For instance currently when someone enters a channel you'll here an announcement. Something simular could be done if someone the listen key. Or just a short beeb or something, would be handy for whispers as well so people know that someone is talking from a different channel.

[sgtbenc]

A short beep might be OK (if it was a client-side option), but like Ch'Ih-Yu said, the Teamspeak Team will never add a feature that could be used for spying. You and I might not use it for liostening to toehr people's conversations, but I know that some will.

[Pierobon]

I was thinking, and trying to solve the "spy"problem...

You can bind a key to "listen just to...", than if (and only if) this guy whisper to you you will listen just to him...

[Taxidriver]

What if TS only allowed listening to parent/subchannels of the same channel family? I mean you are in the same channel afterall aren't you? If you don't want to be listened to go to a different channel which doesn't have subchannels.

And if that is not secure enough, I was thinking what if a TS admin when creating a new channel automatically get's an option to block a channel/subchannel from listening, just like he has the option to block a channel from joining by password. So something like:

"Do you wanna allow listening in this channel?

a)No
b)Yes, but password required. Enter Password:
c)Yes"

[Bastian]

In my eyes, you create subchannels cause you do NOT want to hear people in the other channel while still beeing able to talk to them if needed. You could simply use a keybind to switch to that channel and you will hear everything. Hit another key and you are back in the channel you were before. They get a "player joined" sound and that's it.

[cliffro]

i dont know about that, but what about a button when whispering to just hear replies from them i.e. it would mute everyone else as sometimes its chaos in some channels with 20+ ppl

[SatanClaus]

The feature you suggest is too dangerous in a way that it permits spying on users... even if there's a sound played, most people won't know about its meaning (or just overhear it). Also you have to think about admins spying on users on their ts-server, so basing this on permissions wouldn't work either.
That's why there won't be a feature like this in future versions.
If you want to listen to a channel you can very well join that channel with a key binding (as Ch'Ih-Yu said already). Also you could use the channel commander feature for this... (you can whisper to channel commanders, etc.)

What I could think of as an alternative is being able to join multiple channels. But that would be very confusing for some users, especially because it isn't clear which channel you want to talk to... (all won't work, as you would confuse people in one channel while being in a conversion with people from another). So that would cause a lot trouble and work just for a feature which we actually think to be useless and / or dangerous.

I hope you can understand our side... cu

SatanClaus

[Taxidriver]

I hope you can understand our side... cu

SatanClaus

Yeah sure I do, just trying to think of sollutions that solves my problem, but also takes care of your concerns.

What I could think of as an alternative is being able to join multiple channels. But that would be very confusing for some users, especially because it isn't clear which channel you want to talk to... (all won't work, as you would confuse people in one channel while being in a conversion with people from another). So that would cause a lot trouble and work just for a feature which we actually think to be useless and / or dangerous.

MULTIPLE CHANNELS

Yes, I've thought about multiple channels as well. Actually what you could do is enable you to be in one channel as your main channel which you talk to by using the normal talk key. Other channels you could be in would be "reserve" channels. You would use a 'talk to reserve channels key" or just set up keys to whisper to those channels. Also you could set a (or the same) key to listen to your reserve channel.

If you move to a different channel you would only move to a different main channel the 'reserve" channel don't change and to leave them you have to right-click or something. It wouldn't be spying since people can see you're actually in that channel.

I asked this question because of squad based gameplay, so this is how it would work:

My main channel would be my squad channel, I use my normal talk key to talk to them.
The whole team (so members of all squads together) would also be in the reserve channel. Where I can talk and listen if I want.


GROUPS

Another method could be the introduction of the concept of "groups". Everyone is in the same channel, but people can also within that channel tag themselves as belonging to one of several groups.

So I have a normal talk key that talks to the whole channel (as in the whole team) and a "talk to my group" key (my squad). This way it wouldn't be spying cause everyone is in the same channel. So being in a group doesn't garanty that noone outside the group can hear you, it's just takes care that you are not talking to people that you don't want to disturb.

In my clan we already do this by using the family key, to talk to all subchannels (squads) together. Problem is because I can't listen to them, I might interupting people by using the family channel key. That's also why using a key to switch channels isnn't useful. It wouldn't allow me to talk to my squad as well as the whole team. Either I would be enable to listen/talk to my squad or I would be unable to listen/talk to the others squads.


Anyway I see your concerns and it's prolly is hard to justify the effort required to implement something like this. Just pointing out in what ways TS is limiting us for what we are trying to use it.

Thanks for your reply and time.

[Taxidriver]

Being confronted with the Squad vs. team problem again lately, any comments on the suggestions made in my last post? Any developments for TS3 that deal with this issue?

[BHKai]

What about bind>last whisperer to preset?

Then they can use that button to talk to the last person that talked to them.

[Taxidriver]

What about bind>last whisperer to preset?

Then they can use that button to talk to the last person that talked to them.

Not sure if that would work because that may be different people.


The core issue is:

1 It needs to allow engaging communication to either your subgroup or it's whole group (might be in subgroups themselves) at the same time. (so switching channels doesn't work)

2 It should not transmit communication of the larger group all the time

3 Some meassures should be taken to prevent interrupting communication for the larger group (that's a problem because of 2)


If that's somehow possible with TS2, then yay, show me. If not than it's still a request.

[BHKai]

You just have to use the whisper function for the commander to whisper to the squad leaders then transfer the information along. Chain of command example.

The thing is that the whisper function already had ways to abuse it's use and a listen function could cause even more.

Imagine if there was such a function. If some person is able to find the bug then information that you may want private can be heard by someone else. The other problem is that there is no application to download the server program. Any one could set up a server be a server admin and be able to listen if the right precautions are not taken, so you can not trust every person that you have in a server. That is a large risk for something like that.

Also the idea about reserve channels. That would greatly increase the bandwidth needed in servers, as people could have a couple reserve channels and server would have to send information to each person. So in a instance where you have four people, you could have what is equivalent to 8 people in a server.

To be able to implement that into TS with all of the security precautions and fail safe options would be a program in itself. Even then you still have to be able to judge if the benefits out way the risk. Because you do know if someone's privacy is invaded it will be the fault of TS and not the person that actually got the information, as people tend to blame the people with more money.

[Taxidriver]

Also the idea about reserve channels. That would greatly increase the bandwidth needed in servers, as people could have a couple reserve channels and server would have to send information to each person. So in a instance where you have four people, you could have what is equivalent to 8 people in a server.


You only talk occasionally to people in the reserve channel, so if noone is talking what information would be sent? The idea is not to always transmit all communication to all channels main and reserve, but just to be able to receive communication from both at the same time.

P.S. Appreciate you responding to this.

[BHKai]

You only talk occasionally to people in the reserve channel, so if noone is talking what information would be sent? The idea is not to always transmit all communication to all channels main and reserve, but just to be able to receive communication from both at the same time.

P.S. Appreciate you responding to this.
You welcome. ;)

What counts for bandwidth is the ability to upload information. Talking the client uploads to the server. Hearing what the other person said is the work of the server uploading to the clients in the channel.

One person can talk all day to their self and not run the bandwidth up. But the more people that listen puts strain on the bandwidth.

Downloading data is nice, but uploading is what counts for gaming and communication to others.

[Thrud]

we have the same issues you have of people whispering without knowing the communication state of the listener. this is a pic of how we deal with it in IL-2

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/JodFoster/RadioIdea1a.jpg

Argh! images are turned off on this forum. anyway hit that link and you'll see what method we went to. it would be nice if the PC would allow multiple instances of TS to run. it would be like having the multiple radios you have in real life when you fly.

[Taxidriver]

Sorry have been a bit busy.

You welcome. ;)

What counts for bandwidth is the ability to upload information. Talking the client uploads to the server. Hearing what the other person said is the work of the server uploading to the clients in the channel.

One person can talk all day to their self and not run the bandwidth up. But the more people that listen puts strain on the bandwidth.

Downloading data is nice, but uploading is what counts for gaming and communication to others.

But still aren't you uploading to people who you NEED to communicate to? The idea is that you actually have too push a key too listen to that channel so am I correct in thinking you're not uploading all the time, but only when pushing the listen key? Furthermore one reserve channel would be enough for my purpose.

In my case I would make whispering to the reserve channel the same key as the listening key, so I can push the whisper key, listen if they are talking and if not start speaking.



we have the same issues you have of people whispering without knowing the communication state of the listener. this is a pic of how we deal with it in IL-2

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/JodFoster/RadioIdea1a.jpg

Argh! images are turned off on this forum. anyway hit that link and you'll see what method we went to. it would be nice if the PC would allow multiple instances of TS to run. it would be like having the multiple radios you have in real life when you fly.

Looks interesting, what whisper key do use for the squads. However doesn't this still have the problem that people that whisper to squad and channel communication interfere because, people in channel won't know that someone is whispering to squad?