More communication options

[correojon]

This topic is not about voice chat. Some people would like VC, others wouldn´t, but this is not what I want to discuss in this thread.

This topic is about the communication system already in the game and how it could be expanded to make it more useful. Teamwork is critical in this game, however you can only communicate with your team with 2 messages: "Here!" (or "To me" or whatever it is on your region) and "Nice!" (again, "Booyah!" or whatever). The first one is great and it´s very useful, the second is totally useless, though it´s nice when a teammate dedicates you one after you do something good.

These take 2 directions of the DPAD, so another 2 remain unused. Apart from this, the L button is also unused (I´ll never understand why they decided to put the special weapon on the right stick instead of here), so it could be used to expand the system even more, so if you have L pressed you get an alternative 4 messages for the DPAD. It could go something like this:
Standard messages:

• Up: Here
• Down: Return to base (you could use this when you see on the map that the enemies have gone behind your back and are inking your base, but you are occupied doing something as important and can´t go back yourself)
  
• Left: Enemy hiding/Be careful (something to alert of not obvious danger)
  
• Right: OK/Roger (Use it to reply to an ally´s message)

Alternate messages (with L pressed):

• Up: Advance
• Down: Fall back
  
• Left: Go left
  
• Right Go right

Also, a list of messages could be defined so you could customize your messages any way you fancy. Example of some possible messages:

• Stay here
• Follow me
• I´ve got your back
• Behind you!
  
• Leave the trees alone, you monster

I think the game would greatly improve with these changes, specially when playing with randoms. It´s frustrating not being able to communicate simple concepts as these and the game´s pace doesn´t allow for you to try more elaborate ways to get your message through to someone you have at an arm´s distance.

What do you think? What messages would you like to see? Would you use a different system instead?

 

[rokami]

I don't know if you've ever played Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, but it has a preset list of messages that you can edit and select from the touchscreen on the 3DS in the flow of battle. Something like that would be amazing for Splatoon! Maybe that's just me though.

 

[correojon]

I haven´t played it but I think that´s exactly what I was thinking, something like the gestures in Dark Souls that you can select from a list and use the ones you like more, right?

 

[Lyn]

This a pretty good idea!

 

[Retrogamer]

Oh I would have to agree with being able to edit a preset list to communicate but the problem then is the about of people who would abuse it! If we have a preset list of say 20 commands we could use that would be awesome, or another option would be to have character classes like WOW or team fortress that have built in presets to use! But I think VC would be the best option bearing in mind all the tech is built into the game pad

 

[correojon]

VC wouldn´t be useful when playing with randoms. We´re already seeing the massive amount of japanese players for example, how would you communicate with them?