Command using outside of game links to coordinate marines better

[AcuteCircle]

Lately, some command staff has been using links to gyazo or imgur in their announcements or on radios to tactical map to coordinate marines better and I do not understand why this is allowed. This is a rule break for metacomms and powergaming. These players are using outside means to communicate information in-game to win. If marines don't have access to tactical map, then make it accessible in game instead of people in command paste in-your-face blue links, which is already OOC, in their command announcements to gain an advantage.

This is an example of what I'm talking about, from just one game but I've seen another XO use it in their announcements a while ago:

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This person is using both imgur and presumably paint to coordinate marines better, instead of just telling them where to go which is standard with tools available to the command. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but it should be implemented in game instead of people using outside programs for it.

Should admins crack down on it and should coders implement something like this in-game? I say yes to both. If something like this is implemented in game, it should be on a long cooldown.

[Boersgard]

This person is using both imgur and presumably paint to coordinate marines better, instead of just telling them where to go which is standard with tools available to the command. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but it should be implemented in game instead of people using outside programs for it.

The trouble with "just telling marines where to go" is that they won't listen. Not unless they see the same things you do as a staff officer. In your specific round being used as an example, Delta had west civ complex entrance, and Bravo had the south side - neither squad was willing to push into civ residence despite multiple orders to them from SO's. It wasn't until Miles did a tacmap update so the individual marines on the ground could see it for themselves that they finally pushed together.

To me, good in-game functionality would be:

- Give the SL's a tacmap computer or something so they can see the same thing their SO can if they stop and pull it out (maybe new radioman job?)
- Let the SO place beacons/waypoints for the squad he's doing overwatch for
- Give some sort of pinpointer HUD to SL's so they see what direction those waypoints are, preferably drawn on the HUD - just like motion detector pings, and with specific coloration for type of beacon
- Give the XO/CO the ability to draw/delete/write semi-transparent boxes/lines/words on the tacmap that everyone sees anytime they load the tacmap
- Tacmap is disabled if tcomms is down

This implements the functionality in a less meta-gamey way and gives xenos options to counter-act it. With the biggest difference being that the SL/Radioman gets the map rather than the whole squad (this alone does a lot to nerf effectiveness and puts the onus on a good SL to herd his cats which is already difficult as hell)

With that said, I disagree with removing this sort of ability from marines entirely, or changing rules to ban it until in-game implementation (Implementation that would probably take the better part of a year to do). The USCM lives and dies on organization and coordination, once that's gone, things go from being well-matched against xenos to pure slaughter of marines.

[Urytion]

A beacon would be nice, like the SL tracker.

Let the SO select a location on their tacmap, then an indicator under the SL tracker comes up that points people towards it.

[Bancrose]

Developers are working on something that will allow Commanders to sort of draw on the current tactical map that SL's and SO's will be able to see at any point.

Its something we wanted in the Commander Rework. It would also stop us from using links so much as sometimes we have a few mistakes with the links COs/XOs/SOs put in there.

Also we don't punish people for putting links into imgur or something on it, As long as its EXPRESSLY for that purpose such as giving marines a better idea of what they need to be doing.

[Dorkkeli]

As Bancrose said, we do check the links, and if the Queen announcement/ Command announcement is about objectives, we stamp it with the 'we cool' stamp.

[FGRSentinel]

The thing to note is, technically, there's nothing preventing the queen from doing the same thing. OOC we're seeing a link, but ic, what's to say we're not seeing a popup on a tactical hud or whatever shows us the SL/SG/spec/medic/engineer/FT indicators and direction to the SL, but with the map?

[Arbs]

Does anyone even click those links?

It can be pretty fatal in the front.

[FGRSentinel]

Presumably people click the links when they have time to do so (ie, when they're not currently engaged in combat)

[LittleBlast]

I'm fine with them being sent via announcements but through chat feels a bit off to me.

[Pulse Demon]

They are cool. We need queens to start doing the same thing.

[Garrison]

I'm fine with them being sent via announcements but through chat feels a bit off to me.

I agree with this sentiment. Announcements should be free game. In chat tho.. that's a bit iffy to me.

[Madventurer]

Chat is just plain bad IMO and degrades the little immersion there sometimes is to just plain NoRP

[Dorkkeli]

My opinion, links on comms is bwoinkworthy, but on announcements it is fine. The devs might implement something down the road to make this be able to be done ingame.

[David Stormwell]

I Think Its a Fine thing to do, In Announcements, of course not In chat because: SoandSo says, "Tacmap update:

How could you "Say" a Map?

[Awesomesauce935]

Perhaps if it's ok in announcements we could implement this kind of formatting: Tacmap Update

Just so we don't have to see an actual hyperlink.

[Enigmachine]

I think it should be ok to send them out via the OW messenger in addition to the announcements.

[BruceJuice69]

You now have to purchase pro to edit images with gyazo. If anyone knows any alternatives that would be appreciated.

[JennerH]

You now have to purchase pro to edit images with gyazo. If anyone knows any alternatives that would be appreciated.

I just download an image, edit it how I need to and upload it to imgur.

You can use the snip tool to take quick screenshots of a small part of the screen as well

[LaKiller8]

You now have to purchase pro to edit images with gyazo. If anyone knows any alternatives that would be appreciated.

Use ShareX, make your life easier.

[Kineem]

You now have to purchase pro to edit images with gyazo. If anyone knows any alternatives that would be appreciated.

the software "Lightshot" lets you press the Print Screen button (default, can be reassigned iirc) to take a screenshot that you can manually adjust. once you've adjusted the dimensions of the screenshot you want to take, you can use a rudimentary line tool to draw on the image and then upload the image to their official website, which you can pull a link from and then post in game.