Role Specific Channels for Aliens

[TheSlapDoctor]

Summary:
Aliens will get more than just the ':a' hivemind, but also separate channels depending on caste. Castes with similar functions will get access to the same channel (Runner, Hunter, Crusher, etc.)

Benefits:
Reduce the clutter in the Alien chat, allow members of the same role to co-operate without speaking publicly. There is often very little co-operation among the aliens unless the Queen demands it, and is quite lucky.

Details:
N.B: Aliens WILL keep the global :a Hivemind, the extra channels will be optional for co-operation and strategy.

We already categorise Aliens by their role (Support, Defense and Offense), I think it would be useful to allow each of these roles their own hivemind 'channel'. Below are what I'd suggest the default channel should be for each role, but every Alien should be able to actively choose to join any channel. Also, the Queen would be listening to all channels by default.

Support:

• Drones
  Hivelords

Defense:

• Sentinel
  Spitter
  Boiler

Offense:

• Runner
  Hunter
  Ravager
  Crusher
  Carrier
  Praetorian

Implementation:
Should be rather simple using the existing Hivemind/Radio code.

[Yottawhat]

You forgot to include Carrier.

+1 by the way, this is great since the only way to cooperate as a Alien is through the hivemind but that can get cluttered pretty easily.

[Tristan63]

-1 Drone can we ge- Oh wait I forgot theirs no way to talk to drones -Gets shot-

Horrible idea it would basically make the hive three separate parts

[TheSlapDoctor]

You forgot to include Carrier.

Damn, I knew something felt off.

Carrier caste best caste.

[TheSlapDoctor]

Horrible idea it would basically make the hive three separate parts

I'm not talking about getting rid of the global hivemind, that'd obviously stay in place. Does having seperate radio channels for each squad of Marines hamper the Marine attack? It's essentially the same thing.

[Sargeantmuffinman]

Continue to use the general alien channel and we'll all be fine to include this one.

I need more input for a +1 or -1.

[Arachnidnexus]

Eh, not really feeling this. This is like if marine engineers used :e to coordinate a defense. In practice they don't and it falls to general comms or squad comms. As an alien you want aliens to coordinate all their castes together in any assault/defense. I don't really see how extra channels would actually improve that. -1

[TheSlapDoctor]

This is like if marine engineers used :e to coordinate a defense. In practice they don't and it falls to general comms or squad comms.

Well, :e is not usually for Marine Engineers. In general, squads will usually use squad comms for co-ordination, and I think that the fact that this is lacking on the Alien side is one of the reasons we don't see much Alien tactics.

[Jen_Llama]

It is hard enough as it is to get aliens to talk over hivemind, or listen for that matter.

[Logi99]

Why not! +1

[TheSlapDoctor]

It is hard enough as it is to get aliens to talk over hivemind, or listen for that matter.

Exactly, and I think the reason for that is because it's chaos. It's all one colour, all one channel and there's no coherency. We can't make people WANT to communicate, but we can make it simpler for those who do.

[Stivan34]

This would be good. +1

[Releasing]

Neutral.. Aliens hardly talk to each other enough as it is, and besides, if a runner or another xeno started coordinating an assault in the 'warrior' channel and didn't tell the hivemind, defense/builder xenos would be at a loss. It has opportunities to increase and decrease cohesion in the xenoteam. I see the benefits and downfalls to this, which is why I'm neutral.

On another point, squad medics/engineers can each talk to the medical/engineering channel, but I hardly ever see it used. I fear the same thing will happen with the specific xeno channels.

[DerpinMcDerpDerp]

>puts praetorian in offense >sole purpose of praetorian is to guard the queen and hive

[TheSlapDoctor]

>puts praetorian in offense >sole purpose of praetorian is to guard the queen and hive

While it's true that they're supposed to defend, they're used so often for offense that I feel it'd be a mistake to exclude them.

[forwardslashN]

Neutral.
I would rather see different tiers represented differently in the hive mind. So a ravager or praetorian would get more recognizable text rather than a larvae or something. The hivemind keeps everyone focused on what he queen is saying, so I would like to keep that.

[tuzz]

I think a local hivemind chat would be neat for silent strategying with those near you so marines can't hear you in say and so you don't confuse the rest of the hivemind with things that don't concern them.
For example, telling the aliem you are hunting with to back off for a moment without everyone in the hive thinking you are telling them all to back off

[Snypehunter007]

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=7075#p122569

Locking.