Arma 3: Radio Protocol

Overview of the radio protocol technology.

Voice

Units' identities:

class CfgVehicles
{
	class myVehicleEN
	{
		identityTypes[] = {"myIdentityEN"};
	};
	class myVehicleCZ
	{
		identityTypes[] = {"myIdentityCZ"};
	};
};

Voices:
Note: In OFP, there were no multiple radio protocols and all definitions (Words, sentences) were placed here. This is reason for some unusual config structures and many obsolete params.

class CfgVoice
{ 	
	// List of used voices.
	voices[] = {myVoiceEN, myVoiceCZ};
	// Words player after every radio message.
	micOuts[] = {micOut1, micOut2, micOut3};
	// Sound file played as preview in profile options menu.
	// When not format is given, *.wss is used.
	preview = "EN\combat\FireInTheHoleE.ogg";
	// Default speaker
	// When not defined or incorrect, first entry of voices[] is used instead
 	default = "myVoiceEN";

	class myVoiceEN
	{
		// Protocol class.
		protocol = RadioProtocolENG;
		// Path to audio files based on 'singleVoice' param in profile (default 0 selects first entry.)
		// Second value is obsolete, was once used for limited demo which contained only one voice.
		directories[] = {
			"\ca\Dubbing_Radio_F\RADIO\myVoiceFolder\",
			"\ca\Dubbing_Radio_F\RADIO\myVoiceFolder\"
		};
		// Filter - what units can use this voice
		identityTypes[] = {"myIdentityEN"};
		// Availability for CfgVoiceTypes
		scope = 2;

		// Discontinued.
		voiceType = "";
		variants[] = {1};
	};
	class myVoiceCZ: myVoiceEN
	{
	};

	// Discontinued.
	femaleVoices[] = {};
	voicePlayer = "";
};

Profile menu:

class CfgVoiceTypes
{
	class myProfileVoice
	{
		// UI text
		name = "James G.";
		// Reference to CfgVoice
		voices[] = {myVoiceEN, myVoiceCZ};
		// Preview voice played in profile menu.
		// When not defined or incorrect, first entry of CfgVoice >> voices is used instead
		preview = "myVoiceEN";
		// Alternative CfgVoiceType class searched after this one (in case some params were wrong)
		alternative = "";
	};
	class myProfileVoice2
	{
		name = "David A.";
		voices[] = {};
		preview = "";
		alternative = "myProfileVoice";
	};
};

Protocol

• Engine automatically calls predefined sentences
  • Any newly added sentence has to be either supported by engine or linked by other sentence.
• Sentence can have two different sets of array params, both of them in format {class1, probability1, class2, probability2, ..., classN, probabilityN}
  • class:
    • sentences - class of other sentence.
    • variants - class of version within current sentence.
  • probability
    • Classes within array are selected randomly, taking into account probability weights. See Simple Expressions section for more info about supported expressions.
• Sound files are combination of following values:
  • [CfgVoice >> myVoice >> directories] + [RadioProtocolENG >> Words >> myWord]
  • e.g. \ca\Dubbing_Radio_F\RADIO\myVoiceFolder\stealth\myWord1.ogg (based on examples above and below)
• gesture contains link to action in animation config. Execution is same as using playAction command.
• Protocol is named in format RadioProtocolISO, where ISO is ISO 639-2/B language code of the faction to which protocol belongs.

class RadioProtocolENG
{
	class Words
	{
		myWord1[] = {"myWord1.ogg"};
		myWord2[] = {"myWord2.ogg"};

		class StealthWords
		{
			myWord1[] = {"stealth\myWord1.ogg"};
			myWord2[] = {"stealth\myWord2.ogg"};
		};
	};
	class SelectMySentence
	{
		sentences[] =
		{
			"SentMySentenceA", "(1 - Stealth)",
			"SentMySentenceB", "(Stealth)"
		};
	};
	class SentMySentenceA
	{
		versions[] =
		{
			"Version1", 0.3,
			"Version2", 0.7
		};
		class Version1
		{
			text = "";
			speech[] = {myWord1, myWord2};
			gesture = "myGesture";
		};
		class Version2
		{
			text = "";
			speech[] = {myWord1};
		};
	};
	class SentMySentenceB
	{
		versions[] =
		{
			"Version1", 1,
		};
		class Version1
		{
			text = "";
			wordsClass = "StealthWords";
			speech[] = {%1, myWord2};
		};
	};
};

Words

List of words required by engine.

Background noise, defined in RadioChannels loop ??? pause Transmit a message to AI xmit Multiple targets separator and Numbers (used as units' call-signs) zero one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty thirty forty fifty sixty seventy eighty ninety hundred Addressing to a group of units all allGroup whiteTeam redTeam greenTeam blueTeam yellowTeam

Spelling (digits + phonetic alphabet) zero2 one2 two2 three2 four2 five2 six2 seven2 eight2 nine2 ten2 eleven2 twelve2 alpha bravo charlie delta echo foxtrot golf hotel india juliet kilo lima mike november oscar papa quebec romeo sierra tango uniform victor whiskey xray yankee zulu Target side Texts in "STR_WORD_<wordParam>" unknown enemy friendly neutral Map objects for movement orders (defined in Object::GetNameSound) obj_tree obj_bush obj_building obj_house obj_forest obj_church obj_cross obj_rock

Relative direction Texts in "STR_WORD_<wordParam>" at10 at11 at12 at1 at2 at3 at4 at5 at6 at7 at8 at9 Distances Texts in "STR_WORD_<wordParam>" dist50 dist100 dist200 dist500 dist1000 dist2000 far

Vehicle Words

class CfgVehicles
{
	class myVehicle
	{
		textSingular = "My Vehicle";
		textPlural = "My Vehicles";
		speechSingular[] = {};
		speechPlural[] = {};
		// SpeechVariants is used only when root speechSingular and speechPlural params are empty.
		class SpeechVariants
		{
			class Default
			{
				speechSingular[] = {"wordMyVehicle"};
				speechPlural[] = {"wordMyVehicles"};
			};
		};
		// nameSound is still used in some cases.
		nameSound = "wordMyVehicle";
	};
};
class RadioProtocolENG
{
	class Words
	{
		wordMyVehicle[] = {"DEFAULT\path\wordMyVehicle.ogg"};
		wordMyVehicles[] = {"DEFAULT\path\wordMyVehicles.ogg"};
	};
	class Arguments
	{
		class AggrTargets
		{
			modes[] = {"Default"};
		};
	};
};

Weapon Words

Property nameSound defines what word will be used for weapons.

class CfgWeapons
{
	class myWeapon
	{
		nameSound = "wordWeapon";
	};
};

In protocol, matching word has to be defined

class RadioProtocolENG
{
	class Words
	{
		wordWeapon[] = {"DEFAULT\path\wordWeapon.ogg"};
	};
};

displayName param of the weapon is displayed in radio message.

Location Words

Map locations containing speech are evaluated and can be used in position reporting:

class CfgWords
{
	class myWorld
	{
		class Names
		{
			class myLocation
			{
				speech[] = {"wordMyLocation"};
			};
		};
	};
};

class RadioProtocolENG
{
	class Words
	{
		wordMyLocation[] = {"DEFAULT\path\wordMyLocation.ogg"};
	};
};

Such locations can be detected by DistanceToLocation expression (see below) and nearestLocationWithDubbing scripting command.

Arguments

• Direction
  • %v (%8)
  • %v.n (%8.2)
  • %v.m0n (%8.102)
    • v - variable
    • m - mode
      • 0 - class Relative (default)
      • 1 - class Compass
      • 2 - Procedural "o'clock" system (e.g., "2 O'CLOCK")
    • n - Arguments ID (default is 1)
• Distance
  • %v (%7)
  • %v.n (%7.2)
  • %v.m0n (%7.101)
    • v - variable
    • m - mode
      • 0 - class Distance (default)
      • >0 - Procedural metres system (e.g., "100 m").
    • n - Arguments ID (default is 1)

class RadioProtocolENG
{
	class Arguments
	{
		// Class names corresponds to azimuth (in degrees).
		class Direction
		{
			class Compass1
			{
				class 0		{text = $STR_Q_NORTH; speech[] = {North};};
				class 45	{text = $STR_Q_NORTH_EAST; speech[] = {NorthEast};};
				class 90	{text = $STR_Q_EAST; speech[] = {East};};
				class 135	{text = $STR_Q_SOUTH_EAST; speech[] = {SouthEast};};
				class 180	{text = $STR_Q_SOUTH; speech[] = {South};};
				class 225	{text = $STR_Q_SOUTH_WEST; speech[] = {SouthWest};};
				class 270	{text = $STR_Q_WEST; speech[] = {West};};
				class 315	{text = $STR_Q_NORTH_WEST; speech[] = {NorthWest};};
			};
			class Relative1
			{
				class 0		{text = "in front of"; speach[] = {InFrontOf};};
				class 90	{text = "right of"; speach[] = {RightOf};};
				class 180	{text = "behind"; speach[] = {Behind};};
				class 270	{text = "left of"; speach[] = {LeftOf};};
			};
		};
		// Class names corresponds to three possible levels of distance (group territory, effective fight distance, far)
		class Distance1
		{
			class Level0	{text = $STR_DISTANCE_DANGER_CLOSE_TO; speech[] = {DangerCloseTo};};
			class Level1	{text = $STR_DISTANCE_NOT_FAR_FROM; speech[] = {NotFarFrom};};
			class Level2	{text = $STR_DISTANCE_FAR_FROM; speech[] = {FarFrom};};
		};
		class AggrTargets
		{	
			modes[] = {"Default"};
		};
	};
};

Simple Expressions

Full article about operations - Simple Expression

Rank	0 when sender is Private, 1 when he is Colonel (see rank).
Captive	1 when sender is captive of unconscious.
Safe	1 when sender is in safe mode.
Combat	1 when sender is in combat mode.
Stealth	1 when sender is in stealth mode.
Morale	sender's morale interpolated from interval <-1, 1> to <0, 1>.
Danger	perceived danger (ToDo: Find out more, located in AIBrain::GetSEDanger).
UnderWater	1 when sender is underwater and has no re-breather.
GroupCompactness	1 if 80% of the group is in formation, 0 otherwise.
DistanceToUnit	distance [m] from ordered unit to its issued destination (SelectCmdMoveSentence) or to aggrTargetList (SelectEnemyDetectedSentence).
DistanceToSender	distance [m] between sender and aggrTargetList (SelectEnemyDetectedSentence). Always 1 in SelectCmdMoveSentence.
DistanceToGroup	distance [m] from group center to issued destination (SelectCmdMoveSentence) or to aggrTargetList (SelectEnemyDetectedSentence).
DistanceToLocation	distance [m] from nearest location with speech param defined to issued destination (SelectCmdMoveSentence) or to aggrTargetList (SelectEnemyDetectedSentence).
GroupCoreRadius	distance [m] between the group formation center and the most distant member of the group.
UnitDistanceFactor	distance of the closest unit from the aggrTargetList divided by the distance of the second one. Only for SelectEnemyDetectedSentence.
InsideLocation	1 when inside location with speech param defined. "Inside" is based on size defined by radiusA, radiusB and angle params of the location.
MoveToObject	1 if the movement target has an Object nearby. In that case parameter %8 of the movement order returns a valid value. Only in SelectCmdMoveSentence.
DistanceToRecipients	distance [m] from group center to message recipient. Only in SelectCmdMoveSentence.
RecipientsRadius	returns always 1 for single selected unit's movement orders and for several units, theoretically returns the radius of the circle containing most of the recipients in the formation of the affected units. Only in SelectCmdMoveSentence.
FireBurst	number of artillery rounds fired by artillery.

Channels

See also radioChannelCreate

class RadioChannels
{
	class GroupChannel
	{
		// Priority
		level = 1;
		// Word class of background noise
		noise = "loop";
		// Link to CfgVoice param with sounds played after every sentence
		micOuts = "micOuts";

		// Pause after every word in sentence's speech param
		pauseAfterWord = 0;
		// Pause between numbers (e.g., when spelling a grid position)
		pauseInNumber = 0;
		// Pause after direction numbers (e.g., "1 O'CLOCK,_ENEMY SOLDIER")
		pauseAfterNumber = 0;
		// Pause between numbers of selected members (e.g., "2,_3,_4, RETURN TO FORMATION"))
		pauseInUnitList = 0;
		// Pause after numbers of selected members(e.g., "2, 3, 4,_RETURN TO FORMATION")
		pauseAfterUnitList = 0.05;
	};
	class GlobalChannel {};
	class SideChannel {};
	class CommandChannel {};
	class GroupChannel {};
	class VehicleChannel {};
	class DirectSpeakingChannel {};
};

User Interface

• RscChatListMission - in mission
• RscChatListMap - in-game map
• RscChatListBriefing - in-game map before mission starts

Supported params:

Standard UI params		Chat list specific params		Obsolete params
x, y, w, h		colorGlobalChannel		colorPlayerBackground
font		colorSideChannel		iconPlayerMessage
size		colorCommandChannel		iconNormalMessage
rows		colorGroupChannel
shadow		colorVehicleChannel
shadowColor		colorDirectChannel
shadowColor		colorSystemChannel
colorBackground

• RscDisplayChannel - notification about a current channel
• RscDisplayVoiceChat - notification about VOIP being active
• RscDisplayChat - text entry of MP chat

Key Actions

Class	Label
prevChannel	Previous channel
nextChannel	Next channel
chat	Chat
pushToTalk	Push to Talk
voiceOverNet	Voice Over Net
PushToTalkAll	Talk on Global channel
PushToTalkSide	Talk on Side channel
PushToTalkCommand	Talk on Command channel
PushToTalkGroup	Talk on Group channel
PushToTalkVehicle	Talk on Vehicle channel
PushToTalkDirect	Talk on Direct channel

Options

Following settings have effect on how sentences are played and/or displayed.

Param name	Menu	Name	Name space	Description
language	Game Options	Language	Arma3.cfg	Selects what language will be used in text (does not affect voice).
showRadio	Game Options	Radio subtitles	*.Arma3Profile	When disabled, radio subtitles are not shown (but sound is still played).
volumeSpeech	Audio Options	Speech volume	*.Arma3Profile	Selects volume level of all sentences (including direct channel).
clockIndicator	Difficulty	Clock indicator	*.Arma3Profile	When enabled, visual clock indicator is shown when enemy in direction from group's center is reported.
autoSpot	Difficulty	Auto report	*.Arma3Profile	When enabled, player's avatar automatically reports same events as AI team-mates (e.g., reporting enemy, announcing casualties, etc.)