Suggestion Changes to the way radio frequencies work

[Ond]

Does this mean Combine would be able to harvest the rebel frequency off dead rebels?

/me checks frequency lol

 

[Señor Jaggles]

Does this mean Combine would be able to harvest the rebel frequency off dead rebels?

Only reason I proposed it like that is because you guys don't have actual script radios that can be taken off you.

But it could be changed to captured CP (alive).

 

[Raiden]

it is your fault. you are not adapting. instead you demand accommodations.

my friend i am not every rebel

 

[Señor Jaggles]

my friend i am not every rebel

refuse to switch frequencies, do not bend the knee to herd mentalities of the past, the change is in your hands, young soldier

 

[Trains]

refuse to switch frequencies, do not bend the knee to herd mentalities of the past, the change is in your hands, young soldier

its a bit pointless when hes the only one doing it lol

 

[Ond]

its a bit pointless when hes the only one doing it lol

i'm pretty sure people already are doing it independently/in smaller groups

 

[Raiden]

refuse to switch frequencies, do not bend the knee to herd mentalities of the past, the change is in your hands, young soldier

yes sir

Stop changing frequencys guys.

I got some ideas on how to work around it anyways (mfw air-raid sirens)

 

[Señor Jaggles]

its a bit pointless when hes the only one doing it lol

Joke's on you I don't either because I forget and also I like shit talking OTA and them responding with npc codes

 

[ovxy]

Wasn't it a thing that combine channels constantly shift frequencies outside of being encrypted, making it impossible to pinpoint and crack?

 

[ovxy]

But it could be changed to captured CP (alive).

Radios of CPs can be disabled by OTA and Dispatch characters, so the second a cop is captured (alive) they're going to have their comms cut. (As long as their capture is known ICly)

 

[Señor Jaggles]

Wasn't it a thing that combine channels constantly shift frequencies outside of being encrypted, making it impossible to pinpoint and crack?

Radios of CPs can be disabled by OTA and Dispatch characters, so the second a cop is captured (alive) they're going to have their comms cut. (As long as their capture is known ICly)

The suggestion aims to change some things and we're exploring. The idea of having the CP alive is to add difficulty and so they can decrypt the frequency temporarily through whatever means they know and have access for a set amount of time.

I would like @Numbers or @sky to confirm if what you said is completely set in stone and if we can try and find ways around it.

Still I personally don't see the suggestion as necessary for the points I already made, but we need to go over these ideas regardless and see if we can come up with refreshing mechanics and not just slap the old plot armor on it and call it a day, cause whoever is suggesting is not exactly going to be happy about his idea being stonewalled and eventually a staff member will go out of their way to do some sort of leak-on-the-go that will make the players angry in some way and we're back at point one.

I'd rather these things were suggested (like Raiden did here), appropriately addressed, and then implemented if we find it feasible in any way with whatever ideas we come up with. We are riddled with stuff from the past iterations that we need to clarify, adjust and possibly change (like the APC biolocking and some other things that were in my mind that I hope are not a thing here anymore).

For instance, do you think Overwatch/Dispatch would have allowed explosive rigging Airwatch assets to blow them up on suicide missions in the past? Clearly not, but we're not playing by the old rules anymore and we desperately need to start opening up and writing stuff up on paper so everyone knows the mechanics of the game, as this iteration does not base itself on the previous ones. And I like that a lot.

 

[STUCK IN A CAKE]

Always had the idea that the Radio is Connected to the Masks, and to be connected needs an active Biosignal (Which likely acts as a 'key' to encryption, because the Combine loves using Biological Data for their tech)

Which means if you capture a Cop alive, you could probably have them strapped to a chair and use them as a "Key" to accessing the radio and combine tech.

I say this also acts as a pretty good incentive for rebels to actually try and capture "low level cops", because even if you can't convince them ICly to defect, you can use them for their Suit Functions. Until OTA Catch wind that some 25 is MIA

Edit: And, to add a refreshing idea, instead of some copout "Lol dispatch disabled the suit kiddo" make it actually rewarding for rebs to pull off a capture, understanding that eventually a 'Rescue Team' will come. Either to save the Cop or 'Disable the Biosignal'

 

[ovxy]

Overwatch/Dispatch

She isn't here to stop us.

 

[Señor Jaggles]

Disable the Biosignal

Skyshield has practice no-scoping people's biosignals

She isn't here to stop us.

Exactly my point

 

[ovxy]

Exactly my point

I don't see how it's connected to radio encryption.

Rebels can freely shift their frequencies, the Combine can't, they're stuck on the same channels (tac-3, combine, overwatch, etc). It's not their problem that the rebels are getting annoyed of constantly shifting frequencies while actively refusing to implement any form of precautions to prevent leakage. If the combine is better at getting your frequencies than you are protecting them, then it's maybe a skill issue?

Only command units have free access to handheld radios anyway, it's not like every cop and their mother see rebel chatter 24/7.

 

[STUCK IN A CAKE]

Skyshield has practice no-scoping people's biosignals

"Wait ... I hear the Jackboots, finally after 4 days - I can't wait to be rescued!"

 

[Señor Jaggles]

I don't see how it's connected to radio encryption.

Rebels can freely shift their frequencies, the Combine can't, they're stuck on the same channels (tac-3, combine, overwatch, etc). It's not their problem that the rebels are getting annoyed of constantly shifting frequencies while actively refusing to implement any form of precautions to prevent leakage. If the combine is better at getting your frequencies than you are protecting them, then it's maybe a skill issue?

Only command units have free access to handheld radios anyway, it's not like every cop and their mother see rebel chatter 24/7.

You said OTA/Dispatch can remotely disable their radios, that just sounds like old iterations stuff we don't exactly need to enforce if it can be just not used in this iteration. And even if it's a thing now we can change it if we think it's a good idea.

Why not reward rebels for capturing a CP alive? I don't think it's such a bad idea. Besides, just like Simman said, in tac-3 rarely anything of value is said (much like in the main rebel frequency if it was used as a permanent unsafe comms line like we said) but maybe they catch wind of something. It doesn't mean Combine will be unable to communicate just because 1 channel has been temporarily (for 1 day?) compromised.

And no, I really don't think we will make a protected baseline rebel frequency, no point in doing that, it's something they need to adapt to and an easy thing to apply too, it's not rocket science, plus it'd be actually killing some mechanics the Combine side can use at the moment, I'm not too fond of cutting content, rather adding it if possible.

 

[OneClassyBanana]

Honestly not a big fan, HL2 always has rebels being careful with what and how they manouver, always at the risk of being shutdown by the Combine.

Chapter 3; Route Kanal, specifically during the Civil Protection crackdown on the underground railroad. The radio operators at each station are caught out first during each individual raid. Chapter 5; Black Mesa East, we learn that the Combine have had an eye and ear to the rebels for ages, but only launched their siege on BME when the opportunity was right to secure a crucial objective -- Eli, Alyx, Gordon.

This is HL2. The series has always been about fighting smarter, not harder. If you want to fudge the bare minimum of intel acquisition by your enemy, then take the series precedent to heart and start playing with your brains a bit. Keep critical chatter off the public frequency, don't constantly remain on the 'important' frequencies, don't send people into the city with radios set to either one, etc.

You're insurgents that've survived this long by making the most of a hostile environment and using the footing you can find intelligently instead of belligerently. That's a mindset that most resistance characters - when not played strictly as author avatars - would likely have if they've lived this long.

 

[ovxy]

You said OTA/Dispatch can remotely disable their radios, that just sounds like old iterations stuff we don't exactly need to enforce if it can be just not used in this iteration. And even if it's a thing now we can change it if we think it's a good idea.

I only said that because there's a command for it that I assumed would get used at one point. (It never did since its addition)

I honestly think rebels should just get better at keeping their frequencies safe, instead of latching onto one singular frequency and transferring every single bit of information onto it.

 

[Señor Jaggles]

I only said that because there's a command for it that I assumed would get used at one point. (It never did since its addition)

Okay this is actually news to me, never executed that command.

I honestly think rebels should just get better at keeping their frequencies safe, instead of latching onto one singular frequency and transferring every single bit of information onto it.

Yeah that's what everyone has agreed on so far, it was more about the Combine half of things.