//Warning… there will be referrances to other games in the following suggestons, please do not flame…//

Something I've missed in groups, that are in other games, are some of the group commands. Now I'd like to suggest a few from EverQuest, and I know how everyones stomachs just turned over at the sight of that name, but, why reinvent the wheel here.

1. Selecting Members Of Your Group*

In other game, where you have groups, there is usually a button that allows you to quickly select any member of your group. Now, EQ for example, uses the Fkeys, but in VO that won't work. But, there should be a better way then what we have now. Perhaps have a single modifier key like the Command, Option(alt) or Control(msbutton) keys could be used to alter the actions of the Fkeys to reflect the members list in your group. F1 being first, F2 being second, etc. Also, you should be able to target any group member regardless of range, but, you can not affect the target till within standard ranges (Similar to how you can see them on radar).

2. Assisting Members Of Your Group*

This plays off of number one. Once your able to quickly select your group members, there should be an "assist" command that basically redirects your targeting info from your group member to your group members target. This would greatly help coordinate attacks in large groups or in situations where your all bunched up. This would also help in creating that formation feeling by facilitating a pointman and possibly a scout ship, and all support ships by all being able to quickly act as a team/group.

*Of course both these actions can only be used when the targeted ship is within the same sector.

In reply to number 1, you can target a group member at any distance as long as you are in the same sector. Just open the toplist (press u) and click on his/her name.
I'm not totally sure waht being able to quickly select groupmembers would accomplish in vendetta however as there are limited actions you can take involving another groupmember. To target them for the repairgun you can just use the method above, tho a hotkey would be marginally faster.

The same actually applies to #2 to a point, as you can tell everyone to target BLAH and they can open the toplist and select that target, tho having some way to echo information from another ship would be nice.

Your missing the point, it takes time to open the 'U' list and select a target or a group member, it would be much nicer if you could do it with a single key stroke. And again, once you have a friendly targeted, it would be nice to have another key stroke to assist so that you don't have to type out, "get Shape" or "there he goes, kill blahblahbah…". Instead, have a scout/pointman who is the first to engage and all assist that person using the command, that way there is no mistaking which target your attacking and everyone does it at the same time, or close to. The current UI and how you suggested is horribly tedious and can get you killed if your in the midst of a dog fight.

even something as simple as:

/target groupmember 1-8
(and make this decending so that it's tapped once for 1, twice for 2, etc.)
/assist "'target'"

so that it could be imbeded in an alias/bind fashion would be acceptable.

Example:

I'm a scout, I'm flying close to wh while the other hide by roids or whatever. I find a new target entering into sector. I target them and hit my aquisition bind:

(group)<Name>:"I have aquired 'target', Everyone ENGAGE!!!!"

The rest ot the group, after receiving my message hits there /target and then /assist binds and head in:

/target groupmember 1 //scoutship//
/assist 'target' //at this point my targeting info is uploaded to there targeting info and they now are targeting what I am.//

those two can be combind into one key for ease or broken into two for more control over group members.

Reason I bring this up is after being in an 8 member group last night it felt as if there was no real order or formation or any kind of real group dynamic involved at all, just a mass of individuals working to kill a single target.

Also, groups should share all xp and faction +/-, rewarding the individual only IMO makes it so that it's better not to group. Just take the total that would have been earned and divide evenly thoughout the group. And like other MMO's if a particular group member is not pulling there weight, you simply boot them out of the group or encourage them to participate more.

Hmmm 1. why would you want to target a group member while in a dog fight, I think you would want to be killing your target.
2. I use the g comand to talk to group members and I sure don't talk while in combat, that too could get you killed. but if you could form fly than others could talk still using the g command or you could make your own hot key they seem to work for me.

Syberfly out

I live for the One, I die for the One.

you all really don't understand what I'm getting at do you? Am I speaking greek or what? =)

It will always be a pain in the neck to coordinate actions if you have to text message them. Something like teamspeak makes a *HUGE* difference here.

I can see why something like 'RadarSelectNextGroup' would be handy, even if it is so you can quickly locate a team mate who might need help.

Where are you all getting a text based interface out of what I've said?????????????????????????????????????????

I'm talking about hitting 2 f--king keys

Key 1 example "F6" for target group member 1-8
Key 2 example "a" for assist //which automatically selects gmembers target//

that's it

@Syberfly
You would target a group membert while in a dog fight if your last target just blew up and your looking to target the NEXT target, since you would in theory have a leader who is selecting targets, you would then select them again, and then assist to aquire your next target.

None of this takes away from what ever it is you do now, just facilitates an easier way of doing it. I understand that a lot of you are old dogs and that's fine. But, the group mechanics in VO SUCK!

Johnhawl218, no I do understand what your saying, here's a game lots of us have played, Earth and Beyond, the interface with groups was great you could target anyone in group, their target privet msg them... what ever it was awesome, but in EnB you used differnt keys and the mouse was used to target point and click. That would be very nice to have in this game.
you can make hot keys to do almost the same thing in VO by using a bind for what you need, sorry if I ticed you off.

Syberfly out

I live for the One, I die for the One.

I understand you, and I agree with you. Assist would be fantanstic, as well as quick-keys to select group members (the HUD should display the bound key next to the group member's name).

Selecting targets from the toplist is horrible, especially if you fly with a stick. It goes two steps below horrible in crowded fights. You have to hit U, take your hand off the stick, move the mouse TO THE SCROLL BAR, scroll down, find your target in the mess of names, click it, then put your hand back on the stick. Bleh.

I'd like to revive this thread cause I think it's still something that would really make group activities that much better in VO. As stated in the OP, a simple 2 button combo can really speed up the reaction time of defenders or attackers in groups by being able to quickly target your team members targets without all the hassle of opening the sector list and selecting your team member and then figuring out which enemy he/she is attacking and then select that target.

As stated before, there would need to be two things added:
1. A quick select button for each group member (Perhaps #1-#8)
2. An "/assist" command, which would relay target data of selected target (group members only!)

So to target your group members target, you select your team member (#1-#8) then hit the bound "/assist" command, and then begin your attack. In RL it should take no longer then a second to select team member and aquire your next target, MUCH faster then can currently be done with stock setup using the sector list or "select next/closest target" commands.