Why do we hear random radio messages between strangers?

[maxolina]

It's very annoying or immersion breaking. And it happens even if I don't have any target selected just randomly flying around in space.

Sometimes you'll also hear police ships stopping OTHER people for contraband, with no indication of the fact that it's not YOU the one being stopped... It's very confusing.

Is this intended?

[Tycow]

It's to provide a bit of life to the universe, a bit like in Freelancer. You can tell if the messages are between AI ships as the subtitle colour will be a dull grey colour, whereas anything aimed at the player is white.

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

I actually wanted this feature, since flying around X3 left me feeling like I was the only one blessed with free will.

[Ovni]

It's absolutely awesome, and one of the best subtle touches they added to the X4 soundscape (doesn't redeem the lack of galactic news, but it's great in its own right). You enter a new sector and realise in a very immersive way that it belongs to another race. And if you enter some dangerous place, the ambient chatter can warn you of it.

Though a way to control the volume of that chatter would probably be appreciated by some players.

[SimB]

This is very confusing. Where can we make it at least have lesser volume?

[Arvel]

I rationalize it as "Private" calls are possible, but require both ships to give an electronic handshake of sorts to encrypt the call, so it's generally limited to familiar contacts.

So a random pirate shaking you down for cargo, or a cop demanding you be scanned for contraband has to do so on an open channel to make sure you'll hear it, which has the added benefit of letting the traffic around you know what's going on and avoid the potential danger.

That being said, yes, sometimes the amount of chatter gets annoying/repetitive in busy areas.

[mr.WHO]

I think you have to request a mod to switch it off, or maybe Egosft could add an option to switch on/off.

[ArcherSam]

Having a button that can turn it off would be great. I like it when I am exploring, it makes the universe seem more alive... but if I am parked up somewhere trying to figure out how to set something up, or buy something, or move something, the chatter becomes very frustrating and a huge distraction.

[wwdragon]

An option under gameplay section to turn on/off background chattter might be nice.

I personally do like it.
The only problem is when I hear them doing the contraband thing and think they're after me!

Just cutting out that one would help.

[CBJ]

I'm really surprised to hear this described as "immersion-breaking" when it's one of the most often-requested features from people looking for greater immersion by hearing more life in the universe!

[Shuulo]

I'm really surprised to hear this described as "immersion-breaking" when it's one of the most often-requested features from people looking for greater immersion by hearing more life in the universe!

Its a very nice feature for me, I actually want to see it expended in the future, but it would be nice to have a separate volume control for things like this, so that anyone can turn it off if they want to, or at least control it to not get confused when you are not the actual target of the comm.

[Buzz2005]

the feature is actually awesome and the exact opposite of immersion braking, but yes you should make it clearer when its directed to you

[Kadatherion]

I'm really surprised to hear this described as "immersion-breaking" when it's one of the most often-requested features from people looking for greater immersion by hearing more life in the universe!

As someone who's not a fan of several of the "immersion" features brought upon to the X games in the last two incarnations, I agree this is one of those I'm totally happy with. If anything, I'd wish for more variety in them, as the only issue I can recognize is them becoming a bit repetitive. Which is actually a given, can't really expect Ego to invest too much time (and money) into recording hundreds of random chatter lines for such a marginal feature, they are not Rockstar Games, but still more - if there ever will be the chance - would only be even more welcomed by me.

[rmpow]

Hearing 'drop your cargo' over and over again is not immersion, its just a pointless distraction.

Unfortunately X4 has been built on the requests of players, but the only players left in the game were Rebirth players, so we are getting the rubbish they wanted.

[deadmoomin]

i think it's basically a good idea, implemented a bit wrong. The tone of the conversations you can hear are weird. Like a bunch of children in a playground all throwing insults, mixed with a few personal phone calls between couples with relationship issues and the odd "death threat" thrown in for whatever reason.

I was hoping for something more "neutral" and "realistic" - like the kind of signals you might hear listening in to air traffic control towers, something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPuEuKJjnOo but the intergalactic space version of it

Instead, I hear a bunch of prepubescent kids arguing and bickering. Yeah, it's jarring and pretty "immersion breaking". Very good idea, badly implemented.

Also, it should be optional. It's supposed to simulate radio traffic. Traffic which you'd be able to turn off if you wished.

[CBJ]

Unfortunately X4 has been built on the requests of players, but the only players left in the game were Rebirth players, so we are getting the rubbish they wanted.

"Radio chatter" has been high on the request list since before X2 was released, so I'm sorry but this argument simply doesn't hold water. As you can see from this very thread, opinions are very divided on this, and you should try not to insult those that disagree with you by dismissing their ideas as "rubbish".

[bendead]

"Radio chatter" has been high on the request list since before X2 was released

But why did it get priority over a better voiced tutorial?

[MegaJohnny]

Hearing 'drop your cargo' over and over again is not immersion, its just a pointless distraction.

Unfortunately X4 has been built on the requests of players, but the only players left in the game were Rebirth players, so we are getting the rubbish they wanted.

Nah. Tons of people in X4 streams remarked that it has X2 vibes.

[Falcrack]

It's nice in a while to be able to listen in on the surrounding chatter. But at times it might be good to turn it off.

What would be good is if there was in indication along with the text of who is speaking, and who is being spoken to. If am am getting a call for help, I would like to know who is asking for help If someone is being asked to drop their cargo, I want to be able to figure out who the relevant parties are, in case I want to be involved. Maybe if there was a radio log, and it indicates who is speaking, who they are speaking to, and by clicking on the name, we could target the speaker, and we would be able to make this radio chatter more relevant.

[astreus]

Oh boy! Very annoying, because it should have to be a on/off button. Yes, nice for the first minutes. Then, because it has no value, no useful information, just annoying. First I thought it belongs to me.... then I spent lot of time to find a disable button. Finally, I gave up and had to switch off my speaker/headset. Total silence - nothing at all to hear now. Not fun, but better then this chatter.