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[TheChosen]

Just wanted to write/share something. Very gimmicky and cool at the beginning, but later on, you just want to stick with the old keyboard n' mouse.

It all started when I was watching the "Lets play" video about Star Trek Elite Forces and it made me want to play Star Trek games. Well, actually only one of those: The Bridge Commander, which is kind of a "captain simulation lite". I have it installed and all, but I havent played it much, with exception of "little trying". However, I then remembered reading that it supports some sort of "voice command system", in which you could shout commands to your crew-members like an actual Star Fleet regulation captain. Cool. Googled, found the files and torrented the program: Game Commander 2.

Plugged in the microphone and ready to go! The first thing I noticed that "skip" command works. Good thing. I found out that I skipped a lot of Picards tutorial, because I couldnt shout any other commands while he was talking.

As the game started, I begun by shouting each crew-members names. "Lieutenant?" "Ensign?" "Brex?" "number one?" and so on. Kind of fun.

Then I turned my attention to navigator and asked for report. Commander Saffi decided to hear my call and order Red Alert. I sighted and asked to move back to Green alert. Two times. Then I tried to order to set course to Starbase 12 or something. Ended up plotting the course myself with a mouse. Lazy bastards. Had to click warp button too, because apparently, my crew doesnt understand words "Warp", "Enter warp speed", "Warp factor 1" or even "light speed".

We get to the Starbase 12 and our orders are to approach and dock. I kept yelling several commands on microphone and setted up red alert couple of times again. Had to use mouse again.

We then moved onward to the Vesuvi system and get some battle action: Shoot asteroids! Finally a useful change to shout red alert. I do so and it works like a charm. Coooooool.

I then look up to my tactical officer (a Dwayne Johnson look-a-like) and check possible commands. Apparently, I can shout "next target" to scroll the target list, but he doesnt do anything If I order him to destroy the damn thing. Tried different words again and hey, this time we accidently moved to yellow alert!

Then I tried to ask my science officer to scan the area. That didnt work. What other commands do work? "up" "down" and "make it so", which I can use to browse menus, rather than using the mouse.

At this point, I've pretty much destroyed all the asteroids, thanks to the mouse. I accidently asked for report and we went on to red alert again. I sighted and wished for self-destruct.

.....yes. That actually worked. I get a cut-scene of Enterprise exploding and a Game Over screen. Good to know that at least someting works.

After this, I tried another game: Deus Ex. Had problems activating Nanos (At multiplayer try-out, I kept shouting "SPEED! SPEED! SPEED! SPEED!"), and lots of times, instead of getting the hoped results ("one"), my nano-lights get turned on and off. And any word I say tend to be seven, which brings up the seventh object in the mini-inventory.

So there you have it kids. Think twice If you want to try out the wonderful world of voice commands.

[El Quia]

OMG, this made me laugh! ROTFLMAO

Very funny, TC, I was picturing Picard shouting commands and the Enterprise going for red alert for every misunderstood command.

[red_avatar]

Ugh, I know your pain. I also tried games with voice control in the past - it's a LOT faster to type than it is to write. Voice recognition may have been the "hype" of the 90's but it was a bunch of hot air - they all stumbled over the same problem: because sound was being measured as waves, any wave that was too similar would be confused by the software. Especially words with "P" or "B" or even "D" often get confused.