New Radio Pie Menu

In DCS the radio is used with menus, so you set your radios for the frequency (unless using Easy Radio) and then you press corresponding radio PTT to open the menu at the top right of the view.

There you get a list of actions you can make through that radio channel.

Years ago only way to operate radios was to use keyboard Function keys (F1-F12) that required you to have keyboard at hands.

Then couple years ago the traditional method got mouse clickable menus, that works even in the VR fairly well if you just have mouse near you.

Then there are various other methods to use those via function keys virtual pressing like Voice Attack profile.

But IMHO best way would be to utilize the 4-way and 8-way hats with combination of the radio button. Instead of a list, you would get the pie menu that is split to 4 or 8 pieces.

Here is colored 8-way radio call menu where ATC has been pointed.

The idea is:

1. User press radio button in HOTAS, the PTT (Push To Talk) menu opens up (would be even skinnable if not just nice plain simple wireframe).
   
2. Then 8-way hat (typically trim hat) is changed from its normal binding (ie trimming) to radio control. Where user points the hat to wanted direction on the pie that gets shown with white arrow.
   
3. The same radio button is the activation for the menu item, pressing it again when 8-way is pointed will open next sub-menu with new choices around the hat.
   
4. If the radio button is pressed without pointing the hat to any direction, radio menu is closed and 8-way hat returns to original mode (ie trimming). This would allow user to quickly get away from radio menu and back to operating cockpit.
   
5. The pie would have primary 4 directions (left/right/up/down) that are easy to access quickly, and then secondary 4 directions between that are less easy to push. This would be used to create the logical and easy/quick path to wanted modes. Where like bottom one would be "Back" or "Other" kind menu.
   
6. With a 4-way hat it would be possible to make easier function where pressing wanted direction will automatically move to corresponding sub-menu, but as there is just four different options each time and one is required to be "Back" then it would allow just three choices. Why 8-way would be more efficient.
   

This will as well allow to use the PTT button in multiplayer with the new ED VoIP system as users are not required to use the hat for any direction to talk over the set frequency. So when the new radio system gets frequencies, user can just press and hold PTT and talk and then release without triggering any menu items, and yet allow controlling the AI at the same time in same frequency.

Looks remarkably like Heatblur's F-14B solution for Jester

Looks remarkably like Heatblur's F-14B solution for Jester

Yes, but I had this idea far earlier, before F-14 was known to be coming.

The big difference is that the HB menu is big and fills the screen, and it can get complex at the times as it has same time the numbers visible as the icons and texts.

But this kind pies are not used in the hats for the radio, and should be implemented as we can't expect to use keyboards and mouses anymore. So far ED has not made the radio system copying that HB implementation.

The pie selection is a good idea, another idea is using arrow keys or a 4 way hat to scroll up/down and forward/back thru the menus they currently have, instead of having to take your hand off throttle and stick to go hit the mouse or an F-key. Would allow for much quicker and more precise interaction.

The pie selection is a good idea, another idea is using arrow keys or a 4 way hat to scroll up/down and forward/back thru the menus they currently have, instead of having to take your hand off throttle and stick to go hit the mouse or an F-key. Would allow for much quicker and more precise interaction.

Yes that up/down selection and left/right for in/out works well too. But for long lists where you have 12 options it becomes just long clicking task. Especially if you want to manage multiple units faster. Like take a KA-50 flight with three wingman with you and you designate different targets via datalink, ingress points etc and then command them to go to their tasking etc. It just becomes quickly very much clicking even with a mouse.

The pie chart design is not easiest to read, as for that the current list is.

But then again lists are not so easy to be used.

In this case a scripted/macro voice attack profile is nice by idea, but so would be just a simple pie menu with similar thing.

+1

The pie selection is a good idea, another idea is using arrow keys or a 4 way hat to scroll up/down and forward/back thru the menus they currently have, instead of having to take your hand off throttle and stick to go hit the mouse or an F-key. Would allow for much quicker and more precise interaction.

This was asked for many times and ED never budged on it. It's mind-boggling really as it seems like a super easy thing to implement.

This was asked for many times and ED never budged on it. It's mind-boggling really as it seems like a super easy thing to implement.

+1:(

I find it quite strange that I've never seen anyone from ED respond to these requests. There have been numerous threads and complaints about the current radio menu.

I'd also really like to hear ED's perspective on the current radio menu and whether they have intentions to improve it

I hope they are secretly working on it in conjunction with their announced ATC and AI improvement.