# Yelling Commands and Using Military Hand Signals

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [April 1, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487 "2019-04-01T14:16:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nameless\_survivor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/nameless_survivor/32/4476_2.png) [@nameless\_survivor](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/nameless_survivor)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/1 "2019-04-01T14:16:03Z")

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I propose adding the ability to issue some simple commands to your followers by using the YELL command, or using [military hand signals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army_hand_and_arm_signals) to communicate en mass to all followers who can see or hear you. This would be nice for times when you don’t want to draw unwanted attention, or need to get a lot of your followers to do something in a hurry (ex: FIX BAYONETS!)

In addition, being able to issue tactical instructions to specific followers, things like breaching doors, throw a grenade at a location, create a distraction, etc would also be useful.

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**Author:** ![mlangsdorf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mlangsdorf/32/2462_2.png) [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/2 "2019-04-01T15:15:20Z")

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Go for it. You’re looking for `npc::chat()` in src/npctalk.cpp. The structure should be pretty obvious.

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**Author:** ![nameless\_survivor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/nameless_survivor/32/4476_2.png) [@nameless\_survivor](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/nameless_survivor)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/3 "2019-04-01T15:33:30Z")

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Sweet. I’ll take a look and see what I can do.

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**Author:** ![TheZoneWizard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/thezonewizard/32/1397_2.png) [@TheZoneWizard](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheZoneWizard)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/4 "2019-04-01T23:27:20Z")

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Sound idea. If anything comes of it. Eager to know more =)

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**Author:** ![Grimm\_Spector](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/grimm_spector/32/5132_2.png) [@Grimm\_Spector](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Grimm_Spector)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/5 "2019-04-03T14:11:25Z")

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I would love to give actual use to the radios by allowing “talk” to function over powered radios in our inventory and NPC inventories. Remotely call for help, remotely receive an emergency call for an NPC mission or the like (NPC initiated?), remotely talk, remotely negotiate with factions, remotely do combat commands? So many options! I suspect this would be more complex than I am ready to tackle as a mod, or if it’s even possible.

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**Author:** ![mlangsdorf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mlangsdorf/32/2462_2.png) [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/6 "2019-04-03T14:53:48Z")

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dpwb is currently working on it. It’s not mod content because it requires a lot of C++ coding but it’s coming soon.

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**Author:** ![dpwb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/dpwb/32/2609_2.png) [@dpwb](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/dpwb)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/7 "2019-04-03T16:02:09Z")

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> <https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/29249>

> <https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/29094>

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**Author:** ![Grimm\_Spector](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/grimm_spector/32/5132_2.png) [@Grimm\_Spector](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Grimm_Spector)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/yelling-commands-and-using-military-hand-signals/19487/8 "2019-04-03T16:52:34Z")

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Amazing, though I am concerned about modifying the game with such things, particularly as updates may cause issues…

**Edit:** I find NPCs pretty rare despite being toggled on for both settings in my worlds. I have yet to find any outside of the one who starts in the evac shelter if I use that start.