Voice troubleshooting

The aircraft does not obey, but you see your words in COM. Do the steps below in order. Most problems are the microphone, the callsign, or an aircraft that is not yours yet.

1. Run the voice check. Open Settings → Voice → Advanced and start Check voice. It plays a sample phrase and shows which microphone the game really uses.
2. Pick your microphone. Open Settings → Audio and select the device by its name. Speak. The input-level meter must move.
3. Say the radio name. The TFC strip shows the callsign and, under it, the radio name. Say that name: Speedbird four two one.
4. Take control first. Middle-click the aircraft, or put the pointer on it and press T.
5. Hold push-to-talk to the last word. The default key is CONTROL. Release it after the last syllable.
6. Speak English. The pilots understand English only.

What the game tells you

The COM panel shows a HEARD row for every transmission that the game heard. When it ran no command, one SYS line below it says why and what to say.

COM says	What it means	What you do
No aircraft called "…". Say the radio name under the callsign in the TFC strip: "Speedbird 421".	The game did not find that callsign.	Say the radio name that the TFC strip shows.
… is not yours yet. Middle-click it, or point at it and press T, to take control.	The aircraft is not under your control.	Take control, then speak again.
Nothing heard on "…". Check the microphone in Settings, Voice.	The game got silence from that microphone.	Pick the correct microphone.
Not in 0.6.2.552 Nothing heard on "…". Choose microphone in Settings, Audio and voice.	The game got silence from that microphone.	Pick the correct microphone.
Transmission cut off. Hold … until the last word.	You released push-to-talk too early.	Hold the key until you finish.
Not understood. Speak English: …	The game could not read an instruction.	Speak English. Follow the example in the line.
Not in 0.6.2.552 Voice recognition is off: …. Use the mouse controls.	The game cannot use voice recognition in this session. The line gives the cause: not enough free memory, no microphone input, or the speech model or the speech engine did not load. If this occurs while you transmit, the game cancels that transmission.	Use the mouse controls. If the cause is the microphone, check the microphone in Settings → Voice.

When COM is closed

The radio strip shows NOT SENT and a short reason for three seconds. The COM label also changes to the warning color. It stays that color until you open COM. Open COM to read the full line.

Voice not working?

After three rejected transmissions in a row, at any time in a session, the Voice not working? panel shows. Select Check voice. The game pauses and opens the guided voice check. Not in 0.6.2.552 The traffic stays stopped until you close the check, and the top-bar PAUSE cell is lit. P cannot start the traffic during the check.

Amber microphone warnings

The start-up check, the main menu and Settings show amber in these cases:

• The microphone in use is not the one you picked.
• Settings is on Default and the computer has several microphones.

The text is Pick your microphone. Select the device by its name in Settings → Audio.

Which microphone? Not in 0.6.2.552

• At start-up. If several microphones are connected and you did not pick one, the start-up check asks Which microphone? Select the microphone that you talk into, then speak. The Level meter moves and the line under it says Hearing you. Select Continue, or Use the mouse instead.
• In a session. If a transmission records only silence, the game shows No sound from and the name of the microphone, with the same list. Select another microphone. The game changes to it after the current transmission. When it hears you, the line says Hearing you.
• In Settings. Settings → Audio and voice has the microphone list, the Level meter and the same line. If the line says No sound from this microphone. Pick another one., the microphone sends silence. Your voice recognition is not broken.

Note

Passing the voice check does not change how the game runs. It shows you the microphone in use and the way to speak a command. For the settings, see Settings. For the way to speak an instruction, see How to give instructions.