Even though there are arguably better ways to communicate with your team, old radio commands can still be useful in CS:GO. Now and then, a radio command can deliver precisely the exact message you would like to communicate, so why not use it instead of voice chat?
The main limitation of CS:GO radio commands is the information they convey. When we communicate with others using voice, we customize our message based on the specific parameters of the situation we are trying to describe. Meanwhile, a radio command is predefined, is appropriate for just a few highly specific situations, and conveys a tiny amount of information.
Let’s say, for instance, that you want to communicate to your team that you’ve damaged an opponent. Using your voice, you would probably tell them how much damage you did, where the opponent was located, where it’s likely to go next, and so on. But a CS:GO radio command is usually just a short line of text with limited utility.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has gotten a lot more sophisticated over the years. Nowadays, people use dozens of callouts for every map. In addition to that, they also use many different CS words and expressions that constitute the CS:GO slang. And they adapt their messages to the specifics of the situation they’re describing.
The Fundamentals of Using CS:GO Radio Commands
If all you want to do is use CS:GO commands without customizing them from the radio command menu (panel), then you should bind them to keys. Higher levels of customization can be achieved by editing the commands from the CS:GO files located in the game’s installation folder.
To be helpful, a command needs to convey information that can be incorporated into a decision. In professional CS:GO matches, players continuously talk to each other to better synchronize their actions and give each other information about the enemy team. The focus points are always these two: “This is what they’re trying to do, and this is what we need to do to win the round.”
Binding CS:GO Radio Commands
The bind command allows you to bind an action to a selected key. But to use it, you will need to enable console commands first. This can be done by enabling the Developer Console from the game settings. The name of the setting is very intuitive: Enable Developer Console.
bind [selected_key][desired_action]
This is the standard form of the CS:GO bind command. Radio commands have internal representations that you will need to learn if you want to be able to use them with the bind CS:GO command.
Here’s an example of how to use this console command:
bind u regroup
Other radio commands are codified in different ways. Here are some examples:
- Need a drop, please. = needrop
- Team, fall back! = fallback
- Bombsite A = go_a
- Bombsite B = go_b
- Hold this position! = holdpos
The bind command allows you to use hidden radio commands. But you can go a step further.
How to Edit Radio Commands in CS:GO
The default radio command list is quite limited but the good news is that you can adjust it to suit your needs. The CS:GO radio panel configuration is available in radiopanel.txt, one of the game files located inside the game installation directory. More specifically, in resource\ui.
There, you will find models that you can copy to create your commands. But to do this without ruining the existing code you will need some basic programming knowledge. Whether you have it or not, make sure you create a backup of the original file and start editing it.
Just read the game’s wiki on the subject to gain more knowledge about CS:GO’s radio commands.
Conclusion
CS:GO is one multiplayer game in which you must communicate with your teammates. Usually, you’ll use a key associated with a voice command. The default value of this command can be seen in the game’s settings, located inside the game menu. If you don’t like the default setting, change it to whatever suits you best.
You can utilize radio commands when team chat is not your preferred choice. But keep in mind their functionality is quite limited.
