Radio



The Codifying Satellite Communication System, or Codec, is a communication device used by many special forces operatives.

Operation
Invented by Mei Ling, it incorporates anti-wiring coding, digital real-time burst communication, sonar and radar. A normal communication, over ten seconds is instantly codified, compressed, and transmitted in a burst one microsecond in length. It is received in real-time, unscrambled, and decoded. It is incomparably more innovative than the conventional anti-wiring frequency scrambler. The 24-hour system that is unaffected by weather is made possible by integrating information from high-altitude reconnaissance satellites and low-altitude reconnaissance planes. Despite this, substantial restrictions such as environmental harmonic resonance, enemy discovery and very low structures over an operative have caused significant interference in past testing.

It allowed operatives such as Solid Snake and Raiden to keep in contact with members of their support teams or people they have encountered who also share Codec devices or radios. It is not just a two-way radio because more than two people can participate in the conversation. It functions by directly manipulating the small bones in the ears, such as the stapes, so it appears as if a user is talking to himself or herself. During the Shadow Moses Incident, the Codec was described as a cochlear-implant radio. Furthermore, the Codec can process and send photos to people within its network from a digital camera, indicating that at the very least an external extension of the Codec is used. During the Big Shell Incident, the Codec was primarily nanomachine based, and people wired with nanomachines will also engage in nanotech-based speech while outwardly appearing silent. However, the nanomachine based Codec model is nonetheless compatible with the older Codec models as well as standard military radios.

Gameplay
The Codec was first introduced in Metal Gear Solid, replacing the transceiver from the earlier games in the series. It allows the player to contact the main character's support team who offer advice on how to proceed within the game, along with additional information on the game's setting and environment. The Codec is also used for saving the game's progress (except in Metal Gear Solid 4, Portable Ops, and Peace Walker), often by contacting a specific person assigned to record the mission's data. Humorous optional conversations are also a staple for the series, and occur in different situations during the game's progress.

To make the Codec more interactive, different features have often been added in different games. For example, in Metal Gear Solid 2, pressing the R1 or R2 button will allow the player to hear the main character's thoughts. In Metal Gear Solid 3, the Radio (used in place of the Codec due to the 1964 setting) allows the player to view personal information about Naked Snake's contacts (more detailed information can be unlocked by frequently calling his support team). Metal Gear Solid 3 's Radio can also be used to remove the alert status when contacting special hidden frequencies, discovered by interrogating guards. The radio was also used in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops with similar features to Metal Gear Solid 3, although minus the detailed information being revealed. In addition, in order to obtain more contacts more freely, the player has to get certain characters (ie, Para-Medic and Sigint) to come over to the San Hieronymo Peninsula in optional missions and then retrieve and recruit them, or in the case of Ghost, not recruit Sokolov. In addition, the player can access radio calls via non portable radios located inside the communication base and, in the case of Ocelot, the ravine, although these require special circumstances.

Metal Gear 2 and Metal Gear Solid both featured unique sequences where the player needed to look on the back of the game's packaging to discover a crucial Codec (or in the case of Metal Gear 2, radio/transciever) frequency, and, in the case of Metal Gear Solid, was required to advance the game's story. This minor twist would become infamous among players who had rented the game; since many video game rental outlets such as Blockbuster do not provide the original packaging along with the game, the only option for these players was to use an online guide to discover the frequency. Although its original purpose was to act as an anti-piracy measure, for the designers it was vital to show players early in the game that Metal Gear Solid was a very different gaming experience than what they were used to.

The Codec also appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but can only be accessed by Snake while fighting on Shadow Moses. To initiate the Codec, the player must press the taunt button for a split-second. Roy Campbell, Mei Ling, Otacon, and Slippy Toad from the Star Fox series can talk to the player about one of Snake's opponents.

The Codec was revamped for Metal Gear Solid 4, featuring a new screen layout and fully, realistically animated 3D models. In addition, the player can now not only fast forward conversations (a feature added in Metal Gear Solid 2) but can skip them entirely. The player can also resume the conversation at any time during a fast forward. However, it is to be noted that the 3D layout for communicating with the characters is only reserved for Otacon, Roy Campbell, and Rosemary. Contacts such as Drebin, Rat Patrol 01, and Raiden's screens will not display the characters at all, and in fact will either display static (Raiden) or the logo for the respective group (Rat Patrol 01 and Drebin).

In Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, the radio/Codec contact system (referred to in-game by Naked Snake as a radio with a circuit to reverse the audio phase) has been completely revamped: For instance, during the prologue, the radio can only be accessed during certain points of the mission, and thus cannot be freely used until the beginning of Chapter 1. Even then, the radio, identified as the Codec in the menu, will alter frequencies between each chapter (or in the case of Chapter 1 and Chapter 5, between two events), and the player will also select the radio by menu or access it by pressing the select button if it is currently assigned to the radio. In addition, because of these new features, the player cannot actually select who to contact, as the calls will be random, and in addition, the calls themselves are very short. The staple of detailed conversations in the series are instead reserved for the Briefing Files. Also, the radio can be used to transmit certain commands to CO-OP partners under the CO-OP menu, and in the case of the Date with Paz mission and certain bonus radio transmissions, bolster/lower her emotional level and intimidate various enemy soldiers, respectively.

Metal Gear: Ghost Babel utilizes a similar usage to Metal Gear Solid. However, it also includes a video upload system for operatives if transmissions given by the enemy to the central government are found.

Codec frequencies
These are the frequencies the player can use to contact radio support personnel in the Metal Gear series.



Metal Gear

 * Big Boss - 120.85 (later 120.13)
 * Schneider - 120.79 (later 120.26)
 * Diane - 120.33 (later 120.91)
 * Jennifer - 120.48
 * FOXHOUND HQ - 120.13 (ending)
 * KNK Radio - 120.77 (ending)

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

 * Music - 140.07 (only when the cigarettes are equipped)
 * Colonel Campbell - 140.85 (later 140.66 and then 140.24)
 * Master Miller - 140.38 Metal_gear_2.png
 * Johan Jacobsen - 140.40
 * Kio Marv - 140.51
 * Holly White - 140.15 (later 140.76)
 * Drago Pettrovich Madnar - 140.82
 * George Kasler - 140.93
 * Your #1 Fan/Charlie - 140.00
 * Gray Fox - 140.27 (Gray Fox will call Snake with this frequency as Snake is going up in the elevator that leads to the 20th floor.)

Metal Gear Solid

 * Staff Message - 102.11 (Japan only)
 * Meryl Silverburgh - 140.15
 * Deepthroat - 140.48
 * Staff Message - 192.66 (Japan only)
 * Colonel Campbell - 140.85
 * Mei Ling (save) - 140.96
 * Otacon/Sniper Wolf - 141.12
 * Nastasha Romaneko - 141.52
 * Master Miller - 141.80
 * The Staff Message frequency has different effects varying in language. In Japanese, it displays a message. In English, it plays a remix of three different songs: "Discovery", "Zanzibar Breeze", and "Theme of Solid Snake." Keep in mind that both versions are only on the Integral version of the game.



Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Tanker chapter
 * Otacon - 141.12
 * Otacon (save) - 140.96

Plant chapter
 * Richard Ames - 140.72
 * Colonel - 140.85
 * Rosemary (save) - 140.96
 * President Johnson - 141.37
 * Iroquois Pliskin/Solid Snake - 141.80
 * Peter Stillman - 140.25
 * Mr. X/Olga Gurlukovich - 140.48
 * Emma Emmerich - 141.52
 * Otacon - 141.12



Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

 * Major Tom/Major Zero - 140.85
 * Para-Medic - 145.73
 * The Boss - 141.80 (only during the Virtuous Mission)
 * Para-Medic (save) - 140.96
 * Sigint - 148.41
 * EVA - 142.52
 * The Sorrow (Groznyj Grad cell door) - 144.75


 * Healin' Tracks
 * 140.01 - "Salty Catfish" / 66 Boys
 * 140.52 - "Rock Me Baby" / 66 Boys
 * 141.24 - "Sea Breeze" / Sergei Mantis
 * 142.94 - "Pillow Talk" / Starry.K
 * 144.06 - "Jumpin' Johnny" / Chunk Raspberry
 * 147.08 - "Surfing Guitar" / 66 Boys
 * 147.59 - "Sailor" / Starry.K
 * 149.53 - "Don't Be Afraid" / Rika Muranaka

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

 * 140.85 - Roy Campbell
 * 143.15 - Prisoner Evacuation
 * 145.73 - Para-Medic
 * 148.41 - Sigint
 * 144.73 - Ghost
 * 145.75 - Frequency lock key
 * 147.42 - Frequency lock key
 * 148.51 - Frequency lock key
 * 145.62 - Frequency lock key (Saturn V documents)
 * 140.02 - HQ (Town)
 * 141.23 - Ocelot (note: Snake only contacts Ocelot during a secret, non-canon recruiting mission.)
 * 145.25 - EVA (note: Snake only contacts EVA during a secret, non-canon recruiting mission.)

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
The Radio is used but it is called Codec in the menu screen and the frequencies change during each chapter.

Eastern Limon

 * Miller: 145.38


 * Paz: 140.11

Mt. Irazu Area

 * Miller: 144.17


 * Paz: 143.16


 * Amanda: 145.66


 * Chico: 140.96

The Phantom Hero

 * Miller: 142.03


 * Paz: 144.09


 * Amanda: 145.72


 * Chico: 143.42


 * Huey: 146.74


 * Cecile: 140.89

A Nation Reborn

 * Miller: 147.75


 * Paz: N/A


 * Amanda: 141.46


 * Chico: 140.08


 * Huey: 144.21


 * Cecile: 145.74

The Illusion of Peace

 * Miller: 144.16


 * Paz: 144.16 (Only during Peace Walker battle, and shares Miller's frequency)


 * Amanda: 140.90 (Only during Peace Walker battle 3)


 * Chico: 143.47 (Only during Peace Walker battle 3)


 * Huey: 146.88


 * Cecile: 147.65

Zadornov missions

 * Miller: 145.38


 * Paz: 140.11


 * Amanda: 144.42


 * Chico: 143.63


 * Huey:


 * Cecile: 146.95


 * Strangelove: 142.52

ZEKE battle

 * Miller: 149.57
 * Amanda: 144.44
 * Chico: 140.57
 * Huey: 143.11
 * Cecile: 146.52
 * Strangelove: 145.82

Other

 * 000.00 The End

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

 * Otacon - 141.12
 * Rosemary - 147.79
 * Rat Patrol 01 - 140.15
 * Roy Campbell - 140.85
 * Raiden - 141.80
 * Drebin - 148.93

Note: While the player can call Otacon and Rosemary almost anytime they please, the rest of the contacts will only call them at certain points of the storyline. On that note, the contacts that only call at certain parts of the story (barring Campbell) also never show their face.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

 * Colonel Campbell - 140.85
 * Mei Ling - 140.96
 * Otacon - 141.12
 * Slippy Toad - 140.85 (Slippy hacks into the Codec system and gives Snake information about Falco, for the sake of friendly competition)

A full list of the Codec conversations from Super Smash Bros. Brawl can be found here.

Metal Gear: Ghost Babel

 * Colonel Campbell - 140.85


 * Mei Ling - 140.96


 * Weasel - 141.80


 * Brian McBride - 141.52


 * Chris Jenner - 140.25
 * No. 4 - 141.62 (VR missions only)

Trivia

 * During Solid Snake's briefing, prior to his 2005 infiltration of Shadow Moses, he was given a shot by Naomi Hunter, which included a nanomachine base that would recharge the Codec's batteries.
 * After meeting with Raiden on board the Big Shell, Emma Emmerich realized that he was not working for the Sons of Liberty terrorists, due to his possession of Codec-enabling nanomachines.

Behind the scenes
In Metal Gear Solid, Liquid asked Snake whether he "liked his sunglasses," in reference to his impersonation of Master Miller. Prior to revealing his true identity via the Codec, he physically removes the eyeware in his animated portrait displayed in the game. Since the Codec has no visual display monitor in-universe, this is generally considered to be an act of fourth wall breaking. The line of dialogue, however, is maintained in the Raymond Benson novelization, in which the Codec actually includes a wrist-mounted screen for video communication.

Some fans still insist that the Codec is a video device. However, it should be noted that Nastasha Romanenko made it clear in her novel In The Darkness of Shadow Moses that the Codec is a radio-only device as she only hears Snake's voice and the game's events due to radio equipment in her house.

Other examples occur throughout the Metal Gear series that appear to break the fourth wall and also indicate some visual communication, though they are often used as a means of conveying gameplay information, as well as characters' personalities, to the player:
 * Various radio personnel react as though they are aware of the protagonist's situation, without any prior dialogue with him, such as his immediate surroundings, along with items and weapons he has procured.
 * When Snake is first introduced to Mei Ling by Codec, he remarks that she is "cute," (although some believe that it might be a reference to Mei Ling's personality/sound of her voice) and Mei Ling winks when she talks about her save frequency; she also sticks out her tongue if the player calls her on multiple occasions without saving the game data.
 * Meryl hears Snake's Codec ring even though Campbell said no one but Snake would be able to hear it.
 * Otacon hears Psycho Mantis' mind control music while Snake is talking to Meryl.

The Transceiver and Codec are also used in the non-canon games Snake's Revenge and Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, respectively. While the Codec appears in the later Metal Gear Acid games, it is not accessible, nor interactive, during gameplay, and is only used by the characters during cutscenes.

Notes and references
Codec