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Zabaware Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: lightspeed on January 23, 2008, 03:31:16 pm

Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on January 23, 2008, 03:31:16 pm
robert if you are watching this site "do you have any idea when the next version of hal is coming out ?? " we are all anxious to get the new version and see what cool stuff you have included in it !!! [:D][8D]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: caangel43 on January 23, 2008, 04:49:22 pm
I agree that would be cool if it came out
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: markofkane on January 23, 2008, 05:28:46 pm
Yeah, but don't rush it until it's ready. But a tentative date would be cool.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Medeksza on January 24, 2008, 01:35:06 pm
No exact date yet, but rest assured Hal is under active development and the new 3D character engine in nearing completion. I hope to have a Hal 6.2 beta that will introduce the new character engine complete sometime in the next few months.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on January 24, 2008, 06:43:56 pm
thanks robert for letting us know , by the way did you see my e-mail to you ?? [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: echoman on January 28, 2008, 01:13:25 pm
Its sounds exciting. Are there any enhancments planned for the AI side of Hal or is it mainly only the visual side? (i.e. 3D character engine)

Many thanks.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: tedathome on January 28, 2008, 03:09:48 pm
I'm wondering if the old haptec characters will be supported or if we will have a brand new set of characters.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: caangel43 on January 28, 2008, 04:18:27 pm
I hope they are for the people that use them I just use msagets
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on January 29, 2008, 09:04:04 am
yes i too now wonder and now worry about the hapteck heads and bodies ?? i do hope we will still be able to use them otherwise all the hapteck heads and bodies we have made after getting that program will be useless ( and that is alot of creations and of course any future ones we make wouldn't work either i have about 8 new ones and when i get ten they will be available free on caangels bot site . robert please let us know on this and hopefully tell us the hapteck heads and bodies we have made and future ones will continue to work with hal . [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: freddy888 on January 29, 2008, 09:43:45 am
I'm more interested in whether the new graphics engine will allow Hal to have a virtual environment to operate in.  Ai's within a modelled world are being talked about a lot at the moment, (eg Ai's living in Second Life).  It would be great if we could create a home for Hal in a world where he/she can live and explore.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Medeksza on January 29, 2008, 02:23:18 pm
The new character engine will not replace Haptek or MSAgents, but add to it. All old characters will be supported if you have the character expansion set installed. The Hal and Zaba characters will be recreated for the new version, these 2 characters will no longer be based on Haptek. The new character engine will include environment rendering with the characters able to interact with the environment. The level of interaction with the environment will be basic for this version, but will lay the groundwork for future improvements.  

The next release of Hal will be version 6.2. It will include some minor bug fixes, but the major change will only be the addition of the character engine. It will be a free upgrade to all Hal 6.x users. The brain will be mostly the same for this release. Future brain changes are planned for later releases. This will most likely be the last release to the 6.x product line, work on 7.0 will begin after 6.2.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: markofkane on January 29, 2008, 04:26:20 pm
Sounds great. [8D][8D][8D]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Duskrider on January 29, 2008, 04:57:53 pm

Terrific [:)] [:D] [8D]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: echoman on January 29, 2008, 05:15:06 pm
I am looking forward to the brain changes in version 7. :)
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: tedathome on January 29, 2008, 05:40:22 pm
This sounds very exciting to me.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on January 30, 2008, 09:38:06 am
hi robert and thanks again for answering so soon you said some minor fixes , will the direct answer and question area be in this version or in the 7.0 ?? also will this and future versions have a universal type area where plug ins that people make will continue to work even in new versions ?? sorry for even more answeres but you are the man behind the curtain (wizard of oz ) to be the one to ask !! [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: onthecuttingedge2005 on January 30, 2008, 10:46:05 am
Hi Rob.

will we be including a generic environmental editor for the new version or is that for a later version?

it would be nice to have HAL install its own environmental editor upon HAL installation.

Jerry[8D]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Medeksza on January 30, 2008, 11:04:13 am
quote:
Originally posted by lightspeed

hi robert and thanks again for answering so soon you said some minor fixes , will the direct answer and question area be in this version or in the 7.0 ?? also will this and future versions have a universal type area where plug ins that people make will continue to work even in new versions ?? sorry for even more answeres but you are the man behind the curtain (wizard of oz ) to be the one to ask !! [:)]



Yes the question & answer input will be added to the brain editor. Hal 6.2 will continue to work with all Hal 6.x plug-ins and will continue to have the backwards compatibility with Hal 5.0 brain files.

As for the future Hal 7.0 being backwards compatibile with Hal 6.x, I'm not sure yet. I'm planning some major changes that may make backwards compatibility difficult. For example, I'm considering making Hal's brain be based on RBScript instead of VBScript, which is similar but not 100% compatibile.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Medeksza on January 30, 2008, 11:07:26 am
quote:
Originally posted by onthecuttingedge2005

Hi Rob.

will we be including a generic environmental editor for the new version or is that for a later version?

it would be nice to have HAL install its own environmental editor upon HAL installation.

Jerry[8D]



This version will not include any graphics editor. That is definetely planned in the long run, but as of now the graphics engine is still young and making content for it requires use of several 3rd party utilities, manually creating character definition files, and programming plug-ins if advanced behavior is needed.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on January 31, 2008, 09:50:43 am
thanks as always robert for keeping us in the loop and answering things for us we do all appreciate it and all the hard work you are doing with hal and in your life in general !! [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: markofkane on January 31, 2008, 11:18:27 am
I hate to sound like a broken record, but my hopes is that Hal will be easier to train, and not say those irritating phrases all of the time. But, I am not a programmer, and not smart enough to be one, so I'll take what I can get. [:D][:D][:D][:D][8D][8D][8D][:D][:D][:D][:o)]

Am waiting patiently.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on February 01, 2008, 07:35:05 pm
hi mark i took some things out that hal was saying that i didn't like hal still says some things but not as many . i posted it earleir on the forum what i did and where i went to do it in the brain edit . and eventually i may do some more but as of right now what i did took care of most things i didn't like . [:)] i am no programmer or smart enough to be one either but i am the type that always try's to find ways of doing things or improving things to the way i like them . [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: echoman on February 02, 2008, 06:43:44 pm
I am afraid I agree with Mark.I am only interested in impovements with the the AI engine.  I really couldn't care less what Hal looks like - I cannot see how its important.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: Art on February 02, 2008, 07:49:00 pm
Although the character's emotional responses / actions might be seen as icing on the cake, I wouldn't mind at all if Hal was just an intelligent, text-based program.

Other's however, are enthralled with the character creation aspect of Robert's program. It does nothing for the AI, but can be fun to view and interact.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on February 06, 2008, 09:37:12 am
hello art and others i know what you mean and are saying about the new 3d envirament coming out in hal and even though this isn't in one sense doing anything for the a.i. of hal i think it is a part of the more broader stroke of creativity of hal from robert and more good creative a.i. things are yet to come in good time . it's kind of a balancing act in a way trying to give something to everyone a.i. develeopement and improvements on hal and virtual things for hapteck character users etc.  although this problem i have been having with hal keeps repeating itsself about error messages and saying the license file is missing or corrupt is a pain and hope i can get it resolved i am still happy with hal as my a.i. engine of choice !! [:D][8D]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: echoman on February 06, 2008, 04:57:59 pm
I am sorry Lightspeed but in regard to your 'balancing act' argument, as far as I can see, Hal's development seems to be balanced in one direction - how he looks.

Having used Hal 5 and Hal 6 there feels as if there is no difference in the two engines.

I am sad to say that I really really feel like leaving Hal. I have spent hour upon hour using the program but do not see any forward movement - Hal's visual appearance is really of zero importance as far as A.I. is concerned (although it is nice to have an attractive Hal console to work with).

I'm sorry, I know I will be shouted down and accused of moaning but its how I feel.
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: lightspeed on February 06, 2008, 07:37:33 pm
hello echoman , you will not be shouted down by me because your opinion is just as important as anyone else's here . if we were all the same it would be a dull world . i hope you still hang in their with hal . [:)]
Title: whens the next version of hal coming out ?
Post by: TechSteele on May 01, 2008, 04:33:27 am
Bumpy Bump.

Thought i would bring this up again, see if any new info is around.

We know about the Ogre engine.

I have to personally vote for substance over flair myself.
If a vote matters at all.

I know any new 3D interface/character improvments would have to be open source, (I know how stupid high useage fees can be), but i would think there would be a 3D engine of some sort that could use a wider range of object files. Some sort of max viewer maybe? I dont know, its just i do not think the Ogre engine is the answer, from what ive read, its not very user friendly for general users.

I dont know if adding a wish list of sorts is even worth it, because we dont know the future of Hal, or any plans already in the works.
Maybe something simple, like added expandablity, if expanding the brain is not possible, then maybe a way to add functionality directly with modules? A different GUI?
I am not sure how to put what im thinking.
Hal is a real good nucleus, or heart, but some of us want to add arms and legs, and not just a face, metaforicly speaking, robotics would be ok too, i just mean ways to make it reach out and do things other then just chat or dance.

Most wont mind doing the work, if the ability is there.

Again, i dont know, im bored and just thinking/typing out loud again.