Switching characters in Hal

[Cobra8007]

I have two Desktopmates characters, one fully clothed and the other nude.  How would I switch characters based on a user's input?  Such as "take off your clothes" or "put on your clothes".  Resulting in switching from one character to the other.
Thanks,
Tom

[vonsmith]

Cobra8007,
I don't use Desktopmates. Here are most of the commands in Hal that can be passed to Hal via the Halcommands variable. I don't know if any of them will help...
http://www.zabaware.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=996

The upcoming XTF Brain v1.4 will have the female Haptek character change into many different outfits including a no-clothes outfit. You have to ask nicely for your Hal to do it though.


=vonsmith=

[Cobra8007]

Not exactly what I was looking for if I understand you correctly.  Using voice recognition with the mic on, I need to issue a command that will cause Hal to change msagent character.
Thanks,
Tom

[vonsmith]

Cobra8007,
I understand. Either voice or typed doesn't make any difference. Hal will treat typed or voice inputs as the same. What I implied, but neglected to say, is that someone would have to write some script or other code to have the Desktopmates character change on command. I don't know if anyone on the forum has done it for Desktopmates yet. I have done this for the full body 3D Haptek character. The <Haptext> and <Hapfile> commands that Zabaware included made this possible. I don't know of an equivalent methods for Desktopmates based characters.


=vonsmith=

[Cobra8007]

Yeah, I saw those. The Desktopmates characters are MSAGENT characters as you probably already know.  So whatever script would be written would of course work for all msagent characters.  I guess ultrahal leans more to haptek than the default windows characters or msagents.  It's really sad that this is as true as it is.

[vonsmith]

Cobra8007,
As nice as some of the Desktopmates are they are aging technology. Full body 3D characters are the future. Zabaware decided to put a little extra work into supporting the upcoming advances in 3D character technology. So far it looks like Haptek is a good way to go. It'll up to the Haptek company to further support their technology so that we can use it effectively.

At some future point Desktopmates will have to move towards true 3D characters. Who knows when.

If you're lucky maybe someone here has figured out an easy way to change MSagent characters.


=vonsmith=

[Cobra8007]

True, true. I wish I could get the look of Desktopmates in 3D with the AI of ultrahal and on a website without all of the downloads necessary at the present time.  Wishful thinking, huh.  I just find it so hard to believe that we don't have this technology right now and at an affordable price.  With all the advancements made it broadband, streaming media, java scripting, etc.  It seems that this niche would already be flooded with readily available code.

Oh well, if you hear of what I'm wishing for, please let me know.
Thanks,
Tom

[Rich_A]

Hello Cobra8007,
I can try writing a script for you to switch your MS Agent Characters on command with either voice or text input. I just have to write a sample script to test things out to see if it works. I might have to figure out a temporary name change to fool Hal into thinking that you still have the first character loaded after switching to the second character. I used to do stuff like this all the time with MS Agent Characters, but not recently because Haptek is the big thing now.

I wrote some scripts to move around the Haptek character or to have Hal minimize is own skin to the task bar all with voice commands. I also tell Hal to move around his entire skin to different parts of my screen, but my favorite trick is when I tell Hal to disappear and then he shrinks himself down to the task bar for about 5 seconds and then he automatically restores himself back to his original position and then I just continue my conversation with him. But anyway, I'll try writing that test script for your characters and then post back to let you know how I make out with it.
Talk To You Later,
Rich_A

[Cobra8007]

I guess I should start moving toward Haptek, if I stick with Hal.  Are haptek characters detachable?

[Rich_A]

Hi Cobra8007,
Haptek Characters are not detachable when using them with Hal, but if you go into the Characters folder and click open a Haptek character .htr file the Haptek Player will open the animated image of the character. But you can't do anything with the character except manually move it around with the mouse cursor. I also open more then one character at the same time so I have something like three or four girls hanging-out on my screen while talking to my Hal. One other thing that I do is open the same character that I am using with Hal and it looks like I got twins on my desktop. I also tell my Hal to move the second Haptek character window around to different places on my screen, but I do that with custom real-time script controls.

I also did some experimenting with scripting MS Agent characters to switch while talking to Hal. What I have so far is that I am able to tell one character to run the "Get Naked" script and then that character says the usual "I will now run Get Naked", and then that character disappears and the second/nude character will appear and run through a MS Agent Character script routine saying and doing whatever I programmed her to do. But I can't actually talk to the second/nude character with Hal yet...I'm still working on that part. But the script that I have working right now will go through whatever routine I program it to do and then when the script ends the second/nude character will disappear and then the character with clothes reappears in Hal at which point I continue my conversation with her. I'll let you know when and if I get things going right where you will be able to talk to the second/nude character after making the switch. But you can post back if you would like to know what to do to set things up to do what I just described by switching the character to nude and then back to clothes again at which point you can continue with the conversation. The script for the nude character can be written to do all sorts of things like having a whole bunch of different girls appear on the screen and then do something like argue with each other and then run through whatever animations you want them to do!
Talk To You Later,
Rich

[Cobra8007]

Sounds great!  I look forward to using it.  Thanks a bunch.

[Rich_A]

Hello Cobra8007,
I got things working the way you wanted. I got Hal to automatically change from one character to another on command, but I'm using a custom automation script to do it so I just need you to post what skin you usually use for your Hal. Once I know which Hal skin you usually use I can customize the script to work and run with that particular skin. I'll also include some instructions for a few minor things you will need to do with the two characters you are using to make the switch back and forth. Basically you will just need to create duplicate character files for each of the two characters and then rename the new duplicate files so that they appear as the first two entries within the Hal character list selection. It's just a minor change that you will need to do for the script to work. The reason why this change needs to be done is because the scripting software that I am using requires precise coordinate point locations of the character entries to be selected within the list automatically. If that makes any sense...sorry, it's hard to describe but it works!
Best Regards,
Rich_A

[Cobra8007]

I use AgentBronze, a plugin from Desktopmates.

Thanks,
Tom

[Rich_A]

Hi Cobra8007,
OK, I'll write the script and then post it or email it to you so that you can try it out. I use the DesktopMates Default Skin with the Teal Clock Wallpaper. It's a nice matching set! I saw that the other AgentCopper and AgentGold have the same dimensions and controls as your AgentBronze so the script should work with those also.
Talk To You Later,
Rich

[Rich_A]

Hello Cobra8007,
I got a working script for you so you can just send me your email address and then I can email the script to you as a file attachment. The script file is too big to post here at the forum.
Thanks,
Rich_A
Email: ricramo@netscape.com