Skins and characters

[deitz75]

I'm sort of a part time Hal user, and really trying to develop some real time uses for the Ultra Hal program.

First thing I would love to do is personalize my program.
I would like to create a custom character, and custom skins.
I do not want a full character, instead I would like to have an automated audio wave like this.

And I would like to be able to build a skin like this.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.
Thank you.

[CyborgBob]

Not that I know much about making Hal Characters, or skins... But I do know that you need Puddypeople to Make a Character for Hal. I have no Idea if Puddypeople can make an audio line as a Character, but it's a cool idea.... As far as skins. I know you have to know a small amount of programing to tell Hal where to put all the graphics, and I would say you need a good Picture Editor like Photo Shop. I'm not what they call Artsy Fartsy so when it comes to this stuff I haven't gotten that far..... I hope this helps.....

CyborgBob 

[tedathome]

Here is a good place to learn about skins. As for using a sine wave, not so easy. Not sure it can be done. Good luck.

http://www.datahopa.co.uk/forum/

[Art]

Hey Deitz,

That WOULD be a pretty cool character. No facial distractions or cosmetics, just the moving sound lines.

Oh yes and with no disrespect meant toward anyone, it's People Putty (like Putty in one's hands with which to create).
You can find People Putty at www.haptek.com (check to make sure it will run on your computer).

We've had Blank or No Characters before and talking monsters, skeletons, Robots, Santa, Frogs and tons more...why not sound waves?

Maybe some one will rise to the challenge.

Tedathome, your link simply takes him (or anyone else) to another web site. Could you post a specific section / link where he / she could get topical help instead of having to wander around the site? I'm sure others would be grateful as well. Just a thought, my friend.

[Duskrider]

It might be interesting to have visual sound.   
Hal in 2001 had visual sound when he spoke, remember that?
Windows media player also has it,
maybe a cross between a haptar and media player ?
Hummm. . . .

[One]

I think I shall never know why the Dish ran Away With the Spoon.

it still has me baffled, good luck!
-J

[tedathome]

  Art, good point. I have searched my former posts. I know I had posted some instructions and uploaded the two zips needed to make a Gui skin. To skydrive or something similar.  Not too many of my former posts are still available though I'll keep searching. Having trouble logging into skydrive and savefile is gone. Datahopa made some nice skins. I couldn't find any instructions there.
MakeTrans is one of the two zipfiles required. I will keep working at this until I get it or some nice forum member with the answers comes to the rescue. 

Update: I have maketran.zip and InterfaceDesignManual.zip  Now to get them put up for download! Meanwhile over at datahopa there are many good skins to download and if you wish to join the forum there I'm pretty sure you can get good advice from the members or admin there.

[deitz75]

This looks like we're getting somewhere?

[tedathome]

Oh yes! Here is the link to my skydrive public folder. The required zip files and some other goodies are there now. :D
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=c3fecc3c819da1da&id=documents#cid=c3fecc3c819da1da

[deitz75]

Well that defiantly covers the skins, and question I had about them. Good job guys, and thanks for the help, but I also need an alliterative htr editor. Something besides People putty program.

[tedathome]

 Haptek, the people putty maker, also has a professional SDK to edit and otherwise morph full body and head .htrs. They also have a more professional ogg maker as well.  Look for the Haptek Guide. You can find it at www.haptek.com

[Art]

If you're searching for a FREE or OTHER Alternative tool / program for modding the  .HTR or .HAPTAR files then I think you're out of luck as they are proprietary files of Haptek. (A .HAPTAR file can be changed to a .HTR file by simply renaming).

[tedathome]

 You could gain a lot of haptek knowledge here. http://aidreams.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=48.0
Without  knowing exactly what you are wanting to do that's about all the help I can offer.

[deitz75]

Just looking to create a working wave for a haptek character.
Like this:

[tedathome]

 Do you have that particular sine wave in animated .gif format? If so an active background may work for you. Haptek won't take gif backgrounds but gifs can be broken down to a series of .jpg's and scripted in.


Found it. I will make an active background of it and post soon. Maybe it can scripted it to start and stop with voice, don't know yet.
Don't know how to eliminate character for sure, there is a delete person or a positioning hap one of them should work.
Say so if you want it faster  or slower.