Interactive ship AI using VAC

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:28 pm

From post: 155895, Topic: tid=10411, author=Munshine wrote:He used Microsoft Anna, I guess.

That's top secret!

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:36 pm

It's important to note here for those that don't already know this but "VAC" and "Voice Attack" are not one and the same. They are two similar apps that do the same thing, but are not interchangeable as far as I know.

The profile I am developing is for VAC only, just to be clear and you will need to buy it ($18 I think) or download the trial for a test run to make use of my profile in it's native form.

*Disclaimer* Let it also be known that I am in no way affiliated with VAC/dwvac, I paid me $18 just like everyone else.

Again, my profile will be entirely free use.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:54 pm

From post: 155893, Topic: tid=10411, author=Frost N7 wrote:remember he scripted in station jumps without having to put down a nav mark , i don't think their purely controls . BTW How did you impersonate the ships AI im really looking forward to that part

I am able to automate some of the functions the NavCon to facilitate "hands free" jumps.

What I have on automated jumps at this point, and I'll quote myself here to keep expectations low enough that I can meet them...

:

"I did a little mucking about and was able to completely automate a "combat jump" wherein I open the navcon, set a close coordinate, close the navcon and jump. All without taking my hands off the flight controls."

This is a little different than jumping into a station (which I now believe can also be done but is a bit more involved). I did this mainly as test to sanity-check my idea. I'll include the combat jump in the profile if it proves to be reliable.

Using my current method, station-specific jumps would involve a tremendous amount of work to do in quantity as the exact coordinates of every station would be required to be scripted into the profile along with station-specific command phrases for each.

For the time being, the station jumps are something nice to think about, but don't expect to see that until I have a LOT more time or come up with a better way to do it than what I have now.

I really like and appreciate the feedback this project is getting and it's expanding in scope as I go. I'm having a good time at it.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:55 pm

Keep it coming! Feedback helps keep me motivated!

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:32 pm

When you need it, I can supply you with all
stations on my map as excel if that will help you.

That goes for any items on my map, jumpgates etc.

Just let me know and I'll fix it mate.

KingArthur · Post by **KingArthur** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:39 pm

I'm Only able to use "Jump" as a GENERAL VOICE COMMAND. I Still Need to Set Position on NavMap MANUALLY

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:32 pm

From post: 155926, Topic: tid=10411, author=SeeJay wrote:When you need it, I can supply you with all
stations on my map as excel if that will help you.

That goes for any items on my map, jumpgates etc.

Just let me know and I'll fix it mate.

Thanks SeeJay.

If this idea plays out, I think the major planets and default stations would be huge and pretty cool.

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:08 am

From post: 155919, Topic: tid=10411, author=Galaxian wrote:
From post: 155895, Topic: tid=10411, author=Munshine wrote:He used Microsoft Anna, I guess.
That's top secret!

Don't worry, even if I wanted to steal your AI Anna, it wouldn't cope with my terrible French accent.

Instead I recovered the AI VÃ©ronique which French Canadian accent is perfectly fitted for my needs.

I forgot to tell you that as soon as I heard of your High piece of Technology, I started working on my own

Anyway your project is more advanced than mine as I can't figure at the moment how you successfully set a waypoint by voice.

[Edited on 1-17-2013 by Munshine]

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:49 pm

[/rrquote]

Don't worry, even if I wanted to steal your AI Anna, it wouldn't cope with my terrible French accent.

Instead I recovered the AI VÃ©ronique which French Canadian accent is perfectly fitted for my needs.

I forgot to tell you that as soon as I heard of your High piece of Technology, I started working on my own

Anyway your project is more advanced than mine as I can't figure at the moment how you successfully set a waypoint by voice.

[Edited on 1-17-2013 by Munshine][/rrquote]

Glad to be of some inspiration. Good luck with yours.

If you're using VAC, you're more than welcome to have go with my profile when it's ready for release. It's coming along. I'm working on a few details and filling out the AI scripts a bit to make it feel like it's a *real* AI and not coming out of a can.

In the last day, I've implemented some *combat* jump plotting routines and automated the deployables (and scuttling of same).

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:02 pm

In the near future, I'm going to need a volunteer who has VAC installed to test my profile and make sure it works on a system other than my just own before I put it up for public release.

The victim.... er, tester... will receive a free copy of the profile for their trouble... Oh, wait, it's already free... O.K., you get it before anyone else...

U2U me for details if interested.

Frost N7 · Post by **Frost N7** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 9:23 pm

i volunteer as tribute

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:53 am

Congrats for your upcoming project.

Finally I'm giving up. I understood that you need a external program like AutoHotKey for scripting complex actions. For example, if you want to send an order to your fleet, as there isn't a key layout for such a command menu, you must manually move the mouse cursor over the fleet menu and simulate a click on the right menu. That means at first you must know the exact position before scripting and it depends on screen resolution, the time delay before the focus on the submenu etc.

It would take a lot of time and I prefer using that time enjoying the game.

Kudos to you, you put a lot of work into that mod

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 7:06 pm

Thanks for props.

This project has expanded in scope somewhat since first got underway a few weeks ago. I have put a good bit of time into it and am learning things along the way.

It won't be long before I have things dialed in to where I think it's ready to field test. I'm in process of scripting the last of the command actions and cleaning things up to make it as easy on the installer/pilot and as glitch-free as I can.

The more advanced (optional) commands that will be available will involve a bit of set-up on the part of the pilot if they want to use them, but I'll include the required scripting and instructions on how to set it up. The hard work has been figuring out how to make some of this work reliably.

It's all in the details and some further flight tests, then off to the volunteer test pilot for a field eval.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 7:10 pm

From post: 156033, Topic: tid=10411, author=Frost N7 wrote:i volunteer as tribute

Very good sir. Offer accepted.

You will have the dubious honor of conducting the very first field tests of Galaxy Defense Industries' new ANNA system.

See the GDI press release here:

http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtop ... 389&page=7

[Edited on 1-18-2013 by Galaxian]

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:53 am

Did more pecking away the keyboard today and the profile is up to around 170 available commands. Also added more "AI" scripting to expand the variety of ack responses for heavily utilized commands.

Also added a few 'tactical' routines, keeping the command structure and AI responses geared toward combat scenarios. No fluff, all business.

All of my flight time has been directly tied to flight testing of the new AI system.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:14 am

The AI prototype is nearing readiness for field testing.

It'll be a few more days as I have some life business to take care of, but it's real close.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:43 am

Who wants automated refueling? Why do it yourself when you can send a requisition to station operations and have the ground crew do the work.

Galaxian: Anna, send a request to station ops for refueling.
Anna: Acknowledged. Refuel request transmitted to station operations. Request approved. Refueling in progress.

*some seconds later, fuel tank is topped off and countermeasures reloaded*

Brought to you by Galaxy Defense Industries in the pending release of our new "ANNA" shipboard AI.

No controls were touched nor were any mice accosted during this operation.

[Edited on 1-23-2013 by Galaxian]

Frost N7 · Post by **Frost N7** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:08 am

This is the stuff we come here for keep it up

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:39 pm

Hot diggity! Getting down to the final (for now) detail work.

Mostly this involves end-user friendliness and ease of install. I'm attempting to make this as plug-play as I can.

With that in mind, I'd like to get an idea what screen resolutions are in use by the pilots interested in this project, so that I might save you the trouble of having to set up a bunch of coordinates for the automagic mouse-clicky bits involved in some of the more advanced commands.

Please respond here with the intel.

KingArthur · Post by **KingArthur** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:40 pm

1680 x 1025.

Frost N7 · Post by **Frost N7** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 9:35 pm

1440X900

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:43 am

"ANNA" field tests to commence. The included .ahk is set up for 1440x900. I also have a .ahk for 1920x1080 (what I run). Other resolutions will be forthcoming as I have time.

I've tested it pretty extensively and what's included here works reliably on my system, but your mileage may vary.

Keep in mind that it's not 100% completed yet and will likely evolve with time as more ideas come to me.

Give it a go and let me know what you think.

**new files uploaded**

[Edited on 1-26-2013 by Galaxian]

Frost N7 · Post by **Frost N7** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:26 am

just downloaded , question some commands dont have a key bound are these the AHK commands? gonna dive in now

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:48 am

From post: 156927, Topic: tid=10411, author=Frost N7 wrote:just downloaded , question some commands dont have a key bound are these the AHK commands? gonna dive in now

Aside from the "Player ship AI" and "Star system database" which just make the AI talk, every voice command and the keypress/scripting contained therein does something. Some voice commands have key/mouse actions stacked 8 or so deep.

There are unique commands for some functions (a lot in the InvCon) to generate a different response from the AI depending if you are docked or not. In the interest of 'realism' and whatnot.

You can export the commands from VAC to a text file that might help to make sense of some of what's there.

Galaxian · Post by **Galaxian** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:50 am

Also, I'd like to thank Vice for granting permission to copy the "Star system data base" wordage from his website and thus giving the AI something to say about that.

THANKS VICE!