Voice Commands

[GreatGold]

Hey -

 

It seems to me that the Geoscape is a perfect canidate for voice commands. What I mean with this, is that there should either be a built-in Voice Command system, or a way of assigning every clickable button a mapped key.

 

In either case, this is what I would hope could happen. Suppose you want to launch an interceptor, then you would simply say:

 

"Intercept UFO-001 with Avenger 1- Berlin"

 

By simply speaking these words into your mike, the intercept window opens, you've selected a target and then sent the appropriate aircraft on its way. Likewise, you could word it as:

 

"Avenger 1- Berlin, Intercept UFO-001"

 

The order should not be important, and I don't think it would be hard to implement a system for this in the Geoscape. You could also have commands for selling items...each item is simpy assigned a specific keystroke (if we go

with just making the game compatible with 3rd party voice command systems), and then you would just say:

 

"Sell 'number of' object"

"Buy 'number of' object"

"Tranfer..."

"Build..."

 

The options are limitless...and it would be a very cool feature.

 

The stystem could be set up pretty easily I think, with a system similar to (im making this up, just for giving you all an idea of how it possibly could be implemented...the code is ridiculous and of my own design... )

 

 
1st Avenger Built = Object XYZ = keystroke 'P1' = Player Named "Avenger 1- 
Berlin" 

UFO currently present on geoscape = Object ABC = 'alt-i" = Game Named UFO-001 

Launch Interceptor = Object 123 = keystroke 'alt-L' = Player Named "Intercept" 

Player Says: 
Intercept 
   --open intercept menu with keystroke P1 
UFO-001 
   --selects UFO currently on geoscape, name selected by computer 
Avenger 1-Berlin 
  --selects intercept aircraft

 

So as long as each object has a unique identifier, the player can call it whatever he/she wants. Likewise, the key-map should also probably be modafiable by the individual.

 

The only hard one might be UFO names, although if you set it up so that each UFO is only given an object number when on screen, and those numbers are recycled, it shouldnt be too hard. Also, since the game names hem, it can aways be the same basic command...varying between UFO-001, 002, 003 etc. Players cant name them, not a problem.

 

So, what you guys think, is something like this doable? At the very least, could we make all buttons key-mapped, so that if we dont incude our own version of voice command, we could at least be compatable with 3rd party software?

 

ADDENDUM:

Mav and I spoke about this idea for a bit today, the pros and cons, the feasability and its implementation, and we had some interesting ideas. Perhaps the biggest realization is that, regardless of whether its used for voice coms or not, there should be a config file mapping all buttons with keystrokes. It can help out in a lot of areas, and should probably be in a v1.0.

 

Actual voice coms could then be set up by the indivual quite easily, with 3rd party software. If it works well, perhaps as some other point in the future it could be implemented in a more complete way.

 

Also, and not to be discounted, is the fact that the AI will most likely be quite good. Enough so that at somepoint you should just be able to issue a voice command in the battlescape, and the AI would just go with it until it needed a new command. A lot of interesting avenues with this.

 

 

Thanks,

Gold

[Guest drewid]

That keystroke mapping / 3rd party software thing is a great piece of lateral thinking. Keeps it simple for us, and anyone with a headset is likely to be able to set that up easily.

 

Nice.

[LordT]

Hmm... the problem with this kinda software is the long process it takes:

1. "Hear" the words

2. Check it with its database

3. Double check it took the right one

4. Send the appropriate keystroke

 

This process usually takes a couple of seconds.

I like the idea but it's the delay that troubles me. I don't want to sit there "Intercept... ... ... UFO-001... ... ... Avenger-001"

[Puasonen]

I agree..

 

"Intercept UFO001 with avenger-1 berlin"

"what the heck?"

"Intercept UFO001 with avenger-1 berlin!"

"not that one you stupid computer!"

 

-UFO001 has been lost-

 

"aaaargh!"

 

Well key shortcuts like in warcraft III would be nice though?

 

b for buy items

s for sell items

 

and so on...

[Breunor]

I would think hotkeys would be a given these days, but the speech recognition could be touchy. I worked with the physically disabled with speech recognition, and while it's always getting better, you have to include a couple training sessions where it learns how you says phenomes, and even after training it's around 95% accurate, so you would get those times where a command isn't executed or even worse, the wrong command is executed. And if you have a cold or there's background noise (like the game's own music), you're better off not trying. Not sure about the open source availability of such software, but I could see this idea being bundled with the text-to-speech output ideas we had, making a "voice mod" for the game.

[GreatGold]

Hey -

 

I pretty much use voice commands with every game I play these days, including FPS and flight sims. I have never trained any of the programs I use, and they seem to almos always work on the first try instantly. And thats with Falcon4, a notorious memory and CPU hog.

 

The only reason I brought it up is because of the success that my friends and I have had wit hit. I really suggest that everyone just go download a shareware program and give it a try. I'll put a link up to the ones I use in a bit (not at home, don't have my Favorites bookmarked here).

 

Gold

[revenant4]

HotKeys Good...Voice Recognition Bad...I believe Nyyperoid hit it right on the head...

[Anglachel]

Just going off the original game setup:

If you say "intercept", a menu of all your ships comes up and the geoscape is paused.

Then you can select your ship, "avenger-1 berlin" and the game would still be paused for you to select the target. That would not be too bad unless the geoscape would not be paused when menus are brought up.

[GreatGold]

Hey -

 

Here are some links:

 

GameCommander -

http://download.com.com/3000-2121-5974051....tml?tag=lst-0-6

 

Shoot1.6 (which is what I use and highly recommend)

The webpage is down, just do a search for itm hopefully it will be up soon.

 

I think everyone should just give em a try, and if you don't like them, thats cool. I just highly recommend a config file for he rest of us that DO use it reguarly.

 

I don't know programming, but how hard is it to create a .dat file that binds buttons to keystrokes?

 

Thanks,

Gold

[Guest blaa]

And this thread isn't laboratory because why?

[GreatGold]

Because we definately need a config file mapping all buttons to keystrokes in v1.0...

 

We just need to decide if thats as far as we're taking it at this point.

 

Gold

[[mindstormmaster]]

I'm not exactly sure how voice commands would end up working out in real game play. I can see some of the problems that other people have mentioned before. The delay time of some commands could be very large, and just all the complications that come with any sound input device. You'd have to have the mic in a good position, with the volume levels set just right, remove all background noise, make sure the mic doesn't playback over the speakers creating feedback, and a host of other issues. I've never seen voice commands implemented fully in a game.

 

I am aware that many games do have voice communication, and it is a key factor in many games, but i don't think a game has ever responded to a voice command. I just don't think that voice commands are a V1 feature. In my opinion they'd create more problems than they'd solve.

[red knight]

First this thread belongs to the laboratory so it will be there until further revision of the specs... So i will close it and can be opened when an admin move it to the laboratory....

 

Second, even though it can be a good idea, i dont see the point of the extra programming needed to implement a "Hardcore feature at the time of writing" ...

 

Greetings

Red Knight

[Fred the Goat]

Huh...I always thought voice commands were a legacy of repeated failures Aw heck, I'm gonna give Gold's program a shot.

 

Key commands, though, yeah! That was always one of my biggest peeves about the originals. Had to move my hand and all...it was really distressing.

[Breunor]

I agree that keyboard shortcuts are nice to have, because you can then use a 3rd party tool for the voice commands. There's no reason IMO to implement voice recognition into the game when it already exists elsewhere. Those who want it can install the other app and make a config file to map to the keyboard commands.

 

Which requires key commands for at least the major screens and functions. I'm not a programmer, so it may require more or less work than I expect, but since this isn't a real time strategy like Warcraft, where reaction time can win or lose the game, key commands are a back-burner feature IMO.

[Puasonen]

", but since this isn't a real time strategy like Warcraft, where reaction time can win or lose the game, key commands are a back-burner feature IMO."

You have a point there but I really do believe that keyshortcuts would save few years more for our mice :wink: Nah, really, even if it sounds useless idea for someone now, it could be more than usefull later when you learn to use them efficiently.

[Fred the Goat]

I dunno. I, too, am not really a programmer either (although I may give it a shot - sounds like that's where the labor deficit is) but I'd bet a lot of people would expect key commands, just because most games have 'em nowadays.

 

Well, I tried that voice recognition software. I have to say, it kicks donkey. It mixed up "takes" "take" and "thank you" but that's not debilitating. What's debilitating is the $50 price for the full version (75 for the latest update). Yikes! Oh well. It's out there, though. It's feasible.

[GreatGold]

Hey -

 

I've talked to with Red KNight, and he said that there will most likely be a bound keys, or mappable buttons to keystrokes. Correct me if I'm wrong though, RK.

 

The good news is, that is really all you need for coive command software to work wonderfully well. Shoot1.6, which I mentioned above, does it very well, and its also free.

 

So if there is a config file for the game, anyone can use voice commmands through 3rd party software that is free and works.

 

Also, I dont understand where people get this "Theres too big of a delay" idea. My computer is not that fast, and voice commands work istantaniously. Every time.

 

Gold

[LordT]

Was sometime since a last used them, maybe they're faster nowadays?

[GreatGold]

They definately are. But I think I know know what people are referring to. Programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking, and over voice RECOGNITION programs, do in fact have a built in delay. This allows you to complete a sentance, and then have the program anaylse it with their logic algorithms to make usre what it is spitting out makes sense.

 

Voice COMMAND systems do not do this.

 

Gold

[Breunor]

I agree that's where there are delays. And shoot is free, but I read it requires the .NET doohicky be installed for it to work. Sorry, I forget what it's really called, but the .NET is enough to scare off the anti-MS part of me. Another barbed hook in the soul of my PC... but battlefield 1942 would be so nice using it... oh, the temptation! :crying: