This ReadMe file contains last minute information and a few tips on AzTech Professional Drama Creator 1.5 ------------------------------------ I-Introduction ------------------------------------ Professional Drama Creator is a tool that enables users to create "dramas" which is basically a little file that is used to animate Microsoft Agents. Microsoft Agent is a technology developed by Microsoft Corporation to enable Windows developers to add better and enhanced interface in their applications. This technology is only "programmable" i.e. Microsoft Agents can only be instructed by programmers using programming languages such as VB, Java, C++ etc. There is no external application that lets users like you to program them. Microsoft Agent technology has many brilliant features and capabilities which are not given importance by many programs. However, in the last few years they are increasing in importance. -------------------------------------- II-Features of Microsoft Agents -------------------------------------- They can be animated, they can be made to say whatever you wish, they can be made to understand what you say to them and many more things can be done with them. Microsoft Agents carry a vast database of animations. Animating them is easy. Just command them to "Run" and animation name, such as "Read" and they will do it. With the integration of a Text-To-Speech (TTS) engine they can Speak. Not only can they speak but if programmed, their Speed, Pitch, Volume, Emphasise etc. can be adjusted according to the situation. The TTS engine can also be changed. The TTS engines control a few aspects such as accent and languge. TTS engines are available for many languages including Chinese, Spanish and of-course English. Next, with the integration of a Speech-Recognition (SR) engine they can perceive and understand what the user talks via microphone. SR is currently a conceptual technology and is itself in development. Hence, the integration is not quite successful but however, remains an option if the user wants to use it. ------------------------------------------------ III-AzTech Professional Drama Creator ------------------------------------------------ AzTech Professional Drama Creator is an application for creating files that control Microsoft Agents. In other words, it lets you programme microsoft agents without actually programming anything. Without any knowledge of programming you can successfully program Microsoft Agents. --------------------------------------- IV-Capabilites of Drama Creator ---------------------------------------- Drama Creator has all the features that gives you the freedom to control almost all the features of Microsoft Agents. Current version of Drama Creator does not support SR technology. The reason:, as mentioned above, SR is a technology under development hence it won't be successful. However, all other features of MS agents ranging from TTS engines to Animation Database - all have been included. TTS switching feature is under consideration and might be added in the future. 1)With Dialogues, you can perform/modify the following functions: a.Emphasize b.Pause (for X seconds) c.Pitch (in Hz) d.Voice (Normal, Whisper, Monotone) e.Speed (Words per minute) f.Volume 2)The Thought feature displays text in a "Cloud" so that it appears as if the Character is Thinking 3)Animations - of two types a.Standard - e.g. Read, Write, LookLeft etc. b.Looping - e.g. ReadING, WritING, ThinkING etc. --Loop animations must be stoped so that the character is able to perform other actions. ------------------------ V-Types of Dramas ------------------------ Drama Creator lets you create Dramas in two different styles, Wizard and Classic. Wizard is an easy mode where you create a single list of Roles for all the characters in the Drama. Whereas in the Classic style you create individual list for every single characer. The Drama is then, the collection of every single list. As a result, in classic style you get more control on the actors and also get to assing simultaneous actions. For e.g. in classic style, Character 1 can read and at the same time Character 2 can ask "What are you reading?" but in wizard style this cannot happen. Character 2 can only ask AFTER Character 1 has finished reading. It is due to this technical barrier, Classic Style is given more importance by us. Making Classic Style Dramas is more reasonable but at the same time is more harder as you have too much to worry about. -------------------------------- VI-After Making DRAMA -------------------------------- After you finish your DRAMA you can either save it as a *.drama file, so that you can import Roles from it for another drama or you can pubish it. You can also do both. When you publish a drama, it is saved as a *.drm file and can then be played with Drama Player (another member of the DRAMA series). -------------- VII-FAQs -------------- 1) Why can't I import Roles of Classic style drama into a Wizard style drama? Ans) You can't because Classic Style dramas are a collection of Lists of Roles of every single character. As a result it can have simultaneous actions but Wizard Style Dramas don't support them. 2) Can I manually add codes in dialogues to take advantage of the features of MS agents that are not available in Drama Creator? Ans) While we have tried our best to cover all the available feautures of MS agent technology few have been left out. Such as "mrk" tag and a few others. YES, you can add this to your dialogue as normal text and YES they will effectively work in both Classic and Wizard styles. 3) Why does my Character not talk when I've assigned a Dialogue? Ans) This has most probably occured because you don't have any TTS engines installed. A TTS engine was included in the setup package. Run "Start > All programs > AzTech > Drama Creator Pro > Necessary Libraries > Install TTS Tru Voice American English." 4) I've TTS installed but my character doesn't speak. Why? Ans) Most probably you are experiencing this kind of problem while running a "Classic" style drama. This happens because your characters were fighting for the TTS engine. Please note that at a time a TTSE can only support one character. If another character has to speak a dialogue at the same time then the TTSE won't support him. Thus he'd stay mute. This technical defect has no solution. Also, this can happen when the very first Role of a character in the Drama is a dialogue. This happens because the TTS engine takes a few seconds to initialize. A Drama maker should always keep this in mind while creating a drama. 5)What is a Looping animation? Ans) A looping animation is an animation that loops itself. The character would continue to do the action again and again till he is ordered to stop. 6)Can too much of Looping animations ruin my drama? Ans)In any case looping animations should not be used in excess. The reason primarily is that if a looping animation is not stopped, the character will not follow other instructions. This can prevent the drama from progressing. Eventhough, Drama Series programs are now powerful enough to prevent such mishaps, we still recommend not to mess around with them since, external influence by the user can cause anything. 7)What are the things a user can do to interfere with a running drama? Ans)A user can drag the characters around and "hide" them by right-clicking on either the character itself or on its icon in the system tray. 8)What happens if a user interferes with a drama? Ans)Anything can happen depending on the drama. We never tested such things! Don't ask us! 9)Why do the characters stay idle after a drama is complete? Ans)When a drama is complete the characters are free. To unload them, click on "Unload all characters" button. Currently, only Drama Player automatically unloads the characters once the drama is finished playing.