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Emulation Control – Release 005

[February - 21 - 2014]

It seems there are still some issues with version 1.1 of the IRC emulation control. Sorry everyone. This is what I get for being rusty at C# and making minor stupid human errors.

For version 1.2 of the IRC client I’ve hopefully fixed that error for good (a, b, x, y, l, and r shouldn’t be ignored sometimes now).  I’ve also added a pause button that will hopefully make it so commands stop working when pressed (and resume when pressed again).  I didn’t test it in a very active channel but it worked in a smaller channel.

For both the IRC client and bot control I’ve also changed the DOWN/RIGHT/LEFT/UP display to show arrows rather than the names of the keys.

Finally, I’ve also found an updated copy of the InputManager.dll that makes all of this possible.  With this update both projects have been updated to .NET framework 4.5.1, which might actually solve a few other problems I’ve been having as well (as well as work on Windows 8.1 better).  Of course that means it’ll only work on computers that are running that framework but it should be the standard by now.  I highly recommend upgrading to it if you haven’t already.

Assuming I didn’t make any more minor human errors and it works properly, I will probably be taking a break from the project for a little bit.  If another error pops up and you discover it, feel free to tweet me about it and I’ll check into it as soon as I can.

Download
Emulation Control – release 005 (contains version 1.2 of the IRC client, version 1.1 of the Console Bot)\

I’ll make new demo videos of both programs soon.

Emulation Control – Release 004

[February - 20 - 2014]

I honestly wasn’t expecting to release another version of this so soon but due to a small oversight on my part I felt it necessary to go ahead and release version 1.1 of the IRC Emulation Control Client.  (I seriously need a catchier name than this).

I’ve made a few GUI changes in 1.1 of the IRC client.  I figure most people who will be running this won’t be using the thing as an actual IRC client (as it loses focus too much once the game starts getting played anyway).  So I shrunk the window for that, which made the entire client smaller.  Also fixed a mistake I had in which lowercase commands weren’t being recognized.

Download
Emulation Control – release 004 (contains version 1.1 of the IRC Client, version 1.0 of the Console Bot)

 

And here’s a video of this in action.  The command window is a little laggy/behind the actual commands though (it does the commands before it shows them in the window).  But it works!

For testing I tried Pokemon Red and Link’s Awakening (a little over a minute of each).

Pokemon Red:


Link’s Awakening:

For those who have been living in the dark, Twitch Plays Pokemon  (Direct link to stream) has taken the Internet by storm! An anonymous programmer created a way for Twitch users to interact using the Twitch chat and they’ve been trying to collectively play the first Pokemon game (to some funny and frustrating results).  You can click on the first link to learn more about that or the stream to watch it happen live.

After seeing that I said “I bet I can do that in C#!” and set out on a frustrating journey to get it to work.  However, I’m happy to report that thanks to a guy on the Tech Life Forum for providing a quick IRC GUI client demo and to the Input Manager Library, I’ve managed to get it to work.

After spending several days working on it, I now have a release that I’m feeling rather proud of and want to share with the world.  I’m providing a few different things here with this 7z.  First, I’m providing the IRC version of the project.  It still  isn’t perfect but it does work 99% of the time now.  Second, I’m providing a console bot version that randomly selects keys and attempts to play games on its own (no AI behind it, it’s all random baby).  Third, the source codes of both programs are included.  I honestly don’t mind if someone downloads these and improves them/gets them to work better (I would like at least some credit for starting this project though if you choose to do that).  Fourth, I’ve included a few emulators that both programs are designed to run with.  These are just the emulators themselves, no ROMS are included (and won’t be included).

With all that in mind, there are two readme files inside the 7z, one for each program, and I highly recommend you read both in order to learn how to make the programs work.  Alternatively, you can head on over to this topic on my forum where I talk more about it.

I remind everyone that this is really a rough release.  I’m not trying to steal the Twitch pokemon guy’s thunder or run a stream of my own (as I can’t leave my computer on 24/7 anyway).  If you can, great, feel free to edit the source code and get it to connect to your Twitch stream and try your luck.  I just thought it’d be fun to try and replicate the idea and see if I could do it.

I’ll also add that there’s probably better ways to do certain things in the code.  I’ll be trying to improve it as I go along, should I continue this project.  It’s been a long time since I’ve messed with C# and I’m a little rusty.  But it works regardless.


DOWNLOAD

Emulation Control – release 003 (contains versions 1.0 of both programs)

As a bonus, here’s a youtube video of version 0.2 of the console bot attempting to play the NES game Ice Hockey.  It’s not that great at it, but it’s still amusing.

 

Battle Arena 2.3.1 Released

[December - 9 - 2013]

Version 2.3.1 has been released to address a few issues that have popped up since 2.3’s release three days ago.

CHANGES

  • Changed the way Curse Chance works to try to make Divine Blessing work better.
  • Changed the old character check to not remove bot admins to prevent security holes.
  • Changed !id to show a message if the character is not found
  • Changed AbsorbIG to only work on the first hit for AOEs

FIXES

  • Fixed an issue of the multi-hit message showing on every hit in AOE techniques
  • Fixed an issue of not being able to use items even after a no-item limitation battle ended until the next battle began

As mentioned, it’s just a quick patch to fix these issues.  Please download the update and apply it.  Thanks!  Version 2.4 will begin work now that these issues have been addressed.

Battle Arena 2.3 Release

[December - 6 - 2013]

The release of 2.3 is finally here!  This version fixes a lot of issues, starts to change the battle formula (which will probably be a work in progress), adds a bunch of new stuff and otherwise tries to improve on the game as a whole.  Hopefully everyone will enjoy this one!  As usual, the changelog and download link is below the jump.

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Spirit Voice Session #2

[October - 14 - 2013]

Bri and I decided to do another Spirit Voice session.  This time it seemed more active or clearer.  I had it hooked up to my computer speakers so that might be why (instead of trying to hear it out of the phone like last time).

This stuff is a little freaky.  I’m still not sure if this app is actually working like a spirit box and allowing spirits to communicate or if it’s our brains hearing the blips and blurbs of phonic noise and hearing words out of the noise.  I guess this is a question for the ages as we’ll never know for sure.  All I know is that if this app is true… the spirits in this house are desperate for help which is very, very disturbing.

Ghost App Review: Spirit Voice

[October - 7 - 2013]

The review of Ghost Detection Apps continues today with our next app, an Android app: Spirit Voice.

The Google Play Store has this to say about it:

From the creator of SpiritVox comes the long awaited VERSION 2.0 vocal generator version of the SV-1 SpiritVox software ghost box.This software plays multiple channels of random vocal samples, synthetic speech generated at random from word library along with speed control and SV-1 bendable noise.

[ . . . ]

Spirit Voice works great as a traditional “Ghost Box”. Simply blend the noise and voice channels as desired and turn the speed up to 100% (all the way left). the speech engine will work as hard as it can to try to say up to 5 words per second. This creates an excellent bed of white noise for EVP/ITC sessions and experiments.

This is software for SERIOUS paranormal researchers, I FULLY support my creations, I am easy to reach, just tweet @spiritvoxapp for direct support and to join my huge group os loyal users and followers.

SpiritVoice.jpg

First off, before I review any further, I should point out that I did cut a little bit out of the Google Play Store’s description as it also includes another mode that I am not interested in and did not test.  The reason this app caught my eye is for exactly what I posted: the “Ghost Box” aspect of it.

For those who are not in the know, a “Ghost Box” (also known as a “Frank’s Box”) is basically a device that can sweep through radio stations so fast that it’s usually nothing but static (or sometimes very, very short amounts of noise).  Allegedly ghosts can use these boxes to say words. It works a little like EVPs except instead of using the white noise on a digital voice record, it’s using the radio static and you can hear it live instead of having to go listen to a bunch of static to see if any voices came through.  They’re interesting little devices and people have gotten some really interesting results using them.  I’ve always wanted to try one but they’re a little expensive (even if you know how to hack a radio you still have to buy one). This app claims to do what a Ghost Box can at a fraction of the cost.

You’ll notice the app has three bars and a button to turn it on/off.  The bars are: NOISE <-> VOICE, Ch. A <-> Ch. B, and Playback rate.  The top bar, that says NOISE and VOICE, is how it generates what you hear.  If it’s set all the way to NOISE you hear nothing but white noise which might be good if you want to try to get straight and classic EVPs.  If you put it all the way over to VOICE then all you get is random noise that sounds like talking but isn’t any real words (the only way I can describe it).  If you put it in the middle then you basically get what a Ghost Box sounds like–sounds like a radio sweeping through the stations.  The second bar selects different channels of the phoenic sounding voices.  I am told that Channel A sounds like an AM radio.  The Playback rate bar is used to select how fast the phonic sounding voices occur.  If you want a true Ghost Box esque experience then you need to slide this all the way to the left, as that is the fastest speed. The slowest setting seems rather pointless to me but I’m sure there’s someone out there somewhere who has figured out a use for it.

Unlike the two joke apps that have been reviewed so far, and Ghost Radar (the app that started this obsession), I feel like this app might be legit.  For testing the app out I had it sit for a while running on the settings that I use and I didn’t hear any real words.  I heard lots of of the phonic sounding noises and the static but I never heard anything where I went “oh hey, it just said a word!”  I wasn’t asking questions during this period, I was simply testing to make sure the app would run properly on my phone.  When Bri and I sat down to actually use the app we started asking questions, pausing to allow the chance for whatever is in this room to answer.  Over the course of around 13 minutes we got a few direct responses to our questions and several instances where we didn’t.

We recorded the whole thing for Bri’s “Vlogtober 2013” set of videos, so I invite you to watch this video for yourself.  You can decide if what we heard, what we subtitled, is legit or if we’re just imagining things.  You may also be able to hear other responses that neither of us were able to hear at the time of putting the video together.

Having said that, I want to test this app more before I can conclusively say that it works or not.  On the surface I’m willing to say that it DOES work.  Wait, I should specify that it seems to work for US at least.  But we’ve also got the suspicion that we have a presence here in this room.  If you decide to try this app out and it doesn’t seem to work for you the first time, I suggest maybe trying a different location and to try again.

Cost: $10.99
Rating:  I’ll reserve my rating for a little bit until we’re done testing.

Look for more Spirit Voice videos in the future as we continue to test the app out.

Battle Arena 2.2 Release

[October - 3 - 2013]

This version took me a little longer than I would’ve liked but regardless, it’s here!  There’s lots of improvements this time around, although the changelog isn’t quite as long as some of the previous versions.  It has 29 additions, 25 changes and 13 fixes.   Still, I think if you’re a fan of this bot you’ll like this version.   As always, the download link and the changelog are below the cut.

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GTA V: First Impressions

[September - 22 - 2013]

With so much gaming focus being dedicated to the new consoles coming out later this year – the PS4 and the Xbox One – the focus this week is on what may well amount to the last hurrah for current consoles: Grand Theft Auto V. The latest release in the popular Rockstar franchise is finally here, and already it’s looking like one of the biggest events in gaming in several years. Here are some of our early impressions.

First things first: the setup for this game is positively delectable. The fictional city of Los Santos (blatantly modeled after Los Angeles) and the surrounding areas are beyond massive, and would seem to give a whole new meaning to “open world” gaming. And, as in previous editions of the game, it’s not just empty space – one truly gets the feeling venturing around Los Santos that it’s a real live community, filled with a culture that does its own thing whether or not you’re interacting with it. And enjoying this experience as 3 different main characters (players control 3 protagonists, rather than just one) simply adds another new layer to the experience.

ConsoleGamer2Within this large experience, the attention to detail in this new game is outstanding. Players can enjoy an incredible range of leisure activities. For the adventurous, there’s jet skiing and bungee jumping. For sports enthusiasts, there’s enjoyable tennis, and golf play so good it’ll make you rethink purchasing an EA Sports Tiger Woods game! There’s even a hint of a gambling environment, as the game’s casino claims to be “coming soon” (which probably means downloadable content in the near future). This would seem to be a good idea in drawing in gamers that have drifted to dynamic online gambling sites. At BetFair, for example, users can put money on the line in any game from bingo or Texas Hold’em, to slots and original arcade games. The online gambling market is enormous, and if this casino “opens” it will add another dimension to GTA V!

Moving beyond the massive quality and impressive detail of the world of GTA V, it’s the brand new features that make an impression. Driving is improved, crashes and explosions are bigger and more entertaining than ever before, and players can enjoy incredible new experiences like flying fighter jets and diving deep into an ocean alive with marine creatures.

Of course, a whole separate review could delve into specific gameplay, and the missions you’ll actually undertake in playing your way through the game. But in terms of initial impressions, it’s the sheer size and detail, and the quality of the new features, that make GTA V a winner the second you turn it on.

Ghost App Review: Ghost Detector Tool

[September - 17 - 2013]

It’s that time again; time for another review of a Ghost App!  This is another app for iOS and it’s called Ghost Detector Tool.  iTunes has this to say:

The spookiest app on iTunes is back with a whole new layout and many more features!This application has the ability to scan multiple frequencies for paranormal activity! We’ve incorporated EVP, EMF, and video scanning into one single app for hunting ghosts!

Simply scan areas of your house at different frequency ranges to see if you can hear anything! If you can’t pick anything up, try moving to a new area, using different frequencies, or asking questions/ giving messages to the other side. This app is best used alone!

ghost detector tool.jpeg

If the picture looks like something out of a bad Sega CD game, allow me to explain how it works.

What happens in this app is that after you turn it on it pops up with a camera that shows you what you’re looking at.  The camera’s colors can be adjusted using the spectrum and gain settings because allegedly various colors will reveal more ghosts or something.  As you scan the screen may occasionally start to turn into static to indicate a presence.  If it goes into full static mode, a picture overlay may appear (such as a skull, a face, etc) and it will say a word.

So on the outside it isn’t as complicated as Ghost Radar but it is much cheesier.  The static thing is only there to scare you, as is the picture of a skull or whatever that may pop up.  ONOZ A BAD SPIRIT!  The words are near impossible to hear even if you have the phone turned up all the way, making it pointless.  It doesn’t display the word on the screen so if you miss it then that’s it, you miss it.

If they got rid of the static and the spooky picture overlay they might be able to fool some more people.  Like the other app that we reviewed, as a joke to scare someone this might work OK (though not as good as the other since you can’t actually understand the words it spits out).  As a serious ghost hunting tool don’t even waste your time with this one.

Cost: free
Rating: 0/5 for ghost hunting, 2/5 for joking around.

 

Next time will be an Android app that people have claimed to have fairly good results with.  Due to the nature of this upcoming app it might be a little longer before we get a review out on it.  Look forward to it!

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