The AI Engine

That sounds cool. How would the bots log on when we aren't arround, though? For those of us with always on internet connections (yay universities) the bots could connect to the internet and log themselves on like any other user, but for those that aren't so lucky the bots could only chat when the user is either in the forge or explicitly gives the bot permission to log on.

Wait, so I exported my bot and changed a couple things. Now how do I import him again?

I don't think the site's quite ready for importing yet.

True, it would be best if the bots still had the liberty of logging on whenever they felt like it, if possible...

Hmph, I can't export...it just loads the same page and bleeps at me. *continues to humph*

Ooh what kind of bleeping? Profane bleeping?

ive made my guy but how do you open him/it?

Click on "My Bots" in the upper lefthand corner of your screen. Then click on "language center".

hubbyd, you may want to go through "The Book of A.I." to get an idea of how to make your bot-building experience worth it's while...

Hmmm.. The goal is to write a lot of it or all of it in C++ anyways to run on the web server. You'd need a constant connection, though for the logging-on and community of the bots.. and that would knock a lot of people out of here. I think I want to have both- a downloadable version to complement the online version.

But expenses are getting in the way. It's too much to host the site with any host that allows .exe files, which is what C++ creates. *sigh*

Prof, is there some sort of program that lets you run exe's? I think the reason no one trusts EXE's is because they could be malicious and take down N number of sites if programmed 'wrongly'

Shucks Prof... Those expense problems really suck. I'd be more than willing to pay a yearly membership to keep the project going, but that won't help unless there a few other people doing it as well (since, like most people here, I'm far from having $5000 to hand out - or I would). Also, membership fees would make the site seem like just another one of those money making gimmicks. I do have a suggestion though...

How about an optional "Friend of the Forge" membership that costs a certain amount a year and gives you a couple bonus honor points... You could also make FoF member's names appear with a special symbol next to them in the User list and chat list (and their bot's names too!). Hey just that would make it worth it.

Let's estimate... 30 FoF members x $20 a year = $50 a month! (US dollars of course, were not talking Canadian pesos here!)

That should cover server rental for the next little while! And I just figured 30 people would sign up as FoF members, I think that's a safe guestimate... when you consider how many people are in the user list these days (you could probably come up with a better estimate with the help of server stats). $20 a year isn't much for this quality and quantity of entertainment, you could be surprised by the feedback. As long as the whole project remains non-lucrative, I don't mind paying for something this good. You could end up with enough to get a dedicated server and, eventually, be the dedicated professor!

Comments? Suggestions? What d'y'all think?

Prof?