[Carl2]

  Robert M at Zabaware has a link to the open source 3D character development.
I took a quick look at the link and don't know what to say.  Anyone at AI have any insite as to what is involved.  My understanding is there are different ways to create an avatar, it takes special software which takes years to be familiar with.
Comments welcome.
Carl2

[Art]

I haven't been there as a regular member for some time but the last
I heard, he was working on using the Ogre 3D graphics engine.

My thoughts were that the characters might actually be worse than
the poly limited ones of Haptek.  Some other people told me to just
stay tuned to see the wonder....

I'm still waiting although I'm really more interested in the AI base
behind the character rather than the character(s).

[Carl2]

  That's what he was up to, due to economics he has been trying to get people to sign up and see what thay can do with what he has put together to download.  I  wasn't able to get Hal running in Vista so I used XP, can't do that nowadays.
  Just contacted Amanda interactive which uses the Haptek player with Hal to see what they have to say.
  Enjoyed playing with the fullbods in Haptek but building a character seems like quite a chore.
Carl2

[Data]

I personally have no trouble running Hal in windows 7 64 bit on a Quad core, a fix was made by Robert that prevents the Haptek part of Hal using more than one CPU. Its in the latest version.

That is the problem with Haptek now on a modern PC it must be forced to use one core.

Yes I know ive posted this before but it was made in Windows 7 64 bit, it runs a little jerky but that is the capture software and not Hal

[Carl2]

  Thanks for putting that In, I'll probably download and give a try.  I've got no reply at Amanda Interactive yet.  Not much happening there.  Like to have something to play with. 
Ages around P4 hyperthreading time Haptek made a big thing about hyperthreading support.
  Just watched the youtube video,  looks like Sandy with a different wig.
Carl2

[Carl2]

  Just downloaded and tried Hal with a TV character. Worked okay.  Kind of fun.  I'll try it later today and deceide if L'ii buy it again.
Carl2

[Freddy]

I wasn't that impressed with the first Ogre character, but I figured it was just the early stages and that things will get better.  Mr M was held up by not being able to do the graphic work I think, so I guess he needs artists.  At least Ogre is under development which is more than can be said for Haptek.

[Data]

My thoughts, the Ogre engine uses OpenGL, there was a time that all the best 3d applications were OpenGL but those days have passed, everything is D3D these days, be it DirectX 9, 10 or 11, so it could be that the “new” Ogre engine will be outdated on release.

Hal needs a D3D engine IMHO.

[Freddy]

Good points, I had not thought of that at all.

Just had a quick look over at the Ogre site.  I guess things must have changed as on their 'Features' page they say :

Direct3D and OpenGL support

Check it out : http://www.ogre3d.org/about/features

I haven't looked in detail though...

[Data]

Thanks Freddy, I am happy to be corrected, yes it would seem that the Ogre engine does now support D3D, has to be a good thing. Im pretty sure when I last looked at the site, it could have been 2 years ago now, but it said that it was OpenGL only. 

As you were 

[Freddy]

No problem, it was worth bringing up just to help get us up to speed.  I had no idea about it, it was months ago since I last looked at this.

[Carl2]

  Okay you have an engine,  You need a Character, The character needs a skelton and mesh,  limits are set at the joints for movement.  I noticed at orge there are conversions so one output can be inputed to the engine.
  This is my viewpoint at this time, if I am incorrect could you explain why and where.  If I am way off explain your understanding.
  Noticed that Freddy said there is a character.
Carl2

[Art]

If I might add, I recall Robert allowed an Ogre character to be downloaded and tried as not necessarily a beta but more of a sample of the Ogre engine at the time and I'm sure this was a few years back.

It allowed UH Users a glimpse of characters other than Haptek and also promised some glimmer of hope for the future with regard to less polygonal / more lifelike characters.

Even the characters used in iClone would be better than Haptek as they are completely modifiable (right Claude?) and much better looking. IMO.

G'day!

[Carl2]

  I downloaded the trial Hal from Zabaware, Haptek is working ok on a Quad Win 7 64 b.  Ordered Hal and the expansion pack.  I enjoyed hal before and it was nice talking with Hal again.   I'm still pretty much a fan of Haptek, esp Jiggly. Really like the Phy package in there. 
  I did notice The temp folder containing the Uncompressed files no longer exist.
Carl2

[Freddy]

Yes as Art says there was a character released but it was pretty simple.

There is an image only here :

http://aidreams.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item94

You would have to search Zabaware to find that post, and yes it was at least a couple of years ago.

As for Ogre models, I think you have the rough idea there, I am no expert on this but that is pretty much the way I understand it too.

For windows 7 the hap_temp folder is probably being put somewhere else - lots of folders have now been moved around.  I suggest you set up 7 so that you can see hidden folders and files and then do a search.