Applying Chat Bot AI to NWN

[Primogenitor]

I found this on the web the other day http://www.alicebot.org/ and I got to thinking how this could be used in NWN to give conversations with NPCs a more RP feel. Try the web version of alice by pressing "Chat to A.L.I.C.E" on the left.

The basic way it works is by matching each sentance of the human input to a database of input/responce strings. Then it also has two extra steps, firstly the input strings can be converted to other strings (e.g. "Hello", "Hi", & "Howdy" all point to the "Hello" entry) The second step is to replace the output string before it is spoken. This is either token based (e.g. <MyName> would be replced by the name of the bot) or random repacement ( e.g. "that is" might have a 25% chance of being replaced by "that's"). You could probably add other steps as well.

For NWN, this could be done using a database and the LIKE SQL command. You could have different tables and specify which ones the NPC uses via local strings (so they are instered into the FROM part of the SQL). Also, the responces from the NPC could include actions. I.e. [spell25] to cast Cone of Cold, [openTAG] to open a store or door, etc.

How much lag would a system like this produce? What about if it was just for henchmen? And civilians? One major way to reduce lag would be to only lookup strings where the speaker is part of a conversation with the NPC, i.e. the speaker said the NPCs name shortly before.

So, any ideas/suggestions/comments?

[Papillon]

I am not sure what you are trying to do: Do you want to interface chatbots like the alicebot with NWN, or do you want to create something similar with NWScript and database tables ?

I thought about the former myself, but abandoned the idea due to a severe lack of extra spare time. But the idea of having more lifelike NPCs is sexy, indeed.
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Papillon

[Primogenitor]

Personally, Id have to do the second option because I dont know and languages other than NWScript But the first would probably be quicker and more efficient.

[Jantima]

lauren.vhost.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=f6d4afd83e34564d

She is my favourite...[just the image i suppose] eh the idea to port something like this into nwn is exceptional.

If you import this, keep in mind to fix this bug :F [joking]

[Lanthar D'Alton]

You should consider using this:

http://www.nwnx.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=57&start=45

Talus Speech System v3.02b is linked there. It provides a non-npc based interface... then again, you might want it npc based for turing test handling...

-Lanthar