Pilfius + arma = <3

[maddogx 13]

Hi guys!

I was quite surprised after trying a search, that no one on these forums seems to have noticed a nice piece of software called PilFius.

First of all, let me post a link to the Pilfius + ArmA video on YouTube:

That video had me hooked within ten seconds. Five minutes later I was downloading the software. Somehow I had never thought about voice control in games before but the concept is definitely cool.

Although the fact that your player character echoes whatever you say is somewhat tiresome, it has a certain coolness factor to be talking to your AI squad mates without having to look at your F- and number keys or the command menu.

I only tried it yesterday for about an hour, but it definitely seems like something I could use on a regular basis - and not only for ArmA. I've even considered donating to the author, because I want to see a non-beta version released.

What do you guys think?

EDIT:

Here are a couple of links to Pilfius and some required and/or recommended stuff:

Pilfius homepage (http://pilfius.com.ar/default.php)

Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...)

ArmA/OFP Pilfius profile (http://soundscapes.cozywebhost.com/...)

mute.zip for ArmA (http://soundscapes.cozywebhost.com/...)

[Shadow NX 1]

Was discussed before here, a search should bring some results... at least if the search function works right again.

Anyway, its a pretty neat piece of software and i will give it a try soon, should increase survial rate of commanders a lot.

[maddogx 13]

Was discussed before here, a search should bring some results... at least if the search function works right again.

Anyway, its a pretty neat piece of software and i will give it a try soon, should increase survial rate of commanders a lot.

Yeah the "search from the beginning" option didn't work for me, so I guess that's why I couldn't find anything.

[MehMan 0]

Looks interesting.

I didn't check the page yet, so I'll just ask, how does it work, do you first make a sample and it saves it, then compares it with what you've just said? What about disturbances, like a sneeze or a cough? Hopefully that won't make wierd command. Very nice though.

[maddogx 13]

The program has a couple of example texts that you can read to it. Somehow it uses those texts to adapt the recognition to your voice. I'm assuming this is necessary to compensate for different accents and dialects. The more you "train" the program, the beter it will recognize your commands. I only did the basic training text, buit there are a few more to choose from and it worked fine.

The rest is basically like creating hotkeys - only that you write words instead of hotkeys, which can then be assigned to different key combinations and stuff. For example you can assign the words "one", "two", "three" etc. to their respective F-keys, and then assign the word "disembark" to "4 ... 1", sort of like in the YouTube video. Then you can select team members by saying their numbers and tell them to get out of a vehicle by saying "disembark".

I haven't experimented with making noises or anything to see how the program reacts, but as far as I can tell it only reacts to spoken words.

[-DirTyDeeDs--Ziggy- 0]

sounds pretty cool.

Is there a "push to talk" toggle that would seperate voice commands from just speaking on Ventrilo or TS2?

maybe I'll  try it and find out its user friendlyness  

[andersson 285]

It should be possible to make a new voice that you can select as a player with no sound to get rid of that command repeating.

[frostwyrm333 1]

I still dont understand why everytime the guy says something, the character will repeat it, it looks dumb and its slow.

[Bram 0]

It works great, you can assign hotkeys so it wont conflict with TS ventrillo etc..

Frostwyrm, it only repeats what hes saying because the voice is only activating keystrokes on the keyboard so you would hear the voices even if you were pressing the buttons on the keyboard, if it looks dumb and slow then thats Armas fault. I also use similar programs for flight simulators and they're a godsend.

[maddogx 13]

I've been fine tuning my speech recognition for most of the day (getting some funny looks because of reading Aesops Fables etc. out loud) and also added some new commands to the already existing list I found on the Pilfius website.

Tested it with a large squad earlier and it's just brilliant. It gives you so much freedom to command a squad while not having to fiddle around with F- and number keys.

It's even possible to give lots of orders in quick succession and the engine will process them all! Such as:

"two three advance, four five flank left, six seven flank right"

By now I don't even mind my commands getting repeated, because it's a good indicator that they are being executed.

[milobr 0]

Quite good freeware there.

I've been using it for quite a time now and it's takes a bit to get used to, but surely makes things easier.

[Pillage 0]

Quoting a post I made on the Pilfius forum on Dec 1

Quote[/b] ]This program may be in it's infancy (@ a few months) but I can't praise it highly enough. Although primarily aimed at milsimers and gamers in general I now use it for everything. I have made profiles for Firefox, Google Sketchup, Armed Assault, Mount&Blade & Halflife 1 & 2 plus their expansions. but it's using it with the applications that has really impressed me. In sketchup I can design without having to look at the tool bar and with Firefox atleast 50% of my mouse/keyboard movement has been freed up.

Creating profiles for any game/application is insanely easy, because after the 5-10 minutes it takes to train it you then only need to type the new commands in not say them. It can be set for either PTT or always on. Command lists can be broken up into sections like the ArmA radio menu (movement, mount, target, etc). I recommend PTT as always on can pick up many false commands (this also depends on your accuracy vs response time setting).

[malick 0]

I already saw that program some months ago, but ArmA was at a very low point in my interest, so I didn't try it.

May give it another chance with 1.09b, as the game experience is getting better every day.

It sounds very simple configure and very useful in the end. Usually, I don't like commanding AI in ArmA because of the insanely complicated keyboard commands, where you have to stop playing and concentrate on the correct key combination...

Thanks for (re)sharing with us

Malick

PS : how do girlfriends/wives react to this tool ? Mine is already sick of ArmA, I guess it won't do any good !

[The Susser 0]

Was discussed before here, a search should bring some results... at least if the search function works right again.

Anyway, its a pretty neat piece of software and i will give it a try soon, should increase survial rate of commanders a lot.

Yeah the "search from the beginning" option didn't work for me, so I guess that's why I couldn't find anything.

There is always someone acting the mod. I'm glad you posted this cause I missed the first discussion so thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[apex 0]

Looks great! I will try it @ home with Arma and FS X. Thanks for the tip!

[sparks50 0]

Looks great! I will try it @ home with Arma and FS X. Thanks for the tip!

Second that x2!

Even with my bad english pronunciation I rarely encounter any problems with it. And when i do i just modify the words from "go prone" to "hit the dirt" etc so the computer hears me clearer.

My tip is to set it on push-to-activate(I use mouse button #4), and after a hour of play, you basicly forget that your squadmates are AI. Its great

[maddogx 13]

PS : how do girlfriends/wives react to this tool ? Mine is already sick of ArmA, I guess it won't do any good !

My girlfriend is used to me talking over VoIP, so I haven't really been getting any funny looks or anything. She probably thinks I'm playing online and trying to boss the other players around or something.

I'm really beginning to love this program. Aside from commanding squads in ArmA, it's also good for VSays in Quake Wars.

[the_bengine 0]

Just been playing around with pilfius and it's great!!!

it initially had problems deciphering between 'all' and 'four' but it soon learnt the difference. I did have to do about 5 or 6 of the test readings tho.

What's great is you can dish out commands without taking your eyes off the action. I've grown to really quite like the way that i (the weedy, calculating brain) mumble a command to myself and, a second later, my war-torn, gruff virtual soldier (the hollow, mindless body) shouts it to his men.

THE POWER.....THE POWER!!!! woohahahah...etc

anyway, it currently only takes up about 11meg of ram, similar to fraps, but it seems to use more the more commands you program. best to just stick to the ones you use regularly.

Another tip is to program 10 additional commands and a 'backspace' command to negotiate through all the options that vary in different contexts. I've found saying "option one", "option two" etc works well, plus "cancel" for the backspace.

that way, you can say "All..get in...option 3" if a vehicle is listed but not in view.

[maddogx 13]

I've actually made quite a few extra commands. Like you said, a cancel or back command for the menu is extremely helpful. I also made seperate commands for "watch north", watch "north-east" etc. So I can quickly tell my squaddies where to face.

On a related topic: Somehow it's disturbingly fun to put some guys against a wall and play firing squad. ("FIRE!!" .... BANG BANG BANG...)

I think I'm a bad person...

[Enigma85 2]

Just been playing around with pilfius and it's great!!!

it initially had problems deciphering between 'all' and 'four' but it soon learnt the difference.

I changed All to squad it's alot easier for me and it forgoes the situation of being in control of one soldier as apposed to my whole team.>.<

[SWAT_BigBear 0]

Between this program and TrackIR, my keyboard skills are getting very lazy.

Pilfius is really handy during a dark atmosphere and/or night time missions.

What will be available for this game next?

[Enigma85 2]

you can still use pilfius for arma 2 just map the keys for the voice commands and save it under a new name

I use it for a few games,

IL2,Stalker it's a great time saving device i'll say that much

[GrassyKnollington 1]

Alternative to this program is VAC - Have been using it for 3 years without one single problem. $10 for a lifetime licence and worth every penny.

Program: www.dwvac.com

Review: http://www.airwarfare.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=644

[SHWiiNG 0]

Alternative to this program is VAC - Have been using it for 3 years without one single problem. $10 for a lifetime licence and worth every penny.

Program: www.dwvac.com

Review: http://www.airwarfare.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=644

But this piece of software if free, for a lifetime.

Ha sorry just had to say that.

Its like Open office and Win Word

You could pay £40 for Winword but have open office word for free, I know which one i would take (And have taken)

[KeyCat 131]

Alternative to this program is VAC

Hi GrassyKnollington,

Do you know where I can find an ArmA profile for VAC?

Tried PiLfIuS 0.9 Beta but it keep crashing on my rig and I really don't like thoose "pimped" GUI's (not complaining since it's is free, just my opinion).

/KC