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LVZ/LVL Questions - Can BOT make screenshots and then display them?

RAYfighter - Tue Oct 14, 2003 4:35 pm
Post subject: Can BOT make screenshots and then display them?

Can a BOT make a screenshot of some monitored region when triggered?

If yes: can the screenshot be displayed for all players as it been mapobject? (immediatelly=perfect, next arena enter=fine)

thanks for input in this BOT/LVZ cross-forum question.

edit: added explanatory subject

50% Packetloss - Tue Oct 14, 2003 4:44 pm
Post subject:

Becuase the bot is Subspace based, not sure if it can do screenshots, screenshot is more of a Continuum feature i believe. But if you were able to get it to do that, getting the image to be a mapobject would be a little harder, you would need to program the bot to automaticlly make LVZ files. I believe that after you set the .lvz file in the .cfg for the server, the zone has to be recycled for the lvz to take effect, I may be wrong. But definatly they wouldnt be displayed imediatly, the would need to be redownloaded on the next entry to the zone

SuSE - Tue Oct 14, 2003 4:54 pm
Post subject:

50% Packetloss wrote:

to sum up: yes, but at the very least people would probably have to re-enter the arena (to download whatever)

you could always setup a .lvz with many different colored pixels as screen images and have a bot take a screenshot then assimilate the color data and reproduce it by switching specific objects (pixels) on...but that probably isn't something you want to take the time to do

Cyan~Fire - Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:34 pm
Post subject:

Akai wrote:

reproduce it by switching specific objects (pixels) on

LOL

I dunno if getting a screenshot is even possible...
The bot just handles packets, it doesn't pay any attention what so ever to how things look.

50% Packetloss - Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:35 pm
Post subject:

Akai wrote:

[..]
reproduce it by switching specific objects (pixels)

That would be pretty sweet, 256 colors.
But for example-

Code: Show/Hide

100,100,Pixel1,TopMost,ServerControlled,0,1
101,100,Pixel2,TopMost,ServerControlled,0,2

The coords of a lvz file, 1 pixel apart?

ExplodyThingy - Tue Oct 14, 2003 7:09 pm
Post subject:

Im not sure about the LVZ, but i can tell you for a fact: Bots do not take screenshots. Just becuase it uses the same protocol as a subspace client does not make it a subspace client. The bot is just essentially a chat client. It gets all the information about attached ships, arena lists, settings, and all the fun stuff, but it never ever renders any images, orientations, maps, or lvz.
This, however, is a possibility:
Some people have written "bots" that monitor the continuum client itself. They can only send chat messages and keystroke stuff. They never recieve any data besides chat. Use a normal subspace bot (merv, whatever) and make it send !takeshot to this contimuum client. The "bot" watching the client will see this, and send a printscreen message to the client. The client will then take a screenshot. Afterthat, its all about getting the image formated, uploaded, and displayed/

SuSE - Tue Oct 14, 2003 9:46 pm
Post subject:

ExplodyThingy wrote:

yes...in the future let us all just not limit the term "bot" to merely MERVBot and the like...sheesh

SuSE - Tue Oct 14, 2003 9:47 pm
Post subject:

50% Packetloss wrote:

[..]

That would be pretty sweet, 256 colors.
But for example-

Code: Show/Hide

100,100,Pixel1,TopMost,ServerControlled,0,1
101,100,Pixel2,TopMost,ServerControlled,0,2

The coords of a lvz file, 1 pixel apart?

that should do it

I'm not sure how many you could have, though...SOS once told me the maximum number of thingies he found could be used - but...eh, probably more than enough for a good-sized image

RAYfighter - Wed Oct 15, 2003 3:35 am
Post subject:

Guys this forum rocks. Thanks to you.

I know nothing about BOTs, just messing with LVZs and GFX actually, but I guessed that any bot, being a server-side packets listener, cannot render any graphics and therefore screenshot them to an image.

ExplodyThingy's solution might be best used for some kind of BOT-OP or police camera - when you teamkill, you will get screenshot - LOL I never wanted this kind of use. It would mean that the "bot" would connect as a client to the server and would just make the manual work for some OP.

Akai's idea of reproducing pixels back to the image sounds crazy but genial. And it's closest to what I had on my mind when asked my question.

My original idea was to screenshot winning player, and then have it posted on the map (where there are top scores and stuff at some zones). Akai's suggestions reminded me of how BOTs controll score-tables - the same way it can write the winner's nick on the map. To add a ship image, even the ship he used when won, is easy.

thanks for your input guys

ExplodyThingy - Wed Oct 15, 2003 7:19 pm
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Not to be picky, but:
All bots are clients to the server. Just because the bot and subgame are run from the same machine, the server, the bot itself is still a client to the subgame.
All bots are definately client side packet listeners.

Modules for ASSS on the other hand are the reverse. Theyre not packet handlers, but are more like event handlers for a big packet handler. This keeps modules from acting as password sniffers. It also means monitoring of the game is very very diferent.

Mine GO BOOM - Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:00 pm
Post subject:

ExplodyThingy wrote:

This keeps modules from acting as password sniffers.

Actually, every module has access to take anyone's password at almost anytime. The only exception is the SSC servers, as if your name is already created, the client and billing server do their own little password encryption thing, so the servers cannot steal the password.

Dr Brain - Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:12 pm
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Its not the password theift you really have to worry about.

Dustpuppy - Thu Oct 16, 2003 8:34 am
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ExplodyThingy wrote:

Some people have written "bots" that monitor the continuum client itself.

I've never managed to get a continuum-bot to send keystrokes to the continuum window, however I suppose you could take a fullscreen shot.