Brainstorming: New guildbot

[Demoder]

Forgot to add that one to the list. !rc and !irc (relay command output to alliance+irc, or just irc respectively) along with !show nick command (show command output in PM to a user) are amongst my favorite features of the old FLWBot, and will definitely bring those over.

[Escapegoat]

!quote command is fun, it would be cool if this bot included it as well.
I look forward to trying your bot out!

[Demoder]

Thanks for the feedback/suggestions!
The core part of the bot is shaping up rather nicely, and is getting closer to a point where plugin development may start.

I'd like to thank Graftmage for the help with getting the dynamic database integration (SubSonic) to play nicely with the Bot# design.

[JungleGeorgeRK2]

Suggestion for a feature, when someone connects they see the last 2-5 minutes of chat messages. That way they can catch up on any discussion going on.

[wkdboi2]

good sugesstion that jungle, I 2nd that

[Iriche]

Suggestion for a feature, when someone connects they see the last 2-5 minutes of chat messages. That way they can catch up on any discussion going on.

should it be 2-5 minutes or just the 15-20 last messages?

[Demoder]

I'd probably go for the last (option) messages, and include a timestamp (option_user_timezone) on them.

[Mireiawen]

Couple things:

Automatic updates, command that could update the files and databases and ability to schedule it run it daily/weekly/monthly

Hosting: (Likely Linux mainly) having single set of files (except configurations) that are read-only but usable by multiple users. Updating those files centrally would mean less work for users. Also, sharing static databases such as items, and common info such as whois-query results, maybe through database. Counting it is possible to use database server for such data.

[tigerengi]

In the old IGN bot there was a so called WEB command.
wfor example !web [page]

This command took a file of a predefined weblocation and showed it in an ingame windows (file was a plain text file containing AO-HTML)

Sorry for the vague description but back when I ran a bot for the org this was widely used by me and some others for making extended list of nano's and tradeskills etc in the bot available to everyone.

[Xyphos]

Couple things:

Automatic updates, command that could update the files and databases and ability to schedule it run it daily/weekly/monthly

Hosting: (Likely Linux mainly) having single set of files (except configurations) that are read-only but usable by multiple users. Updating those files centrally would mean less work for users. Also, sharing static databases such as items, and common info such as whois-query results, maybe through database. Counting it is possible to use database server for such data.

cron jobs would be nice... database as in items? possible. I think she'd have to poke me about this one tho, unless she goes with the CIDB route.

[Demoder]

Couple things:
Automatic updates, command that could update the files and databases and ability to schedule it run it daily/weekly/monthly

Added to todo list. Haven't decided on exact implementation yet.

Hosting: (Likely Linux mainly) having single set of files (except configurations) that are read-only but usable by multiple users. Updating those files centrally would mean less work for users. Also, sharing static databases such as items, and common info such as whois-query results, maybe through database. Counting it is possible to use database server for such data.

I'll add the hosting scenario you describe to the checklist, as it wasn't there already.
It'll be possible to specify command line options to tell the executable where to look for what.
Caching: I'll be using a file-based cache for all XML files. The API provides access to both the current BotCores cache, as well as the shared cache. (Shared cache location is alterable through command line options).
Should probably add a cache for general files as well... *adds to todo*.

Thank you for the suggestions.

In the old IGN bot there was a so called WEB command.
wfor example !web [page]

This command took a file of a predefined weblocation and showed it in an ingame windows (file was a plain text file containing AO-HTML)

Sorry for the vague description but back when I ran a bot for the org this was widely used by me and some others for making extended list of nano's and tradeskills etc in the bot available to everyone.

Download a file from the web and display directly in chat?
I'll see if it can be done in a secure way. Thank you for the suggestion.

[Siahanor]

Added to todo list. Haven't decided on exact implementation yet.

I'll add the hosting scenario you describe to the checklist, as it wasn't there already.
It'll be possible to specify command line options to tell the executable where to look for what.
Caching: I'll be using a file-based cache for all XML files. The API provides access to both the current BotCores cache, as well as the shared cache. (Shared cache location is alterable through command line options).
Should probably add a cache for general files as well... *adds to todo*.

Thank you for the suggestions.


Download a file from the web and display directly in chat?
I'll see if it can be done in a secure way. Thank you for the suggestion.

I might be wrong, but I think he's basically just asking for a limited web browser which can open pre-determined web pages in a window ingame.

[Iriche]

think what he means is just TXT files being showed, not webpages

[Siahanor]

think what he means is just TXT files being showed, not webpages

Well, I did say I might be wrong.

[Marebone]

Thanks for the feedback/suggestions!
The core part of the bot is shaping up rather nicely, and is getting closer to a point where plugin development may start.

Can we develop those plugins using a scripting language, like PHP or Python?
At least with PHP you could lower the learning curve for those developers who are accustomed with other PHP-based bots like Budabot or Bebot.

[Demoder]

Can we develop those plugins using a scripting language, like PHP or Python?
At least with PHP you could lower the learning curve for those developers who are accustomed with other PHP-based bots like Budabot or Bebot.

Unfortunately, that's not possible. Plugin developers would have to learn the basics of C# in order to make plugins for the bot.
Developers may use Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express, a full version of Visual Studio, or their favorite text editor to develop plugins.

However, the aim is to make plugin development as painless as possible once that knowledge is obtained.

[Mireiawen]

If it just were C++, I'd write plugin to load PHP-plugins myself =p

[Vhax]

If it just were C++, I'd write plugin to load PHP-plugins myself =p

C++ is not particularly friendly for plugin devs though
C# (like Java) is quite a nice middle ground on language complexity and power.

[Xyphos]

Let's just hope, that the in-game browser will support additional functionality in the future; maybe it will even replace the "info" dialog...
I'm sure it would be a bot developers' wet dream if it happened.

[Mireiawen]

All the ingame browser really needs is address bar and couple control buttons... I did already use it as a browser before, so all the tech is there.