Microsoft Agent Animations for Robby Character

ActiveXŽ technology for interactive software agents

Microsoft Corporation

October 1998

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The Microsoft Agent Robby Character is a copyrighted work of Microsoft Corporation. You may use the character subject to the terms of the End User License Agreement for Microsoft Agent.

Robby supports the animations listed in the table below. Refer to Programming the Microsoft Agent Server Interface and Programming the Microsoft Agent Control for information on how to call the character's animations.

If accessing these character animations using the HTTP protocol and the control's Get or server's Prepare method, consider how you will download them. Instead of downloading all the animations at once, you may want to retrieve the Showing and Speaking state animations first. This will enable you to display the character quickly and have it speak while bringing down other animations asynchronously. In addition, to ensure that character and animation data load successfully, use the RequestComplete event. If a load request fails, you can retry loading the data or display an appropriate message.

If an animation's Return animation is defined using Exit branches, you do not need to call it explicitly; Agent automatically plays the Return animation before the next animation. However, if a Return animation is listed, you must call the animation using the Play method before another animation to provide a smooth transition. If no Return animation is listed, the animation typically ends without needing a transitional animation.

The character file includes sound effects for some animations as noted in the following table. Sound effects play only if this option is enabled in the Microsoft Agent property sheet. You can also disable sound effects in your application.

Animation	Return Animation	Supports Speaking	Sound Effects	Assigned to State	Description
Acknowledge	None	No	No	None	Nods head
Alert	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	Listening	Straightens
Announce	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	Yes	None	Prints out paper and reports
Blink	None	No	No	IdlingLevel1 IdlingLevel2	Blinks eyes
Confused	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Scratches head
Congratulate	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Raises hands then clasps hands
Decline	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Raises hand and shakes head
DoMagic1	None	Yes	No	None	Removes device
DoMagic2	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	None	Presses button and beam appears
DontRecognize	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Holds hand to ear
Explain	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Gestures with arms
GestureDown	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	GesturingDown	Gestures down
GestureLeft	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	GesturingLeft	Gestures left
GestureRight	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	GesturingRight	Gestures right
GestureUp	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	GesturingUp	Gestures up
GetAttention	GetAttentionReturn	Yes	No	None	Waves arms
GetAttentionContinued	GetAttentionReturn	Yes	No	None	Waves arms again
GetAttentionReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
Greet	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Holds up hand
Hearing_1	Yes, using Exit branches	No	No	Hearing	Tilts head right (*looping animation)
Hearing_2	Yes, using Exit branches	No	No	Hearing	Tilts head left (*looping animation)
Hearing_3	Yes, using Exit branches	No	No	Hearing	Cocks head left (*looping animation)
Hearing_4	Yes, using Exit branches	No	No	Hearing	Tilts head down (*looping animation)
Hide	None	No	Yes	Hiding	Disappears through door
Idle1_1	None	No	No	IdlingLevel1 IdlingLevel2	Glances right
Idle1_2	None	No	No	IdlingLevel1 IdlingLevel2	Glances up and blinks
Idle1_3	None	No	No	IdlingLevel1 IdlingLevel2	Glances down and blinks
Idle1_4	None	No	No	IdlingLevel1 IdlingLevel2	Glances left and blinks
Idle2_1	None	No	No	IdlingLevel2	Folds arms
Idle2_2	None	No	Yes	IdlingLevel2	Removes head and makes adjustment
Idle3_1	None	No	No	IdlingLevel3	Yawns
Idle3_2	None	No	Yes	IdlingLevel3	Shuts down
LookDown	LookDownReturn	No	No	None	Looks down
LookDownReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
LookLeft	LookLeftReturn	No	No	None	Looks left
LookLeftReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
LookRight	LookRightReturn	No	No	None	Looks right
LookRightReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
LookUp	LookUpReturn	No	No	None	Looks up
LookUpReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
MoveDown	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	MovingDown	Flies down
MoveLeft	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	MovingLeft	Flies left
MoveRight	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	MovingRight	Flies right
MoveUp	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	MovingUp	Flies up
Pleased	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	Yes	None	Smiles and straightens up
Process	No	No	Yes	None	Presses buttons, prints, reads, then tosses printout
Processing	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	None	Presses buttons, prints, reads, then tosses printout
Read	ReadReturn	Yes	Yes	None	Prints, reads, and looks up
ReadContinued	ReadReturn	Yes	Yes	None	Reads and looks up
ReadReturn	None	No	Yes	None	Returns to neutral position
Reading	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	None	Prints, reads, and looks up (*looping animation)
RestPose	None	Yes	No	Speaking	Neutral position
Sad	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Sad expression
Search	No	No	Yes	None	Reveals toolbox and removes tool
Searching	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	None	Reveals toolbox and removes tools (*looping animation)
Show	None	No	Yes	Showing	Appears through doorway
StartListening	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Puts hand to ear
StopListening	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Puts hands over ears
Suggest	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	Yes	None	Displays lightbulb
Surprised	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Looks surprised
Think	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	Yes	None	Scratches head
Thinking	No	No	Yes	None	Scratches head (*looping animation)
Uncertain	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Shrugs
Wave	Yes, using Exit branches	Yes	No	None	Waves
Write	WriteReturn	Yes	Yes	None	Reveals pencil and clipboard, writes and looks up
WriteContinued	WriteReturn	Yes	Yes	None	Writes and looks up
WriteReturn	None	No	No	None	Returns to neutral position
Writing	Yes, using Exit branches	No	Yes	None	Reveals pencil and clipboard, writes (*looping animation)

* If you play a looping animation, you must use Stop to clear it before other animations in the character's queue will play.