FS Trainer?

[Nyeanna]

Just wondered for those with SW skills if its possible to write a simple, quick FS Trainer prog?

Maybe something that gives you the 4 colour wheel, allows you to select clockwise/anti-clockwise direction, then throws up a series of random length (between 1 and 5) from a random start colour, waits for period X for the selection and if that's correct reduces period X by a small amount for the next attempt.

[Haleabor]

Do what?

Technophobe here :)

[Derigar/Tarinas]

I think i get what Nye means. Something like a program that puts up a fellowship move of lets say length 5 and the first two colours on screen. The user would then have the fellowship wheel on-screen as well and would have to finish the sequence in the correct order in under 7 seconds. If they succeed, then another incomplete fellowship move appears and they have to complete this one, but with only 6 seconds. Idea being to practice finishing moves under time constraints so when actually in a fellowship/raid, you can operate a lot more on instinct in these moves.

I mean its all too easy to screw up, for example:

http://www.google.co.uk/

The yellow and blue were hasty and didn't wait for the green, totally screwed up Winglord ;)

[Rhyaehar]

I'll have a go at it when I have some time.

[Raedwulf]

I mean its all too easy to screw up, for example:

http://www.google.co.uk/

The yellow and blue were hasty and didn't wait for the green, totally screwed up Winglord ;)

ROFLMFAO! :D :D :D

Just as well I'm working from home today or I'd be getting even more peculiar looks than usual in the office...

[Silirien]

I can do it... But I don't entirely get the idea of what you want it to do and how to make it a valid and actually helpful trainer.

[Nyeanna]

Sorry for confusion will try to clarify :)

I was thinking of the "round the clock" FSM's as they're probably the easiest to programme for. Anyway:

1) Start application.
2) Select direction of FSM - Clockwise (all FSM's presented go clockwise) / Anticlockwise (all FSM's presented go anti-clockwise) / Random (FSM's presented can go in either direction).
3) Start test.
4) Application selects and displays a random start colour.
5) Application selects and displays 2nd colour in sequence, according to direction selection.
6) Application presents a continuing sequence around the clock, from colour 2, obeying the direction selected. This sequence can be of zero to three colours length (i.e. the player can be required to make an entry in positions 3, 4, 5 or 6.
7) Application presents a flashing ring around the position wher an entry required by the player.
8) If correct colour entered sequence completes to six entries.
9) If incorrect, sequence fails.
10) If no entry within time limit, sequence fails.
11) If the sequence completes, the time limit to make an entry reduces by a small amount.
12) If the sequence fails, the time limit to make an entry remains the same.
13) Application returns to stage (4) and repeats with either the same or a reduced time limit.
14) Application ends if [ESC] is pressed.

Hope that's clearer - apologies in advance for a possibly stupid idea - but then I'm well known for them :)

Nye

[Raedwulf]

Alright, bringing my professional skills as a Systems Analyst to the fore (so this is practically work, unlike wot sum peeple rahnd 'ere do cough cough), one way of speccing this is as follows...

FS Manoeuvre Trainer Spec
Generate 2-3 random numbers as follows:
Start Colour (0-3)
Sequence Length (0-4)
If Seq.lngth > 0 then let direction = 0 or 1 (clockwise or anti-)
[NB: before any non-programmers say anything, computer random generators often generate from 0, so if you want 1-4, you generate 0-3 and add 1!]

Using those numbers, output to the Graphical Interface (see below) the appropriate sequence of colours. If Seq.lngth > 0 then succeeding corrrectly sequenced (following the direction indicator) colours should follow at random intervals of 100-300 milliseconds. Any user input before sequence end should be flagged as a failed manoeuvre (jumping the gun screws the sequence). Once the sequence has completed, the user has a certain amount of (user-set) time in which to respond with the correct colour - output a success or failure message, as appropriate.

Graphical Interface
Full screen window, black background; centred in the window should be a functional representation of the manoeuvre wheel i.e. 4 blobs of colour of approximately the right size in the right places. At the top of the window, a functional representation of the in-game maneouvre bar. This is where the generator will output its colour sequence. The user's selection (right or wrong) should be added to this, along with a success or failure message underneath. The ESC key should break back to the menu. Hit Enter to begin the next practice run; Colour 1 should be output at a random time between 100-1500ms from start.

User Interface
The Trainer should accept mouse or keyboard input. Keyboard input should be user programmable. The cursor position should be randomised 100ms before the first colour is output, representing the fact that, in-game, it could be anywhere on screen when a manouvre comes up. However, this randomisation should be within limits, as it unlikely that it will be right at the edges (excepting the bottom edge) or in the corners.

A user menu will allow various options & paramters to be set. In the initial version it will be sufficient to allow options for key-bindings for the 4 colours, and for setting the Maximum Response Time (say 200-1000ms).

Advanced features
Once the basic version is working, the next obvious features to add are an Interrupt version, a Targetting option, & Manoeuvre Adjustment. The Interrupt version should allow user input at any point after Colour 1 is output, will stop the sequence at that point & will judge success or failure according to whether the user input is a correctly sequenced colour.

The Targetting version should include a key binding option on the menu. It is intended to mimic the red/white target that appears when a FSM is opened on a creature that the player is not currently targetting. When this option is switched on, regardless of Seq.lngth, about 20% of the time the wheel representation should be replaced by a target circle representation immediately Colour 1 is output. The user will then be required to either click on the target circle, or use his bound key (Hint: In game, I've bound F for this purpose) to "set" the target before selecting a colour.

The Adjustment version is intended to give a more-or-less complete facsimile of the in-game events. MaxRespTime should be disabled; user interrupt should be allowed; pressing a movement key should cancel user selection; & success or failure of the manoeuvre should be judged on the basis of the state of the sequence at the end of a fixed period (in-game you have something like 3-5s, I believe) - no user input is an automatic fail of course!

Other stuff that can be added, but is completely unnecessary, includes a stats generator to track how well the user is doing, & a more accurate facsimile of the in game graphics. (And I've just seen Nye's added his own explanation but haven't read it).

[Haleabor]

2-3 random nubers

Quality control.....

Nuber...sounds a bit rude to me

Hal

[Raedwulf]

Typical! The one f***ing typo I miss & Mr Picky picks it up. Go do some work yer layabout! :P

[Silirien]

Depending on wheter I will have more inspiration for my thesis or for the FS trainer tommorow... we will see :)

PS Id appreciate a nice SS of fellowship wheel with all colors on :)

[Rhyaehar]

From the corner of my eye, I see some colours flashing on Sil's screen... ;)

[Raedwulf]

Windows Media Player on Psychedelic setting? ;)

[Rhyaehar]

Sil did some hard work, she hates me for pointing out some errors. Anyhoo, this should do it for now. A next version will be keyboard programmable.

Download (http://www.raidsrus.com/files/FMTrainer.zip)

[bothorn]

Whats this a Trojan? =p

[Rhyaehar]

It'll only log your username/password for LOTRO, nothing to worry about :p

[Haleabor]

well...that's awesome and I'm crap at it.

Very good work Sil

Hal x :)

[Nyeanna]

Have we got a working version? If that's a yes any chance of a peek to play with it?

Thanks muchly in advance especially to Sil :)

Nye

[Raedwulf]

Errrrr... Try clicking on the download link in Rhy's post (& well done Sil!).

[Resu]

Very nice indeed! Would you mind if I gave this trainer to some kinmembers who really could use the exercise? :twisted:

[Nyeanna]

See that download link was just so understated - thanks for pointing it though :)

Thanks Sil very, very good - have to stop practising for a while tho - finger aches

[Rhyaehar]

Fixed that for you Nye :)

[Notiane]

-nvm, found the ad hoc option-

[Rufus]

Wow, thanks Sil. Looking forward to much greater hit rates in future RuR runs :)

Ruf