[Opensim-dev] llDetectedType and NPC's
Argus
argus at archimuh.de
Sun Jul 8 10:14:41 UTC 2012
Hi.
I have a problem with the way that NPCs might be implemented in
llDetectedType. A patch can be found in Mantis 6066.
In the events touch, collision and sensor one can use the function
llDetectedType which return some basic infos on what type of
object/agent... has been detected by the event. To complete this
function, we still need to add NPCs as type. Sofar, so good...
NPC do however also have the possebility to be created using
OS_NPC_SENCE_AS_AGENT. This was implemented sothat NPCs would work with
sensor events ( without changing the lsl script). At that time NPCs were
not implemented to llDetectedType which one could have easely used to
change the lsl script to work with NPCs and/OR agents instead of
implementing OS_NPC_SENCE_AS_AGENT. The result is, that using
OS_NPC_SENCE_AS_AGENT would return an agent when using llDetected AND
that there is NO way to know if the event was triggered by an agent or
NPC without forcing the users to enable osIsNPC for everybody, and I do
realy mean everybody. For me and some other projects I know of, this
will have fatal sideeffects.
Let look at our 3 avatar type, normal agent, liblibomv bot and NPC's
and how these can be used for identification.
Situation 1) A closed grid with hypergrid disabled.
- Normal agent = registered at grid, unique uuid + name within grid,
controled by human
- Bots = basicaly same as agent, registered at grid, with unique uuid +
name within grid, but remotly controled by software
- NPC = NOT registered, unique uuid within grid, ANY fictional OR
existing name possible and like bots remotly controled.
If llDetectedType return agent for NPCs using OS_NPC_SENSE_AGENT we only
could detect the NPC using llRequestAgentData to see if we get a
posetive respone via DATA_NAME (unless the region itself detects the
online NPC as agent and returns the NPC data, havnt tested that yet.) In
any case, the uuid remains unique and can always be used to identify a
single agent/npc/bot
Situation 2) Multigrid system with hypergrid enabled.
- Normal agent = registered at grid, unique uuid + name within grid,
controled by human, surname changes with hypergrid, name supplies
griddata on hypergrid travels
- Bots = basicaly same as agent, registered at grid, with unique uuid +
name within grid, but remotly controled by software, surname changes
with hypergrid, name supplies griddata on hypergrid travels
- NPC = NOT registered, unique uuid within grid, ANY fictional OR
existing name possible and like bots remotly controled.
The uuid - name relation is still unique WITHIN a grid, but the same
uuid-name relationship can be used in multiple grids by DIFFRENT users.
However when hypergrid traveling the name changes and one can extract
the agents origin grid sothat one recieves a unique uuid+name+grid
relationship. In a multigrid system were llDetectedType return agent for
NPCs using OS_NPC_SENSE_AGENT there is NO method using plain lsl to get
the unique uuid+name+grid relationship, llRequestAgentData is not
available in all grids from the hypergrid visitor. The names of NPCs are
NOT unique within a grid AND the uuid could already exist in another
grid for an agent. The uuid alone CAN'T be used to identify a single
agent/bot/npc in a multi grid system which is hypergrid enabled.
Short summary: In a mutligrid system with hypergrid each agent/bot has
a unique uuid - name - grid relationship were 2 elements are needed for
identification, in a single grid without hypergrid the uuid is enough to
identify each agent/bot/npc. In a multigrid system NPC have to be
identified as NPC sothat one can identify the NPC using uuid + grid.
As mentioned there is no plain lsl method for identification in a
multiple grid system with hypergrid if llDetectedType returns an Agent
for NPCs using OS_NPC_SENSE_AGENT. In Opensim we do have OSSL function
which could be used to help to distinguish between a registered agent
and a NPC, eg. osIsNPC. The problem is however, that a multigrid system
would have to have multiple scripts available for all sorts of ossl
combinations.
a) No NPCs allowed for anyone - script does not need any NPCs and all
event can only be triggered by agents.
b) NPCs allowed for 1 or more users, osIsNPC not enabled - Our script
CAN'T recognize an NPC, so the service has to be excluded and may not be
used on that region
c) NPC allowed for 1 or more users, osIsNPC enabled for those users -
Our script CAN'T recognize an NPC if the script is owned by someone not
enabled to use osIsNPC, so the service has to be excluded and may not be
used on that region.
d) NPC allowed for 1 or more users, osIsNPC enabled for everyone - Our
script can now use osIsNPC nowmatter who the owner is, only now we can
recognize NPCs
So if your offering a multigrid service, were we need 2 elements for
identification, it is required to have atleast 2 script. 1 script for
regions were noone can use NPCs and another were osIsNPC is enabled for
everyone. This means that atleast 2 scripts need to be maintained by the
scriptor and a huge support team which has to personaly speak to each
customer to explain what script to use etc etc. Latest after 1 year the
customer has forgotten everything and changes the NPC settings, which
messes up the agent identification or the region owner changes something
without notifying the parcelwoners because he himself only wants to try
something.
Now if the script is in a hud, then we never know what region settings
are configured on the region we visit. So as we dont know anything about
the settings, our entire uuid+name+grid relation is useless and we have
NO method atall for identification in a multigrid system with hypergrid
enabled. All ossl that could be used for NPC detection must be
considered not avialble while NPC can be used by others.
One could create extra modules to help us, but latest if a closed grid
is involved we are not able to run our additional module. So thats also
not an option.
Résumé: The only method that would help in a multigrid system is, if
llDetectedType ALWAYS returns NPC nomatter what settings is used and
AGENT for any agent/bot. Enabling OS_NPC_SENSE_AGENT to alow
llDetectedType to return agent makes all 3rd party systems in a
multigrid hypergrid enabled enviroment virtualy impossible to handle.
It was thus also my intention to get this issue solved prior to
implementation of osNPCTouch, but for that it is to late now anyway :(.
Michelle Argus
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