a short optional description (256 characters) for your character in the Description text box. The
server exposes what you enter in the Description text box to client applications.
For your character's spoken output, Microsoft Agent provides the choice of a synthesized, text-
to-speech (TTS) voice or a voice that uses recorded sound files. If you want to use a
synthesized voice, check the Use Synthesized Speech For Voice Output option. This will add a
Voice page for selecting the characteristics of the voice. Choose the Voice page and use the
controls on it page to select a voice, speed, and pitch of any compatible TTS engines you have
installed. The range of the voice parameters you can select depends on TTS engines. If you
have not yet installed a TTS engine, the Voice ID list will be empty. You must have a TTS
engine installed before you define your character's voice settings in the Agent Character Editor.
If you plan to use a TTS engine for your character's output, you must also install that engine on
the user's system. For more information on how to install the Lernout & Hauspie® TruVoice
engine on a user's system from a Web script, see Programming The Microsoft Agent Control. If
you are using another TTS engine, check with the vendor for appropriate installation
information. If you select a voice based on a particular TTS engine, but the user has a different
TTS engine installed, the server attempts to fit the voice based on the characteristics you
defined in the Agent Character Editor.
If you plan to use recorded sound files (.WAV files) for your character's spoken output, do not
check the Use Synthesized Speech For Voice Output option. Instead, you will need to record
the spoken output audio files separately and load them from your application code.
The Use Word Balloon on the character's Properties page enables you to determine whether
you want to support this feature for your character. Once defined, it cannot be changed through
the Microsoft Agent programming interface.
When the Use Word Balloon option is checked, you can access the Word Balloon page. The
options on the Word Balloon page enable you to change the default characteristics of your
word balloon. The Characters Per Line setting enables you to define the width of the balloon
based on the average number of characters per line. You can set the default height based on
either a fixed number of lines you want to display at once or automatically sized to the text you
supply in the Speak method. You can also set whether the balloon automatically hides after a
Speak method is completed and whether the balloon automatically displays or “paces” words
to the character’s speech output speed setting.
The Word Balloon page also enables you to set the default font for the character’s word balloon
and the balloon’s display colors. However, be aware that users can override your word balloon
font settings using the Microsoft Agent property sheet.
Each character requires a unique identifier (GUID). The server uses the identifier to
differentiate characters. When you create a new character, the Editor automatically creates a
new identifier for your character. You need to change a character's identifier only if you copied
the character definition file of another character or if you intentionally want to differentiate a
character from a former version. To change a character's identifier, click the New GUID button
and the Editor will generate a new identifier.
Creating Animations
To begin creating animations for your character, select the Animations icon in the tree. This
displays the Properties page with the default settings for all animations. You can alter the frame
size, the default frame duration, and color palette settings on the Properties page. The
animation frame height and width must remain constant throughout the entire character
