Media Semantics Characters Server Instructions¶

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• Media Semantics Characters Server Instructions
  • Overview
  • Instructions
  • Installation (manual)
  • Test

Overview¶

This guide is to help users set up GIFT to use Media Semantics Character (MSC) Server to generate interactive avatars and dynamic speech to engage the learner. This document has only been tested with the “Evaluation Mode” version of the Character Server and Character Builder.

Instructions¶

Prerequisite: Install GIFT according to the GIFT Install Instructions

Installation (manual)¶

1. Install the Media Semantics Character Builder using the installer MediaSemantics-CharacterBuilder-CB535.exe
   • Note: most GIFT users should choose the “Typical” installation type and you don’t need to launch the Character Builder after installation is complete.
2. Install the Media Semantics Character Server using the installer MediaSemantics-CharacterServer-CS535.exe
   • Note: most GIFT users should choose the “Typical” installation type
3. Identify the Windows user account that will be running GIFT and give that user privileges to write and modify the ‘Logs’ directory of the Character Server installation folder (In Windows 7, by default, the folder is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Character Server)
   1. Note: if the appropriate permissions are not given, the MSC avatar can appear but never blink or speak.
   2. To edit permissions on the folder
      1. Right click the folder “Logs” and select “Properties”, then select the “Security” tab.
      2. Press the “Edit…” button underneath the “Group or user names” list, a dialog will appear.
      3. In the “Group or user names” list, find the user that will run the Character Server (most likely your current login), if it is not visible you may need to add that user with the “Add…” button and search for the username. Select the user in the list.
      4. In the “Permissions for…” list, select under “Allow”: Select “Modify”, “Read”, and “Write”
      5. Press “Apply” and then “OK”. The dialog will disappear
4. If the Character Server is not installed in ‘C:/Program Files/Character Server’ OR ‘C:/Program Files (x86)/Character Server’, Open ‘GIFT/config/tutor/server/contexts/tutor.xml’ in a text editor
   • Search for “placeholder-for-your-custom-install-directory” and modify the value to reference to the Character Server installation directory on your machine by changing the value of the Arg element.

Test¶

1. Launch GIFT (refer to the GIFT Run Instructions document for more information).
2. Select a GIFT course that has feedback (e.g. TSP Clear Building). When the training application portion of the course is being executed, verify that an avatar appears on the tutor user interface (TUI). As the scenario (e.g. the Clear Building VBS scenario) is being executed and when feedback is requested to be presented via the TUI, the avatar will say the desired feedback. If your computer’s audio is at a hearable level you will hear the avatar speak.

If you are having issues hearing the avatar, read the GIFT Troubleshooting document for more help.