EverHarvest Test Run

Couple updates on EverHarvest progress. First, I've gotten all of Faldo's data integrated into Autocrat in the EQ2 Core Interface system. This data specifically includes instructions for my Memory Reader that tell it where and how to find the data we use in the Harvest Bot - particularly the details about your character (position, heading) and the things around you (nodes, mobs, players). Using this data I wrote a class that returns all this data.

Also, I was able to set up a system for moving the character around the zone. I've done this before - creating a pathing bot. Initially it looks rather choppy, almost bot-like (which would obviously be a deal-breaker) - but when viewed from another EQ2 client running on another computer, it looks perfectly normal - as if it really were a player running around - which is exactly what we wanted!

My first test run also confirms that my simple State Machine design works. A State Machine is a design pattern that allows you to design and program a system by way of the states it can be in. For example, our Harvest Bot has 5 states - Inactive, WalkingToWaypoint, WalkingToNode, Harvesting, and Final. Each state has its own code to run that performs the function of that state, and when it's done (for one reason or another) it switches (or transits) to the next state. The Harvest Bot state machine is the first I've ever written, and I'm happy to say that it's a success!

So - I NEED BETA TESTERS! Get over to the forums and sign up!

EQ2 Core Interface

Faldo's making excellent progress with the EQ2 core. We're pretty much able to start work on the Harvest Bot right away - Hunter Bot progress will commence much the same way after the Harvest Bot beta is finished.

We're using very non-invasive methods of data gathering for the EQ2 Core code. Everything we're doing is done by reading into the memory of EQ2 - something that is very difficult to detect by the EQ2 client itself, and because the information we gather with this method is far more accurate than screen-reading, this system will be incredibly robust.

The Harvest Bot will be very simple at first. For setup, you'll need to adjust some EQ2 settings, set up a hotbar, tell the bot what nodes to gather from, and create a walk-path (or download one that someone else has made). A walk-path basically just tells the Harvest Bot where to walk within the zone - you create one by recording your path. You walk around, and the Harvest Bot's pathing engine will record where you walk, then when the bot is running it will play back the recorded path.

Once the setup work is done, the bot is ready to run - it will walk the walk-path, all the while looking for the nodes you specified during setup. When it finds one, it will walk up to it, harvest from it, then move on its merry way. Optionally, it will look out for other Players in the area of the node, and if it finds one within harvesting range, it will ignore the node - that is for preventing node stealing, which is generally considered to be rude and suspect behavior.

For the time being, more advanced activity like agro avoidance and the like will be left out of the bot, but we do intend on improving the software after release, so expect these features shortly after the bot comes online. =)