Copyright: Copyright 1998 Mindmaker, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.


Welcome
Welcome to Game Commander

Key Features	Main Topics

Game Commander is a voice control application for games that takes you to the next level of PC gaming. Game Commander saves you from the myriad of awkward keystrokes used in today's games by assigning voice commands to them. No more delays trying to remember odd keystrokes to issue a command. You want your troops to attack? Simply say “Attack!”.

All of the keyboard and joystick controls that you’re accustomed to are left intact—Game Commander simply supplements them with voice control so that you can respond to every situation in the fastest and most natural way. Use the keyboard and joystick for firing and steering. Use your voice to issue commands that would otherwise distract you or slow you down.

Game Commander uses speaker-independent voice recognition technology, so no voice training is required. Furthermore, it comes packaged with ready-made templates for several popular PC games, so it can be installed and used immediately to start controlling those games by voice. It’s easy to customize Game Commander to control your other favorite games as well. And, registered users will be able to download additional templates for free from our website at www.gamecmdr.com.

So take control! Change weapons! Call your wingman for help!  Initiate a full-scale attack!  And do it all with the sound of your voice.


Key Features
 Key Features & Benefits

Overview	Main Topics

Key Features:

•	Assigns voice commands to a game's keyboard commands

•	Speaker-independent (no voice training required)

•	Includes command templates for many popular games

•	Allows you to easily create your own command templates for your favorite games

•	Works with many Windows® 95/98 games

Benefits:

•	More enjoyable and realistic game play

•	Eliminate interruptions and frustrations caused by obscure keyboard commands

•	No need to memorize what keystroke combinations such as “Alt-F5” and “Ctrl-2” are for

•	Allows the player to concentrate on the game rather than on what keys to push

•	Approach “total immersion” in the “world” of your game


 System Requirements

Main Topics

Game Commander Minimum System Requirements:

Microsoft Windows® 95 or Windows 98

200 MHz* Pentium®-class processor

32 MB* of RAM

10 MB free hard disk space

Full-duplex**, Windows 95/98–compatible sound card

CD-ROM drive

Mouse

* Some games require faster processors and more RAM. Please refer also to your game documentation to ensure that you meet all system requirements.

** Some sound cards have limited full-duplex capability. Game Commander will work with these sound cards, however Game Commander must use more CPU power to compensate for the hardware limitations. As a result, you may notice a reduction in game speed if you have this kind of sound card.


 Main Topics

Overview

Welcome

Key Features

System Requirements

Getting Started

Connecting the Headset Microphone

Getting Started With Game Commander

Working with Game Commander

Adjusting Optional Parameters

Customizing Game Commander For Other Games

Voice Input Testing

Editing Commands

Disabling Or Deleting Commands

Voice Input Training

Sharing Templates

Uninstalling Game Commander

Reference

Troubleshooting

Glossary

Credits


 Connecting the Headset Microphone

Main Topics	Glossary

For optimum voice recognition performance, the Game Commander package includes a high quality, noise canceling headset microphone.

To connect the headset microphone to your PC soundcard:

Insert the red plug into the PC sound card’s microphone input jack. Note that, although the headset has a speaker-like pad that goes over your ear, it does not have a speaker. The sound effects  from your games will continue to come from the speakers attached to your computer.

If you have questions regarding the Parrott headset microphone, please contact the manufacturer, VXI Corporation:

•	VXI Technical Support	(800) 742-8588

•	VXI Headquarters	(603) 742-2888

•	VXI Europe	+32 (0) 3821 05 86

•	VXI Canada	(905) 275-6811

Once you’ve connected the microphone, if you are not sure that the microphone input is working properly, check your audio input setup. For example, in Windows 95, you would follow these steps:

1.	Make sure that you have the appropriate audio hardware, microphone, and speakers or headphones installed on your computer.

2.	To verify that your microphone is working properly, click Start on the Windows taskbar, then Programs, Accessories, Multimedia, and Sound Recorder. In the Sound Recorder dialog box, click the Record button and then say a few words into your microphone. You will see the green line in the Level indicator box fluctuate as you speak. If it does not, make sure that your microphone is plugged into the correct jack and that your mouth is close enough to the microphone. If the green line still does not fluctuate when you speak, go on to step 3. If the green line does fluctuate when you speak, then you can skip step 3 and go directly to step 4.

3.	If you had trouble getting your microphone input to show on the Level indicator in the previous step, then you will need to verify that the Mixer properties for your microphone are correct. Click Start on the Windows taskbar, then Programs, Accessories, Multimedia, and Volume Control. In the Options menu, click Properties. The Properties dialog box will appear.

4.	In the Adjust volume for group, select Recording. Then, in the Show the following volume controls list, make sure that the microphone check box is selected. Click OK. The Recording Control dialog box will appear.

5.	Adjust the Volume slider for the microphone and select the Select check box below it. Clear the Select check boxes under all of the other items.

6.	When you have finished, click the [image] in the upper right corner of the dialog box to close it. Check your Microphone input again (go back to step 2).

7.	For more information on either the Volume Control or the Sound Recorder application, click the Help menu in the relevant dialog box.

If, after verifying your audio setup, and installing Game Commander, you have difficulty with speech recognition, then go to the Microphone Level dialog box and adjust the recording level there. To access this dialog box, click the Main Menu button [image] on the Game Commander toolbar, then Microphone Level….

Say a command into the microphone. The Recording level meter should move as you speak and almost fill the entire rectangle with colored bars.  If it is too low, increase the volume with the Recording volume slider.  If it is too high, decrease the volume.

When you are not speaking into the microphone, the meter should show only a few colored bars, if any.  If a lot is shown in the Recording level meter, decrease the volume.

If you still have difficulty, please see the Trouble-Shooting section for more suggestions.


 Uninstalling Game Commander

Main Topics 	Glossary

To uninstall Game Commander:

1.	Be sure to save to a different directory any user templates (*.gcu) or application templates (*.gca) that you want to keep.

2.	Click the Windows Start button and select Settings, then select Control Panel.

3.	Double-click Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. The Add/Remove Program Properties dialog box appears.

4.	Select Game Commander from the list of installed programs and click Add/Remove. All Game Commander files installed by the setup program will be removed.


 Getting Started With Game Commander

Main Topics 	Glossary

Getting Started with Game Commander

Remember, Game Commander does not change your games in any way. Rather than replacing the keystroke and joystick commands that you’ve always used, Game Commander supplements them with voice commands. Using Game Commander does not require you to scream “Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!” in rapid succession to fire a series of torpedoes—you can still use your joystick or keyboard for that. However, for many other commands, such as “Lock On Target”, “Full Throttle” and “Activate Shield”, the most natural and easy way to issue them may often be by voice, particularly if they otherwise require hard-to-remember keystroke combinations.

If you own any of the games for which a pre-configured template has been included with Game Commander, it’s easy to get started using Game Commander to control the game by voice right away. Simply start Game Commander, set the microphone level, start the game you would like to play, and begin saying commands into your microphone! For a complete list of pre-configured templates and commands, please refer to the “Readme” file on the Game Commander CD. Additional templates will regularly be made available on the Game Commander website at www.gamecmdr.com for free download by registered users.

Using Game Commander Straight Out of the Package

To start Game Commander:

1.	Click Start on the Windows taskbar and select Programs.

2.	From the Programs menu, select Game Commander and then click Game Commander.

When you start Game Commander, a splash screen will be displayed briefly, and then the Game Commander toolbar will appear.

To set the microphone input level:

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar, then Microphone Level.

2.	Say a command into the microphone. The Recording level meter should move as you speak and almost fill the entire rectangle with colored bars.  If it is too low, increase the volume with the Recording volume slider.  If it is too high, decrease the volume.

When you are not speaking into the microphone, the meter should show only one or two colored bars, if any.  If several colored bars appear in the Recording level meter, decrease the volume.If you still have difficulty, please see the Troubleshooting section for more suggestions.

To control pre-configured games by voice:

1.	Make sure the Listen button is depressed on the Game Commander toolbar.

2.	Start any of the games for which there is a pre-made template (refer to the Game Commander packaging and “Readme” file for a list of games).

3.	Say the name of any enabled command into the microphone.

To quit Game Commander:

1.	Click the X button in the upper right corner of the Game Commander toolbar. Or, click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar, then select Exit.

Printing Command Templates

Game Commander lets you save command templates as text files so that they may be printed for quick and easy reference. This is done with the simple click of a button in the Commands dialog box. Once that is done, you can open the text file and print it as you would any other document.

To save a command template as a text file:

1.	On the Game Commander toolbar, click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Using the Applications drop down list box, select the template you wish to save as a text file.

3.	Click the Save As button. In the Save As dialog box, enter a name for the file (*.txt) and click Save.
The template will be saved as a text file in the directory you specified. You can print it as you would any other text document.


 Adjusting Optional Parameters

Main Topics 	Glossary

Adjusting Optional Parameters

As you’ve seen in the previous section, once you’ve installed Game Commander, you can start using it immediately—with no training or configuring required—to control many popular games.

For your convenience, however, there are a couple of display and audio feedback options which you may wish to adjust. For example, you can control whether or not the Game Commander toolbar is always visible on top of all other windows (except games that use DirectDraw, or DirectX, in full-screen mode), or you can hide the Game Commander toolbar so it is not visible at all. You can also activate and deactivate voice input. And finally, you can set Game Commander to provide audio feedback (a beep sound) when it recognizes or does not recognize a command. This is all done from the Game Commander toolbar and main menu.

The Game Commander Toolbar and Main Menu

The Game Commander toolbar provides access to all of the features and functions of Game Commander. Many of the main menu commands will be covered in detail in later sections. For now, note the ways in which you can adjust display, input, and audio feedback options.

Toolbar Display

To display the toolbar at all times:

Remember, this option will not work with games that use DirectDraw (DirectX) in full-screen mode.

•	Click the Always On Top button to depress it.
Or,

•	Click the Main Menu button, then select Always On Top. A check mark will appear to the left of the menu item to indicate that the always on top feature is active.

To allow the toolbar to be covered by other windows:

•	Click the Always On Top button so that it is in the up position.
Or,

•	Click the Main Menu button, then select Always On Top so that the check mark to the left of the menu item will disappear.

To hide the toolbar:

•	Click the Main Menu button, then select Hide Toolbar.

To display the toolbar when it is hidden:

•	Double-click the tasktray icon.
Or,

•	Right-click the tasktray icon and select Display Toolbar.

Voice Input Activation & Deactivation

To turn voice input on or off:

•	Click the Listen button. When the Listen button is depressed, voice input is activated. When the Listen button is in the up position, voice input is deactivated.

Audible Feedback

To adjust audible feedback:

1.	Click the Main Menu button, then select Properties. The Properties dialog box will appear.

2.	Click the Recognized check box to select it if you would like a beep sound whenever a command is recognized.

3.	Click the Not recognized check box to select it if you would like a beep sound whenever a command is not recognized.

4.	Click OK.

Note that the beep sound will come from the built-in speaker inside your computer, not from your sound card. If you don’t hear a beep, your internal speaker may be turned down or disconnected.


 Customizing Game Commander For Other Games

Main Topics 	Glossary

Customizing Game Commander for Other Games

Although Game Commander is conveniently pre-configured for several of today’s most popular Windows-based computer games, you can also customize it to control many other Windows-based games.

Overview

To configure Game Commander for a new game, it is necessary to create a template for that game. This is done simply by starting the game then entering into the Game Commander Commands dialog box all of the commands that you wish to voice-enable. To add a new game command, you enter the name of the command and specify what keystroke or keystroke combination is associated with it. Game Commander automatically recognizes the spoken name of the command, so—except in rare cases—there is no voice training necessary. Simply say the name of the command you’ve added, and Game Commander performs the action.

Adding Commands

As mentioned above, in general, the configuration process simply involves adding the commands that you wish to voice-enable for a particular game and specifying what keystroke or keystroke combination is associated with each command. The following instructions assume that you’ve already purchased and installed the game.

To add commands:

1.	Start the game for which you would like to use Game Commander to issue commands by voice, and progress to the point in the game where you actually start playing. (Some games start by showing a movie or having you select several options.) If you are adding additional commands to an existing template, you may skip to step 3 below.

2.	Leaving the game open, press ALT+TAB to switch to the Game Commander toolbar.

Note: Some games disable the ALT key or otherwise prevent you from using ALT+TAB to switch applications. New templates for these types of games must be created by an alternative method. See the note in Sharing Templates in the section "To create an application template" for more information.

3.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

4.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game you want to configure. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands dialog box.

5.	Click the Add button. The Add Command dialog box will appear.

6.	Referring to the game documentation, choose a command you wish to voice-enable, then enter a name for the command in the Command name text box. Usually, you will want to use the name that is assigned to the command in the game documentation. However, you can actually assign any name that you would like. For general recommendations, see the section, “Command adding and naming tips,” that follows.

7.	Once you’ve entered the command name, specify the keystroke or keystroke combination associated with the command in the Key to send text box. This can be done by hitting the key or key combination on your keyboard. For example, for MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries™ you might enter the command name, “Recenter Torso” and the corresponding keystroke “/”.

Notice that the only way to leave the Key to send text box is by using the mouse. Pushing the ENTER key will only accomplish having its name appear in the text box. Furthermore, be aware that certain keystroke combinations are reserved for the Windows operating system and may not be used in Game Commander:

ALT+TAB
ALT+ESC
CTRL+ESC
CTRL+ALT+DEL
CRTL+ALT+ESC

8.	Click OK. You will return to the Commands dialog box. The command you added will appear in the Commands list box under the game heading. The associated keystroke or keystroke combination will also appear, in angle brackets, to the right of the command name, as shown below.

9.	To enter additional commands for the same game, repeat steps 5-8. Otherwise, click Save and Close.

Your commands are saved as a template for the game, and you are ready to start issuing them by voice. Simply verify that the Listen button is depressed on the Game Commander toolbar, then launch the game and start playing. You can add more commands any time you wish by following these same basic steps. You can also test, edit, and remove existing commands, as described in later sections.

You can also save the list of commands and their keystroke assignments as a text file. See the section “Printing Command Templates” in Getting Started With Game Commander for more information.

Command adding and naming tips

As you gain experience adding commands for new games and using Game Commander to control the games by voice, you may notice that certain commands work especially well. Remember, the way you issue voice commands is by saying their name, and the name you assign is completely up to you. The following guidelines are recommended to optimize your gaming performance using Game Commander:

•	Assign command names that make sense to you and are easy for you to remember.

•	Add to Game Commander only those commands that you would like to be able to issue by voice; commands that you will more likely continue to use from your keyboard or joystick don’t need to be added. Since Game Commander listens for you to say any of the commands that you’ve entered for the game you are currently playing, leaving out commands that you don’t plan to issue by voice optimizes performance.

•	Shorten exceptionally long command names when possible. For example, a command that is described as “Equalize Charge on Shield Quadrants” in the game documentation could be named simply “Equalize Charge” in Game Commander, simplifying both your job of issuing the command, and the time it takes to say all those words.

•	Differentiate highly similar command names. If you find that Game Commander sometimes confuses two or more commands that sound alike, try changing their names in such a way as to make them sound less similar. For example, if a game has the commands “Jettison” and “Jets On”, you might change the former command name to “Eject” or “Cast Off”.

•	Adjust the spelling of acronyms and unusual words, if necessary. Sometimes, a command name, as described in the game documentation, will not be a regular English word, and, therefore, will not be recognized by Game Commander the way you would pronounce it. Spelling the command name “the way it sounds” will usually ensure that Game Commander will recognize the command the way you want to say it. For example, the command “AAMRAM” could be named “amram”, and the command “SQRL” could be named “squirrel” to make the pronunciation clear.

•	Joining the words in a command name may improve recognition. In rare cases, you may find that you have to pause slightly between the words of a multiple-word command in order to improve recognition accuracy.  Joining the words in the command name will often solve this problem. For example, change the command name “Stop Targeting” to “StopTargeting”.


 Editing Commands

Main Topics 	Glossary

Editing Commands

From time to time, you may wish to edit a command, either to correct a typo, or to follow the recommendations in the “Command adding and naming tips” presented earlier. The procedure for editing commands is very similar to that for adding them.

To edit commands:

1.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game you want to edit. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands dialog box.

3.	Click the name of the command you wish to edit to select it. For example, you may wish to shorten a command named “Override Automatic Thermal Shutdown” to “Override Shutdown” or even “Override”.

4.	Click the Edit button. The Edit Command dialog box will appear.

5.	Edit the command name in the Command name text box. Edit the associated keystroke in the Key to send text box.

6.	Click OK. You will return to the Commands dialog box. The edited command and keystroke will appear in the Commands list box.

7.	To edit additional commands for the same game, repeat steps 3-6. Otherwise, click Save and Close.

You can save the list of commands and their keystroke assignments as a text file. See the section “Printing Command Templates” in Getting Started With Game Commander for more information.


 Voice Input Testing

Main Topics 	Glossary

Voice Input Testing

Voice input testing is useful to ensure that the command names you’ve entered for a particular game are easy for you to issue and that there aren’t any commands that sound too similar to one another.

To test recognition of command names:

1.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game you want to test. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands list box.

3.	Click the Test button. The Voice Input Test dialog box will appear.

4.	Say the name of a command. If the command is recognized, it’s name will appear in the Recognized command window. If it is not recognized, a “Not Recognized” will appear in the Recognized command window.

Also watch the Recording level meter as you say a command.  It should move as you speak and mostly fill the entire rectangle with colored bars.  If it is too low, increase the volume with the Recording volume slider.  If it is too high, decrease the volume.

When you are not speaking into the microphone, the meter should show only a few colored bars, if any.  If a lot appears in the Recording level meter, decrease the volume.

If, after repeated attempts, the command you are testing is not properly recognized, please refer to the Troubleshooting section for advice.

5.	To test additional commands for the same game, repeat step 4. Otherwise, click Close.


 Disabling Or Deleting Commands

Main Topics 	Glossary

Disabling Commands

You may find that you don’t always need all the commands that exist in a particular template or you may want to temporarily turn off one or more commands.

To disable commands:

1.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game you want to edit. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands dialog box.

3.	Click the check box to the left of the command you wish to disable.  When the check mark is removed, the command is disabled.

4.	To disable additional commands for the same game, repeat step 3. Otherwise, click Save and Close.

Deleting Commands

If you find that you never use a particular command, you may want to delete it. As mentioned earlier, by leaving out commands that you don’t plan to issue by voice anyway, you simplify Game Commander’s recognition task, and enhance performance.

To delete commands:

1.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game for which you would like to delete a commands. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands window.

3.	Click the name of the command you wish to delete to select it.

4.	Click the Delete button. The command will be removed.

5.	To delete additional commands for the same game, repeat steps 3 and 4. Otherwise, click Save and Close.

You can also save the list of commands and their keystroke assignments as a text file. See the section “Printing Command Templates” in Getting Started With Game Commander for more information.


 Voice Input Training

Main Topics 	Glossary

Voice Input Training

Since Game Commander automatically understands the spoken name of a command, voice training should be necessary only in rare cases. Most users can simply start Game Commander, start a game for which a template has been configured, and start successfully issuing commands by voice.

If you experience poor recognition accuracy, first consult the Troubleshooting section. Then, if you still experience problems, try re-naming the command to a different word or phrase. This can be done following the instructions in the Editing Commands section. Re-naming commands solves most speech recognition difficulties in the best and easiest way.

Preparing for Voice Input Training

Again, you should train voice input for a command only after you have tried all of the other techniques presented in Troubleshooting and are still experiencing difficulty. Follow these guidelines when preparing to train:

•	Train in a quiet environment.

•	Speak in a natural, conversational, and relaxed tone.

•	Avoid prolonged pauses between the words of a command.

•	Try to use the same vocal tone and speed during training that you will use when you execute the command.

•	Use a high-quality, unidirectional, hands-free headset microphone for optimum recognition results.

•	Refer to the section “Before You Install” for instructions on how to check your audio setup.

To train commands for voice input:

1.	Click the Main Menu button and select Commands. The Commands dialog box will be displayed.

2.	Click the Applications drop down list box and select the game you want to configure. The name of the game will appear in the title bar of the Commands dialog box.

3.	Click the name of the command you wish to train to select it. In the example below, the user has selected the “Subspace jump” command from Decent: FreeSpace The Great War ™.

4.	Click the Train button. The Voice Training dialog box will be displayed.

5.	Click Start. The Start button changes to Cancel to indicate that training has begun. Click Cancel at any time to cancel training.

6.	Say the name of the command displayed in the Command Name window, which, in the example above, is “Subspace jump”. As you say the name, you should see green bars in the box above the Start button indicating the level of your voice. If Game Commander does not understand your command, then the number in the Trainings box will not change. If Game Commander does understand the command, the number changes. Say the command name two more times.

7.	After a brief delay, you will be returned to the main Commands window. A pound sign (#) to the left of the command name indicates that voice input for the command has been trained. If you wish to test the recognition of the trained command, follow the instructions in the Voice Input Testing section.

8.	To train voice input for additional commands, repeat steps 3-6. Otherwise, click Save and Close.

If, after training voice input for a command, you decide that you would like to undo the training, it is possible to do so.

To restore the original, automatic voice input training:

1.	In the Commands dialog box, select the command for which you would like to restore the original, automatically trained state. A pound sign (#) will appear next to the command name.

2.	Click Edit to display the Edit Command dialog box.

3.	Enter the original name of the command, without the pound sign (#), in the Command name text box.

4.	Click OK. You will return to the Commands dialog box.

5.	Click Save and Close.


 Sharing Templates

Main Topics 	Glossary

Sharing Templates

The commands that are configured for a particular game are stored in an application template. Game Commander comes with pre-made application template files for several of today’s most popular PC games. Additionally, for any games for which you’ve configured commands yourself, a new application template will have been created. The application templates for a particular user are stored inside a user template.

User and application templates make it easy for multiple users to use Game Commander on the same machine, each in their own way. Additionally they make it easy for Game Commander users to share with other Game Commander users commands they’ve already configured. For example, if you purchase a new game and configure the commands, and your friend, who also uses Game Commander has that same game, then you can export the application template that you created to a file so that your friend can import it into his or her Game Commander and start commanding the game by voice too, without having to duplicate your work. Mindmaker will also offer additional application templates on the Game Commander website, www.gamecmdr.com, that can be downloaded for free by registered Game Commander users.

The Users Dialog Box

To view the user and application templates for your Game Commander program, click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar, then select User. The Users dialog box will be displayed.

Managing Application Templates

As mentioned earlier, application templates hold configured commands for specific games. Whenever you configure commands for a game, these commands are stored in an application template that is contained in your user template.

Application templates are particularly useful when you want to give a set of configured commands to another user, who can then import them directly into his or her user file and use them exactly as you made them, or after customizing them to his or her liking.

To create an application template:

You create application templates automatically whenever you configure commands for a new application.

1.	Start the game for which you would like to configure commands.

2.	Add at least one command for this application see the section “Adding Commands” in Customizing Game Commander For Other Games for instructions.

An application template for the command(s) you added for that application is created automatically in your user template.

Note: Some games disable the ALT key or otherwise prevent you from using ALT+TAB to switch applications as you are instructed to do in order to add commands. As a result, a new template cannot be created automatically. Instead you will have to create the template by importing the game’s executable file (*.exe) directly.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Select the user template to which you would like to import an application template file in the User templates list box by clicking it.

3.	Click Import to open the Import Application Template dialog box.

4.	In the Files of type drop down list box, select Executable Files (*.exe).

5.	Locate the directory where the game was installed and select the executable file for the game. (For example, in the figure above the executable for the game Solitaire is selected from the Windows directory.)

6.	Click Import. You will be returned to the Users dialog box.

An empty application template for the game will appear in the Application templates in user template list box. Note that Game Commander will not magically figure out the commands for the game. (Wouldn’t that be amazing?) You will still have to add your desired commands to the template. See the section “Adding Commands” in Customizing Game Commander For Other Games for instructions.

To view the application templates in your user template, click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box. The user template that you used to configure the application will be selected in the User templates list box. The name of the application templates in your user template appear in the Application templates in user template list box.

To remove an application template:

You can easily remove application templates from a user template.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Click the relevant user template in the User templates window to select it.

3.	Select the application template to be removed from the Application templates in user template list box.

4.	Click Remove and then Close.

To import an application template:

To add the contents of an application template file to a user template, you need to import it from the directory in which it is stored.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Select the user template to which you would like to import an application template file in the User templates window by clicking it.

3.	Click Import to open the Import Application Template dialog box:

4.	Select the application template file you wish to import.

5.	Click Import. You will be returned to the Users dialog box.

The imported application template will appear in the Application templates in user template list box.

To export an application template:

To make your application templates available to another user, you need to export it, which means creating it as a separate file.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Select the relevant user template in the User templates window by clicking it.

3.	Select the application template file to be exported from the Application templates in user template box by clicking it.

4.	Click Export to open the Export Application Template dialog box:

5.	Select the directory where you want to save the file, or use the default directory.

6.	Enter a new name in the File name box or keep the default name. Make sure to use the *.gca extension.

7.	Click Save.

The application template will now appear in the directory you selected.

Managing User Templates

When you open Game Commander for the first time, the program automatically creates a user template with the same name as your Windows login name. For example, if you enter JDoe to log onto Windows, then your default user template name will be JDoe. If you do not use a login name, your default user template name will be Game Commander.

By managing your user templates, you can effectively reduce the amount of training that is necessary both for yourself and for other users.

To create a new user template:

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Click New to open the New User Template dialog box.

3.	Enter a name in the Enter name of new user text box.

4.	Click OK.

The name of the user template will now appear in the User templates list box  of the Users dialog box. When creating a new user template, Game Commander automatically imports for you all application template files (*.gca) in the Game Commander directory.

To copy a user template:

You can copy all the commands from other users by copying their user templates. Simply copying this information into a new template can dramatically reduce the time needed for new users to get started.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	In the User templates list box, select the user template file that is to be copied.

3.	Click Copy to open the Copy User Template dialog box.

4.	Type a new user template name in the Enter name of user to copy template to text box and click OK.

The new user template will appear in the User templates list box.

To rename a user template:

You may wish to rename a user template—for example, if you don’t like the default name given to your user template.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	Select the user template file you wish to rename in the User templates list box by clicking it.

3.	Click Rename to open the Rename User Template dialog box.

4.	Type in a new user name.

5.	Click OK to confirm.

The new user template name appears in the User templates list box.

To delete a user template:

Game Commander allows you to delete unwanted user templates.

1.	Click the Main Menu button on the Game Commander toolbar and select User to open the Users dialog box.

2.	In the User templates list box, select the user template you wish to delete.

3.	Click Delete, then click Yes to confirm.


 Troubleshooting

Main Topics 	Glossary

Troubleshooting

This section offers help for dealing with the most commonly encountered problems. If the topics covered here do not address your particular problem, please refer to the support page on the Game Commander website, www.gamecmdr.com, for the latest list of frequently asked questions, and a link to fill out and submit a Technical Support Request Form.

Game Commander sometimes confuses one command for another

If Game Commander recognizes most of your voice commands, but confuses a few of them, then try the following steps:

1.	Rename the most commonly misrecognized commands to different words or phrases, following the guidelines in the “Command adding and naming tips” section.

2.	If the problem still persists, perform voice training for the misrecognized commands.

3.	If this problem happens often, you might want to consider trying a different microphone. Some users notice a significant difference in speech recognition accuracy when using one microphone versus another.

Game Commander misrecognizes a lot of commands for one particular game

Some games have a very large number commands, and Game Commander will attempt to be ready to recognize any one of them at any given time. You should disable or delete commands that you will not frequently use from the application’s command list. This will reduce the number of commands that Game Commander has to recognize for that game, and, thereby improve recognition accuracy.

Game Commander will not allow voice input training

If Game Commander does not let you train voice commands, and indicates that the voice input was too long, this could be due to background noise. In this case, try the following steps:

1.	Make sure your audio setup is correct.

2.	Check the recording level in the Microphone Input dialog box. If the recording level is too high, the background noise will be received as voice input.

3.	Many games play music from the game CD while you are playing the game. Make sure that the mixer for your sound card is not configured to record from the CD-ROM drive, otherwise Game Commander will be listening to the music instead of to you. Refer to the documentation for your sound card or the Windows help for information about configuring the mixer.

Game Commander does not recognize any of my voice commands

If Game Commander is recognizing none, or almost none of your voice commands, try the following steps:

1.	Verify that your sound card is full duplex and that your game is a Windows-based (not DOS-based) game. (Refer to the “Readme” file for a list of full-duplex sound cards on the market today.)

2.	Make sure that the Listen button is depressed on the Game Commander toolbar.

3.	Make sure your audio set-up is correct (see Connecting the Headset Microphone for instructions).

4.	Check the recording level in the Voice Input Test dialog box (see Voice Input Testing for instructions).

5.	Speak in a natural, conversational, and relaxed tone.

6.	Avoid prolonged pauses between the words of a command.

7.	Try renaming misrecognized commands to different words or phrases. If the problem still persists, do additional training on the misrecognized words.

8.	If you trained some of the voice commands, then try to use the same vocal tone and speed during that you used during training.

9.	Use a unidirectional, high-quality hands-free headset microphone (such as the one included in the Game Commander package) for optimum recognition results. If you choose to use a microphone other than the one included in the Game Commander package, it is highly recommended that you use a high quality, noise canceling headset microphone. “Stick-style” microphones tend to pick up the sounds from your speakers, thereby interfering with recognition.

10.	Many games play music from the game CD while you are playing the game. Make sure that the mixer for your sound card is not configured to record from the CD-ROM drive, otherwise Game Commander will be listening to the music instead of to you. Refer to the documentation for your sound card or the Windows help for information about configuring the mixer.

Game Commander consistently performs the wrong action when I issue certain commands

If Game Commander consistently performs the same incorrect action when you issue a particular command, it is likely that the keystroke or keystroke combination associated with the command is wrong. Check to make sure that the keystroke combination assigned to the command in the Commands list box matches the one in the game documentation. If it does not, follow the instructions in the Editing Commands section to correct it.

Another common reason that Game Commander repeatedly performs the same incorrect action for a particular command is that the user has customized the game and changed the keystrokes used for the commands in the game. Because Game Commander’s pre-made templates are based on the default settings of the games, they will not work properly if you’ve changed the default settings in the game. You can fix this, however, by simply editing the pre-configured commands so that they match the custom keystrokes you’ve made. See Editing Commands for instructions.

Game Commander recognizes commands when I'm not saying anything

If this happens, Game Commander is receiving audio from one of several sources. Here's how to take care of each case:

• Your microphone. If your microphone setting is too high, the microphone may pick up noises from you, such as breathing, or around you. Go to the Microphone Setting dialog in Game Commander and adjust the microphone level so that commands are recognized only when you say them.

• Your speakers. Your speakers may be too loud. If you're not using a noise-canceling headset microphone, you have to turn down your speakers or use headphones instead of speakers.

• Your CD-ROM drive. If your game plays music from the game CD, that music may be going to Game Commander, thus interfering with recognition. Open the Windows mixer and select Properties from the Options menu. Then, click on the Recording option and click the OK button. Make sure that the Select check box for CD Audio is not checked. If it is selected, click on it to clear it.

• Your MIDI synthesizer. Some games use MIDI music and this can end up in Game Commander just like CD music. Follow the same steps above for your CD-ROM drive and make sure that the Select check box for MIDI is not checked. If it is selected, click on the check box to clear it.

Game Commander recognizes the commands for my game only when I'm at the main menu of the game and not when I'm playing

Some games use one program to display their main menu, and a completely different program for the actual game. Make sure that you're playing the game itself before you configure commands for that game. For example, if the game is a flight simulator, start the game, select a mission, and once you're in the cockpit (or flying), then switch back to Game Commander to enter your commands. This ensures that you're in the right place.

This might sound like a drag but it actually benefits you by (1) keeping the game's memory footprint smaller since it only runs the game portion when you're playing, and (2) Game Commander will only load the commands for the game, not any others that you might program for the non-playing parts of the game.

My game won’t launch or won’t make sound while Game Commander is running

If you have trouble launching your game, or your game won’t make sound while Game Commander is running, then follow these steps:

1.	Close the game.

2.	Deactivate voice input by clicking the Listen button on the Game Commander toolbar so that it is in the up position.

3.	Restart the game. It should now launch and you should hear sound.. Progress to the point where you actually start playing the game

4.	Press ALT+TAB to switch back to the Game Commander toolbar.

5.	Reactivate voice input by clicking the Listen button on the Game Commander toolbar so that it is in the down position.

6.	Press ALT+TAB to switch back to your game and begin issuing voice commands. If you still have trouble playing the game using Game Commander, please make sure you have a full-duplex sound card and refer to the other trouble-shooting topics.

With Game Commander running, I start my game and can't hear any sounds

A couple of things can stop the sounds in your game from playing:

• Your sound card is not full-duplex. A full duplex sound card can record digital audio at the same time that it's playing digital audio. You have to have a full-duplex audio card to get the most out of Game Commander. Otherwise, you'll have speech recognition or sound effects, but not both.

• Your sound card is not 'true' full-duplex. Some sound cards are labeled full-duplex but don't support full-duplex for all types of digital audio. To see if this is the case with your card, start the game first, then start Game Commander. Now, if Game Commander recognizes your commands and the game's sounds can be heard, your sound card is not truly full-duplex. Always start the game before starting Game Commander with this kind of sound card.

My game is slower when Game Commander is running

A couple of things can cause the game to run slower:

• Your sound card has limited full-duplex capability. Sound cards are labeled full-duplex if they can play and record at the same time. However, not all sound cards can support full-duplex for all formats of digital audio. For some games running with these types of sound cards, Game Commander must do extra work to compensate for the hardware limitation. This results in more CPU usage. Upgrading the sound card will resolve this problem.

• Your computer barely meets the system requirements for the game. Game Commander needs a little processing power when it is trying to recognize a command. If your computer is below or just barely meets the system requirements for the game, you may notice some overhead when Game Commander is recognizing a command. For example, if the game requires a P166 you should have at least a P200.

ALT+TAB doesn't work when I'm in the game so I can’t create a new template for it

For games that disable the ALT key or otherwise prevent you from using ALT+TAB to switch applications, a new template cannot be created automatically. Instead you will have to create the template by importing the game's executable file (*.exe) directly. See the section “To create an application template” in Sharing Templates for instructions.

ALT+TAB doesn't work when I'm in the game so I can’t add or edit commands

It is not necessary to use ALT+TAB in order to add or edit commands. See the section “Adding Commands” in Customizing Game Commander For Other Games for detailed instructions.

I can’t associate more than one keystroke combination with a command

We are adding this capability in Game Commander 1.1. There will be a free patch to upgrade all registered users of Game Commander 1.0 to version 1.1. Go to the Game Commander website (www.gamecmdr.com) for more information.

I went through all of these topics and can't find a solution

Update your sound card drivers. Be sure to download and install the latest drivers for your sound card. They are usually available from the manufacturer's web site. Many problems are resolved by using the latest drivers.

Update your Game Commander. Patches to update your Game Commander to the latest version are available on the Patches download page.

Finally, if the topics in this trouble-shooting section don’t address your problem, please refer to the support page on the Game Commander website, www.gamecmdr.com, for the latest list of frequently asked questions (FAQ).


 Glossary

Main Topics

Glossary

application template

A file that contains game-specific commands.

See also user template

automatic voice training

Game Commander automatically recognizes the spoken name of commands. Therefore, except in rare cases, it is unnecessary to perform voice input training.

command

An instruction by which the user controls a game.

command name

The name of a command.

Game Commander toolbar

A toolbar that provides access to the features and functions of Game Commander and allows you to determine the program’s input and output modes.

input

What the user says in order to execute a command using Game Commander.

See also command

sound card

A piece of hardware that enables a computer to generate and record sound. Game Commander requires a full-duplex sound card. For a list of common full-duplex sound cards on the market today, refer to the “Readme” file on the Game Commander CD.

speech recognition

The ability of a program to understand spoken words or sounds.

The two types of speech recognition are dictation, which translates spoken words into text, and command-and-control, which uses speech to execute commands. Game Commander features command-and-control recognition, using Mindmaker’s VoiceAssist® technology.

training

The process by which you train Game Commander to recognize a command. Except in rare cases, this step is unnecessary, because Game Commander automatically recognizes the names of commands as spoken by most users.

See also command

unidirectional microphone

A unidirectional microphone picks up sound input from just one direction and suppresses sound input from all other directions. It is the preferred type of microphone for use with speech recognition products because, when positioned properly, it picks up the user’s speech and ignores extraneous background noise.

user template

A file that contains your command configuration and training data in the form of application templates for each game.

See also application template


 Credits

Main Topics

Game Commander

Version 1.0

Copyright 1999 Mindmaker, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Parrott is a trademark of VXI Corporation.

MechWarrior is a registered trademark and Mercenaries is a trademark of FASA Corporation.

Decent: FreeSpace The Great War is a trademark of Interplay Productions.

VoiceAssist is a registered trademark of Creative Technology, Ltd., and is licensed to Mindmaker, Inc.