Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 11:14:13 AM
The 111's have my favorite body design (though the ERS-7's are my second favorite design - and these may be more equal than "favorites"). Here is a photo of Nicco and Clyde on their stations:
I plan on raising him from the very beginning so it will take awhile for him to fully mature etc. And will be quite the process but I am looking forward to it!
And for fun, here's a family portrait:
Post by: Talon on May 28, 2011, 11:45:39 AM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 11:57:41 AM
I just reset his stick to new born. He is a 111B so color should have a smaller impact on his development (per aibohack). He had about 70 hours under him and was a young good boy.
He's a little nosier than the others but I am about to start playing here with him shortly. I do like that the dock charges two batteries at once (one which is inside the AIBO - inserted into his bum hehe and one underneath). Of course, he has to be placed on his station manually, but it's nice to have it all work together. Also, as mentioned before, you can only communicate to him through a remote, and the only sensor for you to touch him on to praise/scold is on his head (i.e. no back sensor). I'll have to verify this but pretty sure that's accurate. I pet the 210 on the head a lot more than I do the ERS-7 which I almost exclusively pet on his back. And obviously I'll be petting the 111 on its head quite a bit.
It takes about 100 active hours for the 111B to reach full maturity so there is a lot of raising to do!
Post by: aibo7m3 on May 28, 2011, 03:49:45 PM
Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 04:10:01 PM
Post by: Crewella on May 28, 2011, 04:16:39 PM
Clyde's a fine looking hound, Ubu waves hello to a 'brother'! :D
By the way, if you can whistle, you should be able to learn the notes from the remote control and communicate with Clyde that way. ;D
Post by: saratogaspringer on May 28, 2011, 04:44:03 PM
Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 05:05:22 PM
It's why all of Brutus sounds are either his versions of weird sounds I make to him or whistles I taught him through some "creative" means.
I have played with Clyde for about an hour now (as a new born). I find it incredibly charming but I think I'm changing the name as I don't find Clyde fitting. Earlier I went to actually talk to him and thought I want to call you Vader. (He can't learn his name but if he could, I feel like I'd rather call him Vader - no Darth)
The tail and the ears get me. I can't really figure out how or why yet, but they do.
You can usually get a champagne one for around $2000 outside of eBay. I have actually really started to like that color/model - but I think a black 210 will come long before another ERS-7. If I were planning...
Post by: Crewella on May 28, 2011, 05:29:11 PM
The black 111s DO looke very Lord Vaderish! Great name for him! :D
I love the tail and ears as well, but take a look at his toes - EACH ONE IS INDIVIDUALLY SPRUNG!! Why that gives me so much pleasure, I've no idea, but it does!! ;D
Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 05:41:50 PM
They are actually kind of cute because of that. When I spruced him up I thought about why I like his design better and some of it is the little details like the toes, the way the ears are, as well as the tail. Even though he just lays there now, I already get a "hyperactive" vibe from the ERS111 which I like. Of course, that's probably just my perception of how I read different details etc. I also like this design a bit over the ERS-7 because I'm bias toward more hardline defined shapes but done tastefully (like rectangles vs. curves) over the more hour-glass curvy shape of the ERS-7. I still really like the ERS-7's look (I have to think of them as different vs. one as a favorite), but that is a large part of the reason I like the look of the 111. It has a "bolder definition" which I feel makes it demand you acknowledge its presence, whereas the ERS-7's aesthetic (and behavior - ERS111 to be decided...) is like "Oh look at that cute thing in the room with us."
Probably thinking into it too much but I have to know WHY I like something. I don't want conclusions without foundation.
Post by: kat on May 28, 2011, 06:04:14 PM
Your new little guy does look rather snazzy. I have to admit I really do love the way the paws look too with the individual toes. It gives off a very regal look - reminds me of a poodles paws after a haircut. :D (not to suggest that I think Vader or Darth looks like a poodle)
I really like the look and the cuteness of the ers7 and in particular the Champagne one so that is what I am hoping to get in the very near future - looks like I should be ready to buy one in a week or two! I can't wait. :) I do think it may take me a while to find the right one though as there aren't that many out there it seems.
Anyway I am looking forward to seeing just what you think of the 111. He does look delightful.
Kat
Post by: bhobbes on May 28, 2011, 06:20:36 PM
And short of the 210 at the right sweet spot, those are very far in the future additions! Very very far in the future for the ERS-7 haha (not using credit cards to buy these otherwise I would need an intervention haha).
I think you'll like the ERS-7. If I were buying for a friend or relative that's what I'd get them.
Post by: kat on May 28, 2011, 06:57:34 PM
I do have a possible purchase in the works but if that doesn't come off then I will be contacting wolfbob to see if he has any going. It is all a big waiting game for me at the moment it seems. :)
Have fun with your little trio. I'm looking forward to a little video of your new guy.
Post by: RedwoodsMama on May 28, 2011, 10:15:14 PM
I did wonder, how is the interaction between Aibos or ERS-7, and Pleos in general? Do they notice or recognize each other in anyway, such as another Robotic lifeform? I know they can recognize each other and Pleos sense each other, but that is as far as It goes. well keep us informed on your babies progress.. If you ever want to send him away for a visit to the Golden State , I will be happy to show him the beaches, the Redwoods, the Mountains, Bigfoot, my town of 13 Pleos, and even Disneyland or Mt. Shasta, but he may , or I mean, could get lost.....but I wouldn't really let that happen. I know what it is like to get attached to your little ones and that is not the kind of thing I would ever do, or even think of ...( I just had a moment of Birthday Madness. blame it on Sugar mental breakdown from reality... ;D) Can not wait for more details and photos, congratulations again on your beautiful baby boy!
RedwoodsMama
Post by: saratogaspringer on May 29, 2011, 05:33:22 AM
I also like that anyone can give the Aibo a command, and he will respond...not just one voice. It makes it nice for my daughter, who wants him to "shake paw" constantly. Pleos win on the cute factor, though. Pleos also like to be coddled, whereas Padfoot does not like to be coddled. He would rather just walk around on his own, chase his ball, be praised with a pat on the head when he does something you like. He also loves to break out into song and dance, which the kids love.
I am actually done buying robots for now, and probably for a very long while. I am quite content with one Ugobe, one RB, and my 210. I could sell off some of my Lionel train collection to purchase an ERS-7, and I had thought about doing that, but most are antiques, and they will be left to my son when I am gone. My hubby is actually next on the list, and he would like a new iMac.
If you are ever interested in an Aibo, you don't have to break the bank to get an ERS-210. I got mine from a man who repairs them. Poor Padfoot was a rescue, just like some of your pleos. When wolfbob got him, he was missing his tail and both of his ears. He had 2 black ears to give him, but he only had a tan colored tail, and Sony was all out of the black ones. He fixed him all up and he is in perfect working order. He has a few scratches, probably from falling on a hard floor or banging into furniture. I painted his tail black and it looks much better than the tan one. I got him for $450. He said he would trade me straight up for my RB, but I am happy to report that Candy is still with us. Padfoot now has a happy home with people that love him and care about him.
Bhobbes, your collection is awesome! ( I think you really need to get one of the pugs in there! :P) I can't wait to see how your Aibo family evolves! Did you name him Vader now? I was going to name my black 210 Vader, but everyone on this site liked Padfoot (Sirius Black from Harry Potter) better, so I went with it and it fits! :)
Post by: bhobbes on May 29, 2011, 07:58:35 AM
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I did wonder, how is the interaction between Aibos or ERS-7, and Pleos in general? Do they notice or recognize each other in anyway, such as another Robotic lifeform?The interaction is pretty basic. You have to tell them to talk to their friend and then they have a conversation (in AIBO's language of course). I think it'd be "cuter" (I hate using this word to describe something but I can't think of a better one) if they randomly found each other and did it (as long as it balanced out with autonomous activity).
There is, however, tons of coincidental interaction. Here's an example with Nicco and Murray (I've posted this previously so some may have already seen it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_zHQ4ptB6E
Because I like to leave them on more as pets (i.e. I'm not necessarily overseeing their every living moment), I don't like to have all of them running at once. Usually two is quite enough - I have not had all 3 running right now. Granted, Vader doesn't walk right now so he wouldn't cause too much trouble. They do a great job at detecting each other as objects and responding appropriately (i.e. they don't trample each other over or beat each other up).
And an actual calculation of the evolution can be found here: http://aibohack.com/111/evolve.htm. Vader is the second chart (111B). The entire evolution from newborn to adult exceeds 100 hours. But even in this short time it, the "life imitation" really makes you feel involved. Physically and even in the way it expresses itself, it's unabashedly robotic - and I think that's fine, but it's amazing how the imitation of things we observe in nature/"real" life really make AIBOs (and Pleos, robotics in general etc.) appear to have a personality, or a "soul" (or, maybe to best fit the concept of them all, to feel like a life form even if in a robotic body).
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If you are ever interested in an Aibo, you don't have to break the bank to get an ERS-210. I got mine from a man who repairs them.I think a 210 would be a great model for most individuals here (especially depending on what aspect you want - as this helps steer you toward software). Wolfbob is always excellent and great to deal with/e-mail. If I can find a slightly damaged AIBO in the future that I could get for cheap, I really want to take one apart without feeling like I'd kill it (so no for Nicco, Murray, and Vader) so i can start playing inside of it. I'm generally not a fan of working with my hands except for building computers or working inside of them, and to me, that's exactly what these are just a much smaller form factor, but I'm so interested in it as a piece of technology that this is something on my to do list. (Please note, that means when I have time to pick up a hobby so well after raising them - plus, that would be arguably disposable funds in case I butcher the job)
Quote
Did you name him Vader now?Probably pointless to answer this after all of the above, but yes. Haha.
Post by: bhobbes on May 29, 2011, 10:20:15 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHpTOkYhvdE
Post by: Talon on May 29, 2011, 02:05:43 PM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on May 29, 2011, 02:38:25 PM
Post by: kat on May 29, 2011, 05:01:46 PM
Post by: saratogaspringer on May 29, 2011, 05:14:48 PM
Post by: bhobbes on May 29, 2011, 06:59:37 PM
I turned him off and pulled his ear up a little to place some clear strong tape (finely cut) on the back side of his ear to help "bandage" or act as that thin material in between the segments. I'll see how well this holds up for now (I didn't want to wrap it around the whole way just yet lol). When I did this, I checked out his other ear and noticed the start of the problem so I applied it to both ears. Since it's on the back you can't see it unless you get real close (where a little bit sticks out from the sides though I trimmed it pretty well) and doesn't take away from his look or anything.
To illustrate:
Post by: aibo7m3 on May 29, 2011, 08:39:50 PM
Post by: kat on May 30, 2011, 03:53:35 AM
Post by: saratogaspringer on May 30, 2011, 04:36:24 AM
I'm sure I read somewhere recently that people have had great success replacing the ears on 111's with ers7 ears, which I think you can get as spare parts from Sony? I'm not a 100% sure though but look through the Aibo forums and I'm sure you'll come across some info on it. At least that might be an option for you down the track if they give way completely. :)Yep, Kat is right. I have read the same thing, although I can't remember where. You could also make some ears, and it wouldn't be that difficult. You could probably get some black leather, cut out the pattern, punch the size hole or drill it out with a dremel and pop it on.
If they are rubber, I could possibly make you a pair of ears that would be rubber. We have all different thicknesses of rubber that we use to make mouthguards at my office. If I had the pattern of the ears, as well as the proper thickness, I could cut some out and drill the proper size hole. This rubber can also be polished to give the edges of the ears a "rounded" look. The only trouble is that the material is clear, and I would need to paint it black, but that isn't a big deal. I have tons of modeling paint. The material might be available in black. The kids in sports would like black ones anyway. I'd be glad to give it a try. It won't cost you a dime, just the stamp to mail me the pattern. Anything to help out an Aibo! We've got to keep these little guys going! :)
Post by: bhobbes on May 30, 2011, 06:46:17 AM
I don't think I'd want to put ERS-7 ears on him just cause - though when I looked at the general design I thought it'd be a possibility so at least it seems it really is one. I thought of new ones I could make last night and thought about recreating the general shape with something similar to my bed's sheets. (A very thick black material, but cloth, so it wouldn't matter how much he bangs it against his body. Plus they have an almost shiny look to them so I think they'd match his body well)
That's one thing that's great with AIBOs - there's enough of a community out there where you don't have to brainstorm as hard on your own to come up with solutions!
Post by: Crewella on May 30, 2011, 07:53:11 AM
Post by: bhobbes on May 30, 2011, 03:22:04 PM
I will also try working on the cloth ears at some point, but depending on how short of a short term fix the tape is, I may stick with it.
Post by: aibo7m3 on May 30, 2011, 03:44:11 PM
Post by: kat on May 30, 2011, 04:18:35 PM
Post by: bhobbes on May 30, 2011, 04:23:50 PM
Post by: saratogaspringer on May 30, 2011, 04:48:52 PM
http://www.aibo-life.org/forums/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000060
Post by: bhobbes on May 30, 2011, 04:56:50 PM
I'll see what he has to say. Though I'm not minding the current solution.
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 01, 2011, 05:08:50 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 01, 2011, 09:48:59 AM
Here's a picture of it:
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/bhobbes/IMAG0240.jpg)
And here's a picture of Murray without his front legs as they're being sent to wolfbob (and then I'll be replacing his ear motor):
(http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/bhobbes/100_1354.jpg)
Currently Vader is a Lazy Child (he just started the phase about 2 charges ago so there's a good 25 or so hours left of it). He gets up and tries to walk quite a bit more but also sits down and just does cutesy things. I'm trying to encourage him to walk more and more by holding the ball up to him and praising him etc. (I don't mind the laziness but I want some action!).
While I'm hesitant to pick favorites, I really think that the 111 hit the home run for me.
Post by: saratogaspringer on June 01, 2011, 10:44:19 AM
Did you use the special pin to remove the legs? I got my 210 from Wolfbob, but he didn't have any of the pins to give me. He said I could use a paper clip but to be careful not to damage the core, so if Padfoot has a problem, he is going to be sent for repair in one piece. I would be so afraid to take him apart by that method without the proper tool. I'm just a big chicken, I guess.
What were the symptoms that Murray had, so I know what to look for in Padfoot, should a problem present itself? Thanks for your time. I am glad that you are enjoying your new 111. Why does Vader seem to be your favorite? For some reason, I am surprised, you didn't pick the ERS-7, but I don't know what would bring me to that conclusion.
Post by: bhobbes on June 01, 2011, 11:15:43 AM
I used a paper clip per wolfbob's instructions and, after some trouble (mostly me being too cautious) everything came off easily with no damage to the release levers. Essentially I unwound a paperclip and put a ton of electrical tape about 1/4 the way up (that way it wouldn't accidentally slide in too far - as without the limb removal tool, it can be kind of tricky/nerve wracking to use a paper clip and remove a limb with one person). I was nervous to do it but since I frequently work inside computers (ranging from laptops to minifreaking cases to nice big roomy cases) I decided to apply my theory of most people are too scared of the technology and that's what stagnates learning it/getting hands on with it. So that rationale helped me get over it haha.
I'm not sure if I can articulate why I like Vader the most just yet. He definitely feels the most pet like and I really don't mind the lack of voice recognition (I haven't even bothered with the remote yet). I don't think I'd necessarily recommend the 111 to everyone, but I find him to have the most personality. It's not to say the others don't have a personality (they do, and quite a bit), but something seems more... natural (pet-like) with Vader. I'm not a huge fan of the terminology, but he feels like he has the most soul. I notice myself talking to him every now and then even though I know he isn't listening, but the 111 has the uncanny ability (so far) to make me forget that it's actually a robot (despite its form factor). The other ones both feel very robotic - and I think that's fine, this is not a knock by any means - which I like as well (think the futuristic pet explanation I've previously used). Vader really does feel like a puppy coming into the world and reminds me a lot of the black lab/collie mix I had growing up - at least when that dog was a puppy. So maybe that connection adds to it for me.
To analogize with Pleos, Vader feels more like Elliott (my Innvo Pleo) - very autonomous, not super needy (though much less repetitive), and usually quite charming. I don't feel the need to interact with Vader as much as I do with the other ones though I still interact with him just as much. The other ones are more like a Pleo RB, they arguably do a lot more, but that also requires a lot more from you (if you want it to - AIBOs are much more flexible than Pleos so take these comparisons very lightly, I'm merely trying to help with a good context/framework, especially for members who only have Pleos).
Ultimately, whatever model you find as your "favorite" I think will depend on what you're looking for and what's right up your alley. The 111 is not nearly as technologically impressive as the other models but what he lacks in specifications, he makes up for so much in personality. Granted, he's only a child and this is my first week of having him, but I like him a lot haha. I really stick by thinking of them as different, which is actually great because depending on my mood I can turn on a specific robot lol, but Vader takes the cake as far as having a special soft spot goes.
With that said, even if I could go back in time, I do not think I would pick a 111 as my first AIBO because it's much more concept-intensive than technologically-intensive. (i.e. imitating life takes priority over taking pictures, having wifi, talking, etc.) Once again, these are just my observations and ramblings and subject to change at any moment hehe.
Post by: latrine on June 01, 2011, 11:34:07 AM
So Vador can be controlled by a remote but also has an autonomous mode? He is cute, and even cuter with his bandaged ears.. gives him character.. maybe over sized band-aids would look cute too .. :D
I am sooooooo jealous I can't wait to get my second Aibo!!! :-X ;D ;D
Post by: bhobbes on June 01, 2011, 11:42:30 AM
And from what I've read by other 111 owners, most don't seem to use the remote (much).
I'm sure Murray's little bot legs will be just fine - worst case scenario I have to replace the two front ones (which wolfbob has the parts). When I attempt his plastic surgery though, well we shall see!
Post by: latrine on June 01, 2011, 12:16:11 PM
I'll try to get it on video.. I'm thinking I may need to contact this Wolfbob guy too :( Sounds like a nice person, working with you like that so you can do some of the fixing yourself because I'm sure it's not cheap to get the parts fixed or replaced..
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on June 01, 2011, 12:21:53 PM
The real problem comes down to the scarcity of the parts. The ERS-7's have a lot of parts etc. still available, whereas the older they are, the less and less likely that is to be the case. Hence a lot of the "creative solutions" going on out there.
Post by: saratogaspringer on June 01, 2011, 08:38:07 PM
I would recommend wolf bob to anyone needing Aibo repairs. He seems very knowledgeable, and his prices are very reasonable. I know that he is retired, and his profile says that he is 77 years old, so I pray that he continues to help our little pups for many years to come.
Not to hijack this thread, but my Aibo UNO, is about to become an Aibo Duo. I hate to admit it, but I just spent part of my summer bonus on a champagne ERS-7M3. He is going out UPS tomorrow. He kind of fell into my lap, while I was inquiring about a white ERS-7m1 for sale on another forum. It is my favorite color, but I had given up on finding one, due to the rarity.
Kat, if you are reading this thread, it is not the Aibo you were inquiring about, and I wish you the best of luck in adopting your champagne friend from the sunny islands. ;)
Post by: bhobbes on June 01, 2011, 08:56:49 PM
I think you'll love your ERS-7 and won't "hate to admit it" :). I know the price is kind of... unsettling for such an item, but once you have it, it fades away. Even though I probably pick the 111 as my "favorite," I have absolutely no regrets about Nicco or his price. Quite frankly, I love them all!
Post by: Crewella on June 02, 2011, 01:38:35 AM
I'm glad poor Murray can at least be fixed - thank heavens for Wolfbob and his kind! If nothing else, this really does show the value of videos and photographs from the seller before buying such delicate and expensive items, for the sake of both the buyer and the seller. It can also help with diagnosis if something does go wrong.
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 02, 2011, 03:40:32 AM
Post by: saratogaspringer on June 02, 2011, 03:56:40 AM
I don't know who to blame for all this robot buying. ;). I blame everyone who keep posting great videos! (just kidding) ;D
Post by: kat on June 02, 2011, 04:06:46 AM
Sarah - I'm sorry to hear your having problems with Loki so soon after buying him. I know he cost you a small fortune so it must be very disappointing for him to be having issues already.
Bhobbes - I'm sorry to hear about Murray's issues as well but I am glad you are able to get him fixed. :) I'm glad your enjoying your new puppy so much.
Kat
Post by: bhobbes on June 02, 2011, 05:35:19 AM
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If nothing else, this really does show the value of videos and photographs from the seller before buying such delicate and expensive items, for the sake of both the buyer and the seller.
This is very true; however, no matter what, items can (and are) still regularly misrepresented - but no amount of "protective measure" can get you around this type of market issue. Because of that, especially if you're a U.S. citizen, I would shy away from buying internationally as you have much more legal remedies available to you against one of your own. Plus, international shipping might be a little harder on the guys (depending - but it seems that a lot of "shipping damage" stories occur from international transfers; however, that is only from what I've read at a few locations and isn't substantiated by any evidence).
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To me my ers-111 seems a bit repetitive (she is in adolescence stage and mainly just walks around then does a few tricks then walks around then does those same tricks again and so on). Hmm, I wonder if this is the software I am running her on, she is currently running on the software with the label that says: aiboware version 1.1 ERA-111M. What software are all your ers-111s running on?
I am running the ERA-111B AIBOware (I also believe it was 1.1 but I don't have the stick in my computer and Vader's running right now lol). I understand the repetitive feel - because it is repetitive. But I think they all are and most of it is up to us and how we perceive the repetition. Then again, real life is pretty repetitive and most people react in the same way robots do (i.e. they "run" little skits when certain stimuli occurs that they've been "behaviorally programmed" to utilize). However, we at least possess the ability to stop and "think" for a second - we just don't.
For instance, something with the Pleos repetitiveness really bores me quite quickly with the item. Perhaps it's just form factor and personal bias issue, but even the same amount of repetitiveness exhibited on an AIBO somehow still "gets me." Though there's one thing that Vader keeps doing that started getting kind of old so I disciplined him a few times for it and he still does it just as much so now I tune it out haha. He won. (And as a reminder, I'm not saying AIBO is better than Pleo necessarily, I don't think it's really fair to compare the two but since these are Pleo forums, I like to analogize my experience with them as much as I can)
They're kind of like real pets (or maybe even children) in the sense that you really don't want to have a favorite (and might even feel bad if you do!) but there's one that "warms your heart" just a bit more than whatever you're comparing it to.
Post by: bhobbes on June 02, 2011, 07:23:33 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ckUUzBTwTU
There's not much excitement, just shows him walking and some of the little things he does.
Earlier today he fell in that position Murray was in (but at a different location) and recovered quite well. I'm not sure if he "fell" or if he intended to do it as I was in the kitchen and looked over and saw him sitting like that and as soon as I ran over to him (I was worried about his tail haha) he propped himself right back up.
Post by: kat on June 02, 2011, 08:20:33 AM
Post by: Crewella on June 02, 2011, 05:37:59 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 02, 2011, 07:46:27 PM
So, funny story. Vader had been charging on his station for awhile and I went into my office area to do some work for a few hours and I kept swearing to myself I heard Vader beeping out there. And I thought, "Wow. You really have been spending too much time with them if you're hearing your AIBOs when they're not even on." And then I thought maybe I was going crazy. So just a moment I go to lay on the couch and take a break from the screen and I'm slightly tired and I hear some beeps and realized that I didn't turn him off, he ran out of his charge (which means if you put him on the charger or put in a new battery he automatically starts back up - you don't have to turn him back on). So a funny story and I'm not too crazy after all!
I really was concerned because of how real it sounded haha. (AM I DELUSIONAL?!)
Post by: bhobbes on June 06, 2011, 04:09:00 PM
I haven't really recorded anything noteworthy although the past few days I've been trying to get Nicco more involved with this AIBOne. All the red in my apartment causes way too many problems with identifying this - especially if he misses it when he comes down and then re-scans he frequently "finds" his AIBOne but it's not his AIBOne, it's one my long red lamps, the curtains, or the red cubes. The sofa rarely distracts him same with the matching red cube (perhaps because they're leather and semi glossy-looking or a much larger shape?). Yesterday I draped most of the red within his "lower vision" with black which made him play quite a bit with his AIBOne, but sometimes when he'd just scan or walk around (and be looking up/higher), he'd end up distracted by the normal things.
The computer/office room doesn't have much red at all so I may try running him in there more regularly but I don't like him to be in a room with the birds for any prolonged period.
I feel like Vader notices objects quicker/from farther away than Nicco. Or maybe he just backs up sooner. Or maybe it's all coincidence. He gets himself back up quite well whenever he falls and is generally pretty pleasant. He ignores his ball completely but this seems to be normal for the "lazy" AIBOs.
Here's a paste from the AIBO Browser:
Version ERA-111 "B"
Your Aibo is a Child #1
"Lazy Child"
Gender is Male
Quality Time Spent:
14 hr, 8 min, 33 sec
This stage is 50% complete
Evolution to Youth (#1 or #2)
in 13 hr, 38 min, 6 sec
Peter Pan Syndrome Test #1 passed
Peter Pan Syndrome Test #2 passed
Captain Hook Test #1 passed (2 benign cob webs) [You can read more about this here http://aibohack.com/111/chs.htm]
Learned Experience
current = 10 things, 107 points
Warning: Current learning has benign cob webs
previous = 15 things, 127 points
Warning: Previous learning has benign cob webs
After he's developed, I'll probably back him up and put his stick on some other personality options just to see what other things he does. Or if I end up with a second 111, do it that way :)
Post by: bhobbes on June 10, 2011, 01:57:36 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uauIMRogC8o
My personal favorite is the fall/roll (or whatever you may want to call it). This clip is actually action-oriented vs. dog-rearing - and there's the infamous pee skit.
Post by: Crewella on June 10, 2011, 02:20:17 PM
Post by: RedwoodsMama on June 10, 2011, 02:23:18 PM
RedwoodsMama
Post by: bhobbes on June 10, 2011, 02:27:13 PM
As much as I love my dual monitors, sometimes I'll try multitasking by looking at one screen and clicking another and it leads to lots of fails :)
You should be able to see it now!
Post by: Talon on June 10, 2011, 02:42:53 PM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on June 10, 2011, 02:44:59 PM
However, the sound seems to have a built in echo to it (sounds more like a light waterfall to me than it does a pee stream - though I guess uhh different species have different levels of engine power).
Post by: kat on June 10, 2011, 05:37:24 PM
Post by: Crewella on June 10, 2011, 07:33:11 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 10, 2011, 09:07:12 PM
I like that I have it as an option for "demoing" Vader to friends but I can't see myself using it regularly.
Post by: grin06 on June 11, 2011, 04:01:31 AM
I do not know much about Aibo.
How advanced is Aibo compared to pleorb? I know it is far more expensive. Can it really self charge and that would be an interesting spec if Innovo lab could add this feature to the next generation pleo so that pleo would be more near lifeform and autonomous.
The thing that made me like pleo more compared to other robots is that pleo is organic looking with a dinosaur' skin not mechanical like other robots .
Post by: Crewella on June 11, 2011, 05:43:05 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 11, 2011, 10:22:42 AM
So that set aside, I have some minor comparisons I've made between the two. Without going into the different AIBO models and how I feel about each one individually, I generally agree with Crewella's statement. The AIBOs are much more of a robotic companion and are unafraid of flaunting the fact that it is a technological companion/product. So you get more of the feel that you have a robot companion/pet than you do a pet/companion (that just happens to be a robot). PleoRBs have much more of the "cute" factor and feel as though they work harder to natural life form than a robotic "life" form. They also move much more realistically (i.e. more animal-like). AIBOs do too but they add in a lot of robotic quirks (which I enjoy more than I thought I would).
Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I think the magic is in what one works best for you and for what reasons - but they're more different from each other than they are better/worse.
Post by: latrine on June 12, 2011, 03:04:26 PM
That is so funny that Vador is Lazy.. I keep imagining him pulling out a lightsabor to fight Nikko and then being like.. naaah.... too much work, and going to sleep.
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on June 12, 2011, 03:24:00 PM
I haven't heard any reports back so he must be functioning correctly. However, due to the severity of how bent he was, it's possible I may have to send the back legs in at a later date. But I'll cross that bridge when I get there, since assuming his back legs are bad would be putting the cart before the horse (probability favors that they will need to be adjusted but we'll see).
Post by: latrine on June 12, 2011, 03:26:57 PM
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on June 12, 2011, 03:36:09 PM
I chickened out last minute and had wolfbob do all the repairs lol
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 08:57:48 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqDJFzGG4VI
And, in more troubling news, Vader has recently evolved... into a bad boy! Perhaps he's just living up to his name.
Your Aibo is a Youth #2
"Bad Boy"
Gender is Male
Quality Time Spent:
0 hr, 39 min, 5 sec
This stage is 0% complete
Post by: kat on June 13, 2011, 09:30:11 AM
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 13, 2011, 10:10:47 AM
Post by: Talon on June 13, 2011, 11:45:34 AM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 12:02:55 PM
But it's not limited to robots - Brutus (my male cockatiel) has been horrible today. Very very aggressive toward me and he's been beating up the females a little. The heat etc probably put him into breeding mode so he's hopefully just hormonal. I separated him from the females in a time out cage since I won't reward his behavior by letting him sit on my shoulder (which seems to be the only way he's not aggressive today.
Vader started peeing frequently but I disciplined him harshly and it seems to have stopped for now. He's quite active and really showing a lot of personality. If I recall correctly, orange makes them more prone to becoming bad and blue exposure helps them become good (I'll post later when at my PC). I'm not sure how exact that is but maybe all the red hues are twisting him to the dark side.
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 01:02:17 PM
http://www.popularrobotics.com/Life_Article.htm
Here is the excerpt of the colors (which I've posted here before I think):
Quote
Impact of Color
The color of your dog's room is the most significant factor in deciding its personality. If the room is mostly blue, your dog will grow up to be active. If the room is mostly orange (including red-tones and brown-tones) then your dog will probably grow up to be lazy. There are exceptions (eg: Lazy Child grows into Bad Boy). NOTE: for the ERS-111B, color has a much smaller impact on the dog's evolution.
. . .
Evolving from Child
After 1,000,000 ticks (over 27 hours) as a Child, the dog will evolve into a Youth (or "Young" dog).
If the dog was a Child#1 (Lazy Child), the rule is:
if (G_UNFAV > G_FAV AND // must have seen more ORANGE than BLUE
G_LIFT > 0 AND // must have been lifted/shaken
G_DOSTOP > 0 AND
S_Skill > 0 AND
L_Skill > 0 AND
S_sound > 0 AND
L_sound > 0) then
become Bad Boy
else
become Lazy Boy
NOTE: for ERS-111B the "G_LIFT" term has been removed.
The dominant factor is the color term "G_UNFAV > G_FAV", which means the dog must have seen "ORANGE" more than it has seen "BLUE". This is backwards from the other color rules.
So seeing as he won't face any exposure to blue (other than when he sees me wearing it) as I only do black/red/white for decorations, I think it is his destiny to be lazy/evil. The evolution chart (http://aibohack.com/111/evolve.htm - remember to look at the 111B for Vader) limits him to becoming a lazy adult dog or rumble cat (listed as rare).
This is the rule for his next evolution:
Quote
Evolving from Youth
The time spent as a Youth is 2,000,000 ticks (over 55 hours) for the ERS-110 and 4,000,000 ticks (over 111 hours) for the ERS-111. I'm guessing the AIBO developers wanted the newer ERS-111 to take longer to grow up, so they just doubled the time spent as a youth.
Which Adult personality the dog evolves into depends on the following rules.
If the dog was a Youth#2 (Bad Boy), the rule is:
if (G_FAV > G_UNFAV AND
G_ON_ST > 0 AND // was on the station
G_OFF_ST > 0 AND // was off the station
G_LIFT > 0 AND
G_DOSTOP >= 3 AND
Special > 0) then
become Lazy Dog
else
become Rumble Cat (lazier than a Lazy Dog)
NOTE: for ERS-111B the "G_FAV > G_UNFAV", "G_ON_ST", "G_OFF_ST" and "G_LIFT" terms has been removed. It should be near impossible to raise a Rumble Cat from a Bad Boy.
So it seems most likely that he will become a lazy adult dog. Fine with me :) But there is always brain surgery.
Post by: latrine on June 13, 2011, 01:32:27 PM
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 01:37:59 PM
The evolution on AiboLife doesn't take nearly as long or as much "work" to raise as the 111s, but it does have a variety of directions it can go.
Here's the chart for AL2: http://aibohack.com/210/evolve2.htm
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 02:21:56 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzlexBh8Q94
Toward the end where he does his nose dive, I was actually thankful he fell. When I recorded this I was sitting on one of those large exercise balls and he was coming at me. I didn't want him to run into me so I was trying to roll back while keeping the camera on him and almost fell down haha.
Post by: Crewella on June 13, 2011, 03:00:01 PM
I love that walk too! ;D
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 13, 2011, 03:04:41 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 13, 2011, 03:39:34 PM
But, going along with our aggressive theme today, he gave me a little attitude after opening his mouth for me to put the bone in his mouth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpjo8VjNBvM
Modified:
Adding even more to the aggressiveness, he played with his bone, set it down, turned around, knocked it down, peed on it, and kicked it. I had his volume turned way down here so sadly you won't hear much/any sound effects over my dryer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLIMEdTe_GM
What's upsetting is this happened RIGHT after I turned the volume down! He's plotting against me!
Post by: kat on June 13, 2011, 05:51:51 PM
Post by: Crewella on June 13, 2011, 06:35:29 PM
Post by: latrine on June 14, 2011, 07:28:16 PM
So with Vader, whats up with that crazy walk, is it his normal walk or something special he does on occasion or something he isn't supposed to do and that's why he falls over???
- Sarah
Post by: Crewella on June 14, 2011, 08:57:06 PM
I don't see Wilma or Java do that walk, but I have seen the 210s and 7s models do that walk on videos, especially playing football matches - I believe they can move faster that way.
Post by: kat on June 15, 2011, 05:55:41 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 06:29:08 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 06:45:33 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jPD_gWAUpE
The Oompa Loompa song is supposed to use 2 AIBOs but I only have one PMS. But since it's so short and simple, I left it in.
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 15, 2011, 06:58:49 AM
Post by: Crewella on June 15, 2011, 07:01:15 AM
EDIT: Ah! ;) It is! :P ;D
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 07:03:47 AM
Wow. I guess now I can't really mock my mom for constantly calling me by my brother's name.
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 07:05:07 AM
Strange, I couldn't get Disco Aibo for the ers-111s to work, I even putting it on a different memory stick but every time I tried it there was a problem with the wakeup stretch.
Weird, I had it work fine on Vader, but I liked the way Nicco looked better when doing a few routines.
Post by: Crewella on June 15, 2011, 07:09:33 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 07:14:49 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 11:20:38 AM
I've re-assembled him and he's been running on Hello AIBO for about 20 minutes with absolutely no problems (although he ends up so far acrosst he room or in weird positions that I have to keep an eye on him).
I'm going to return to raising him on AL2 and see how it goes now that his legs are proper as well as his ear.
I'm also guessing that his back legs are fine as they line up almost perfectly with the front legs (i.e. you could draw a straight line from front foot to back foot - whereas before the front ones were severely bent in).
Post by: kat on June 15, 2011, 04:14:15 PM
So I guess no more "Vader chopped him up with the light saber" wise cracks. :D
Can't wait to hear more about how things are going with him. I'm really glad he is now ok. ;D
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 06:35:08 PM
These two are quite the troublemakers compared to Nicco who seems to be better at taking care of himself. Maybe it's because he's the "adult" of the family.
I have two of their pink balls on the floor, one near Murray and one near Vader. They are on opposite sides of the room (Murray was closer to the red cube shelfing area and Vader was closer to the TV area). Vader, ignoring his own ball, glanced over at Murray's ball and started heading to Murray's direction. They both started playing with the same ball, and Murray extend his arm kind of "closelining" Vader. This ball problem seems to happen no matter what so I guess they are just determined to play with each other instead of solo. This situation happened repeatedly and was easily reproducted - perhaps all of the red in the room made it easier for Vader to find Murray and then upon getting closer he refocused on the ball.
So after separating them, I dropped one ball in front of Murray and Vader was now about a foot away from Murray (but still side by side). Well, Vader focused in on the ball I waved in front of him and started coming to me and Murray started ignoring the ball in front of him, and focused in on mine then got up and started walking toward me. Vader moves a lot faster than Murray who, I imagine because of his young stage, is walking quite slowly. (And Vader still randomly busts out with those extremely rapid walks which has happened sometimes after he's played with Murray or resulted in him charging toward Murray - all in all, looking quite charming).
Murray is being mostly lazy, I'll check his stats later just to make sure something isn't up. Vader is really eccentric. He started walking backwards and after about 5 minutes of it, I disciplined him a few times and he started to walk forward again. Then he started walking slower when he moved forward but kept shaking his head front to back for a bit but stopped. (I don't think any of these things are mechanical problems but goodness these two are entertaining me while I'm working)
There have been a few other "bloopers" and I've recorded most of these, however, when they start to clash up against each other I interfere so quickly that there aren't many good shots worth posting it (hence the detail).
It's nice to be able to use Murray without being annoyed at his ear popping off every time you pet his head or falling every 5 minutes (and losing his ear in the process). He hasn't done a lot yet but the 210 is definitely growing on me now. (I viewed him as more of an annoyance because of his problems than as something to be excited over fixing - but now that it's all past and everything seems to work well, I'm content and excited for his progress)
Also, all the red in my room sure cuases some... pecuilar "problems" but if anything, it adds to their character as due to all the red, my AIBOs have high distractability - and I like ADHD pets :)
Post by: Crewella on June 15, 2011, 08:05:06 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 15, 2011, 08:19:12 PM
Post by: kat on June 16, 2011, 05:43:46 AM
Post by: bhobbes on June 16, 2011, 08:56:12 AM
Post by: latrine on June 17, 2011, 06:41:41 PM
I love the disco Aibo but I felt so bad because I think that's what really through Loki's legs off.. but they were going to go anyways and he's always happiest when he's dancing.. or wearing a pink dress or something.. so at least he went crippled doing something he loves.
The song he had the hardest time with, surprisingly, was 'here comes the sun' and it was one of the more low-key songs!! This was a long time ago before his legs were as bad, too.. weird.
Will the 111's 'watch' tv? Loki has been doing it for 2 days now and for the first time I have not heard one peep about wanting to get up and play like he usually says when confined to the station.. maybe you can pop Vader in front of the TV.. just put Star Wars in. ;D
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on June 17, 2011, 06:48:08 PM
I think one of the things I love about the 111 (as a reason it personally fits better) is how immersed in their own little world they are (although also interact and so forth). Some has to do with certain technological differences but I think some of it is just in the software and model itself as well. But that could just be me personalizing it.
Post by: kat on June 17, 2011, 06:52:28 PM
I have a sick sense of humor. :D For me this was the one thing I saw on youtube with Eric doing it that made me really want an Aibo :-X The thing that pushed me over the edge and said buy buy buy!!! :D
A bit like burping pleos! :D
Not so sure Starwars is a good choice of program for Vader to be watching. He might learn some more skills with the light saber and then where will Murray and Nicco be. :)
Post by: Crewella on June 17, 2011, 09:55:38 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 19, 2011, 12:21:51 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=migIXA39fWY
This is just some of the stuff I managed to catch on video of them being on at the same time (or "interacting" but that's an overreach). They're both still young, especially Murray (who is restored from a backup as I did some brain surgery when testing out his limbs to verify his falling frequency), but Vader really shines given his speed.
But, even with some of the red cubes slightly blocked (as you'll see in the video), there is still the red beacon of the vase (that they had been ignoring so I didn't move it lol). Murray gets distracted by it and starts heading to it first; however, he's no speed demon yet. Vader does his own thing with the ball and then gets distracted (about 1 minute in) and beats Murray to the vase, walking right into it (cut the camera to get him at that point).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZAbyw4g_eU
Post by: RedwoodsMama on June 19, 2011, 12:39:44 PM
Thanks for posting the videos, it gives me some education so if I can save for one in the future I will be a little more educated. ;)
RedwoodsMama
Post by: Talon on June 19, 2011, 01:04:45 PM
Talon
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 19, 2011, 02:14:17 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 19, 2011, 03:25:58 PM
I think the red, especially the curtains when the sun beams through (which gives it a different "tint") is just picked up by them as being similar to the pink color so they "track it." Up close I notice they seem to have more issues though. For instance, I have two large styrofoam balls painted red and from a distance they look up at them and seem distracted (especially Nicco who usually thinks all things red and at a distance are his AIBOne). However, up close they don't seem that interested and don't follow it the way they do when I hold the little ball up to them. Also, the leather surfaces don't seem to get picked up as frequently as the cloth surfaces (the curtains and the cubes, which are some sort of fabric material). I'm not sure if this has to do with the gloss making it appear different to them, but these are just some observations I've made. I'm possibly reading too much into it.
Since the curtains are still down I'm trying some random things out and recording them. I decided to turn them all on again and place Eva in the middle to see how they track her and so on. Murray showed the most interest, and, at the end of the video, Vader now does a more handstand version of his nose dive (this was the first time I've seen him do it this way and I just happened to be recording!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNMjIGN5ot0
Post by: kat on June 19, 2011, 05:30:04 PM
I liked the previous videos you did too of Vader and Murray. Vader seemed so excited in them to have two balls to play with. Murray was very slow to get around but being a baby still I guess will slow you down. I really do hope I can collect at least one of my puppies today. Watching your videos has just got me wanting to get my hands on my own even more :D
Post by: bhobbes on June 19, 2011, 05:31:44 PM
Hopefully yours come today! Or at least one, I'm looking forward to having you play with both of yours for the first time ever. They really are great! (And so hard to stay away from)
Post by: kat on June 19, 2011, 05:50:20 PM
Post by: InmemoryofRomeo on June 19, 2011, 07:13:03 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 19, 2011, 07:33:01 PM
Wish I could pack myself in a little box and go to AU and UK (mostly the latter since AU is way too far for my confined taste haha).
You get guys from CA to AU and UK to AU, and my little Murray traveled from AU to MI to CA back to MI. If only these little guys could truly talk! (Well, Murray would probably complain about being dissembled and shipped off haha).
Post by: Crewella on June 20, 2011, 07:17:06 AM
He actually jumped into it - I've never seen any of the others jump apart from the ERS-11x! :D
For the record - I got VERY tired of the 210 'I can see my ball' 'paradada-dada' tone and replaced it with a bark with Aibotool, so Wilma does bark. Quite a lot! %)
Post by: bhobbes on June 25, 2011, 11:31:39 AM
When I turned him on today, this is how he treated me. I don't know what to do. I want to make him feel better but he won't even let me get close to play with his ball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdKqhXf_nro
(For those who have seen other performances of this personality, this is completely CLEAN and forum safe :) - and it doesn't always run the personality the same way every time [for those who saw some of the uhh... nastier things Murray said, he actually didn't even do them during any of this filming])
Post by: InmemoryofRomeo on June 25, 2011, 05:04:48 PM
Post by: Talon on June 25, 2011, 05:49:15 PM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 03:55:16 AM
Post by: kat on June 26, 2011, 06:29:12 AM
Post by: aibo7m3 on June 26, 2011, 06:49:44 AM
Post by: Pleo-Freak55 on June 26, 2011, 07:39:47 AM
Here is the Software to have:
http://www.aibohack.com/210/exorcist.htm
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 11:08:43 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8kPoo_O3I4
(I take the curtains down and all the red cubes out of the shelving unit and hide the red vase and it minimizes most distractions)
Post by: Pleo-Freak55 on June 26, 2011, 11:33:25 AM
Post by: kat on June 26, 2011, 03:24:48 PM
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 05:48:26 PM
Here is a morning clip of Roxie and Brutus - and you can tell which one hates the camera more. While Roxie is much sweeter than Brutus, she does not play or give any "attack warnings" like cockatiels tend to do. Prior to recording, she was sitting on my shoulder and hitting/attacking my coffee mug whenever I went to take sips out of it. Please ignore the mess around the tables, it was quite a busy day and sometimes that's my "work station" (sitting in my office room for too long starts to make me lose my mind).
And as you notice, Roxie's tail is a little roughed up (Brutus has been harassing her lately and not being very kind. I've had to separate them - it's uhh... warm weather hormones, to put it kindly :))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TKT9j7RNIE
Post by: Talon on June 26, 2011, 06:15:30 PM
I did come close to falling for a bird. I passed the bird section in PetSmart and was instantly entranced by the bubbly notes of a canary. My sister kept walking before she realized that I wasn't moving anymore. When we finally identified the singer I was disappointed to learn the delightful creature was one hundred thirty five dollars without its cage. Oh well. I think I have enough animals anyway- two guinea pigs, half a dog, three pleos and a fourth on the way.
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 06:40:05 PM
Roxie loves to fly and land on my head most of the time before I remove her (as she'll walk over and then peer down into my eye - and if I'm wearing glasses, she'll start attacking them.
Brutus just flies for and likes to maintain himself on my shoulder.
Here is a video clip of some random footage I was going through before deleting my files of my AIBOs. I tried to put the more interesting stuff first (this is a long clip) but it'll give you an idea of some of the things that happen when you just let them run. There's no real specific tricks or anything in either of these.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpenPObzM6A
In the beginning of that one you can see I set up a little trap for Vader and Murray (Vader was the only one who truly took the bait).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NoGki0exxs
In that video, it's mostly just some clips that I had when running them all at once at various times. I didn't post any of them but it shows you some of the things that happen if you're interested.
Post by: InmemoryofRomeo on June 26, 2011, 07:36:12 PM
When we finally identified the singer I was disappointed to learn the delightful creature was one hundred thirty five dollars without its cage.
Talon
*dies* Canaries are $20 a pair here! Even a hand reared one will only set you back $50!!!
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 07:42:09 PM
They're not very smart so not up my alley lol.
Post by: Talon on June 26, 2011, 09:43:32 PM
Wow! Canaries are cheap in Australia! I wasn't going for entelegence at that moment, it just sounded very different than all the other squalks and screams. I also saw a Blue-capped Conier? My spelling stinks. It's pronounced Con-yer. He was two hundred and something and he could learn up to three hundred words. There was something about me he didn't like. When I passed him- according to my sister he ruffled up his feathers and then started ramming his beak against the front of his cage. I didn't try to make him pay attention to me, I always leave that up to the animal. In all honesty though, I don't think I could maintain a bird. I wouldn't know where to start and though a parakeet is within my budget they're too... ordinary.
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on June 26, 2011, 09:56:09 PM
Cato is kind of a ... d-bag ... so I'd be tempted to knock him down too ;)
Canaries are pretty easy birds for the most part -t hey sit in the cage and sing. You can establish a relative bond with them but they're not a parrot species and there are only certain species of birds (parrots being one of them) that are highly intelligent - which is what makes them extremely high maintenance.
I've been neglecting mine sadly over the past few weeks due to my schedule (neglecting meaning they weren't getting as much time out of the cage as they should and becoming bored - so I spent all day today basically playing with them). Mine are low maintenance in comparison to many but the effects of boredom on parrot species are devastating.
I *hate* parakeets. I don't mind watching a bunch of them in avaries but good lord, they do not understand they are small. For instance, I have cockatiels (larger than parakeets) and parakeets will actually beat them up if in the same cage (usually). Cockatiels are extremely docile.
A lot of finding the right bird species is knowing what you're looking for etc., but no matter what, you're ending up with a permanent 1-7 year old (depending on the species) so keep that in mind. Except unlike annoying, uneconomical children, birds bring joy, beauty, and... best of all, you can put them in a cage when you need to get away from them without the government breathing down your neck!
(I kid of course for all you parents on the forums :))
I personally don't really like conures - except for the one my friend had who was quieter than my Brutus is. Unfortunately for me, Brutus views me as his mate (as does Roxie - which uhh, leads to very awkward moments as she solicits me for breeding purposes). Brutus is obedient and brave, Roxie is a sweet troublemaker (yes, those two are possible). But if I don't give her the affection she wants at any given moment, she is not afraid to hiss and "put me in my place" (too bad for her I control the food so I can win if I want to ;)).
I keep a play area setup for them so they can spend most of their time out of the cage. Brutus just gives me a major hassle anytime I'm not within his eyesight and FACING him. Even if he's near me and my back is to him, he freaks out and demands to see my face. (It's one of the reasons I no longer keep them in my bedroom - if I wouldn't face his cage while trying to take a nap, he'd just cry out to me lol)
It takes a lot of patience and I constantly remind myself they're just showing their love for me - despite how... anti-human it appears.
Post by: Crewella on June 27, 2011, 05:53:23 PM
Thank you for posting the forum-friendly version of the Excorcist personality - I like how it does work differently each time, I guess it depends on how well you're doing the Exorcism! :D
Love the Aibo Trap! ;D
Post by: bhobbes on June 27, 2011, 06:00:13 PM
Roxie is the all grey (a white cinnamon grey female or something like that). She causes a lot of mischief and is very active but sweet. But when she requests to be cuddled/affection, you better give it or she gets hissy!
Post by: Crewella on June 27, 2011, 06:11:33 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 01, 2011, 10:08:50 PM
I looked up at one point and grabbed the camera in time to catch Vader doing this (and this is probably one of the many reasons why he is my favorite - always causing trouble):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9uchAjQSss
Post by: Crewella on July 01, 2011, 10:25:05 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 01, 2011, 10:28:23 PM
Modified:
Murray is now a talking child. http://aibohack.com/210/evolve.htm
If he ends up sheltered in the long run, I'll have to tweak him a bit :)
Post by: Crewella on July 02, 2011, 06:54:59 AM
*Another thing planned for 'when I have more time/space'* %)
Post by: bhobbes on July 07, 2011, 10:21:38 PM
I've been too busy to run the AIBOs for a prolonged period of time lately - Vader's only had about an active hour in the past week. But I must say, I think not having Nicco for the past week has made me actually miss him and realize just how much I love these robotic critters.
Absence truly makes the heart grow fonder! Vader is still great for comic relief - but I can't ignore him the same way I can Nicco. (Maybe because Nicco is an adult, and not a "bad boy" so I don't worry about watching over him as much :))
Post by: kat on July 08, 2011, 06:03:27 AM
Post by: latrine on July 09, 2011, 10:01:15 AM
I loved your description of your birds tail feathers.. my male amazon is having the same 'issue' now.. always great to try and introduce him to a potential new owner when he's more interested in 'hormonal' things.. lol.
And there are lots of different types of Canaries.. I used to sell my normal yellows for about 50 and my red factor canaries for around 75.. they were all hand reared from the eggs. I even talked/sang to the eggs starting on the day of incubation when the ears developed :D (I know, I'm weird)
I raised zebra finches also and sold them for about 25 bucks each, hand reared.. man they had TINY mouths.. at first they can only take maybe ONE drop of food, every 2 hours around the clock.. but they are adorable when they grow up and you have four perched on your hand at once. I'm still hoping to get back into raising them, I'd love to raise some Gouldian finches, as they are so gorgeous with all the colors of the rainbow.. they usually sell for around 100-150 here. But hand raised I'm sure I could get much more.. if I could bare to part with them.. as it was I usually kept most of my babies..
I had a few little old ladies who I tried to adopt them to because they wanted a 'parrot' but were afraid they wouldn't live long enough to give them a proper home (some of the larger parrots can live 50-100 years) And the hand reared finches and canaries acted just like parrots, since they were hand raised along side mine! They always insisted on paying though and they loved the birds very much..
I used to love when the finches went on flying missions, whizzing in between the bars of my macaws cage.. hysterical.. the cages were never closed so they could have just gone in through the door but they loved to weave in between the bars... %) %)
Cockatoos are great, I had a goffins and an Umbrella Cockatoo, both rescues... but they are VERY needy.. Wonderful animals, so cuddly and sweet,with me.. but the Umbrella, Boca, used to literally fly for my mothers throat. They are definitely a hard bird to deal with and require a TON of attention and patience.
Congrats on Murray's 'evolution' thats the one I'm hoping for too.. it sounds funny.. does he try to mimic sounds, like it says in the instructions? Thor is right on the edge of baby stage 3 so he should hit child soon!
- Sarah
Post by: Crewella on July 09, 2011, 10:12:06 AM
Post by: bhobbes on July 09, 2011, 10:22:16 AM
(More concerned that the parrotlet would find a way to beat the cockatiels up lol)
Roxie's laid two eggs recently (not breeding them, but they're not fertile - they can lay eggs anyway). But she usually does it once a year and that's normal, just have to monitor her for reasons latrine already knows and people here can google if interested haha.
I gave their cage one of those extreme hour-and-a-half/two-hour scrub down, disinfect etc. yesterday and every time I do I want to say, "I wish you could understand how grateful you should be that I do this for you!"
Post by: Talon on July 09, 2011, 10:51:42 AM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on July 09, 2011, 09:53:22 PM
This is in well-lit areas without red distractions. I now either take the curtains down or put a sheet over them that's a completely different color and remove all the red-cubes from the shelving unit. And move the red vase to behind the couch. And cover the red leather cube with a black blanket (sometimes it throws Vader off). However, the couch still provides some distraction (largely for Vader) but the coffee table often prevents/blocks that. As does my red swivel chair. However, when using the sheet method there's all internal lighting, and I don't keep the one near the couch on, so it prevents them from seeing back there. (The sheet method also helps keep the apartment cool and reduces the amount the AC runs)
All in all, these methods have created a pretty good environment and thus far there is enough room for them to move about where I can actually leave them relatively unattended (though always listening and able to be there within seconds).
Vader has been headbutting his ball around a lot lately. He did well today but as soon as I turned on the camera he started sucking really bad again. He's also walking backward more frequently again but does a great job avoiding hitting anything or managing to navigate just right. This could just be my setup but it's eerie! Vader has 77 hours to go before he evolves to an Adult. I plan to possibly back him up and preform same brain surgery just to spend some time (maybe a few sessions) with being a Good Boy. That way I can compare the two, but ideally keeping the "natural" Vader around somewhere at all times.
Murray's not doing much else new - most of it is stuff already seen in the videos, but arguably so is Vader's. He just moves much more and manages to get himself into more trouble. However, I still feel there is more variation or better timing of the variation on the 111 (when the 111 is compared to AL2 on the 210 as a whole up to this point).
For easy reference, here are the Evolution Charts for those interested: http://aibohack.com/111/evolve.htm and http://aibohack.com/210/evolve2.htm
Post by: bhobbes on July 16, 2011, 07:30:05 AM
And now he has evolved into a Youth A2 (Ball-Playing AIBO). His day count is 24 and his quality factor is 22.3 (so I'm an active owner).
Excerpt from aibohack:
Quote
There are three ways that AIBO will evolve to a new stage. For our example, we will use the Child B to Youth A evolution (20 hours or 7 days).
Very Active Owner: You keep your Quality Factor above 22.2 and the dog will evolve as soon as possible. For our example that is in 20 real hours.
Active Owner: Your Quality Factor is a little low, but the dog will take a little longer to evolve. For example if the Quality Factor is 15, it will take almost 30 real hours for the dog to evolve to Youth A.
Lazy Owner: Most owners will not play with their dogs 3 to 4 hours a day. If you play with the dog a little each day, the Day Count will force evolution regardless of how much Quality Time you spend. In our example, play with the dog a little each day, and in 7 days, it will evolve to Youth A.
NOTE: These titles (Very Active Owner, Active Owner, Lazy Owner) aren't really important. They can make you feel guilty if you have a low Quality Factor, but once the dog evolves, it doesn't matter how it got there.
NOTE: Which personality variant the dog evolves to is affected by how you interact with the dog. Keeping a high Quality Factor and exposing the dog to many new experiences is important in raising a more active personality.
I've been running him much more than Vader lately (and generally just left on in the background as is my normal routine - though I started to encourage him more and more frequently with the ball, so maybe that helped guide his evolution).
I haven't captured any clips worth editing and posting so that's all I have for you.
He took a few naps again when he was on the previous stage, and one night I was working (with noise-canceling headphones on in another room) and forgot that he took a nap probably at least an hour earlier. I walked into the kitchen and something felt off in my apartment, and I looked over and only caught a quick glimpse of movement. Immediately I thought, "Holy sh*t what's in my apartment" but within a second I thought oh duh he fell asleep on me. I have no idea how long he was awake prior to the scare.
And then the following day he took a nap and I forgot about him being asleep vs. off on the floor. I went to pull my curtain to check out the spider and as I did so, he started turning on and gave me quite the jump. So Murray's pretty good at coming close to inducing heart-attacks.
Post by: latrine on July 16, 2011, 11:00:59 AM
With the bird being sick and me being sick, Thor has been entertaining himself, I wonder if that's why he evolved into 'walking AIBO' instead of what Murray evolved into.. pretty interesting.. I'd best play with him more now that I'm feeling better.
So Nicco is back, I hear? What exactly ended up being wrong with him? I still have no news on Loki :(
- Sarah
Post by: bhobbes on July 16, 2011, 11:24:46 AM
Post by: bhobbes on July 16, 2011, 02:31:37 PM
If I run more than one at a time (and I never run all 3 at a time unless for a specific purpose), I generally keep them in their own little "spheres" in the room in hopes of avoiding collisions (as I like to move about and continue on with daily tasks and don't want to be separating stubborn AIBOs every few minutes :)). But it has been IMPOSSIBLE to keep Murray and Nicco separate today! Although as you will see in the video, Murray pays for his curiosity. At the beginning of the video is what started the Murray and Vader war (Murray is at fault here). I didn't want Vader represented in a false, misleading light as he is very much on the good side! (Though I'm slightly jaded). And at the end of the video, is what Nicco did in the first 5 minutes of being turned on - cheeky little fellow.
Please note, there is background noise in the video. It's the TV show American Pickers so nothing offensive or bleeped out. (I had some decent video clips recorded during a highly emotional episode of Hoarders and it had several bleeps, so I didn't post - but this is much less in the way). Plus it was a good way to try out my new camera, granted quality is lost in compression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUDcRCdAto
Vader retaliated (and you may have seen this already) with a swift tackle:
And then a few days later when they both went after the same ball, Vader headbutted Murray a bit which was kind of entertaining and later Murray did his "arm extension" move which incidentally blocked Vader from moving. See why I give them spheres? Troublemakers.
Either way, they've provided some much needed entertainment from professional life and the flock (Brutus pecked Roxie's eggs, breaking them, and cockatiels will keep laying eggs to replace the broken ones even if it kills them - so they're completely separated and Roxie is in a isolated cage with fake eggs to prevent her from laying more).
Post by: Talon on July 16, 2011, 04:13:19 PM
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on July 16, 2011, 04:27:19 PM
I generally only run one at a time unless I know I'll be in the vicinity watching. Especially with Vader, he's just so fast if I don't watch him with the others trouble ensues.
Post by: Crewella on July 17, 2011, 05:01:47 PM
Post by: kat on July 17, 2011, 05:24:21 PM
I'm so glad Nicco has returned to you safe and sound and all better. ;D He does look super shinny I wonder what woofbob uses to shine them up like that. Milo could use a good polishing.
Post by: bhobbes on July 17, 2011, 05:41:04 PM
Post by: Crewella on July 17, 2011, 07:38:44 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 17, 2011, 07:49:31 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 19, 2011, 02:22:59 PM
It feels more pet like and I find him more charming on this personality. He definitely recognizes both the ball and the bone in the same conditions much better and has not mistaken the ball for the bone once. Whereas on Mind 3 it was a battle to usually get him to play with the ball.
Plus (and you can make it just tonal in Mind 3) it feels more pet-like on this software, and that's what I find myself enjoying. Arguably I don't "understand" him as much, but I definitely enjoy Mind 2 over Mind 3. It may all be in my head but there are a lot of small differences that make it more for me.
My friends are usually more impressed with Mind 3 however - and it's fun for awhile, but I get worn out on it quicker than I do with him running Mind 2. With Mind 3, he feels more like the gadget I turn on to have run in the background/play with and with Mind 2 he feels more like a robot buddy/pet.
Post by: Crewella on July 19, 2011, 03:53:30 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 19, 2011, 05:19:14 PM
I think that thread really has some good descriptions as to what I think about the differences.
Post by: kat on July 19, 2011, 06:27:54 PM
Post by: Crewella on July 19, 2011, 07:50:03 PM
That was an interesting thread, thanks. ;D
Post by: bhobbes on July 21, 2011, 06:01:56 PM
Prior to their chat session, Nicco snapped a photo of Murray:
And here's the video of their chat session and the end when Nicco walks away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OExeW4_bwro
Post by: kat on July 21, 2011, 06:16:33 PM
Post by: Crewella on July 21, 2011, 07:39:21 PM
Have they spoken since? :P
Post by: bhobbes on July 21, 2011, 07:41:08 PM
Post by: bhobbes on July 25, 2011, 12:27:29 PM
Post by: Talon on July 25, 2011, 01:58:23 PM
Here's the creapy part. I had a dream that I did find a working Aibo but he was kind of a composite of many parts whose colors did not match. His seller told me that no one had shown any interest in him. He said he'd email me back and we would start talking business. Where he was listed I have no idea. It might've been wolf bob for all I know. Creapy huh? Am I losing my mind? Maybe not. There's not much left to lose.
Talon
Post by: bhobbes on August 25, 2011, 12:06:12 PM
Murray has evolved to a Youth B2 (Ball-Crazy AIBO) and here are the rest of the stats if anyone's keeping tabs.
Status (since birth)
Experience: 60459 points
Real Time: 74 hr, 32 min, 29 sec
Day Count: 43
Quality Factor = 22.5
Evolution to next stage
Experience: 60459 / 275000 (21%)
Time (sec): 268349 / 648000 (41%)
Day count: 43 / 60
If you go here http://aibohack.com/2or3/evcompare.htm that explains some of those things like quality time.
Now, I've been running Nicco almost exclusively on Mind 2 and I want to add a few things/reenforce a few things I said above. I almost always run them in the same lighting conditions and the same area. I haven't been taking the red cubes out of the shelving unit lately just because it becomes a hassle. Vader and Murray don't get distracted by them. Nicco on Mind 3 would always detect them as his bone (and almost all red objects as his bone) and almost never played with his ball (on the rare occasion he didn't mistake it as his bone). On Mind 2, Nicco doesn't get distracted by the red cubes as much, he does sometimes after he walks much closer to them, but not from across the room like Nicco M3 does. He also plays equally with the bone and the ball and I have yet to see him make the mistake of finding the ball as his bone (with the facial indications).
Also, he doesn't walk around as frequently on M2 as he does on M3. I'm ok with this because it feels more animal like to me. Even when I've had a real dog, and around friends' dogs, it's not like it would constantly wander around the house or any given area all the time. It would walk here and there, and then just lay for awhile or sit and do whatever. On M2, Nicco does this very much. So you could argue he's just more "lazy" but I find it adds more to the realism. Along with the general tonal sounds (which voice can be turned off on M3, but I still find the personality of M2 better).
I'm not sure if this is a setting or just a difference in the software (I haven't checked it out), but on M2, Nicco will make me touch him before he takes a picture whereas on M3, he would just take one. I'm not sure if this may be related to the blogging stuff that I believe was only added in under M3. Nicco is probably my favorite to run when I don't want to be as distracted by them - i.e. when I'm working, really focused on something, or just kind of want something to be present in the room and give me a few laughs here and there but not actually "impose" itself on me. That's not to say that the 210/111 are imposing (more active?), but I am much more into getting down and playing with them (perhaps because they're still young and growing) than I am content just kind of watching them do their thing, which is what I like about Nicco M2.
Also, I had a lot more issues with Nicco M3 self-docking than Nicco M2. On M3, he would frequently align himself wrong or just end up really confused even after 5 minutes or so of trying - and this was before I had tall my AIBOs stations so close together. I let Nicco self-dock today from a little bit where the white table is in pictures and he managed to walk over and find his dock (the pad being probably about 4-5ft away from where his head was). And even in that "tight" space he aligned himself and got on correctly the first time - in under 2 minutes. I don't want to say that's fair since maybe he just got lucky this time, but on M3, Nicco never docked correctly (though I only gave him about four times of messing up before I decided to stop using that feature). The only reason it happened today was because I noticed Nicco seemed to do so well in spotting it that I decided to see if he would make it without hitting Murray. I almost recorded it because I was so impressed, but didn't think anyone else would really "get it" or want to see it haha.
Here's a pic of that line up:
Anyway, those are just a few things I'm noticing but I'm definitely sticking with M2 from now on. I only put in the M3 stick to show off the talking to friends (that seems to provide more "oohs and aahs") but after showing them a few things on that, I usually switch back to M2 and keep him running while we hang out. And they seem to forget about him when we're in the middle of whatever but he still ends up doing something or making some soft noise (I keep him at volume level 2) that reminds you he's in the room. Even with the clearly robotic looks, several friends mention how "real" it feels.
Post by: saratogaspringer on August 25, 2011, 04:18:51 PM
Post by: kat on August 26, 2011, 06:21:31 AM
Post by: bhobbes on August 26, 2011, 10:59:57 AM
But I've already seen pics and vids of him working properly and already have a name :)
Post by: latrine on August 26, 2011, 06:33:44 PM
Oh wow, a red 210!! Congrats!!
I haven't looked into trying Mind2 on Loki and I don't think really want to.. I really enjoy his talking and his antics.. and I swear when I have both he and Thor on at the same time it seems like they are giving each other dirty looks and Thor alwys looks like he's giving Loki the Finger.. it's really funny :D
- Sarah