Automatic Machinima News-Broadcasting

MattSparkes writes "Researchers claim to have produced software that automatically generates timely video news bulletins, presented by computer-animated characters, which could revolutionise current affairs broadcasting. The system, called News at Seven, takes RSS news feeds and does some formatting before passing it to an avatar from Half-Life 2 to read out. Based on keywords, the system also draws in video from YouTube and images from Flickr to supplement the speech."

Comments

Sweet!

[Cleon]

Nifty! Now, how long before they come up with a Max Headroom version? :D

And in other news...

[d474]

...is me. I have been created. I speak about news. Thank you for watching.

i wonder

[kevin.fowler]

I wonder if it's broadcasting about this story.

woah META NEWS

Re:i wonder

[LindseyJ]

DON'T DATE ROBOTS.

I can see it already...

[Control Group]

This just in!

"They're waiting for you, Gordon - in the test chamber."

Cutscene at 11.

Re:Skeptical

[peragrin]

well Ananova is British, and therefore it doesn't count until the Americans do it. Caus our president says we be better.

Note I love ananova. The selection of news stories there is the simply the best. You can read about the strangest stuff on there.

Re:This is NOT Machinima

[Mattintosh]

A guy I work with sent this to me a few months ago.

America: OK guys, Hezbollah has given us a lot of trouble in the past, uh does anybody need anything off these guys or can we ignore them?
Britain: Uhh, I think Israel needs something from this guy.
America: Oh, does he need those kidnapped soldiers? Doesn't - isn't he gonna try to work something out?
Britain: Yeah, but that will help him look better, he'll have more credibility.
America: [sighs] Christ. OK, uhh well what we'll do, I'll run in first, uh gather up all the soldiers, we can kinda just, ya know blast them all down with artillery. Um, I will use shock and awe, to kinda scatter'em, so we don't have to fight a whole bunch of them at once. Uhh, when my shocks are done, uhh, I'll need Poland to come in and drop his shock too, uh so we can keep them scattered and not have to fight too many. Um, when his is done, Norway of course will need to run in and do the same thing. Uhh, we're gonna need cover for our jets, uhh so they can, uhh, bomb, uh so we can of course get them down fast, cause we're bringing all these guys, I mean, we'll be in trouble if we don't take them down quick. Uhh I think this is a pretty good plan, we should be able to pull it off this time. Uhh, what do you think Britain? Can you give me a number crunch real quick?
Britain: Uhhh.. yeah gimme a sec... I'm coming up with thirty-two point three three, repeating of course, percentage, of survival.
America: That's a lot better than we usually do, uhh, alright, you think we're ready guys? [interrupted]
Israel: All right chums, I'm back! Let's do this! LEEROOOOOOOY JEEENKIIIIIINSSS!!! [runs into Lebanon]

-Short pause-

Spain: [incredulous] ... Oh my God he just ran in. [runs in]
Italy: Save him!
America: Oh jeez, stick to the plan.
Spain: Oh jeez, let's go, let's go! [follows]
Britain [laughing]: Stick to the plan chums!
America: Stick to the plan!
Spain: Oh jeez, oh fark.
Australia: Gimme some cover, hurry up.
America: Shoutin'!
Australia: It's saying I can't cast! I can't move, am I lagging, guys?
Japan: I can't move!
Spain: What the--what the hell?
Japan: I can't bomb!
Spain: Oh my God...
Britain: The terrorists just keep respawning! More respawning!!
Spain: I don't think you can bomb with that shiat on!
Japan: Oh my God!
Israel: We got em, we got em!
South Korea: I got it! I got it! [muffled shouts]
America: America's down. America's down.
Spain: Oh my God..
America: Goddamnit Israel!
Spain: Goddamnit...
Britain: Israel you moron! [various put-downs of Israel amongst group]
Italy: I'm on it.
Ukraine: It's on Ukraine.
America: This is ridiculous.
Spain: I'm down, Spain down. Goddamnit.
Ukraine: Ukraine is down.
Britain: This is the somethingth time we've died on this, God!
Britain: Japan, rez us! Japan, rez us!
America: Why do you do this shiat Israel?
Japan: I'm trying!
Israel [crying]: It's not my fault!
Spain [noticing everybody is dead]: ... Oh God...
America + Others: Oh for - [sighs] Great job!
Britain: Leeroy, you are just stupid as hell.
Japan: Nimrod.

Israel: ... 'Least I have revenge.

But what about the BIAS?

[Some_Llama]

"before passing it to an avatar from Half-Life 2 to read out"

It won't be long until these "avatars" start biasing the news towards their personal beliefs.. like denegrating head crabs, or constantly slanting the news against Dr. Breen.

Not to mention the crowbar lobby's already powerful influence...

Already in production

[rlp]

CBS has been using this technology for their evening news since September 5th. I think that the virtual presenter is named 'Katie'.