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Agent Molder

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Agent Molder
Screenshot of Agent Molder with Max and Gourdy.
NameAgent Molder
Developer(s)Rayflex Animation
Latest versionBeta 2
Latest version release dateFebruary 26th, 1998 (27 years ago)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
Discontinued?Yes

Agent Molder is an unreleased desktop application developed by Rayflex Technologies that utilizes Microsoft Agent characters.[1] The program enables users to develop scripts, tutorials, product demonstrations, and other multimedia functions by using Microsoft Agent technology. Agent Molder includes a code generation feature called Agent Skelly, which can automatically create code frameworks, allowing users to add specific scripts without building from scratch.

ActiveX Controls

The Agent Molder program likely came with various Rayflex Animation-developed ActiveX controls, with the only confirmed one being the Rayflex Voice Recognition Switch (RFVRS.DLL).[2] This control was designed so that the speech recognition key would always be held down and allow the Agent to continuously listen.

Development

The development for Agent Molder started in late 1997, with the initial announcement and call for private beta testers being done on December 1st, 1997.[3] Throughout December 1997, Rayflex Animation would discuss many potential features they had hoped to develop for the 1.0 release of the program, including the ability to allow Microsoft Agent characters to process a MIDI file to allow a Microsoft Agent to sing.[4] The home page for the program was last being updated on February 26th, 1998 for beta 2, with no further updates, leaving a lot of the community at the time confused.[5] However, the program appears to had been indefinitely delayed, with Rayflex Animation stating that the first beta version will have a delayed release. However, they did consider releasing the first beta to the public for free, as the final version would only be available for purchase.

As there have been no archives or mentions of Agent Molder since 2000, the Rayflex Animation website has since gone inactive and the Agent Molder program's development is likely cancelled.[6]

  • Screenshot of Agent Molder with Max and Gourdy.
    Screenshot of Agent Molder with Max and Gourdy.

Trivia

  • One possible theory for the cancellation of this program is due to the program using Microsoft Agent 1.5's framework instead of Microsoft Agent 2.0's. As these versions have several programming differences, and the fact that Microsoft Agent 2.0 released in 1998, it could have to led to Rayflex Animation's decision to pause development indefinitely.
    • In addition, Rayflex Animation has only developed Microsoft Agent 1.5 characters like Check, Gourdy, and Max.
  • It is unknown how much the program would have costed if it was released, but Rayflex Animation promised that it would be very inexpensive.
  • A web-enabled version of the Agent Molder was in the works around the time that the first and second betas were being worked on.

References

  1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/19991012154253/http://web.triton.net/edkl/rayflex/molder.htm
  2. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft.public.msagent/c/D0lGD11qWjk/m/3Z4aqHWST7gJ
  3. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft.public.msagent/c/swAuHosC8vs/m/A46Wet0yxOkJ
  4. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft.public.msagent/c/nxzILG7d4A0/m/hnfx6UWdSrcJ
  5. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft.public.msagent/c/NgLSBEfBHsU/m/m6-eMKsO_WMJ
  6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240000000000*/http://web.triton.net/edkl/rayflex/molder.htm
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