Warcraft III Peon Voice Notifications for AI Coding Agents

What you’ll get

You will set up a tool that plays iconic Warcraft III peon voice lines and shows on-screen banners when your AI coding agent needs your attention. This helps you avoid losing focus when you step away from your terminal, ensuring you don’t miss important updates or requests from your AI.

Tools you need

• peon-ping (free): A command-line tool that provides audio and visual notifications for AI coding agents.
• Claude Code (paid): An AI coding agent that can be integrated with peon-ping. Other compatible agents are also listed in the original source.
• ffmpeg (free): A utility to handle audio and video files, required for certain audio formats on Windows.

Steps

1. Install peon-ping using Homebrew (macOS/Linux): If you are on macOS or Linux and have Homebrew installed, this is the recommended installation method. Open your terminal and run:

   brew install PeonPing/tap/peon-ping

   You should see output indicating the package is being downloaded and installed. After installation, you will run a setup command in the next step.

2. Set up peon-ping (macOS/Linux): After installing via Homebrew, you need to run the setup command to register the necessary hooks and download sound packs. In your terminal, run:

   peon-ping-setup

   This command will guide you through the setup process, including downloading sound packs. You should see confirmation messages as it proceeds.

3. Install peon-ping using an installer script (macOS, Linux, WSL2): If you are not using Homebrew, you can use the provided installer script. Open your terminal and run:

   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PeonPing/peon-ping/main/install.sh | bash

   The script will download and execute the installation commands. You should see output from curl and bash as the installation progresses. Note that this method may require additional steps for audio playback on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2).

4. Install ffmpeg (WSL2 on Windows 11 24H2+ or if using non-WAV audio): If you are using WSL2 on a recent Windows 11 version (build 26100+) or plan to use audio formats other than WAV, you will need ffmpeg. Open your WSL terminal and run:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install -y ffmpeg

   You should see output indicating that apt is updating its package list and then installing ffmpeg. This ensures that MP3 audio files can be transcoded correctly.

5. Configure peon-ping for your AI agent: The original source does not detail the exact configuration steps for specific AI agents. However, the tool is designed to work with any MCP client. You will likely need to consult the peon-ping documentation or the documentation of your specific AI coding agent (like Claude Code) to find out how to connect them. This might involve running peon-ping in a specific mode or configuring your AI agent to send notifications to peon-ping. A starting point for configuration might involve running peon-ping and then following prompts or consulting its help commands.

6. Run your AI coding agent: Once peon-ping is installed and configured, start your AI coding agent. The tool should automatically detect when the agent needs your attention and play the notification sound. You should hear a Warcraft III peon voice line (e.g., “Work for you, master?”) and potentially see an on-screen banner when the agent requires input or has completed a task.

Original source

This workflow is based on a GitHub repository by user doppp, shared on Hackernews. The project, named peon-ping, aims to provide engaging audio and visual notifications for AI coding agents, drawing inspiration from classic game sound effects to prevent users from losing focus.

Notes & variations

• Free tier viability: The peon-ping tool is free and open-source. The main cost consideration is the AI coding agent you choose to use with it. Many AI agents offer free tiers or trials, making this setup accessible.
• Common pitfall: On Windows with WSL2, audio playback can sometimes be tricky. If you don’t hear sounds, ensure ffmpeg is installed and that peon-ping is correctly configured to use the appropriate audio backend for your Windows version. Refer to the peon-ping documentation for specific WSL audio notes.
• Tip for better results: Explore the different sound packs available for peon-ping. The tool supports various games beyond Warcraft III, allowing you to customize notifications to your preference and further enhance your workflow experience.