2D Toolkit Dialogue UI

Script reference: PixelCrushers.DialogueSystem.TK2D.TK2DDialogueUI

The 2D Toolkit Dialogue UI works in much the same manner as the Unity Dialogue UI. The major difference is that you create your UI layout using 2D Toolkit rather than creating Unity GUI controls.

You can assign the Dialogue UI in the Dialogue Manager's Dialogue Manager Display Settings from the prefabs in the TK2D Prefabs folder.

You can also add an instance of a prefab to your scene and customize it further using 2D Toolkit. In fact, if you plan to use portrait images for your actors, you should add an instance to the scene so you can assign a sprite collection to use for the portrait images. (See below for more information.)

If you do customize a prefab, assign the instance in the scene to the Dialogue Manager's display settings, or save it as another prefab.

To create your own layout:

  1. Create a GameObject with a TK2DDialogue UI component by selecting the menu item Window > Dialogue System > Components > UI > Daikon Forge GUI > Dialogue UI.
  2. Create your TK2D interface as a child of the TK2DDialogue UI GameObject. The root of the interface should be a tk2dUILayout. The prefabs use layer 8 for all UI components.
  3. Assign a TK2DResponse Button component (Window > Dialogue System > Components > UI > TK2D > Response Button) to each response button.
  • In the TK2DDialogue UI component, assign the UI control properties. At a minimum, you must assign these controls:
    • UIRoot Layout
    • NPC Subtitle Line
    • PC Subtitle Line (if you will be showing PC subtitles)
    • One or more Response Menu Buttons
    • Alert Line
  • If you add a TK2DFader (Window > Dialogue System > Components > UI > TK2D > Fader) to the Alert Panel and/or Line, the UI will fade it in and out when displaying. Note in the prefabs that NPC Subtitle Line has a fader, but NPC Subtitle Reminder Line doesn't.
  • If you're going to require the player to choose a response before a timer runs out, also add a tk2dProgressBar for the timer control, add a TK2DTimer (Window > Dialogue System > Components > UI > TK2D > Timer), and set the timer property in the Dialogue Manager's Dialogue Manager Display Settings.
  • If you want to add continue buttons to require the player to click past subtitles and/or alert messages, use the same steps as for Unity UI Continue Button. Point the button's handler to the dialogue UI, and select the OnContinue method.
  • Alerts can have, in addition to the alert line, an optional parent panel that can contain any other controls that you want to show, including an optional continue/close button. If you add a panel or continue button, make sure to add them to the corresponding TK2DDialogueUI properties.
  • Your scene also needs a camera object with tk2dCamera and tk2dUICamera, and a tk2dUIManager. If you use the same format as the prefabs, make sure the tk2dUICamera is configured to use layer 8 so it can detect clicks on the controls (which are on layer 8).

Actor Portraits: In the 2D Toolkit dialogue UI, portrait images don't use the actor's texture in the dialogue database. Instead, they use a sprite collection to reduce draw calls. In the TK2DDialogue UI, set the sprite collection containing the textures. Each portrait in the collection should match the actor's name as defined in the dialogue database.

For any sprites in your UI (QTE indicators are good candidates), you can use a tk2dSpriteAnimator to animate them. (The included prefabs simply display the basic sprite on the screen.) If you use a tk2dSpriteAnimator, tick Play Automatically to make sure the animation plays whenever the QTE indicator is shown.

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