[HOWTO] How To: Use Multiple Dialogue UIs for Same Participants

[Tony Li]

This post describes how to use different dialogue UIs for participants at different times. In particular, some conversations can use the default UI (e.g., screen space) while others use the participants' custom overhead bubble panels.

To do this, use a subclass of StandardDialogueUI that tells the participants which UI to use. Here's an example scene:

DS_MultipleDialogueUIs_2021-01-10.unitypackage

The subclass checks if the current conversation has a custom Boolean field named "Overlay". If so, it tells participants to use the default screen space overlay UI. Otherwise it lets the participants use the custom bubble UIs assigned to their Dialogue Actor components.

The example has two conversations: Overlay Conversation and Bubble Conversation. The Overlay Conversation's "Overlay" field is set true.

The subclass is:

MultipleDialogueUI.cs

Code: Select all

using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace PixelCrushers.DialogueSystem
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This subclass of StandardDialogueUI checks conversations for a custom
    /// Boolean field named "Overlay". If it's true, it tells participating
    /// Dialogue Actors to use the default subtitle panel instead of their
    /// custom overhead bubble subtitle panels.
    /// </summary>
    public class MultipleDialogueUI : StandardDialogueUI
    {
        private Dictionary<DialogueActor, SubtitlePanelNumber> dialogueActors = new Dictionary<DialogueActor, SubtitlePanelNumber>();

        public override void Open()
        {
            // Check the conversation. If it's set to use overlay, set actors to Default panel:
            dialogueActors.Clear();
            var conversation = DialogueManager.MasterDatabase.GetConversation(DialogueManager.lastConversationStarted);
            if (conversation != null)
            {
                if (conversation.LookupBool("Overlay"))
                {
                    SetActorToDefaultPanel(DialogueActor.GetDialogueActorComponent(DialogueManager.currentActor));
                    SetActorToDefaultPanel(DialogueActor.GetDialogueActorComponent(DialogueManager.currentConversant));
                    for (int i = 0; i < conversation.dialogueEntries.Count; i++)
                    {
                        SetActorToDefaultPanel(conversation.dialogueEntries[i].ActorID);
                    }
                }
            }

            base.Open();
        }

        public override void Close()
        {
            base.Close();

            // Restore DialogueActors' subtitle panel settings:
            foreach (KeyValuePair<DialogueActor, SubtitlePanelNumber> kvp in dialogueActors)
            {
                kvp.Key.standardDialogueUISettings.subtitlePanelNumber = kvp.Value;
            }
        }

        protected void SetActorToDefaultPanel(DialogueActor dialogueActor)
        {
            if (dialogueActor != null && !dialogueActors.ContainsKey(dialogueActor))
            {
                dialogueActors[dialogueActor] = dialogueActor.standardDialogueUISettings.subtitlePanelNumber;
                dialogueActor.standardDialogueUISettings.subtitlePanelNumber = SubtitlePanelNumber.Default;
            }
        }

        protected void SetActorToDefaultPanel(int actorID)
        {
            var actor = DialogueManager.masterDatabase.GetActor(actorID);
            if (actor != null)
            {
                SetActorToDefaultPanel(DialogueActor.GetDialogueActorComponent(CharacterInfo.GetRegisteredActorTransform(actor.Name)));
            }
        }
    }
}