Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

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Grayson
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Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Grayson »

Hi, I have several NPC's that I want the player to have multiple conversations with. So far I've found 2 methods, but I am not sure either one is the best way. Any help / guidance would be appreciated!

1) Have a separate dialogue system trigger on the NPC for each conversation - this seems very inefficient but as I understand it each dialogue system trigger can only trigger a single conversation.

2) Have one conversation for the NPC with conditions on each branch of the conversation based on state of the game and player so the correct thread of the conversation is played - This seems better, but the conversation could be huge.

Is there another method I am missing? Or a tutorial that can help with multiple conversations per NPC?

Thoughts?

Thanks!
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Tony Li
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Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

It's a matter of preference. Personally, I like to keep the conditional logic in one place, so I use method 2. With wordy NPCs, the Dialogue System Trigger will often start a "hub" conversation that only checks conditions and immediately links to other sub-conversations. To link to another conversation, inspect a node. From the Inspector's "Links To" dropdown, select "(Another Conversation)".
Grayson
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Grayson »

Thanks. I've followed method 2 and used the pass through function to move to the next node if the conditions fail. However, when it finally gets to a node that is suppose to trigger the conversation, the conversation starts but the first entry in the dialogue window is my player's portrait with no text. It pauses for about 5 - 10 seconds and then the conversation starts. At first I thought it was because the link to box had <START 0> instead of the 1st node in the conversation but that doesn't seem to be it. How do I go directly to the first line of the conversation and not have a pause with no text and my player's portrait?

Thanks.
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Tony Li
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Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Tony Li »

Can you share a picture of your conversation? If so, please let me know where the cross-conversation link goes to, and what Conditions and Sequences are on nodes.
Grayson
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Grayson »

Sure, below are the a few images. The conversation nodes, then each dialogue entry in the node. In this example, the first 2 nodes fail the conditions and pass through to the 3rd node which plays the conversation. However, I get the blank dialogue box for about 3 - 5 seconds and then the the portrait with the woman and text appears.

BTW - Thanks for your help!
dial1.jpg
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dial2.jpg
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dial3.jpg
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dial4.jpg
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dial5.jpg
dial5.jpg (68.11 KiB) Viewed 777 times
diag6.jpg
diag6.jpg (77.06 KiB) Viewed 777 times
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Tony Li
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Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

Try ticking the Group checkbox on the nodes that don't have any Dialogue Text.
Grayson
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Grayson »

Nope. When I did that the blank dialogue box just stays there and doesn't let the next dialogue text come through. Any other information you need to help?
Grayson
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:00 pm

Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Grayson »

OK.....tried to only check the group text on the non-START node for the issue. That seemed to work. Will experiment a bit more and see if that fixes it all around. Thanks again for the help!
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Tony Li
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Re: Multiple conversations with NPC - correct method

Post by Tony Li »

Glad to help!
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