Adventure Creator + DS, SMS-Style Overlay

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newdok
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 10, 2023 8:59 am

Adventure Creator + DS, SMS-Style Overlay

Post by newdok »

Hi, i've got a couple of questions for DS, sorry it's a bit convoluted:

I'm working on a project with AC and wanted to have a SMS Style Dialogue System, which i can't do with AC, but i've stumbled upon your example, and DS seems to be well integrated with AC.

The SMS Example does fit well, but i wanted it to have old texts, that you can scroll through, and new messages should Pop-Up when a notification trigger gets activated, (Player goes through trigger: "new message!") that i have already set up.

- AC-Menus act as an Overlay Canvas over the Game, and use Unity UI Prefabs, that get instantiated when used. Would it be possible to have it like this over the Game?

- Would it be possible to have a simple Dialogue System and this SMS-Style in the same Scene, or would i have to choose one over the other, and rely on AC for simple Dialogue.

- Regarding images, i've already searched through and found that you can use sprites to insert images.

Image
I'm aiming for the left side, the right side is what i have right now.

I know my way around Unity, i can program a little bit, but would it be possible to implement something like this, even without extensive programming knowledge?

Second question:
Dialogue System has so many other Functions, a save-system, Quests, etc. what should be used when using AC, or how do they work with each other, saving etc.?
I'd like to avoid confusing myself, when integrating with another Asset, is it possible to just use it for that SMS-Dialogue and have it properly function with saving and especially localization?

Best regards
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Tony Li
Posts: 21684
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Adventure Creator + DS, SMS-Style Overlay

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,
newdok wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:02 am- AC-Menus act as an Overlay Canvas over the Game, and use Unity UI Prefabs, that get instantiated when used. Would it be possible to have it like this over the Game?
I don't quite follow, but that shouldn't be a problem.
newdok wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:02 am- Would it be possible to have a simple Dialogue System and this SMS-Style in the same Scene, or would i have to choose one over the other, and rely on AC for simple Dialogue.
You can mix and match. In fact, you can have a DS SMS-style conversation, a DS traditional-style conversation, and an AC dialogue all in the same scene. For DS conversations, assign your non-SMS dialogue UI to the Dialogue Manager's Display Settings > Dialogue UI field. Then add an Override Dialogue UI component to the GameObject that will be used as the SMS conversation's actor or conversant (e.g., Player's Cellphone or something), and assign your SMS dialogue UI to it.

Or, via code, use DialogueManager.UseDialogueUI() to switch UIs before starting the conversation.
newdok wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:02 amImage
I'm aiming for the left side, the right side is what i have right now.

I know my way around Unity, i can program a little bit, but would it be possible to implement something like this, even without extensive programming knowledge?
Yes. Make a subclass of SMSDialogueUI and add any additional functionality you want. For the timestamps ("23 April 2020", "today's date"), you might not need to do any programming at all. Use a third subtitle panel template for the timestamp text. Style it to be centered in the UI and without a background image.
newdok wrote: Wed May 10, 2023 10:02 amDialogue System has so many other Functions, a save-system, Quests, etc. what should be used when using AC, or how do they work with each other, saving etc.?
The DS / AC integration uses AC to save games. See Saving & Loading.

You can use DS's quest system or AC's quest system, or neither if you prefer. It's up to you.
newdok
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 10, 2023 8:59 am

Re: Adventure Creator + DS, SMS-Style Overlay

Post by newdok »

Thank you, i've broken it many times and am still trying to understand, but i've got some things working.
This Thread was very helpful, which i've followed:
https://www.pixelcrushers.com/phpbb/vie ... f=3&t=5672

The Dialogue should always be active in the background, i just hide and show a Menu in Adventure Creator with a button.

Two Errors:
- When i use the Trigger "On Save Data Applied", the Conversation runs in the Background but nodes are missing, when i bring up the Menu. If i set it to "On Enable", it works properly.

- I'm holding the Sequence with "WaitForMessage(XY)", and try to continue when walking through a trigger with "SequencerMessage(XY)", but it repeats from the start, and continues after, or stops working after a response. There's no other Code anywhere.

I'm trying to achieve something like in the Thread above, it should work like this:
1. Phone backlog with a few messages -> Messages are waiting/paused (pretty much working)
2. Player walks through Trigger -> new Messages arrive, under the old ones, Player can answer etc.
3. rinse and repeat.

And have 2-3 of Chats like this running in the background.
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Tony Li
Posts: 21684
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Adventure Creator + DS, SMS-Style Overlay

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

If you're pressing Esc to open the menu, that may be affecting the Dialogue System in the background. Please inspect the Dialogue Manager GameObject. Set Display Settings > Input Settings > Cancel Subtitle Input > Key to None and Cancel Conversation Input > Key to None.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, can you send a reproduction project to tony (at) pixelcrushers.com?
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