Delays between dialogue

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SilencedMage
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2023 12:07 am

Delays between dialogue

Post by SilencedMage »

There seems to be a short delay after the conversant speaks and before player options are displayed. Can I change this? Similarly, is there a way to add a delay after the player selects an option and the conversant responds? (In this case, I would like to add blinking dots as if the conversant is thinking before replying)

Thanks for your help!
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Tony Li
Posts: 22108
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Delays between dialogue

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

Yes to both! :-)

When a conversation plays a dialogue entry, it waits for the duration of the dialogue entry's Sequence. (See Cutscene Sequences.) If the Sequence field is blank, it uses the Dialogue Manager GameObject's Display Settings > Camera & Cutscene Settings > Default Sequence, which is initially set to:

Code: Select all

Delay({{end}})
This delays for a duration based on the special keyword {{end}}, which is determined by the text length and the values of Display Settings > Subtitle Settings > Subtitle Chars Per Second and Min Subtitle Seconds.

If you just want to reduce this, increase Subtitle Chars Per Second (but not higher than your typewriter effect's Characters Per Second if you're using a typewriter effect) and/or decrease Min Subtitle Seconds. To get fancier, see the Cutscene Sequences link above, which has links to tutorials.

On the Dialogue Manager, you can also set a separate Default Player Sequence that can play a blinking dot animation using the AnimatorPlayWait() sequencer command. The conversation won't progress to the NPC's response until the animation is done.
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