Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

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JAG
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Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:36 pm

Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by JAG »

We are not developers but are usually able to edit existing Unity games given enough time and exploration.

We are using the CYOA Framework from the Dialogue System Extras as a starting point to use Dialogue System. We have (mostly) figured everything out for a series of cutscenes to run properly but are having trouble figuring out how to begin a second conversation.

Here is our game flow:
  • Title screen
  • Intro: A narrator describing an educational game using cutscenes based on the CYOA Framework.
  • Edu Game: Play the educational game (the game is part of the Unity project but Dialogue System is not used at all for this game.)
  • Outro: After the educational game is finished the narrator discusses what just happened in the educational game through the use of cutscenes.
  • Title screen
Right now we cannot figure out how to properly transition from the Edu Game to the Outro. We have saved two conversations ("Story" / "StoryAfter") in the database but when launching the Outro we see the Intro scene when we were instead hoping to see the Outro scene.

To create the Outro scene we duplicated the Intro scene. We then added the second conversation to the database. We then specified the second conversation in the StoryManager settings for the Outro scene. But we realize now that since the Dialogue Manager Variant from CYOA is a prefab that it probably should not be done this way.

(Once this is working we will be going through this again with another Edu Game next week. We suspect it will be better if we use Dialogue System without relying on the CYOA setup now that we are more familiar with Dialogue System. We have probably over-complicated things with our approach.)

This is an excellent system and we really hoped we could get this working without having to ask for assistance. Any help is appreciated.
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Tony Li
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Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

To change from Edu Game to Outro, add a SaveSystemMethods component to a GameObject in the Edu Game scene. Call its LoadScene method. For example, if you have a UI Button, you can configure it like this:

outro1.png
outro1.png (15.85 KiB) Viewed 596 times

When the player clicks the button, it will change to the Outro scene.

Other ways to change scenes without writing any scripts: Changing Scenes
JAG
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:36 pm

Re: Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by JAG »

Thank you. This was very helpful to transition to the Outro scene from the game.

However, the Outro scene is still using the conversation from the Intro ("Story"). How do we designate that it use the 2nd conversation ("StoryAfter") that we've added to the database? We changed the conversation name to "StoryAfter" in the Story Manager fields. This did not change the conversation (and it also changed the settings for the Intro scene).

Should we use something other than the CYOA Dialogue Manager prefab in order to specify the correct conversation and run the cutscenes for Outro?
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Tony Li
Posts: 22112
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by Tony Li »

Hi,

The simplest solution might be to add a Dialogue System Trigger component to a GameObject in the Outro scene. Configure it like this:

outro.png
outro.png (54.19 KiB) Viewed 554 times

In your next project, I think you can skip the CYOA starter package since you're more familiar with the Dialogue System now. The CYOA package has a very simple design and takes some work to make it do more than what it's originally built for. It will be easier to skip it and work directly with the Dialogue System by itself.
JAG
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:36 pm

Re: Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by JAG »

Thank you -- this was very helpful and we can successfully transition through all scenes of our game now. I will be certain to skip the CYOA starter package with the project we will begin tomorrow. It was a huge help to have a better understanding of the Dialogue System via the CYOA package but can now see how we created complications for ourselves by using it as a basis for our project.

Thank you again; both your product and responsiveness are fantastic.
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Tony Li
Posts: 22112
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Question / Problem about using multiple conversations with CYOA

Post by Tony Li »

Thanks! Glad to help.
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