Can I achieve This JRPG Cutscene (PS2 etc) Using Dialogue System?

[rmagn]

hi

i would like to make a cutscene like in this old JRPG game
Cutscene Link

Can i achieve this only with Dialogue System For unity?
Or should i combine Dialogue System with Timeline / SLATE?

I'm sorry if the question is too basic, i've looked at tutorials but still isn't clear if i can achieve this only with Dialogue System.
Thank you!

[Tony Li]

Hi,

You can absolutely do that with the Dialogue System's cutscene sequence system. Many of Eternights' cutscenes are made this way, and some of them get pretty elaborate. However, you can also use Timeline or SLATE if you prefer to be able to scrub through the cutscene interactively.

[rmagn]

Thank you for confirming!
i will try using Dialogue System then.

im trying using SLATE too but the start conversation function doesnt show the Dialogue UI in the same way as when im using only Dialogue system..
and i seem cannot control the timing of the cutscene when using Start Conversation in SLATE (for example i would like to certain animation plays only after i press continue button on dialogue UI)
do you have any tips on how to make SLATE pauses the cutscene until i press continue button when in middle of a dialogue?

[Tony Li]

Hi,

Use the SLATE() sequencer command to pause the cutscene while waiting for the continue button. For example, set the conversation's properties > Override Display Settings > Camera Settings > Default Sequence to something like:

Code: Select all

SLATE(My Cutscene, pause);
required SLATE(My Cutscene, resume)@Message(Continued)

In what way does the dialogue UI not show up as you intend? Are you using an Override Dialogue UI component? If so, make sure it's on the correct GameObject. See: Character GameObject Assignments.

[rmagn]

Hi,

I tried putting start conversation into slate and it now works fine,
im not sure why but before it only shows this when running
img

and thank you! i'll try putting the slate sequencer command as default sequence.

also, is there any way to put certain dialogue node continue point in the timeline?
for example, i want the cutscene to stop at frame 400 of the cutscene to wait for continue button.
and if player clicked continue button before the cutscene reached frame 400 (like frame 300), it will instantly jump to frame 400 and continue the cutscene from frame 401 (skipping both audio and frame 350-400).
or
there is this dialogue nodes setup in the SLATE cutscene
dialogue node 1 : "take this !" while cutscene displays someone punching for 60 frames.
dialogue node 2 : "ugh" while cutscene displays the person hit fall down to the ground for 120 frames

1.)then while at frame 15, player hit continue button, and the cutscene skips to frame 61 and play dialogue node 2.
2). after that, player can only click continue button after dialogue node 2 120 frames has passed.

is it possible to do that using both SLATE and dialogue system?

[Tony Li]

Hi,

I think you would have to write a custom SLATE action to stop/skip like that. Also, instead of skipping, you may want to fast-forward through the cutscene. Otherwise, if the part that you're skipping makes some required changes to the scene (e.g., activates a GameObject or calls a custom script method), if you skip ahead it won't make those changes.

[rmagn]

I think you would have to write a custom SLATE action to stop/skip like that. Also, instead of skipping, you may want to fast-forward through the cutscene. Otherwise, if the part that you're skipping makes some required changes to the scene (e.g., activates a GameObject or calls a custom script method), if you skip ahead it won't make those changes.

Thank you, i think i'll just see what i can do for this.. since im working alone and very new to dialogue system and SLATE, im not sure if i can do much yet XD

Code: Select all

SLATE(My Cutscene, pause);
required SLATE(My Cutscene, resume)@Message(Continued)

Did i do this right?
img

so i only do this on conversation that requires waiting on continue button, right?

[Tony Li]

Hi,

I think so, but if your cutscene GameObject is named something than "My Cutscene", use your GameObject name instead of "My Cutscene".

[rmagn]

Hi Toni,
i tried to put the code into the override sequence

Code: Select all

SLATE(cut04_afterjump, pause);
required SLATE(cut04_afterjump, resume)@Message(Continued)

it works like this image below
img
it pauses slate on frame 631 (Dialogue System Track start conversation on frame 631)
but it keeps pausing the scene until i finish the conversation nodes, then it continued slate cutscene (character wake up).

1.)is it expected result of the code above?
2.) if i want to pause the slate only on conversation node 1 (point 1),
then Slate continues to wake up the character,
then pauses slate again on frame 720 (not playing conversation node 2),
and continue conversation node 2(point 2),
how can i achieve that? this is the workflow i would like to have (similiar workflow to the video in my first post)

i would like to make a cutscene like in this old JRPG game
Cutscene Link

i have an idea in my mind to separate point 1 and point 2 into different conversations just for pauses SLATE, but if i have so many cutscenes, i will have a lot of small conversations and a lot of start and end conversation in the SLATE track.

Thank you!

[Tony Li]

Hi,

Please use this updated SLATE integration:

DS_SLATESupport_2024-07-13.unitypackage

It adds a new SLATE action "Sequencer Message".

Here's an example scene:

DS_TestSlateContinue_2024-07-13.unitypackage

It uses sequences in a conversation like this:

slateTest.png (98.05 KiB) Viewed 378 times

The cutscene looks like this:

testCutscene.png (21.8 KiB) Viewed 378 times

At two points in the cutscene, it sends the sequencer message "DidCutsceneSegment". The conversation's Sequence fields listen and wait for this message.