Text Adventure with Dialogue System?

[cycs]

Hi there,

I'm new at Dialogue System (DS). For my problem I couldn't find any post, so I ask you guys: Is it possible - as non programmer - to create a classic text adventure with Dialogue System? What I want to create is a game like Lifeline or 6Quest or Magium. I looked formerly at fungus, but there was no way to store and scroll back the text and dialogues. Could I do this with DS? Is there a template or a "easy way" to do so?

Cheers,
Cycs

[Tony Li]

Hi Cycs,

Yes, you can download the free Textline project or CYOA framework from the Dialogue System Extras page. Textline is a Linelife-style project template. The CYOA framework is a project template for choose-your-own-adventure games. Textline lets you scroll back, but the CYOA framework doesn't since it's more like the classic choose-your-own-adventure books from childhood. Textline uses another free package, the Menu Framework, which you'll also need to download and import into your project.

In either case, if you haven't done the 5-Minute Quick Start tutorial, I recommend doing that first to familiarize yourself with the Dialogue System.

[cycs]

Hi Tony,

thanks for your reply. That sounds great. Maybe my long search is over.
But one thing makes me confused: What's the difference between "Lifeline" and another CYOA-Game? As much as I know, in both game types the player can choose narrative answers or actions to do and changes the story in this way. Or am I wrong?

So please, let me know, what's the exact difference between your addons "Textline Project" and "CYOA Framework"? It's not clear for me.
In case of Textline, there is no demo. In case of CYOA there is a demo window but no demo - doesn't work and there is no documentation on the download page.

Need help...
The best would be if you could provide a demo and/or a tutorial for both addons.

[Tony Li]

Hi,

I'll put a Textline demo online soon. In the meantime, to demo Textline download and import the Menu Framework and Textline packages into a project, add the scenes to your build settings, and play it. The CYOA Framework's demo was built for the old webplayer. When I put the Textline demo online, I'll also republish the CYOA demo for WebGL.

The Textline project is designed to work similarly to the game Lineline, which looks like a text messaging app.

The CYOA project, on the other hand, looks a bit simpler. It's just a standard text-on-top, choices-on-bottom interface. (You can customize the interface and include graphics, audio, and other effects.)

[cycs]

Hi,

I'll put a Textline demo online soon. In the meantime, to demo Textline download and import the Menu Framework and Textline packages into a project, add the scenes to your build settings, and play it. The CYOA Framework's demo was built for the old webplayer. When I put the Textline demo online, I'll also republish the CYOA demo for WebGL.

Thanks.

The Textline project is designed to work similarly to the game Lineline, which looks like a text messaging app.

The CYOA project, on the other hand, looks a bit simpler. It's just a standard text-on-top, choices-on-bottom interface. (You can customize the interface and include graphics, audio, and other effects.)

Ah, I see. Purely theoretical: Is it possible to expand the Textline project with "in-message-graphics", the quest system and the inventory system? This would be a slightly improved text adventure.

[Tony Li]

Purely theoretical: Is it possible to expand the Textline project with "in-message-graphics", the quest system and the inventory system? This would be a slightly improved text adventure.

In-message graphics: Yes. The easiest way would be to use TextMesh Pro, which is now free. It would require a small bit of scripting to update the TextlineDialogueUI script to use TextMesh Pro instead of plain old Unity UI Text. Then you can simply include sprite tags in your text.

Quest system: Yes. You'd probably want to add a button to show the quest journal, or squeeze everything down to make a little room for a quest tracker HUD, but that's up to you. You could just keep track of the quest internally without showing the journal or HUD.

Inventory system: The Dialogue System doesn't really have an inventory system. There is an Item table, but it's not a visual thing. It's just data.

[cycs]

Hi Tony,

Purely theoretical: Is it possible to expand the Textline project with "in-message-graphics", the quest system and the inventory system? This would be a slightly improved text adventure.

In-message graphics: Yes. The easiest way would be to use TextMesh Pro, which is now free. It would require a small bit of scripting to update the TextlineDialogueUI script to use TextMesh Pro instead of plain old Unity UI Text. Then you can simply include sprite tags in your text.

Quest system: Yes. You'd probably want to add a button to show the quest journal, or squeeze everything down to make a little room for a quest tracker HUD, but that's up to you. You could just keep track of the quest internally without showing the journal or HUD.

Inventory system: The Dialogue System doesn't really have an inventory system. There is an Item table, but it's not a visual thing. It's just data.

Okay, sounds great so far. The inventory system is not so important for me, at this time. I have too much ideas in my head. But the other things should be good.

After my long search, I guess, you saved my day.
And now only the right discount action has to come...

[Tony Li]

Happy to help!

And now only the right discount action has to come...

If you're talking about a sale for the Dialogue System, it was on sale recently so I'm afraid it probably won't be on sale again for a while. (The Unity Asset Store controls the sales.) However, you can download the evaluation version for free. It has all the features of the paid version, except it has a watermark and no source code. This will let you test out your ideas before buying the Dialogue System.

[cycs]

Hey Tony,

If you're talking about a sale for the Dialogue System, it was on sale recently so I'm afraid it probably won't be on sale again for a while. (The Unity Asset Store controls the sales.)

all right, bro. That was only a joke! I think the price is worth the asset.

[cycs]

Hey Tony,

If you're talking about a sale for the Dialogue System, it was on sale recently so I'm afraid it probably won't be on sale again for a while. (The Unity Asset Store controls the sales.)

all good, bro. No worries. That was only a joke! I think the price is worth the asset.