Pixel Crushers Forum

Hello! I just started looking into integrating these two systems, but then I realized, I don't understand the advantage of integrating with quest machine vs the quests that come with Dialogue System. What are the pros and cons?

Info: Dialogue System vs. Quest Machine Comparison Chart

The major differences:

• Dialogue System does branching conversations; Quest Machine doesn't. (Hence the integration to give Quest Machine quests the ability to use branching conversations through Dialogue System.)
• Quest Machine can generate new quests procedurally at runtime; Dialogue System doesn't.
• Dialogue System's quest editing interface is a table of entry fields. Quest Machine uses a visual node-based editor.

Ah, good to know!

Tony Li wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2019 8:40 pm Dialogue System's quest editing interface is a table of entry fields. Quest Machine uses a visual node-based editor.

If you have time, could you elaborate on this point? I know you're referring to:


vs


But it's hard for me to understand the benefits of Quest Machine's "visual node-based editor" when I'm already using Dialogue System.

Maybe I should give you some context: I plan to have a LOT of quests in my game, each character will give multiple quests sometimes simultaneously, and a lot will be narrative driven. For example, I have a quest where Mia (a cat girl) asks you to get her a glass of water, you can get that from your kitchen or buy it at the general store, and when you bring it to her she breaks it on purpose because she's a cat. This quest has branching (you can get the glass from two places), an inventory system (I need to know when you have the glass vs not), and dialogue.

I'm not able to see how Quest Machine using "a visual node-based editor" makes this easier or harder on me. Perhaps Quest Machine would make it easier to give different rewards depending on which path you took? Perhaps it's easier to keep track of the state of the quest with quest machine than it is in dialogue system? I honestly can't tell how "a visual node-based editor" for quests helps me when I've already got one for dialogue.

Quest Machine's node-based editor versus the Dialogue System's field-based editor is just a matter of preference.

Quest Machine has conditions and actions that make it a little easier to control quests at runtime. For example, it heavily utilizes a message system. You can run a line of code like: and any quests with currently-active nodes that are listening for the message "Air Raid" will automatically do something.

In contrast, in the Dialogue System you typically advance quests through conversations' Conditions and Script fields. It's possible to set it up to use the message system, too, but in general quest management in the Dialogue System is a little more freeform and manual. Rather than setting up a series of nodes with arrows and conditions, you manually define define the logic in Conditions and Script fields. (Or in Dialogue System Triggers using "Run Lua Code" actions, etc.) In dialogue-heavy games, I find it's actually easier to manage quests in the Dialogue System. In gameplay-heavy games, it's easier to manage them in Quest Machine.

As you allude to, if a Quest Machine's nodes branch in two directions, the final node in each branch can give the player a different reward. It's just inherent in Quest Machine's node structure. In the Dialogue System, it's up to you to control the branching in a conversation or using Lua conditions or whatever -- again, a little more freeform.

However, I'll admit that the trade-off to using Quest Machine + Dialogue System is that you now have two assets to keep in mind versus just one.

Awesome, thank you for explaining that so well. I think I'm going to go with just Dialogue System in that case.

Sounds good. Not to talk anyone out of a sale (if you haven't already bought Quest Machine), but I believe in the right tool for the right job. Since your game is so dialogue-oriented, the Dialogue System's the right tool in this case.

Things like MMOs and action RPGs, which are more gameplay-oriented, are a better fit for Quest Machine.

I already bought it, but that's on me Maybe I'll have a use for it in my next game.