Dialog

Dialog nodes are partial conversations.

In other words, each dialog node conveys one side of a conversation, although the name might be a little misrepresenting.

This design together with playability option, makes Arrow conversation system much more flexible.

Dialog nodes belong to Characters. Their character fields can be Anonymous (-1) too, although it's not recommended.

These nodes accept one or multiple lines. If optional playable parameter is true (or unset with default true) the node will wait for player to choose a line, otherwise a random line will be played.

Conventions:

• If skipped Dialog nodes play the first connected outgoing slot or the first one anyway if there is no connection.

• Dialog lines are expected to support minimal BBCode styling.

• Variable and Character-Tag exposure is supported in Dialog lines.

• Dialog nodes (unless skipped) will continue any disconnected line being played by user interaction or randomly. They consider it a deliberate designer/developer choice. Naturally a disconnected outgoing slot will end the branch (i.e. EOL).

• Blank lines (i.e. with zero length) are not allowed.

Use:

Each line having an outgoing slot, means you can branch your story based on a dialog line chosen by user, or create very detailed (ping-pong) discussions.

To create a full (multi-lateral) conversation, you can chain Dialog (and/or Monolog) nodes.

You can use a Hub if some or all of Dialog lines should forward to a singular next node.

You can make any instance of Dialog node playable, regardless of the character being NPC or playable. Think of this parameter as if you want a line to be chosen by end-user, or randomly by machine.

See also:

• Monolog

  An alternative when you need a singular long speech.

• Content

  For general purpose pieces of text (independent from characters).

• Interaction

  A similar but semantically different mean of branching.