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Jessist/docs/Writing_Dialogue.md
2022-06-18 13:05:48 +02:00

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# Writing Dialogue
Navigate to the "Dialogue" tab in the editor.
![Dialogue tab](dialogue-tab.jpg)
Open some dialogue by clicking the "new dialogue file" button or "open dialogue" button.
![New and Open buttons](new-open-buttons.jpg)
## Nodes
All dialogue exists within nodes. A node is started with a line beginning with a "~ ".
![Node titles begin with a "~ "](node-title.jpg)
A node will continue until another title is encountered or the end of the file.
## Dialogue
A dialogue line is either just text or in the form of "Character: What they say".
Dialogue lines can contain **variables** wrapped in "{{}}" (in either the character name or the dialogue). Any variables you use must be a property or method on one of your provided game states (see down below under **Settings, Runtime**).
![Dialogue lines](dialogue-lines.jpg)
Dialogue lines can also contain **bb_code** for RichTextEffects (if you end up using a `RichTextLabel` or the `DialogueLabel` provided by this addon).
If you use the `DialogueLabel` node then you can also make use of the `[wait=N]` and `[speed=N]` codes. `wait` will pause the typing of the dialogue for `N` seconds (eg. `[wait=1.5]` will pause for 1.5 seconds). `speed` will change the typing speed of the current line of dialogue by that factor (eg `[speed=10]` will change the typing speed to be 10 times faster than normal).
There is also a `[next]` code that you can use to signify that a line should be auto advanced. If given no arguments it will auto advance immediately after the text has typed out. If given something like `[next=0.5]` it will wait for 0.5s after typing has finished before moving to the next line. If given `[next=auto]` it will wait for an automatic amount of time based on the length of the line.
## Responses
To give the player branching options you can start a line with "- " and then a prompt. Like dialogue, prompts can also contain variables wrapped in `{{}}`.
![Empty prompts](empty-prompts.jpg)
By default responses will just continue on to the lines below the list when one is chosen.
To branch, you can provide and indented body under a given prompt or add a `=> Some title` where "Some title" is the title of another node. If you want to end the conversation right away you can `=> END`.
![Prompts](prompts.jpg)
If a response prompt contains a character name then it will be treated as an actual line of dialogue when the player selects it.
For example:
```
Someone: Here is a thing you can do.
- That's good to hear!
Nathan: That's good to hear!
- That's definitely news
Nathan: That's definitely news
```
...is the same as writing:
```
Someone: Here is a thing you can do
- Nathan: That's good to hear!
- Nathan: That's definitely news
```
## Conditions
You can use conditional blocks to further branch. Start a condition line with "if" and then a comparison. You can compare variables or function results.
Additional conditions use "elif" and you can use "else" to catch any other cases.
![Conditional lines](conditions.jpg)
Responses can also have conditions. Wrap these in "[" and "]".
![Conditional responses](conditional-responses.jpg)
If using a condition and a goto on a response line then make sure the goto is provided last.
## Mutations
You can modify state with either a "set" or a "do" line. Any variables or functions used must be a property or method on one of your provided game states (see down below under **Settings, Runtime**).
![Mutations](mutations.jpg)
In the example above, the dialogue manager would expect one of your game states to implement a method with the signature `func animate(string, string) -> void`.
There are also a couple of special built-in mutations you can use:
- `emit(...)` - emit a signal on your game states.
- `wait(float)` - wait for `float` seconds (this has no effect when used inline).
- `debug(...)` - print something to the Output window.
Mutations can also be used inline. Inline mutations will be called as the typed out dialogue reaches that point in the text.
![Inline mutations](inline-mutations.jpg)
One thing to note is that inline mutations that use `yield` won't be awaited so the dialogue will continue right away.
## Error checking
Running an error check should highlight any syntax or referential integrity issues with your dialogue.
![Errors](errors.jpg)
If a dialogue resource has any errors on it at runtime it will throw an assertion failure and tell you which file it is.
## Running a test scene
For dialogue that doesn't rely too heavily on game state conditions you can do a quick test of it by clicking the "Run the test scene" button in the main toolbar.
This will boot up a test scene and run the currently active node. Use `ui_up`, `ui_down`, and `ui_accept` to navigate the dialogue and responses.
Once the conversation is over the scene will close.
## Translations
You can export tranlsations as CSV from the "Translations" menu in the dialogue editor.
This will find any unique dialogue lines or response prompts and add them to a list. If a static key is specified for the line (eg. `[TR:SOME_KEY]`) then that will be used as the translation key, otherwise the dialogue/prompt itself will be.
If the target CSV file already exists, it will be merged with.