Custom Dialogues

[jman2050]

A feature we've been wating to do for a while now is custom dialogues. Basically, an optional replacement to the current but archaic way of displaying messages. What this topic is about is that we want suggestions for how we should develoip this custom dialogue editor. I figured it'd be a change from our usual secret development of new features.

Just as an FYI, the bare minimum I'm looking for when developing this editor is a repliucation of Z3's ialogue boxes. So that means messages that can be placed anywhere, scrolling messages, borders, VWF fonts, etc. etc.

So post away!

[_L_]

If we wanted to spend waaay too much time on this feature, we might devise some kind of markup for the dialogue strings allowing such functions as:
* the famous red text
* speed up/slow down the text 'typing" speed
* different fonts (Hylian etc.)
* text written in the Hylian font which changes to normal if you have the Book of Mudora item.
* that "harp" sound effect from Ocarina of Time
* maybe even insert tiles into strings? (Think back to Link's mugshot on the Z3 wanted signs)

But most of those strike me as frivolties at the moment.

[Pineconn]

I figured it'd be a change from our usual secret development of new features.

Wow, you're not going to be evil this time. Thanks. I guess?

We're getting farther and farther away from Zelda 1 and closer and closer to LttP, aren't we? :p

I guess I've never thought about a custom dialogue. I'll admit - I like the idea. What I'd like to see:

- Different fonts/sizes/colors (like L suggested with the red text to emphasize what the character is saying). Remember how in Wind Waker that the text would sometimes be really huge or really tiny, also. Possibly an option to make text bold/italic/underlined/etc.

- A different "More" icon. Not only would there still be the "More" icon, there would be a separate one for the last string, symbolizing the end of the dialogue. This is how the 3D Zelda games have it.

- Background? Again, in Wind Waker, there would sometimes be a background instead of the transparent text box, like when you read a sign/text on a rock/etc.

- This might be what L meant by the "harp sound effect," but a little sound effect for when the More icon appears. And, if the "End of dialogue" symbol would be added, maybe even a slightly different one for that.

- This would definitely be a stretch. I don't know if any of you have played a Paper Mario game, but there would sometimes be a different text effect. For instance, if someone old or scared were talking, the text would vibrate a little. There were a few different variations of vibrations. Like I said, probably not gonna happen. ;)

[Shoelace]

Cool, I just posted this last week:


I always wanted this. But I would want to be able to change the font throughout the string. So it can have the feel that the Wind Waker had. Little words when they were whispering and big letters when they yell. And also do the thing they do in Ocarina of time. Make the important words Red. So when I make my strings I could give bigger clues with colors. :P

So it would be cool if you can change the colors, font, size, in the same message. That way you can better express the emotions. Also, if you were able to display where the string will be on the string would be nice. Though, that old rule of not being able to walk 5 tiles from the top needs to go. So let me make this cleaner:

--Different Fonts (So I can make different races have different font)
--Colors
--Sizes
--placement of the strings on the screen
--The not being able to walk on the 5 tiles above needs to go.
--Place different sound effects (Just an idea, think Bajoo Kazooie)
--If you want make a shakey font, so it could be like the character is scared.

I just wrote some for brainstorming ideas. But the first 5 would be the ones I want.

Edit: I like the idea of adding tiles to the strings like _L_ said... though that would be hard to make, but sounds cool. :P

[Freedom]

Yea.... what he said. ;) ^

[beefster09]

How would these spawn though? Would there be a combo or something? Then maybe you right click on it to set the dialogue.Maybe FFCs could do this too.

-no need to make a level #

-everything you want to freezes:
-this combo
-link(default)
-enemies(default)
-animations

[idontknow]

I'd like the ability to put variables in messages, such as:
# of Bombs you currently have
# of Rupees you currently have
# of Arrows you currently have
# of Triforce Pieces you currently have
# of filled Hearts or heart containers you currently have

Also, the ability to assign multiple messages to FFCs, but based on your status in the game, different messages would appear at different times, or to have strings vary depending on what secrets you've triggered.

[Questwizard88]

If I had totally custom fonts instead of being limited to those in the fonts.dat file, and Unicode support in strings, I'd be happy. (I know it would probably mean rewriting all the string-handling code, cause right now it just spews out question marks. :( 256 characters are just never enough for some things...) A few other things I'd want are:

－Choices for 8x8, 8x16, and 16x16 pixel characters.
－Formatting codes and stuff like the ones from Z3.
－Ability to change the number of lines displayed on the screen at once. (For making full-screen text credits, etc.)
－Ability to change the position, and width in characters of the string as its displayed on screen. (Useful for making a string show in only a certain section of the screen.
－Autoscrolling with adjustable speed. (Again, useful for story, credits, etc.)
－Ability to adjust the speed at which the text is "typewritten" to the screen. I'd also like to see and option for instant display of the entire section though, as it would be very useful for making credit screens, etc.
－Sounds

[*b*]

- Customizable dialogue box placement
- Customizable text placement
- Customizable text (showed, color, font)
- Scrolling messages upon button press
- Minitiles, able to appear after certain text, to display items in graphical form
- Customizable text appearance speed and size
- Animated text (like, when somone yells, the text shakes)
- Name command, to show the name of the file (Link, ZELDA, ect)
- Animated dialogue box opening (like thought bubbles appearing from a person's head)
- Animated dialogue boxes
- A text editor that allows you to edit any amount of text you want, add bold, highlighted, and other variations of text in with normal text. It could work like VBB code, where [b] makes the text bold, [color=color] makes the text colored, ect, ect. Once the text is all finished, it's imput into the screen, and the commands disappear
- Custom sounds for each text string (would require a few more options in the .sfx file)
- Multiple dialogue boxes to choose from

[Dark Nation]

Just for reference and/or curiosity, in Zelda 3, the following strings are used for special things:


[Speed ??]
[1]
[2]
[3]
[Choose]
[Choose2]
[Choose3]
[Name]
[Selchg]
[Waitkey]
[Scroll]
[B] - B button
[A] - A button
[X] - X button
[Y] - Y button
[Window ??]
[Sound ??]
{} - Link's head icon
[Up] - Up arrow
[Down] - Down arrow
[Left] - Left arrow
[Right] - Right arrow
@£$ - Ancient Hylian characters
[Position ??]
[Wait ??] - Wait a number of tics
[Color ??] - Text Color
[Number ??] - A digit, perhaps
[1HeartL][1HeartR] - HCP Meter (1/4 Full)
[2HeartL][2HeartR] - HCP Meter (2/4 Full)
[3HeartL][3HeartR] - HCP Meter (3/4 Full)
[4HeartL][4HeartR] - HCP Meter (4/4 Full)

The ?? above are 2-digit numbers, in hexadecimal (00-FF).

[Tygore]

Item-associated dialogue, as in the classic "You got the Hookshot! Now..." Also a one-time only check box (for things such as ammunition), as well as HCP progression.

[The_Amaster]

I agree with all of the said above, but also say that a necessity is a combo property thing that allows the string to play when the combo is stepped upon(or even better, when it's slashes/had A button pressed.)This would get rid of the tedious "make second screen identical, except with string". Add this to the dialog boxes and fonts suggested above, and weve got something truly powerfull.
EDIT: You know what I just realized, and might be a bit simpler(might be, I don't know)Instead of a combo property, a flag. You have say, flags called "String's 1,2&3", okay, and under data, you can specify that screens three strings. Just a suggestion. If I'm raving and completly unrealistic, feel free to let me know

[beefster09]

-With the color code, it would probably be in hex, kinda like \C[B6] would be Cset 11, Color 6, and F9 would be the built in color 9. But transparent colors just show the normal text color.

-Simalar thing with fonts--00 would be the default font, 0A would be another font, and 11-FF possibly would be custom fonts.Don't count on it.

-size is not a very good idea though, as it will probably look weird unless we have TT fonts.

-Shaking would be \ST[8] This tells it to shake at magnitude 8. 0 means don't shake

-Sounds would also be simalar \PS[1D] plays sound 1D loaded into sounds.dat(a new one to add... wink, wink, nudge, nudge) could also be played from FFC scripts.(hint, hint) PLAYSOUND

The rpg2000 text code is easier and it takes less space.

Example code:

\F[06]\C[94] Link:
\C[00]I Completed the triforce.
\ST[3]YAAAY!!!\ST[0]\PS[24]