Dialogues v0.6

The Crafty component that adds an entity a ability to carry conversation. As data source it uses JSON file. For building data source structure you can use prepared Dialogues builder tool.

###Type of dialogues:

• Linear
• Linear interrupted
• Linear dialogue with questions
• Branched dialogue with different results
• Fake branched dialogue with the same end
• Procedural dialogue
• Combined dialogue

###Advantage:

• no depending on the third party library
• documented code
• tested code

###Usage: Set source data to entity.

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").setDialogues( DIALOGUES_DATA_SOURCE );   

Make sure that there is a container for dialogs. Default container for views is #chat, but you can change it.

<div id="chat"></div>

Show dialogue

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").showDialogue();   

At the end of conversation you can catch a ConversationIsOver event.

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues")
.bind("ConversationIsOver", function(){          	        	
	this.endOfConversation();
}); 

Helper method

Close the conversation

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").endOfConversation();   

Clear chat container

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").emptyChatContainer();   

Get actual dialogue

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").getDialogue();   

Find dialogue by id

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").findDialogueById(id);   

Root of dialogues

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").getRoot();   

Get actor

Crafty.e("2D, DOM, Dialogues").getActor( id );   

###How it work

Dialogue as data

{
	"id": 41,
	"parent": 40,
	"isChoice": false,
	"actor": 20,
	"conversant": 10,
	"menuText": "",
	"dialogueText": "Over the gate is hell.",
	"conditionsString": "",
	"codeBefore": "",
	"codeAfter": "",
	"outgoingLinks": [
		42
	]
}

Order of execution of code

1. codeBefore
2. conditionsString
3. codeAfter

Scope of code

Execute code on the current dialogue

"codeAfter": "this.getDialogue().passThrough=true",

Evaluate the condition on the current dialogue

"conditionsString": "this.getDialogue().passThrough==true",

Execute code on "this" scope of the entity with Dialogues component

"codeBefore": "this.experience = 1000",

Execute code on an remote entity

"codeBefore": "Crafty("RemoteEntityName").isReady = true",

Evaluate the condition on an remote entity

"conditionsString": "Crafty("RemoteEntityName").isReady == true",

Chat container

For appearance of chat container use CSS. There are helper class.

Sentence

Note the class. You will need it. "Ogre" is the actor name from your source JSON file. This create class name with actor name.

<div id="chat">
	<p class="dialogue Ogre" data-outgoinglink="20">I do not know you. What is your name?</p>
</div>

Choice

<div id="chat">
	<ul>
		<li data-outgoinglink="40">Ask at the entrance.</li>
		<li data-outgoinglink="60">Leave</li>
	</ul>
</div>

###Work procedure:

1. Use Dialogues builder tool to create conversation tree.

2. Export your conversation as JSON (example)

3. Use Crafty.js for building your amazing HTML5 game based on conversation.

###Examples

• Simple conversation
• Conditional conversation

###Documentation

• Interactive dialogue for videogame - part 1
• Interactive dialogue for videogame - part 2

###It may interest you to know

• Tiled map builder module for Crafty game engine

###Contact me I will be grateful for constructive comments.

• Crafty group thread
• tomasjurman@gmail.com