Invisible Dialogue trees

[Kalki]

DNF's not going to be an RPG so I don't want to have to pick and choose dialogue for Duke to say. I'd rather have a simple linear dialogue tree structure that's invisible, out of the way but also recognises our actions and achievements, incorporating them into NPC conversations.

This implies a slightly open-ended progression when it comes to the order of scripted sequences you encounter in a map area but that would only make for some amazing replay value. If they intend to retain the map structure from Duke3D, where you could go through alternate routes and bypass certain locations (and their scripts) altogether, having an alternate dialogue tree becomes a necessity.

[hell-angel]

DNF will be linear afaik. That is, there might be multiple paths through (part of) a level, but the story will not be affected by your actions. That is because DNF is an FPS and not an halfbreed between an FPS and an RPG. :)

And who say they will allow you to bypas important script areas. ;)

[Kalki]

The only way they restricted bypassing scripts (like the collapsing building in E1L2) in Duke3D was with find-the-*bleeping*-keycard gameplay. Even so, you could bypass the cocooned babe NPCs in secret areas and isn't that where dialogue (and player choices like putting them out of their misery) comes into play?

[crunchy superman]

I'm pretty sure George would shit igloos if somebody on the team suggested giving Duke selectable dialogue.

[Mr.Sociopath]

yeah it would be fun to have somekind of adapative dialogue tree... there could be commlink radio order saying.. duke you have to blow out that ammo factory over the.. ooh you already did that..! (instead of the acvftually mission stuff)..just this would imply more freedom but still linearity that doesn'T break gameplay..

[Rider]

yeah it would be fun to have somekind of adapative dialogue tree... there could be commlink radio order saying.. duke you have to blow out that ammo factory over the.. ooh you already did that..! (instead of the acvftually mission stuff)..just this would imply more freedom but still linearity that doesn'T break gameplay..

I think this could be a very valuable asset! It would make the world seem more responsive, and thus, make the game more immersive!

I like it!

[mr. pinky demon]

Hi everybody.

[Commando Nukem]

Hi everybody.

Hello. Please don't spam. :)

Personally I think this is reserved for games more like Morrowind or the like. Thats quite a big structure that you'd have to code. :)

[Kalki]

How so? Every level area may have certain dialogue for a corresponding event depending on the state of it's trigger(on/off). Take Duke3D's E1L1 movie theatre map as an example. You can walk in to the lobby past the ticket booth through the main entrance once you drop down from the roof. Or you can use the back exit to the movie screen.

Say there's a pigcop seated there munching chicken wings. The surviving pimply faced usher hiding in the toilet tells you he's been hiding from that pigcop. That's your conversation starter.
Now if you already came from the back exit and killed piggy, Duke can tell him he did so with a "I took care of him", to which the kid can give a thankful (perhaps helpful) response. There's your sub-mission successful indicator.
The "I took care of him" applies to whenever you talk to the kid after killing the pigcop. Resuming a conversation with him starts him off with, "Did you run into that wild boar-man yet?" This is your resume point.
If say you bypass both the bathroom and the movie hall and move straight to the projection booth and start up the movie, you can hear the pigcop making grunting noises. So going to the kid after that gets Duke to say, "I thought I heard something jacking off to the porn" with an added "I took care of him" in case you sniped him from the projection booth.
For a bonus (post-polish) bit of dialogue, the "I took care of him" in the post-porn movie startup scenario could be followed immediately with a "But not in a gay way!"

Once you build the tree, filling it in with dialogue and linking them to event conditions that have been triggered or not should be no problem.

Hello mr. pinky demon! :)

[mr. pinky demon]

Hello. Please don't spam


How is that spamming?

[Malgon]

That'd be time-consuming but rewarding way of implementing it Kalki. I'd be happy if some small sequences like this would be added into the game, as it'd make it feel as though you aren't the only person within the game world. Scripted sequences like this would go a long way to making the setting come to life imo. :)

[Kalki]

Thanks! :)

[Rider]

Whatta ya know... 8 years and STILL the fanbase gets inventive new ideas! :cool:

Listen to this man George B. He knows what he's talking about ;)

[mysteryperfecta]

We've talked about this in the past, and personally, I'm 100% for it. Similarly, I'd like to see context-specific dialogue (and reactions) based on how well you're playing. If you're mowing aliens down, saving lives, and doing so with minimal collateral damage, NPCs can cheer you, fawn over you, help you (with ammo, info) etc. If you're allowing enemies to do damage before you get them, and are recklessly causing NPC deaths, and destroying your surroundings, NPCs can run from you, suggest you be more careful, and not help you.

I believe this could be accomplished rather easily, and aren't anything like RPG-style dialogue choices.

[gt1750]

I'm all for simple dialogues with NPCs:

Duke:"Shake it, baby!"
NPC:*smiles and flashes titties* :D

[Mr.Sociopath]

wouldn't you prefer something like :

duke : "shake it baby"
npc *smiles and flashes titties* then say : " did you know that about 75% of lymph from the breast travels to the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes. The rest travels to parasternal nodes, to the other breast, or abdominal lymph nodes. The axillary nodes include the pectoral, subscapular, and humeral groups of lymph nodes. These drain to the central axillary lymph nodes, then to the apical axillary lymph nodes. The lymphatic drainage of the breasts is particularly relevant to oncology, since cancer cells can break away from a tumour (breast cancer being a common cancer), and spread to other parts of the body through the lymph system by a process known as metastasis...etc.." :p
(copyright wikipedia ;) )

[Micki!]

wouldn't you prefer something like :

duke : "shake it baby"
npc *smiles and flashes titties* then say : " did you know that about 75% of lymph from the breast travels to the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes. The rest travels to parasternal nodes, to the other breast, or abdominal lymph nodes. The axillary nodes include the pectoral, subscapular, and humeral groups of lymph nodes. These drain to the central axillary lymph nodes, then to the apical axillary lymph nodes. The lymphatic drainage of the breasts is particularly relevant to oncology, since cancer cells can break away from a tumour (breast cancer being a common cancer), and spread to other parts of the body through the lymph system by a process known as metastasis...etc.." :p
(copyright wikipedia ;) )


Duke : "You wanna Dance..?"
NPC Stripper *smiles, and flashes titties* then say : "striptease or exotic dance is a performance, usually a dance, in which the performer (sometimes called an ecdysiast), "strips off clothing to arouse sexual desire by displaying the naked body in motion." Stripteases are usually performed in strip clubs. The "teasing" part involves the slowness of undressing, while the audience is eager to see more nudity. Delay tactics include additional clothes being removed, putting clothes or hands in front of just undressed body parts. Emphasis is on the act of undressing along with sexually suggestive movement, not on the state of being undressed: in some cases the performance is finished as soon as the undressing is finished. (Before the sexual revolution, striptease performance often ended with the performer wearing a g-string and pasties)

Along with physical attractiveness and appropriate clothing, the main asset and tool used by the exotic dancer in recent years is the stripper pole. Almost all exotic dancers are drawn to the profession by the potential for high earnings in the form of tips and commissions from lap/couch dances and..." etc etc..!



Also from our beloved Wikipedia... :love:

[Rider]

That's scary actually :eek:

[Malgon]

Wikipedia ftw! :D

[Micki!]

That's scary actually :eek:

... And if you go away to avoid her talking, she'll follow you, to finish up the conversation... :censored:

[ReadOnly]

There is a possibility of blowing her up. Like I always did in Duke3d. Miserable women!