{{tag>igde editor conversation}}
[[:start|Start Page]] >> [[:gamedev|Game Development with the Drag[en]gine]] >> [[gamedev:deigde|Drag[en]gine Integrated Game Development Environment]] >> **Conversation Editor**
====== IGDE Conversation Editor ======
The conversation editor is used to create conversation resources for your game. These are ''*.deconvo'' files defining how a complex dynamic conversation unfolds.
{{:gamedev:deigde:editors:editor_conversation.jpg?direct&400|Conversation editor preview}}
{{youtube>dyv8i6B5o2U?medium}}
The editor window is composed of the preview area, properties panel on the left side and the dope sheet at the bottom of the window.
====== Preview Window ======
The preview window shows a preview of the conversation and this can be done in three different camera modes: **conversation**, **camera view** and **free**.
The **free** camera is the default and with it, the user is completely free to move around in a scene. See [[gamedev:deigde:editors:3dviewnavigation|3D-View Navigation]] on how to navigate the view using this mode.
The **camera shot** mode shows the currently selected in-game camera. This allows to set up new camera shots as well as previewing camera shots before deciding which one to use.
The **conversation** camera shows the conversation as seen in the game. Each time a camera shot action is encountered the conversation camera is switched and animated. When playback starts the camera is automatically switched to the **conversation** camera.
The **actor sub-titles** are shown at the bottom of the preview window. This is a generic preview subtitle setup and does not reflect how subtitles appear in the game (depends on script code and GUI themes used). This box shows the subtitle line of the last **actor speak** action that has been processed. Once the display time elapses the sub title is cleared.
The **command box** is shown at the top of the preview view. If a **game command** or **actor command** is encountered the command is shown in this box and playback is paused. To continue playback press MOUSE_LEFT anywhere in the preview view or press SPACE.
To help frame actors better you can enable the **rule of thirds** overlay from the view menu. This is a set of transparent dotted lines superimposed on the view dividing it into 9 equally sized cells. A rule of thumb for better framing is to align the focal points of actors (their eyes) with one of the crossing points.
====== Conversation Panel ======
{{ :gamedev:deigde:editors:editor_conversation_conversation.png?nolink|Conversation panel}}
//**Targets**//
Targets are used in different places in the conversation to define a point in space. They are identified using a unique identifier. Targets have a //**Position**// and //**Orientation**// relative to the target. The orientation is applied before the position. Targets are relative to a //**Conversation Actor**// or a //**Coordinate System**//.
Using an //**Actor Index**// or //**Actor Name**// (matching either //**Unique Name**// or //**Alias Name**//) the target is relative to a conversation actor. The actor has to be present in the conversation for this target to work. If the actor is missing the position is set relative to the game world. If //**Bone**// is used the target position is relative to the specified bone in the actor. The name of the bone has to match the name of a bone in the //**Rig**// used in the actor in the game world. The game scripts can though apply a different logic to the meaning of the bone parameter for example using it as a type name to target a specific area on an actor. If the bone name is not understood by the game scripts the actor location is used as if no bone has been specified.
Using a //**Coordinate System Identifier**// (matching either //**Identifier**// or //**Alias Identifier**//) the target is relative to a conversation system. The conversation system has to be present in the conversation for this target to work. The //**Bone**// parameter is ignored for coordinate system targets.
//**Camera Shots**//
Camera shots define parameters for dynamic camera handling while active. Camera shots are identified using a unique identifier. They modify the //**Conversation Camera**// behaviour over the duration of their shot. Various camera parameters can be set. Each parameter has a //**Start**// and //**End**// value. During the camera shot the parameter is linearly interpolated between the start and end value. Once past the duration the parameters stay at the end value. The following parameters are supported:
* //**Camera Offset**//: Offset of camera relative to camera mount point. This is called the //**Orbit Center**//.
* //**Camera Distance**//: Distance of camera backwards from orbit center. Defines the radius of the sphere the camera orbits around at.
* //**Orbit Rotation**//: Rotation of camera around orbit center. This is called the //**Camera Center**//.
* //**Look-At Offset**//: Offset of look-at point relative to look-at target. This is called the //**Look-At Center**//.
* //**Rotation**//: Rotation relative to camera center.
* //**Position**//: Position relative to camera center. Applied after //**Rotation**//.
* //**Tilt**//: Tilt of camera relative to camera center. Tilt is applied around the camera view angle. This is called in cinematics a //**Dutch Angle**// or //**Dutch Shot**//.
* //**FOV**//: Field of view of camera. Using different end value than start value can be used for special effects.
The //**Camera Shot Action**// defines the //**Targets**// used as camera target (gives the camera mount point) and look-at target. There are some additional parameters to alter this behaviour:
* //**Align Targets**//: The camera and look-at targets are virtually aligned to face each other before doing camera calculations. This ensures a camera faces towards the other target even if the actual targets face somewhere else.
* //**Lock Up Axis**//: Locks the Up-Axis while //**Align Targets**// is used. This prevents the camera from altering the elevation only the aziumth.
* //**Relative To Look-At**//: The camera mount point is relative to the look-at target instead of the camera target. This helps to place cameras at a specific location relative to a target actor but still changing the view direction depending on some other target.
* //**Lock Camera Target**//: Evaluates the camera target only at the beginning of the camera shot. This prevents the camera following target movement to get steady shots.
* //**Lock Look-At target**//: Evaluates the look-at target only at the beginning of the camera shot. This prevents the camera following target movement to get steady shots.
//**Look-Ats**//
Defines a look-at usable in the conversaion. Look-Ats are identified using a unique identifier. Each look-at defines the //**Target**// it is using. Different look-at can point to the same target.
//**Face Poses**//
Defines a face pose to use on actors. Face poses are identified using a unique identifier. Each face pose has a set of //**Controllers**// indicating the blending of different facial states.
//**Gestures**//
Defines a gesture to use on actors. Gestures are identified using a unique identifier. Each gesture has an //**Animator Identifier**// to be send to the game script to pick the right animator for use by this gesture. The interpretation of the animator identifier is game specific. The optional //**Hold**// parameter can be used to hold the gesture after the duration. If not set a gesture finishes after the duration it is played over. Using hold is required to create looping gestures that can be held until another gesture blends over it.
====== Topic Panel ======
{{ :gamedev:deigde:editors:editor_conversation_topic.png?nolink|Topic panel}}
Conversation resources compose of a list of //**Topic Groups**//. Topic groups allow to organize conversations in a conversation file by groups of related topics. The developer can name the groups whatever fits his purpose. Each topic group then contains a list of //**Topics**//.
A topic is the actual conversation script played back by the game engine. Topic groups can have any number of topics. Conversation scripts are similar to movie scripts. They compose of //Conversation Actions// played back one after the other. In contrary to timeline based approaches the movie script based approach allows for better control of dynamic conversations where the actual length and spacing between actions can vary. Furthermore it makes modifying conversations easier since no re-timing or re-aligning along a timeline is required.
Conversations can play back with any number of //**Conversation Actors**// attached to the conversation. Actors can be added and removed any time during the conversation. Only limitation is that an in-game actor can be only attached to one running conversation at all times. If you need to control actors from different conversation scripts use //**Game Command**// actions. Conversation actors are identified in the conversation script either using their index (first actor is actor 0, second actor is actor 1 and so forth) or using one of their names. Each conversation actor is required to have a unique name which never changes. In addition while adding a conversation actor an //**Alias Name**// can be assigned. This allows to identify a conversation actor in the conversation script by a pre-defined name no matter what actor is attached to this alias name in the end. A typical example is to add the conversation partner actor always with the alias "npc" no matter what kind of NPC the player talks too. Otherwise you would have to deal with all possible unique conversation actor names. Using alias names is recommended. Unique names is best used to identify a specific unique actor. Actor indices are not recommended.
Conversation resources are no engine resources. See the scripting language of your choice for how to load and use a conversation resource in your game.
//**Conversation Actions**//
Conversation actions provide the basic steps in a conversation script. For details see the [[gamedev:deigde:editors:conversation:actions|Conversation Actions]] page.
//**Conversation Conditions**//
Conversation conditions provided support to evaluate a composed condition for use in branching actions. For details see the [[gamedev:deigde:editors:conversation:conditions|Conversation Conditions]] page.
//**Paste Conversation Snippet**//
In the MOUSE_RIGHT context menu you can select **Paste ConversationSnippet** to quickly insert conversation actions. This opens a dialog to enter the information.
{{ :gamedev:deigde:editors:editor_conversation_pastesnippet.png?nolink |Conversation snippet editor}}
The **Snippet** text field contains the snippet to generate. Write it down similar to a simple movie script. Each line is converted to one **Actor Speak** action. The line begins with the identifier of the actor to speak and the text to speak separated by a colon character. The text to speak is set as the **Text Box Text**. If the speaking actor has also a speech animation assigned the text is converted to **Words** and added to the **Word** line in the **Dope sheet**. Any number of lines can be added this way. If the speaking actor changes a **Camera Shot** action is added using the parameters above.
The **Camera Shot 1** and **Camera Shot 2** define the identifier of the **Camera Shot** to use when switching to the first or second actor appearing in the snippet text field.
The **Target 1** and **Target 2** sets the targets to use by the camera shots. If the first actor speaks **Target 1** is used as camera shot target and **Target 2** is used as camera shot look-at. For the second actor speaking it is vice-versa.
====== View Panel ======
{{ :gamedev:deigde:editors:editor_conversation_view.png?nolink|View panel}}
Conversation playback is handled by a game script provided by the chosen scripting language. Before starting a conversation the user has to add //**Conversation Actors**// taking place in the conversation from the beginning. Additionally the user can set //**Conversation Variables**//. Conversation variables are integer variables the conversation actions can read and modify. This allows to modify the behaviour of conversation scripts or to check the outcome of a conversation. Once all is ready the conversation playback starts by specifying a //**Conversation Group**// and //**Conversation Topic**//. Once the playback finishes a playback callback or listener is called to allow the game scripts to take the next actions.
This panel contains various parameters to simulate conversations and testing dynamic conversation behavior.
The **Camera** panel shows the currently selected camera parameters (free, camera shot or conversation). The **Camera Free** panel shows the free camera parameters.
The **Sky** panel defines the **Sky** resource to use in the preview view.
The **Environment Object** panel defines the **Object Class** to use as environment the conversation is previewed in.
The **Props** panel allows to add props to the scene. This can be used to simulate the important aspects of a scene to ensure conversations are properly working, for example camera shot placements or ensure actors looking at props is working as expected.
The **Actors** panel allows to define the actors to play the conversation with. This panel contains a bunch of sub panels all defining aspects of the actor for example what model, skin and rig to use as well as the various animators to use. Dynamic behavior can be simulated using the **Actor Command Simulation** and **Actor Parameters**.
The **Actor Command Simulation** sub panel defines a list of actor commands supported by **Actor Command** condition. Use the context menu to add and remove entries from the list. Entries in the list show a minus or plus sign indicating if the command will return //true// or //false// if simulated. To switch the result of an entry in the list //double-click// MOUSE_LEFT on the list item.
The **Actor Parameters** sub panel defines parameters that can be checked using the **Actor Parameter** condition. Use the context menu to add and remove entries from the list. Adding an entry asks for the integer value the parameter will return if simulated. To change the value of a parameter in the list //double-click// MOUSE_LEFT on the list item.
The **Coordinate Systems** panel allows to add named conversation coordinate systems to be simulated. Simulating **Add Coordinate System** and **Remove Coordinate System** uses this.
The **Playback** panel controls the playback of the conversation.
The **Game Command** sub panel defines a list of game commands supported by **Game Command** condition. Use the context menu to add and remove entries from the list. Entries in the list show a minus or plus sign indicating if the command will return //true// or //false// if simulated. To switch the result of an entry in the list //double-click// MOUSE_LEFT on the list item.
The **Variables** sub panel defines conversation variables. These are typically set in game scripts to control the flow of conversation. Use the context menu to add and remove entries from the list. Adding an entry asks for the integer value the variable will return if simulated. To change the value of a variable in the list //double-click// MOUSE_LEFT on the list item. Here you can also see changes to conversation variables done by **Set Variable** actions.
The **Trigger Table** sub panel defines trigger targets to simulate. Use the context menu to add and remove trigger targets from the list. Entries in the list show a minus or plus sign indicating if the trigger target is in the //fired// or //not fired// state. To switch between //fired// and //not fired// state //double-click// MOUSE_LEFT on the list item. The list entry will also show behind the trigger name if the trigger has //ever fired// or //never fired//. Use the context menu to full reset a trigger target. Here you can also see changes to the trigger targets done by **Trigger** actions.
The **Debug** sub panel contains some debug helper information. The **Missing Words** list shows all words used in all processed **Actor Speak** actions which are not present in the speech animation file assigned to the actor. Using the menu button the list opens in a new dialog ready to be copied for example to a bug report.
Setting up conversation test setups can be time consuming. To avoid repeating this process over and over again the setup stored in the **Actors**, **Coordinate Systemes** and **Playback** panel can be persisted to **Conversation Test Setup** files (*.dects) using the view menu.
You can also persist a single actor configuration from the **Actors** panel to **Conversation Actor Setup** files (*.decta) using the view menu. Loading a conversation actor setup replaces the selected actor.
You can also save the playback simulation states from the **Playback** panel to **Conversation Test Game State** files (*.dectgs) using the view menu. This includes the game commands, variables and trigger table.
====== Dope Sheet ======
TODO