NWN2 TUTORIALS

NWN2 TOOLSET HOWTO � WRITING CONVERSATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Anatomy of a Conversation
  
• Conversation Scripting Basics
  
• Conditions
  
• Actions
  
• Writing a Dialogue
  
• Some Basic Conversation Tricks
  
• Attaching a Conversation to a Creature
  
• Conclusion

CONVERSATION BASICS

ANATOMY OF A CONVERSATION

Red nodes are lines that are spoken by the NPC. Blue nodes are the player�s responses. A blue �[CONTINUE]� means that the player has no choice to make at that node. In these cases, the conversation will proceed to the next red line, allowing an NPC to make multiple statements before the player responds.

• The text for the currently selected node. All of the information in the Node Properties section (D) refers to this node.
  
• A series of options from which the player can choose. After the preceding red node fires, the player will see these options and can click on (or press the number of) the one he wishes to select. Note the + sign to the left of these nodes, which shows that they can each be expanded.
  
• Other node information. By right-clicking on this region (choose �Columns�) you can set which columns of information will be displayed. In this screenshot, you can see Actions, Conditions, and Quest information for each node.
  
• Node Properties. This section contains more details on the selected node.
  
• Text. The text for the selected node is shown here. Just click on the text box and type to change what the NPC says (red node) or what player option is presented (blue node).

CONVERSATION SCRIPTING BASICS

The details of scripting are beyond the scope of these HowTos, but we�ll discuss some of the very basics in the context of how scripts can be used in conversations. The best way to learn more about scripting is to experiment with the Sample Module and see how we were able to create it. Then play around with conversations and scripts in your own modules.

Conditions

Conditions are test scripts that are attached to a conversation node and are either TRUE or FALSE. When a condition is TRUE, then that conversation node fires (is executed). For example, you might have an NPC who has two possible greetings: the first is warm and friendly while the other is cold and standoffish.

If you placed a condition script on the first node to check if the player is an elf, then elves would get the warm greeting and other races the cold one. In this case, the condition script is being used to help establish the personality of an NPC.

In the Sample Module, conditions are used to determine which of Pitney�s dialog nodes will be displayed, based upon the player�s quest state. If the player declined to help Pitney, then the poor fellow pleads again with the player. If the player has killed the lizardfolk, then Pitney expresses his gratitude.

If a condition is not met, then the player will never see that conversation node. For a series of player responses (blue nodes), this might mean that the player only sees 3 of the 4 possible choices. For an NPC statement (red nodes), the first node whose conditions are met is shown.

If you experiment with the Sample Module, you will notice that there are 5 initial nodes for Pitney. Which one the player sees depends upon what has happened so far.

• Node Properties Tabs. These tabs let you view different properties of the conversation node. (In this screenshot, the Conditions tab is shown.)
  
• Condition Operators. If a node has multiple conditions, you can specify �And� or �Or� to indicate whether they must all be true or if only some of them need to be true for the node to fire.
  
• Script Name. This text box contains the name of the condition script. In this case, the global script gc_journal_entry, which checks a journal (quest) entry, is being used.
  
• Script Parameters. The remainder of the row for each condition shows what parameters are passed to the condition script. In this case, the parameter sQuestTag is given the value �01_lizardfolk� and the parameter sCheck is given the value �10.�

  The use of script parameters is very powerful and allows a single script to be used in dozens of conversations. For example, gc_journal_entry can be used to check any state for any quest in the entire game! The use of parameters for scripts is a new function of the NWN2 toolset.
  
  Note: If you add a global script to Conditions or Actions, or swap one script for another, click the �Refresh� button to set the appropriate parameters for the new script.
  

• Script Code. The documentation and code for the condition script is shown in this window.

An action is a script that is used to accomplish a wide variety of tasks. An action script is executed when a conversation node fires. For example, an action could cause an NPC to become hostile to the player, move the player to another map, or place gold in a treasure chest.

In the Sample Module, an action script is used to reward the player with experience points for completing his quest for Pitney. Action scripts are set for nodes similar to how condition scripts are set.

WRITING A CONVERSATION

Your new dialogue will be entirely empty, save for the Root node. As mentioned in the earlier overview of a conversation, you can add your first line by right-clicking on the Root node and selecting �Add.� This will bring up the New Line window where you can input the first line of the dialogue. Note that the first line after the root is always an NPC line.

Once you hit �OK� the New Line is added and you have the introductory line for the victim.

If you were to add a line to this red NPC line, you�d be adding a player response node. If you wanted the NPC to say two lines before the player responded, you�d have to make an empty player node between the red NPC nodes. Try adding a blank line to the introduction.

End Dialog? If a Player node has NO responses attached to it, it is a conversation-ending node. Let�s see what happens if we add another NPC line after the highlighted, empty PC line.

The blue player node switched to [Continue] now that an NPC line follows it. Now that the NPC has said two lines, let�s add some player response nodes. To give a player multiple possible responses at one time, add multiple times to the same node. If you want three possible responses to the �I can�t feel my leg�� line, right-click then �Add� on that line three times.

Now you have three possible PC responses to that line. Fill in text for each line by clicking on the line, and then typing in the text box (lower-right of the dialogue editor with the �Insert� button).

Since these lines don�t yet have any text following them, they are dialogue-enders. If you�d like, you could continue to add NPC nodes, and subsequent player nodes, to your heart�s content. The basics of adding lines are quite simple.

Advanced Topic: Stores

Stores are only accessed through script in a conversation � they are not objects that the player can detect. Stores have blueprints just like other types of objects. After you create your store�s blueprint, place it on the map normally. It is generally best to place your store next to the NPC. Check out the Sample Module for an example of a store.

• Store Dialogue Node. This is the dialogue node that accesses the store in the Sample Module.
  
• Script ga_open_store. This action opens your store. It is given the store�s tag as a parameter.
  
• Store Properties Panel. To edit the contents of your store (and to initially assign its tag), open its Property Panel. Click on the �Store� tab, then click the �Edit� button to change its contents. You can them place instances of any blueprint item into your store.
  
• Area Contents. All stores in an area can be seen here under the �Store� tab.

SOME BASIC CONVERSATION TRICKS

Continuing with the previous conversation, let�s say that the survivor is clinging to life, and if the player asks questions, the victim shortly collapses in exhaustion. In effect, the dialogue would look like this:

Notice that the �Why should I help you?� and �Who are you?� nodes lead to exactly the same text. Writing this out is more work than is necessary, and it clutters your conversation. There�s an easier way using links to streamline this conversation.

First step is to remove everything after the �Who are you?� line � it�s no longer needed. By Right-clicking on the �Please� help me�� line and selecting �Remove,� that red NPC node and all nodes connected to it are purged. Next step is to set the link. We want �Who are you?� to link to the line under �Why should I help you?� Right-click on that line and select �Set Link Destination.�

This flags the NPC node as being the new destination for any other player node in the dialogue. Adding this to the �Who are you node?� is as simple as right-clicking on the node and selecting �Insert Link.�

Once in, you�ll see a grey node attached to �Who are you?� This indicates that if the player were to select �Who are you?� they would get bounced to the same node as if they selected �Why should I help you?�

If you ever forget where a particular gray node leads, just double-click it. The editor will take you to the destination node.

Links make the difference between writing a large conversation in a few minutes versus a few hours.
Pipes and Braces can be used to write text that shows up in the Toolset but NOT in game. Thus, if you are writing a long conversation and need to leave notes to yourself that you don�t want players seeing in game, you can place your text in pipes, |like this| or in braces {like this}.

The line above may look messy but the player will only see the text �Thank you stranger, I won�t forget your kindness!� The conversation�s author can keep tabs on what kind of response this is and leave a note to return later and add a bump to the player�s Good alignment � neither of these notes will ever show up in the actual gameplay.

Barkstrings are conversations with only NPC nodes and no player responses. When speaking to an object with a barkstring conversation, the game does not stop for a full branching conversation. Instead, the one red node of dialogue floats over the speaker�s head without any halt in gameplay.

In the Sample Module, 01_ginni is an example of a barkstring conversation. Pitney�s wife always speaks a single line and never allows the player to offer a response.

Advanced Topic: Fall-through

Fall-through is a term for creating multiple NPC nodes and assigning conditions so that, if the first node can�t be displayed, the process �falls through� to the next red NPC node down the line. As mentioned earlier in our discussion of conditions and actions, a node can be given a condition and if that condition is FALSE, the line will not be displayed. Observe Pitney Lannon�s conversation:

Notice how there are 5 red NPC nodes off of the root (indicated by the vertical line dropping down from the word Root).

The first red NPC node that is TRUE is displayed, and the conversation follows the nodes under it � the other nodes are effectively ignored. Here, the author has used comments in pipes to indicate when and why each red NPC node is used. When first speaking with Pitney, the first red line fires. Next time in the dialogue, the game checks to see if the player refused to help and if so, it plays the second red line, otherwise, it checks to see if he�s agreed to help� and so on.

As you experiment more with conditions, you can use fall-through to create very powerful, reactive conversations. The player may feel like it�s five completely different dialogues, all custom-tailored to what events took place already when really, it�s just one conversation using fall-through to create a smart dialogue.

Advanced Topic: One-time-only Nodes

You may occasionally want an NPC to speak a line once and never repeat it again. For example, in the Sample Module, Pitney�s initial conversation (in which he tells the player about his problem and begs for help) occurs only once. After this, Pitney will respond based upon the player�s quest state. This is to create the illusion that Pitney knows and remembers the PC.

To set a dialog node as one-time-only, click the node in the Dialog Editor, and select the �Node� tab in the Node Properties window (at the bottom of the screen). Click the �Show Once� field, and you will be able to select from a drop-down menu. The �Show Once� field defaults to �Always,� which means that the node will always appear, unless Conditions dictate otherwise.

Set the �Show Once� tab to �Once per game� to ensure that the node will only be called once, and will never appear again. Be certain that a fall-through node follows the once-only node, however, or the conversation will simply close.

For Persistent Worlds, it may be wiser to set the �Show Once� field to �Once per creature that uses this conversation.� Otherwise, the node will be displayed for the first player who views the dialog, but will never appear again!

ATTACHING A CONVERSATION TO A CREATURE

CONCLUSION

• The basic structure of a conversation in NWN2.
  
• A brief overview of how conditions, actions, and scripting work in conversations.
  
• How to write your own conversation.
  
• How to link and comment your text.
  
• How to hook up your conversation to a creature in the game.