Dialog

Definition

The dialog system is used to display text and response options through a standard interface.

A dialog is the following:

• List of states (each with - Text (optional) & List of options (optional))
• Selector (icon or character (pending))
• Windows (optional)

Container

Dialog Data

var Dialogs = ig.global.data.dialogs;

Dialog Object

var Dialog = ig.support.dialog;

Data Format

Notes:

• The dialogsSampleSettingsBase is an optional separate object for easy reuse across dialog objects. All fields indicated in the dialogsSampleSettingsBase object are applicable to the 's' object of a dialog.
• If the next state cannot be determined (due to data error or just not specifying) the dialog will close.
• The data for a dialog can be thought of as a conversation with the capability of a branching conversation based on requirements to reach given states.

Format

var dialogsSampleSettingsBase =
{
    f:'04b03.font', // font ('media/' is prepended and '.png' is appended automatically)
    w:200, // width of the dialog space (for text wrap purposes) (default: 0)
    h:0, // height does nothing for now... probably need to scroll (default: 0)
    x:30, // x location (default: 0)
    y:0, // y location (default: 0)
    osx:5, // selector x offset (default: 0)
    osy:6, // selector y offset (default: 0)
    r:null // requirements to show this dialog (default: null)
    win:[] // array of windows drawn in order specified by array (default: null)
    winex:[] // additional array of windows (used for overrides that need an additional window instead of an override - drawn after the win array in order) (default: null)
    c:null //class - used for key translation for localization + menu item actions (default: null) ('ig.global.' is prepended when associating to the class object)
}

Dialogs.sample =
{
    s: // settings object
    {
        base:dialogsSampleSettingsBase , // base settings for this dialog (see base functionality (TODO link))
        x:52, // base x override 
        winex: [] // extension to the windows [] (so the base and each dialog can have their own)
    },
    sa: // array of dialog state objects
    [
        {
            n:'A', // state name (default:'')
            t: 'Hi!', // text to display when this state is active
            ns:'B', // next state (if there are no options that specify a next state) (default:'')
            r:null, // requirements to enter this state (TODO: link to requirements) (default: null)
            a:null, // action when exiting the state (TODO: link to actions) (default: null)
            do: //default option index (default: 0)
            o: // array of options to display when the state is active (default: null)
            [
                {
                    t:"Hello", // text
                    ns:'B' // next state name (if null or non-existent - exits the dialog)
                    a:null // action when option is selected (default: null) (default: null)
                    ca:'' // class action (only applicable if the dialog is configured with a class) (TODO: reference class docs)
                    cav:{} // class action variables (only applicable if the dialog is configured with a class) (TODO: reference class docs)
                    r:null // requires object (used to show/hide options) (default: null)
                },
                { // Note: this option is trimmed down to just the essentials (and will exit on selection)
                    t:"Goodbye"
                }
            ],
            win:[] // windows for the given state (default: null)
        },
        {
            n:'B',
            t: 'Well good talking to you.',
        }
    ]
}

TODO: reference the source code where this above is used. TODO: describe sequential

Code Usage

Dialog Controller Object (Optional)

Dialogs can be further controlled by an object in the code. The functions supported are:

• getNextState - prototype: getNextState(nextState) { return null; } Returns the next state object.

Other functions can be configured and called through the class action variables (ca and cav).

Dialog Handling

In your main game mode's update() (before calling parent) add the following:

if(Dialog.update())
{
    // updating the dialog (all other game updates are halted)
    return;
}

Setting the current dialog

Any time you need to pop open a dialog simply initialize the data by calling Dialog.initData:

var Dialog = ig.support.dialog;
// entity that popped the dialog (may be null) -- this is to allow the dialog to call .kill() on the entity if the data is setup to do so
// dialogObject - the dialog definition (ie. Dialogs.sample from above)
Dialog.initData(entity, dialogObject);