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.

Code Usage

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);