Using Dialogue System - Between Player and AI?

[jedra 11]

First of all, apologies for resurrecting this thread (it's not that old though)...

I am writing my first campaign and needed some dialogue and this thread has been invaluable to me for this. I am a little confused about something though...

If I have put together the dialogue map in the FSM editor and created the necessary fsm files, why do I also need the sqf files? They seem to serve the same purpose and either one or the other seems redundant. I am obviously missing some theory here. Would someone be able to explain why both are needed?

[2nd ranger 282]

The FSM determines the AI's response to your queries. The sqf alters the conversation menu based on the AI's response. So the conversation starts, you choose an option to say something in the menu. The FSM takes your input and determines what the AI will say back. The sqf waits for the AI's response and adds options to your conversation menu based on that response.

Maybe you have it set up differently? If you think the sqf is redundant then take it out and see if it still works. I haven't spent all that much time on conversations but you could probably run it all in an FSM, though it's most likely just easier and neater to use both FSM and sqf.

[jedra 11]

The FSM determines the AI's response to your queries. The sqf alters the conversation menu based on the AI's response. So the conversation starts, you choose an option to say something in the menu. The FSM takes your input and determines what the AI will say back. The sqf waits for the AI's response and adds options to your conversation menu based on that response.

Maybe you have it set up differently? If you think the sqf is redundant then take it out and see if it still works. I haven't spent all that much time on conversations but you could probably run it all in an FSM, though it's most likely just easier and neater to use both FSM and sqf.

Great thanks, I think I get it then. So, if I have a scripted conversation between the player and an AI that is not controlled via the action menu (it runs as part of a sort of intro), I don't need the SQF? I will go away and experiment. Thanks for getting back to me!

[2nd ranger 282]

If it's not controlled by the action menu and it's just a set series of lines, then you don't even need FSMs. You can just have the BIKB with the lines in it and then run a script using kbTell to say the lines.

[jedra 11]

Great, thanks. It is all starting to make sense now!

[medusacadenza 6]

Does anyone have links to HateDread's guides on the conversation system or a working example mission please?

[opusfmspol 282]

Since no response,

 

One option is to go into the missions.pbo and review the SOM folders (SecOps Manager).  It has a kb folder and fsms folder.  Would also need to go into the languagemissions.pbo to find the stringtables used by SOM.

 

Has everything but the gunship run stuff, the Gunship Run stuff is in missions_e.pbo and languagemissions_e.pbo.

 

That's where I learned how the conversation system works, by doing customized SecOps and SecOps supports.  While working on that, the posts by Jezuro, HateDread and EvilEcho helped much with understanding how the SOM kb system was set up and functioned.  In the end I had dialogues of my own going on.  But they're not set up any different than what SOM has, so I suggest looking there.

 

Locality is important.  kbTell needs to be done where the unit is local.  kbWasSaid is also local, it fails when checking a remote unit, so sleep is used in that instance.  SOM is run by server, which does HQ kbTells.  It uses public variable event handler on variable "BIS_SOM_codeBurst" to have the players do their kbTells.  The artillery support includes use of addaction kbTell calls.

 

Hope it helps.

 

 

 

 

[Lou Montana 101]

For the future visitors of this thread, here is the Biki page about Conversations. Enjoy!

 

@medusacadenza