Talking to NPCs is a fun activity in any game – let’s take a look on how to get a little bit of variation into it.

We’ve already created dialogue events – but this time we’ll use Object Game Variables to cycle through different dialogues when talking to the NPC multiple times. You can learn more about game variables in general in this how-to.

Setting up the NPC

We’ve already added some NPCs, so let’s get on with it. Open the town scene (1 Town, can be found in Assets/Tutorial Resources/Scenes/) and add the NPC_purple prefab (can be found in Assets/Tutorial Resources/NPCs/). I’ve added mine on the right side of the tree.

gametutorial_42_changing_npc_dialogue1

Use the ORK Scene Wizard to add a Place On Ground component (Add Component > Place On Ground). Now, since we’re using Object Game Variables, we need to add an Object Variables component to our NPC, again, using the scene wizard: Add Component > Object Variables

The object variables component will automatically generate an Object ID for us – this ID is used to keep track of the game variables bound to this object. Similar to shops, all game objects sharing the same object ID will also share the same game variables.

Finally, we’ll add an Event Interaction component (Add Component > Event Interaction). Click on Create New Event in the object’s inspector to open the ORK Framework editor and create a new event for our NPC.

The changing dialogue

This event will, similar to our quest event, display different dialogues depending on a Game Variable – but this time, it’s an Object Game Variable.

We’ll use a float variable named counter to cycle through the different dialogues, the variable is increased by 1 every time a dialogue has been displayed. After the last dialogue, we’ll reset the variable.

gametutorial_42_changing_npc_dialogue2

Event Settings

  • Blocking Event
    Enable this setting.
  • Block Player Control
    Enable this setting.
  • Block Camera Control
    Enable this setting.

We’ll need one actor, so click on Add Actor.

  • Type
    Select Object.
  • Event Object
    Enable this setting.
  • Set Name
    Enable this setting.
  • Name (English)
    Set to Purple Pants.

That’s it for the event settings.

Check Game Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Game Variables

First, we’ll check if counter is set to 0 – by default, all float variables (also those who haven’t been used) are 0.

  • Variable Origin
    Select Object.
  • Use Object
    Enable this setting.
    We’ll use an object of the event, else we could define the Object ID of the object variables.
  • Object
    Select Actor.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.

Click on Add Game Variable to add a variable condition.

  • Value Type (Variable Key)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Variable Key)
    Set to counter.
  • Is Valid
    Enable this setting.
  • Type
    Select Float.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Equal.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 0.

Show Dialogue

Add > UI > Dialogue > Show Dialogue

Our first dialogue – connected to the Success slot of the counter is 0 check.

  • Dialogue Type
    Select Message.
  • GUI Box
    Select Bottom Dialogue.
  • Use Speaker
    Enable this setting.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.
  • Show Name
    Enable this setting.
  • Message
    Set to: Hi there!

Change Game Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Game Variables

This step will increase our counter by 1 – we’ll use this step multiple times.

  • Variable Origin
    Select Object.
  • Use Object
    Enable this setting.
  • Object
    Select Actor.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.

Click on Add Game Variable.

  • Value Type (Variable Key)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Variable Key)
    Set to counter.
  • Type
    Select Float.
  • Operator
    Select Add.
  • Value Type (Float Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Float Value)
    Set to 1.

Check Game Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Game Variables

The 2nd variable check will check if counter is set to 1. This step is connected to the Failed slot of the counter is 0 check.

  • Variable Origin
    Select Object.
  • Use Object
    Enable this setting.
    We’ll use an object of the event, else we could define the Object ID of the object variables.
  • Object
    Select Actor.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.

Click on Add Game Variable to add a variable condition.

  • Value Type (Variable Key)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Variable Key)
    Set to counter.
  • Is Valid
    Enable this setting.
  • Type
    Select Float.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Equal.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 1.

Show Dialogue

Add > UI > Dialogue > Show Dialogue

The 2nd dialogue is connected to the Success slot of the counter is 1 check.

  • Dialogue Type
    Select Message.
  • GUI Box
    Select Bottom Dialogue.
  • Use Speaker
    Enable this setting.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.
  • Show Name
    Enable this setting.
  • Message
    Set to: Can I help you?

Connect the Next slot of this step to the Change Game Variable step we created earlier.

Check Game Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Check Game Variables

The last variable check will check if counter is set to 2. This step is connected to the Failed slot of the counter is 1 check.

  • Variable Origin
    Select Object.
  • Use Object
    Enable this setting.
    We’ll use an object of the event, else we could define the Object ID of the object variables.
  • Object
    Select Actor.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.

Click on Add Game Variable to add a variable condition.

  • Value Type (Variable Key)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Variable Key)
    Set to counter.
  • Is Valid
    Enable this setting.
  • Type
    Select Float.
  • Check Type
    Select Is Equal.
  • Value Type (Check Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Check Value)
    Set to 2.

Show Dialogue

Add > UI > Dialogue > Show Dialogue

The 3rd dialogue is connected to the Success slot of the counter is 2 check.

  • Dialogue Type
    Select Message.
  • GUI Box
    Select Bottom Dialogue.
  • Use Speaker
    Enable this setting.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.
  • Show Name
    Enable this setting.
  • Message
    Set to: Why aren’t you saying anything?

Connect the Next slot of this step to the Change Game Variable step we created earlier.

Show Dialogue

Add > UI > Dialogue > Show Dialogue

The last dialogue is connected to the Failed slot of the counter is 2 check.

  • Dialogue Type
    Select Message.
  • GUI Box
    Select Bottom Dialogue.
  • Use Speaker
    Enable this setting.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.
  • Show Name
    Enable this setting.
  • Message
    Set to: Please go away …

Change Game Variables

Add > Value > Variable > Change Game Variables

Finally, we’ll reset the counter to 1 – i.e. the first dialogue will only appear once.

  • Variable Origin
    Select Object.
  • Use Object
    Enable this setting.
  • Object
    Select Actor.
  • Actor
    Select Purple Pants.

Click on Add Game Variable.

  • Value Type (Variable Key)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Variable Key)
    Set to counter.
  • Type
    Select Float.
  • Operator
    Select Set.
  • Value Type (Float Value)
    Select Value.
  • Value (Float Value)
    Set to 1.

And that’s it for the event – click on Save Event and save it as changingDialogue in Assets/Events/Town/. Close the ORK Framework editor.

Back to town

Now, back in the town scene, let’s add the event to our NPC. Change the following in the Event Interaction inspector.

  • Event Asset
    Select changingDialogue.

Click on Ok to accept the selected event.

  • Start Type
    Select Interact.
  • Turn Player to Event
    Enable this setting.
  • Turn Event to Player
    Enable this setting.

And that’s it – save the scene.

Testing

Open the main menu scene (0 Main Menu) and hit play. Go and talk to Purple Pants multiple times.

gametutorial_42_changing_npc_dialogue3

Since we’re using an Object Game Variable, we can use the same variable key (counter) in other events as well, without interfering with the dialogues of Purple Pants.

When saving, the object game variables will also be saved (when set up that way in the Save Game Menu).

And that’s it for now – the next lesson will cover item collectors.