NPC dialogue - when will we see the system change - if at all?

I didn't expect any changes to the way we talk to npc in this release, and I didn't see any changes either.
So I musk ask the questions:

*When will we see the npc dialogue system change - if at all?
As it is now, in the chat window, I find it really immersion killing and forcing your attention per standard settings down to left screen corner.
This has been brought to the devs attention by others as well on many occasions but I don't think I have seen any response really.

*Are you devs happy with the way we talk to npcs as it is, and is the current system the way it will stay?

If changes are to be made I feel they should be presented/announced well in advance of final wipe.
Because if the system will change I will definitely stay away from the story until the entire experience is, well, more immersive.

Calling @Lum

 

I believe they've said many times in the past that it may change for single player offline, but online would likely stay in the chat window.

 

I'm waiting for a cool and atmospheric dialogue window, too - who would have thought

 

You should add that dialog suggestion. It cannot be reiterated too many times.

 

You mean this one?



https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/offline-mode-dialogue-system.43615/

 

There will be passes made on all elements of the UI including the conversation interface. No one is particularly happy with it as it is now and it does need work. (As for when you need to ask Starr or Chris, not myself)

 

Any conformation on if they are actually going to change how chat with NPC's work? Quite possibly the worst feature of the game right now.

 

I about wet myself with excitement when I saw the screenshot before realizing it was a suggestion instead of already in game... *sigh*

 

Are you referring to using the chat UI or something else? I seriously doubt the keyword system would go at this point.

 

I am very thankful for Lums reply
Makes me feel good and hopeful.
I wonder if a nudge @Chris could reveal a hint of when this might be worked at?
Guess I know a question I want to ask for the telethon otherwise.

 

I think that mock up is a start, but it doesn't solve the many issues with conversation. Colored highlighting and text alignment can help differentiate who's talking and can be an improvement but I'd like to see what the devs have planned as well. I do hope they're playing the many fine single-player RPGs out there, from old to new and see how those systems might work for SotA, in light of its keyword based dialog and discovery, especially one that exploits and leverages it.

 

Down with the windows 97 chat box that makes me feel like I'm doing data entry at an office job.

Put it on a scroll. Art it up.

Two "chat boxes". One for player to player and one for player to NPC. I miss so many conversations because I'm in the wrong tab (because the game changes tabs on me).

Soooooooooo hate the chat UI the most out of all things. Huge weak link in the games overall style.

Crafting book. Good.
Journal. Good.
Bag inventory. Good.
Skill window. Getting way better.

Chat UI. DEAR GOD MY EYES.

 

I agree that it could be much better but it would be a step in the right direction.

 

I must say that a lot of the early UI has been replaced and greatly improved! So I want to give kudos to the team that did that. Scott Jones maybe?

 

Agreed. Don't stop yet!

 

What alternative do you propose?

 

My concern with that interface above is that it totally blocks out awareness of other things going on around the Avatar. Which may or many not be desirable depending on the situation.

 

Very nice, it's hard to undertand why Portalarium didn't think of that first.

 

I don't think that matters at all for offline mode and not that much even for online. It's a concern for PvP though, but we already have an option to not use "conversation" mode so we can still spin the camera around.

In any case, you still have an NPC dialog box, somewhere, and the usability and readability needs lots of work. I know the mock-up used the Pillars of Eternity chat box but changed the text inside it. I'm not a big fan of the alternating text alignment. But I do agree it needs better spacing and a much more readable font.

One of the biggest issues is the keyword system. For the purposes of this thread regarding presentation, one issue is that you are presented with dozens of keywords while talking to an NPC. You constantly have to scroll up to go back to see which ones you haven't asked about / clicked on. They need to solve this "keyword management" problem and present it in a way where you don't have to constantly scroll back up, and to know what keywords you've already asked about. One can certainly write down every single keyword per NPC to keep track, but then we're essentially transcribing the entire dialog system. We really only want to write down meaningful notes if we're to keep a physical journal.

Pillars of Eternity (and Torment Numenera, Divinity: Original Sin) doesn't use keywords but use menu choices in place of them, and those choices change / update based on conversation choices. I highly doubt we're going to change to a menu-based system.

Wasteland 2 is the closest model to SotA, as it has keywords and a free form text box. It solves the keyword management problem with a keyword hotbar and can display up to 8, and those are updated as you progress through the conversation system. The keyword hotbar also acts as psuedo menu for direct responses of yes/no/etc.

I'm sure there are many other games we can look at to help in this regard. This problem alone deserves its own thread.

 

The @Lord_Darkmoon variant is a step in a much better direction than what we have today.

I have prevoiusly suggested a variant resembling Vampire the Masquerade, see below.

On doubleclick of npc we can talk to the game zooms in and presents an interface like Vampires and hides everything else in the UI.
Have the npc text separated from what the player types.
Instead of static choices like in Vampire we have a textbox where we type.
Don't allow scrolling up and down in the text like now either, we have to remember or type again.
Important clues should be added to our journal automatically.
Colored keywords could be clickable.

Such a system would be equally good in the offline and online modes.