TOOL: Dialog editor v3.1e

ca0mgr · Mon 29/03/2004 22:48:45

I'm a noob and like ags. But I find the dialogue interface a little confusing to use. So, if I have CJ's permission and the .dlg file format to export/import from, I'd like to write a utility to facilitate the dialogue's creation.

Thanks,
Matt

Ishmael · Tue 30/03/2004 11:21:19

QuoteI find the dialogue interface a little confusing to use

I don't get this... how could you make the dialog writing easier with another program..?

ca0mgr · Tue 30/03/2004 11:34:37

...in the same way you can make walkable areas and such with another program. I could write a utility that allows you to visually link topics together easily, modify dialog, save, load and such.

Then you could load them into their respective slots by "replace from file...", although having a "load complete dialog" option which loads topics and their contents directly would help no end. Then you could write all the dialog topics with this third party tool and import them, much like a character or scene. Trouble is, there is only a "replace from file..." for single topics.

strazer · Tue 30/03/2004 12:23:45

Sounds like a good idea actually.
If I'm not mistaken, Chris has something similar on his to-do list already. "Outsourcing" it, so to speak, would lighten his workload.
On the other hand, adding new features can be part of the fun in coding...

But yeah, a visual interface would be nice!

Ishmael · Tue 30/03/2004 14:50:17

Oh, sorry I now see what you mean...

What I'v been importing/exporting dialogs, aren't all topics exported as that one file? Or has this been changed? Or has it been diffrent already?

ca0mgr · Tue 30/03/2004 14:54:14

No, I'm sorry, you're corrent TK, it exports all topics. I missed that. Seems it'd be quite easy to import then entire thing, now if only I had the file format.

a-v-o · Tue 30/03/2004 20:43:38

In theory DLLs can also be used to add functionality to the editor not only to games. This feature isn't used and there weren't any plans to use it, so that the interface is quite rudimentary. Maybe CJ can give more access to the game source in the editor, so that plugin-DLLs can add functionality to the editor.

This way script editors can be integrated as DLLs or dialog editors, sound and music managers, mask drawing tools and much more.

Just a thought.

Pumaman · Tue 30/03/2004 21:31:06

Unfortunately there are a couple of reasons I don't want to give out the current .dlg format.

However, I'd be happy to change the export file format in the next version to something simpler, and document it.

The other option is as a-v-o says, if you're interested in writing an editor plugin to edit the dialogs, I'd be happy to expand the plugin API to allow you to do so.

Hollister Man · Tue 30/03/2004 22:00:14

I think this would be quite useful. RickJ and I discussed playing with the Scintilla engine to add functionality to the scripting engine, but I think this kind of "plugin" is already supported. I can see a LOT of functionality coming from this.

As it is, I can't imagine how CJ keeps up with everything

Allan

ca0mgr · Sat 10/04/2004 02:51:53

Further to this, I made this to help me with my game. It makes it easier for me to visualise the choices and their links.

http://3030deathwar.co.uk/editor.zip

Hope someone else finds it useful.

ThunderStorm · Sat 10/04/2004 13:23:05

Wow, this is really useful - good work! If you don't mind, I'd really love to use this for my game project.

One question, though: would it be possible to add the ability of deleting dialogue choices? As far as I can see, there's currently no way of getting rid of them if you accidently clicked "new".

ca0mgr · Sat 10/04/2004 15:50:02

Ok, there's a new version here:

www.3030deathwar.co.uk/editor1.4d.zip

that includes a delete function. It may or may not work very well.
Matt

strazer · Sat 10/04/2004 17:08:50

Wow, excellent!

I haven't scripted any serious dialog for my game yet and looking at the sample of yours and re-reading the help file made me realize I misunderstood the way it's supposed to be done.
I would have made a topic for every list of choices, for every "column" so to speak (like in your editor) and jumped from topic to topic via goto-dialog and goto-previous.

Now considering ALL options for a whole dialog are supposed to be contained in one in one topic, this editor is even more helpful than I first thought!
It definitely has to be included in the resources section once the new website design is up.

Some C&C:

- The first thing I've tried is resizing the window. It should be possible, especially for larger topics.
- How about a proper toolbar? I'm used to loading and saving files with the simple push of a button.
- You can't cancel the test window with the little X.
- I suggest changing "Prev" to "Script" or similar. The difference between "Test" and "Prev" wasn't clear to me at first. Also, "Prev" could be mistaken for "Previous".
- Copy & Paste from the lower window would be nice. Also, it would give you an excuse to add an "Edit" menu. Seems so empty up there...

- Most importantly: A fancy icon!!1

It's really great. Thank you & keep it up!

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Sat 10/04/2004 17:12:30

I'll add it to my resource page - http://www.freewebs.com/skimbleshanks/.

ca0mgr · Sun 11/04/2004 05:34:12

New version up. I skipper a version just like the good folk at nullsoft. version 3 includes:

* resizable window
* delete button
* toolbar
* closable test window with X
* change in button naming
* copy/paste/cut/single step undo with Ctrl+z
* no fancy icon.

hope someone finds it useful.

www.3030deathwar.co.uk/editor3.zip

Matt

strazer · Sun 11/04/2004 06:27:12

Are you kidding? You bet this is helpful!

More C&C:

- How about grouping the different buttons in the toolbar with seperators?
new,open,save | cut,copy,paste | script,test ?
- In options it says "Test Dialogue" but the button tooltip reads "Preview"
- The icon for "View Script" seems to have a slightly different background color
- A right-click context menu for copy, paste etc.?
- Remember last window size/position (but please no registry entries)
- Display shortcut keys in menu?
- I think the "Test Dialogue" button should be a simple "play" button:

Sorry to keep nagging, the prog is awesome!

auhsor · Sun 11/04/2004 10:57:12

Pretty cool program. I can see its potential. Iwill probably use it when I get around to making a game.

Some things:
*The top window is fairly long. It should start without you being able to scroll.
*Also, when you get right down the bottom adding new item (yeah i was only testing it) it doesnt let you scroll more.
*as strazer said, right clicking on dialogues
*and i had something else... oh well it'll come back.

Keep up the good work

Ben · Sun 11/04/2004 17:25:13

I'll find this very useful- thanks

The only suggestion I have is to make the font in the Test Dialog screen bigger. That Sierra font is really hard to read on a high-resolution screen. Maybe you could have an option to select a font?

ca0mgr · Sun 11/04/2004 18:57:41

Thanks for all the replies. There's a new version up here: www.3030deathwar.co.uk/editor3.zip

new version:
* Added highlighting of option-on/option-off in script panel (options->highlight).
* allowed change of font for tester (options->select test font) (bold/underline/italic does not work)

* save/load last position/size.
* Added "involved characters". options->involved characters.
* This scans all dialogue and presents all the characters involved.
* Word wrapping enabled in the tester.

The file format won't change anymore. Has anyone done any example dialogue?

Matt

Pumaman · Sun 11/04/2004 22:16:25

Excellent work

If you have no objections, I'd like to link it on the AGS Resources page.