GUI for dialog options - name or ID, nothing seems to work

[Klarnolph]

I', kinda new to this, and often get stuck in the gap between my acquired skill and what's explicit in the manual. A lot seems to be taken for granted that the user already knows.

My recent hangup is text windows. I've tried to set the coordinates for the Display box, but so far I've only managed to manipulate the x axis. On the y axis, the box sticks to the middle of the room, no matter what number I type.

I have also tried making a Text Window GUI, but when I want to set "Use GUI for dialog options", 0 is supposed to just put text at the bottom of the screen, right? Well, my Text Window GUI's ID is 0. with the ID 1, and have successfully typed "1" in "Use GUI for dialog options", but my dialogue text (one mouseover, one look at) is still in the standard display box and the GUI nowhere to be seen. How do I get it in there?

Last but not least, I would actually like the Text Window to display all text that is being said, thought or read, since my game is a single character, first person pov.
It can't be that uncommon, right? It's what seems most intuitive to me, based on my own gaming experiences, but seems impossible to find in the manual or forums. Except when the answer refers to information I'm expected to already have, and thus renders the answer useless to me.

I apologize in advance if I've missed an existing post about this or some of it - I have flipped through the forum but might just as well have missed something.

PS. What's with the Text Window GUI "textcolor" value? How do I know what number represents which color? It's default as "0" with nothing to choose from.

[Laura Hunt]

My recent hangup is text windows. I've tried to set the coordinates for the Display box, but so far I've only managed to manipulate the x axis. On the y axis, the box sticks to the middle of the room, no matter what number I type.

Hi and welcome! How have you tried to set the coordinates? Are you using DisplayAt?

I have also tried making a Text Window GUI, with the ID 1, and have successfully typed "1" in "Use GUI for dialog options", but my dialogue text (one mouseover, one look at) is still in the standard display box and the GUI nowhere to be seen. How do I get it in there?

Dialogue GUI is for... dialogues, as in conversations between two characters  The option that you actually want is further down in the "Text Output" section: "Custom text-window GUI". Set that one to "1" and this will replace AGS's default "Display" GUI with your own Text Window GUI.

Last but not least, I would actually like the Text Window to display all text that is being said, thought or read, since my game is a single character, first person pov.
It can't be that uncommon, right? It's what seems most intuitive to me, based on my own gaming experiences, but seems impossible to find in the manual or forums. Except when the answer refers to information I'm expected to already have, and thus renders the answer useless to me.

This shouldn't be an issue. Instead of Character.Say, simply use Display for all of the character's words and thoughts and they will be displayed in your custom text window GUI (it's actually what I did for my own single character, first person pov game).

PS. What's with the Text Window GUI "textcolor" value? How do I know what number represents which color? It's default as "0" with nothing to choose from.

In the top-right panel of AGS ("Explore project"), you have an option called "Colours" right below "General Settings" and "Default Setup". Double click on it and you can play with RGB sliders or use the colour picker to find the colour you want. Once you're set, copy the AGS colour number and use it as your "textcolor" value.

[eri0o]

If you are using Sierra style dialog, the speech y position tries to avoid GUIs that are on screen. If you have a large top bar, that could cause the textbox to have y position dislocated.

[Klarnolph]

Hi and welcome! How have you tried to set the coordinates? Are you using DisplayAt?

Hi!

Thank you, everything worked out really well, except the display box location. I use DisplayAt and set coordinates, but it doesn't move an inch along the y axis (but x axis works fine).

I was ready to put my forhead through the screen (or, you know, whatever breaks first) the last couple of nights, but finally realized the possibility to do the things I actually can do, instead of doing stuff "in order", and your answers just now made it come together really nice! Thank you! 

[Laura Hunt]

Hi!

Thank you, everything worked out really well, except the display box location. I use DisplayAt and set coordinates, but it doesn't move an inch along the y axis (but x axis works fine).

I was ready to put my forhead through the screen (or, you know, whatever breaks first) the last couple of nights, but finally realized the possibility to do the things I actually can do, instead of doing stuff "in order", and your answers just now made it come together really nice! Thank you! 

Really happy to know it helped! Unfortunately, being somewhat of a newbie myself, I have no clue what could be going on with your DisplayAt issue, but I'm sure somebody with more experience will weigh in at some point