I have a message which shows with 5 options - all of which are detailed options, problem is there's too much for the screen...

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=b60c11d037429d8e#cid=B60C11D037429D8E&id=B60C11D037429D8E%2130653&v=3

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=b60c11d037429d8e#cid=B60C11D037429D8E&id=B60C11D037429D8E%2130654&v=3

Is there a way around this or do I have to re-think the wording and/or choices.

Thanks.

Just out of curiosity. What would happen if I select one of these buttons?

What i'm getting at, is if this screen is even necessary. Because how i'm seeing it, is the ability to leave the choice completely open to player without having to spell it out.

The ability to make free decisions is deeply valued in any game, especially when a player finds out that the decision they make have been accounted for.

So..Do you necessarily have to show all 5 choices?

The choice is up to the player but how would the player know his/her options without a prompt?

It is more of a morality selection, do I keep stolen goods, return them to their rightful owner - even though he is not a nice person (player has already met this character and formed an opinion), do I take the "Robin Hood" route and take the ingots (which were smelted by slave labour) and give them to the family(s) of the slaves and how do I share them out?

Each choice will have an impact on the player's standing with each faction, Ingot Owner, Person who buys the ingots and the two slave factions that mine and smelt the ore for the ingots. "Brownie-points" will be awarded/deducted depending on the choice and the consequences of that choice will be seen later in the game. On a technical point if the player opts to give the ingots to the families of the slaves I need to make these actors and give them dialogue - which I have to do anyway seeing as this option is available.

So yes, it is necessary, how many times have I heard gamers say "I don't know what to do now".

Life is like the choice menu, we all have freedom of choice but are regulated by rules and morals and we usually make that choice having a pretty good idea of the consequences.

Why not add a lexicon/book with symbols,

so dog = choice 1, cat = choice 2, etc

all of which are explained in the book, scroll, wall, etc

Couldn't you just prompt all of the the choices at once via quest markers and then let the player decide?

This does seem like the best (and most natural) solution. Rather than having it automagically happen via a message, why not have the player actually do the options via a set of optional quest objectives?

Very good options from all of you, thanks.

EDIT: Quick Q - Can't get it in my head now, probably know the answer but how would I set up names for multiple mapmarkers, I know the obvious how to do it but in the map they would be pretty long. Plus 2 of the locations the player has already discovered.

Got IT: Use the NPCs as Targets in Quest Objectives.