Okay, so I know this idea might seem a bit archaic (and probably only for hardcoe players), but I mainly just want to see what people have to say about it.

A parser system would allow the player to type in questions/answers or topics of interest during the conversations, instead of choosing from a list, and using "dialogue trees". This was used in many early pc games and although I never played Arena, I know this kind of thing was used in some situations (answering some riddles for example). With advancements in technology since the these games however, a parser system will only be better.

http://alice.pandorabots.com/

This system would make you have to listen, and converse with the NPCs on a different level. Instead of just clicking the highlighted conversation option, you have to listen to the conversation for points of interest or questions in order to get the info you need. When you are asked a question you have to answer it, making things like riddles possible (instead of save/load, process of elimination affairs)

If you type in something unrecognizable, then the NPC could just say "what?" or "can you say that again" or if you type something incoherent (like "aajdvcfaxcn") they could say " you speak in a strange tongue...".

Please no.

fair enough

It's not that easy to type on a console....

This, many times over. I played many a game with parser systems, and let's just say there's a good reason they fell out of favor. Oh, the hours spent typing random words onto a chat line to see which ones got a result. :sick:

I would love this, too bad consoles don't allow this. but i really loved this system from Wizardry 8... i love Wizardry 8, i should go play Wizardry 8! the reason i think this could help in skyrim is because then you don't have to use the console to add a topic you want to talk about that you haven't unlocked yet (take oblivion as an example , but i was always too lazy to do this. :brokencomputer: )

Yeah, I have a 360 (and a usp keyboard but thats not the point) but it wouldn't be bad for a couple situations, like answering riddles. just the joystick picking letters thing would work if it's just a couple times.

Maybe, only if it's obvious or you could say the correct answer in several different ways. I remember spending a long time trying to get my character to preform an action and finding out only a single arrangement of specific words are acceptable. In the past it was very frustrating.

Natural language processing is probably too complicated to include in a game, and would add greatly to the cost (especially internationalization cost) for very little gain.

Edit: Also, it would make the game a pain in the ass to play on the console.

I voted "other" because there was no "Maybe if its done right" option

I suppose if the game had a built in dictionary it could work...

I think every time there is a "yes" answer it means "yes if it is done right".

I wouldn't mind it in some situations. But there's a few reasons it won't happen. As you said, very archaic. Also, too many TES fans play on consoles and would become tired of typing in answers via controller.

But I think you already realize this, so I won't waste time correcting what doesn't need to be corrected.

But it would be an interesting spin on conversations. I'm not even sure if this kind of thing could be implemented via mods, but it's one of the more interesting suggestions I've seen on this board. Like if you want to learn about the Dark Brotherhood, you could just type it in during a conversation, and you could be given different leads as to where to go and who to ask next.
But unfortunately, as you probably know, this system would be very alien and probably stressful to the more *ahem* casual RPG players. But again, interesting and refreshing topic. :thumbsup:

Last parser game I played was,... Well can't remember. I'm not against if, maybe when we(as a collective society) create a better AI system(not to mention voice simulating system) we will see the return of "type your response", but not now...

Edit: I'd said phaser, lol... To much too drink

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.planetxbox360.com/files/2007/august/messenger/1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.planetxbox360.com/article_2603/Xbox_Live_Messenger_Kit_Review&usg=__fXzTl-c9dpMI6_2t6TjBXsw4nhA=&h=362&w=460&sz=19&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=0yT1tcG2kuJ0xM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=134&ei=cXKrTaOcGayP0QHB4935CA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dxbox%2B360%2Bchatpad%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D551%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=287&oei=cXKrTaOcGayP0QHB4935CA&page=1&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=79&ty=69 but if they had it I'd only want it to be optional.

I've give it 10-20 years tops.

That's why i put the word "optional" in the poll question. I wouldn't want it any other way (unless it was ONLY for some riddles or something, like i've said)

I bet, since the technology boom of the 90's (not to mention everything since then), and the growth of the information super-highway(<-old term for the internet), there are better resources and programs with grammar, dictionaries, thesauri, and such that I bet if a parser system were implemented now it could be done with more ease, and a much larger range of options (word combinations) than before..

Yeah if we had http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFR3lOm_xhE.

Sadly, I would agree.... Or well, at least games will be sick when I'm forty...

^That's amazing :thumbsup:

Interesting idea, but I couldn't see it being popular in practice.

I think dialogue and player interaction just needs to keep evolving and allowing more choice for players. Maybe eventually, we will get to this point, but in a more user-friendly fashion.

They can be great if done correctly - but as it is at the moment, I would prefer they only add such a thing if the system is vocal.

For example, how Lionhead's Project Milo was going to be like before it got canceled - dynamic voice recognition and response. That, in an TES game, is like the holy grail for gaming progress haha. But until the technology and skill is there for it to be done RIGHT, I don't think the time is yet right for such a thing.

This is just what happens on the forum when there hasn't been news in awhile

maybe, perhaps this is next-gen talk. If IBM has that Watson robot, then Microsoft and Sony shouldn't be far behind.

but yeah, i suppose a parser system that could understand speech would be better for lots of people

EDIT: in retrospect though... i would hate to have to talk that much... with nobody around... when i'm playing a videogame.