A new game needs original ideas.

How about improving dialogue system by making it unique and more interesting?

I think a real-time dialogue should be implemented in the game, that is to say, while you are talking someone the game moves, people move, people die, people run...

You point to a NPC and then you press the "talk" button.

It could be a way to improve realism in the game.

Also, the ability(In terms of being able to "talk" faster) to speak(With a microphone) and say the available dialogue options.

For example, you could personalize your voice commands to say "One!", "two!"...(Or "Good bye" to leave the conversation, "No" to general negative questions...Considering ordered dialogue options.) To choose one of the dialogue options. It could be easily implemented.

These commands could be also used to give orders to companions.

What do you think? Am I completely mad?

I definitely agree with the realtime talking. It was incredibly jarring to see the entire background freeze when talking. As for voice commands, unless it can track every word (as in I physically talk to the NPC's and they respond to my actual words) I'd say leave it alone and focus on more important aspects of gameplay, such as animation.

Real time dialogue is fine, but I don't mind if it still freezes. Voice commands are just stupid and should not be implemented or worked on at all costs, let them focus in better stuff, I'd rather just read and click...

But real time dialogue can create a number of disturbances and problems. Imagine talking to an NPC in the middle of the wilderness and he is asking you to do a quest and giving the instructions, and in the middle of the instructions an wolf appears and starts fighting. It would cut the dialogue and break the system...

Several middle-aged NPCs die of old age while the voice actors plod through their lines since everything just has to be voiced...

No thanks, and same to voice command.

You're not completely mad (yet haha) but the microphone thing is too "from the future" for me. I'd be happy if they can progress in more "earthly" aspects like animations not to svck big time, decent dialogue lines with actual choices that make a difference etc. But the dialogue should definitely be in real time, the game frozen for a mere "how do you mudcrab today" conversation is immersion breaker.

I'm not quite sure how you would design a dialog interface to be easily navigated while simultaneously hacking mudcrabs to bits as they charge madly at your informant.

The only system I could think of that would also possess a marginally usable control scheme would be for players to navigate dialog options with the scroll wheel and then select them by clicking it. You'd be able to walk, look around, and converse with minimal hassle. Unfortunately, not everybody's mouse has a wheel (poor fools), and I cannot possibly fathom what equivalent there would be for console controllers. :shrug:

Forget the microphone thing - not only would it be awkward and a waste of time, but personally it'd break the immersion factor somewhat. Don't get me wrong. I do like to "live" my character in Elder Scrolls games - "I" just completed a quest, or "I" just found some treasure. But at the same time every one of my characters is unique, and my flat, Jersey accent of a voice kind of detracts from my fantasies of being a denizen of Tamriel.


Ooh, a fellow anti-full-voice acting person? I'm warming up to you already. :celebration:

Yes to real time dialogue no to vocal commands. Vocal commands are more appropriate for cell phones.

ye you are completely mad ^^ jk. but honestly, voice commands sounds silly and annoying. I don't see an issue with simply choosing what I want to say with my mouse, it's not that hard. But I do agree that we need an improved, possibly realtime dialogue system

This

Okay, I'm curious now- everyone who said yes to real-time dialogue, what are your solutions to the inevitable problem of getting attacked while talking to someone? You know it'll happen, just imagine any "get prisoner out of [location]" quest you've done.

You read my mind.

I would like to see commands for companions...but FYI its spelled sheogorath :whistling:

Realisticly, the conversation would end as as enemy approached and after killing it you could return to your conversation. This would most likely lead to annoyance if the NPC had to restart the entire conversation though...

Real time is in Gothic series and it works great. Never been attacked while talking. Suposing I or the npc would be attacked, I'd like the dialogue to close automatically.

If it used my crappy control scheme suggestion, that shouldn't be too problematic. If you moved far enough from an NPC you'd automatically end dialog with them - perhaps the game options could even have a toggle for whether or not you want to force end conversations if you get attacked. As for the NPC being attacked, you could just end the conversation and then resume it from their previous line once they stop fighting. Not exactly an equal opportunity system, but it could work.

Fair enough...can the stodgy grouchy types like me get the concession of a counter that tracks how often you restart, and NPCs going "Dammit, do you want to talk or not?! This is the 12th time you've asked me the same question!!" just for giggles?

Oh, man. I hope the mesh collision is decent in Skyrim. Imagine an NPC repeatedly approaching you and then ending their conversation prematurely because they keep sliding off of a stairway. Actually, wait - I'd love that:

"Stop right there criminal-" *thud*

Er...you do mean:

"Stop right there criminal-" *thud*
"Stop right there criminal-" *thud*
"Stop right there criminal-" *thud*
"Stop right there criminal-" *thud*

right?

I suggest that when an enemy get's near, the npc stops talking and the dialog unlocks you from position, then the npc says hold on a sec
after the enemy is taken care of you talk to him, and he says something like "where were we.." and then continues from exactly wear they left off

I think a mixture of both worlds would be better. I think having the dialogue commands and having objects and people relative to the conversation moving would be better.

I think another thing that would be good is that the ability to initiate dialogue should be disabled when you are in combat or have guards actively chasing you. I don't know how many times I would stall a combat by being near someone I could talk to and thus delay the upcoming contact/arrest by the guards.

Just ideas. =)

Ah, the other advantage to realtime dialog if it could be done is that you could immediately cleave your adversaries - bandits, warlocks, and vengeful guards out of the way before they finish their spiel. I always found the "then pay with your blood" formalities of the Oblivion guards kind of silly. If I were a criminal, I wouldn't wait for my captor to finish speaking. I'd bash his face in during mid-sentence and run for it!

I would be afraid that this would provide Bethesda another excuse for a tiny number of voice actors and poorly written dialogue.

In fact it would be very difficult, time consuming, and costly, to implement such a system. Neigh impossible if the system weren't a KEY part of the plan from the offset.

Who says we need voice acting? >____________________>

We're never returning to anything other than voice acting.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

IMO those are great news...i get it why you don't want vocie acting but even if it's not amazing (which hopefully will be atleast good) it adds a lot more immersion than just stading there lookin at someone's face and reading the subtitles.