Back topic in nested dialogue

Post » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:19 pm

Just a quick question about nested dialogue.

GREETING

(Top Level)
Level 1 A [Let's talk...]

------------>Level 2 A [About category 1]
------------------------>Level 3 A [Sub-category 1]
------------------------>Level 3 B [Sub-category 2]
------------------------>Level 3 C [Sub-category 3]
------------------------>Level 3 BACK [Back: Return to category list]

------------>Level 2 B [About category 2]
------------------------>Level 3 D [Sub-category 4]
------------------------>Level 3 E [Sub-category 5]
------------------------>Level 3 F [Sub-category 6]
------------------------>Level 3 BACK [Back: Return to category list]

------------>Level 2 C [About category 3]
------------------------>Level 3 G [Sub-category 7]
------------------------>Level 3 H [Sub-category 8]
------------------------>Level 3 I [Sub-category 9]
------------------------>Level 3 BACK [Back: Return to category list]

------------>Level 2 BACK [Back: Return to "Top Level" dialogue]

(Top Level)
Level 1 B [See you later]

----

So after the "GREETING" runs, I have these two choices:
Let's talk... [displays a list of three categories + a back button]
See you later [exists dialogue completely (Goodbye)]

After choosing "Let's talk...", it lists these 4 choices:
About category 1
About category 2
About category 3
Back

Now, clicking "Back" here works just fine, it will return me to the top level choices choices:
Let's talk...
See you later

But when I pick a category (say 1), it gives these level 3 choices:
Sub-category 1
Sub-category 2
Sub-category 3
Back

When I select the 3rd level "Back", it should display the categoy list again:
About category 1
About category 2
About category 3
Back

But instead, it drops me all the way back to the top level:
Let's talk...
See you later

I'm just wondering if it's possible to have a "Back" / "END" topic that drops back one level at a time rather than all the way back to the top level? If so, how?

Thanks
User avatar
Gemma Woods Illustration
 
Posts: 3356
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:48 pm

Post » Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:01 pm

The "Back" button may be taking you to the Top-Level of the conversation. If you look at all of the main quests, they use specific Topics to guide conversation around, so I don't know if there is a universal "Back" button.

What I recommend (and what I did with my big quests) is to create your own "Back" Topics for each level of sub-category conversation, and in those "Back" Topics you would then add all of Categories 1-3, Exit and any other Topics you want in the Choices window on the right-hand side of the dialogue editor. Yes it svcks, it will also give you precise control over the Topics available when the player selects "Back" (as there may be situations in which you don't want the options to be exactly the same if the player re-tries a part of a conversation).

The 3rd option of course is that you can wait 26 more days for New Vegas, load up the NVGECK and see if the new Advanced Dialogue editor they keep raving about makes matters better. ;) It may have more options or be easier to work with, hopefully both.

Luck!

Miax
User avatar
Kate Murrell
 
Posts: 3537
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:02 am

Post » Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:54 pm

Ahh, I think I see. I have to add the previous level topics to the choices on the "Back" topic. Ya, that does kind of svck - but at least I now know :)

Oh man, NV is so close - I'ma jump out of my skin ;)
My gut's telling me that I'm still going to wind up tinkering with the original, but we'll see if the hype is all it's cracked up to be.

Thanks for clearing that up.
User avatar
candice keenan
 
Posts: 3510
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:43 pm


Return to Fallout 3