Is it possible to make floating text/dialog?

[simplywayne90]

I'm working on a several page tutorial on how to recreate the "special encounters" from the Pre-Fallout 3 Games,

 

So of them don't have dialog and require NPCs to speak to each other and you "overhear" them without audio

.

So I need the floating text if possible so I can continue on the tutorial. Please Help!

 

Here are some examples where I'd need floating text:

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091018033904/fallout/images/9/98/PitchBlack.jpg

Riddick In The Pitch Black

 

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080121173709/fallout/images/a/a4/Brahmin_Poker_FoT.jpg

A group of Brahmins playing illegal poker (like the dogs poker game painting, this is a very "Vegas" encounter to me)

 

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091018011938/fallout/images/5/52/FourHorsemenPostApoc.jpg

Overhearing A conversation between the retired 4 Horseman of the "post-apocolypse"

Edited December 7, 2010 by simplywayne90

[davidlallen]

IMHO floating *text* violates the immersion of FO3/FNV. It was the best that game devs could do in the older games. Wouldn't you want audio, and a scripted conversation between the NPCs?

[simplywayne90]

IMHO floating *text* violates the immersion of FO3/FNV. It was the best that game devs could do in the older games. Wouldn't you want audio, and a scripted conversation between the NPCs?

 

True and on the subject I believe immersion comes first in many cases (like modern guns in a retro game..cough MW guns cough)

 

However I don't have access nor want to voice every single encounter that requires overhearing NPC's

Plus as you can see above, I can't think of anyone who can do a good "cow" voice, or Vin Disel for that matter.

 

Plus I have no silly intentions of using it outside of the special encouters, which are stereotypically pop-culture references and non-cannon anyways.

 

I've found an example, so I know its possible, this is from the Cube experimental mod (Yes I know its made by a game company, but still text can't possibly be that difficult)

(Skip to about 4:10 into the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPUiFs98cC4

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Subtitles?

If you have subtitles on, anyone not speaking to you will do so in floating text.

Same if you have the 'goodbye' flag on their greeting topic. They will speak in floating text only.

Edited December 7, 2010 by Quetzlsacatanango

[simplywayne90]

Subtitles?

If you have subtitles on, anyone not speaking to you will do so in floating text.

Same if you have the 'goodbye' flag on their greeting topic. They will speak in floating text only.

 

I didn't know that, so thank you,

So in your opinion do you think it'd be possible to make them use floating text to other NPCs and not the player. As in the pictures in my first post.

 

The trick is to make it feel like your overhearing what they're saying to each other. but without using audio and voice actors.

[Quetzlsacatanango]

Yeah, that's exactly how it works in my game since I always have subtitles on. I want to say there is a way to force subtitles, but can't remember for sure or look it up right now. Try looking in the geck wiki.

[simplywayne90]

Yeah, that's exactly how it works in my game since I always have subtitles on. I want to say there is a way to force subtitles, but can't remember for sure or look it up right now. Try looking in the geck wiki.

 

GECK wiki, Script SayTo

 

Thank you very much, I think you've just solved my problem, I can't script/mod but I'm working towards remaking the special encounters and this was a key piece in many of them.

I'll have to figure out a way to cause the subtitles to show without having players turn on subtitles, but otherwise you have helped me lay down the foundation.

Edited December 7, 2010 by simplywayne90

[simplywayne90]

If anyone has thought of anymore ways to work around using amatuer voices to make "overheard" dialog (Meaning they talk to each other and don't walk up to you or anything)

 

Let me know since we are in development and having a good simple ForceSubtitles idea would be helpful!