NellSpeed Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 After writing (and breaking) a lot of code, I finally have a functional companion (although there’s still work to do, of course). Now it’s time to do the dialogue. Features:Idle chatter, non-specific (code is finished, writing in progress)Idle chatter, event-based / reactive (ditto)Conversations about NPC backstory (barely begun) I’m also trying to figure out how to get the NPC to ask the PC questions about themself. That may or may not work out, since there are so many options: NPC: What was your family like?PC: I don’t want to talk about that.PC: Pretty great. Not a lot of money, though.PC: Lots of money, lots of happiness.PC: Rich and abusive.PC: Broke and horrible. (And so on. I have a feeling that part's going to be 25% writing, 75% editing.) Anyway, question for other players: what roleplay / conversational features do you look for in a companion? ETA: Also planning to include gift-giving, if the NPC learns enough about / likes the PC. We'll see how that works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gromulos Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) take a look at Vilja, Viconia, and Cerwiden ( skyrim i know but still ) in that order. I personally consider those the best done companions as far as personality goes Edited May 8, 2015 by gromulos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDemonJackal Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 See, at least to me, I like companions(Mods) that have something to say. A nugget of wisdom or comparative to add to your characters development. All of the following are my interpretation. Live with it. Examples: Axe Man: Identity= Yes you dont know who you are but the name courier six, but Axe man Lost his total identity, something your character should be grateful to still have. Niner: BrotherHood= Me and Niner have been bros for years (he was one of my first companions and I always take him along with me) and I like to think the brotherhood I refer to is to have someone to lean on. And help you through the worst of it (Niners s#*! and your s#*!). I am aware I could use a number of diff terms but this seemed right. Willow: Charity/Selflessness = Doc Mitchell saved your life free of charge and your not really obligated to help out good springs, but Willow is all about helping her. Tracking down her rifle and toys, letting her stay with you, training her, and those pencils. Sure it may be because she has a pretty face and personality, but in the end your obligated only to help her if you want. And lets face it, why wouldnt you help her. Shes a lot of fun. Russel: Vengeance= Russel's hatred towards the NCR and The Legion is relatable, but whats perhaps more relatable is his realisation of what his Vengence has brought. The Slaughter of an entire tribe, men, women,and children. Which is something he never wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gromulos Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 See, at least to me, I like companions(Mods) that have something to say. A nugget of wisdom or comparative to add to your characters development. All of the following are my interpretation. Live with it. Examples: Axe Man: Identity= Yes you dont know who you are but the name courier six, but Axe man Lost his total identity, something your character should be grateful to still have. Niner: BrotherHood= Me and Niner have been bros for years (he was one of my first companions and I always take him along with me) and I like to think the brotherhood I refer to is to have someone to lean on. And help you through the worst of it (Niners s*** and your s***). I am aware I could use a number of diff terms but this seemed right. Willow: Charity/Selflessness = Doc Mitchell saved your life free of charge and your not really obligated to help out good springs, but Willow is all about helping her. Tracking down her rifle and toys, letting her stay with you, training her, and those pencils. Sure it may be because she has a pretty face and personality, but in the end your obligated only to help her if you want. And lets face it, why wouldnt you help her. Shes a lot of fun. Russel: Vengeance= Russel's hatred towards the NCR and The Legion is relatable, but whats perhaps more relatable is his realisation of what his Vengence has brought. The Slaughter of an entire tribe, men, women,and children. Which is something he never wanted. Delilah is also done VERY well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiskeyRiver2 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 May not be -quite- what you're looking for, but IMHO worth noting - even well-written dialogue can be slaughtered if the voice-over sucks. Nothing is more jarring (to me) than seeing emphasis in the on-sceen text, and yet the voice-over being a monotone deadpan with almost no real emotion. That's part of what makes Delilah such a good companion (especially with the alternate voice pack - the original audio is iffy at best thanks to a sub-par mic), and ditto for Russel (I friggin' love the guy, even if he is a bit "off" at times) - the speaker managed to convey a pretty good range of emotions, and didn't seem like they were just reading lines off a script. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellSpeed Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 gromulos: Not familiar with Cerwiden, but I did love the other two, especially Vilja! theDemonJackal: That's an interesting approach, and I'd have to agree that, in general, the most interesting characters are those who have something to say besides dialogue. WhiskeyRiver2: Oh, I'm with you on VA work; it really can make or break a character. I'm 95% sure this will be a no-voice mod, though-- so that's one thing that won't go wrong. Thanks for the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gromulos Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) Cerwiden is a priestest / healer and has hidden quests that can only be done if you unlock them through dialogue. But yea, nothing better than having a dedicated healer healing you in the middle of a 7 dragon battle lol :tongue: and yes, i have a screen shot to prove it lol Edited May 8, 2015 by gromulos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nivea Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I think its all about if they have a personality or not, I hate having a companion with me only for them to never talk about current events or where we are, ect. If I feel they are boring then I toss them pretty quickly. My list:1. Lots to say about what is happening/personality.2. Likes and dislikes, give them a stance on something.3. Perhaps give them a flaw, drugs, drinks, sex, whatever.4. Give them idles for when your walking around, I hate when followers stand perfectly still its creepy. If its a unvoiced follower then I feel they need really good writing and emotes, since it can not be conveyed through sound. Which I know your good at since Val is one of my fav followers for Oblivion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gromulos Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I think its all about if they have a personality or not, I hate having a companion with me only for them to never talk about current events or where we are, ect. If I feel they are boring then I toss them pretty quickly. My list:1. Lots to say about what is happening/personality.2. Likes and dislikes, give them a stance on something.3. Perhaps give them a flaw, drugs, drinks, sex, whatever.4. Give them idles for when your walking around, I hate when followers stand perfectly still its creepy. If its a unvoiced follower then I feel they need really good writing and emotes, since it can not be conveyed through sound. Which I know your good at since Val is one of my fav followers for Oblivion. Cerwiden does all that and more :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellSpeed Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 I think its all about if they have a personality or not, I hate having a companion with me only for them to never talk about current events or where we are, ect. If I feel they are boring then I toss them pretty quickly. My list:1. Lots to say about what is happening/personality.2. Likes and dislikes, give them a stance on something.3. Perhaps give them a flaw, drugs, drinks, sex, whatever.4. Give them idles for when your walking around, I hate when followers stand perfectly still its creepy. If its a unvoiced follower then I feel they need really good writing and emotes, since it can not be conveyed through sound. Which I know your good at since Val is one of my fav followers for Oblivion. Thanks, that's very kind. :smile: And hopefully, I'll remember the lessons I learned with Val! (Although I may've picked up some new bad habits.) Yes, Harry likes to talk. A lot. Quiet makes him tense-- he feels like he's waiting for an ambush. The big problem is going to be deciding which events need commentary, because doing something for every single one seems like overkill. OTOH, is there ever too much chatter? Earworms still exist after the War. Have you ever been incredibly irritated by hearing one of RNV's songs for the ten thousandth time? Because he sure is! (and other stuff too, but this is the most fun so far). Testing it may be a PITA, but we'll see. I've got a back-up plan, just in case my first shot doesn't work consistently. Yes! Still working on the mechanics, although the dialogue's easy enough. Ditto-- that was one of the most irritating things to put together, just from the back-and-forth clicking from window to window to window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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