This dialogue system is based around a version of the 'Heroes journey', namely a story circle based around creating satisfying encounters and stories by Joseph Campbell, and then modified by writer Dan Harmon. Interested in creating a dialogue system that bases itself around the idea that every conversation can be a satisfying journey, I studied storytelling to give an organic, realistic communicative experience.

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STORY CIRCLE
 

• A character is in a zone of comfort,

• But they want something.

• They enter an unfamiliar situation,

• Adapt to it,

• Get what they wanted,

• Pay a heavy price for it,
  Then return to their familiar situation,

• Having changed.

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DIALOGUE

 

• A character is in a zone of comfort, 1 – EVENT START

• But they want something. 2

• They enter an unfamiliar situation, 3

• Adapt to it, 4

• Get what they wanted, 4, 5

• Faces a crossroads, 6

• React, 7

• Return to a zone of comfort, having learned something/changed. 8

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EXAMPLE

 

1) NPC

<1> “Hi!” [neutral] 1
<2> “Hi, got a minute?” [neutral, branch] 2

 

2) PLAYER

 

<1> “Hi...” [neutral response, EVENT END]
<2> “Hi, what's up?” [branch 1]

 

3) NPC

<1> “I want to ask you something!” [branch met, adapt 1]
<2> “I want to show you something!” [branch met, adapt 1]

 

4) PLAYER

<1> “Go for it, friend” [adapt met - trust]
<2> “No way, I don't even know you.” [negative, adapt failed – END]

5) NPC

if show “Great, follow me.” [NEW EVENT START, return to zone of comfort (1)]

if ask “Great, listen up.” [branch]

6) NPC

 

<1> “Want to grab a drink?” [branch 1 – show neutral]

<2> “Do you like long walks on the beach?” [branch 1 – ask neutral]

7) PLAYER

 

if show “Yeah!” [branch met – NEW EVENT START, return to zone of comfort (1)]
if show “No.” [branch failed – EVENT END]

if ask “They're my favourite” [ask positive - branch met]
if ask “I certainly don't. Get outta here!” [ask negative, branch failed, EVENT END]

 

8) NPC

 

<1> “That's great. I do too. I'm glad we learned that about each other.” [branch end – EVENT END/ Go to 3]

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JOURNEY EXPLAINED

 

1 / 2 Event starts with a comment that is neutral or can be neutral. If met with another neutral response, the player expresses a lack of interest and ends the conversation. If the player reacts to a branch, it will be a second tier branch of conversation (branch 1)

 

2 / 3 If the player wants something from the dialogue branch and wishes to carry on, they reply with a third and final tier of branch (branch met) which means the player has accepted the situation, and is beginning to adapt to it. This adaption will need to be validated, and if so, trust will be obtained.

 

4 Trust has been shown by the player as they has fully adapted to the situation. The player will not need to adapt further, and branches will carry out alone until the end of this EVENT. The player will however still be able to bow out of the dialogue with a negative at this point – they just won't have to labour over adapting further in this current EVENT.

 

5 / 6 The player is now faced with a crossroads of options. Either a question (ask) or a proposition to go somewhere (show). At this point, these neutral requests will need more than a neutral reply to turn down. The player will need to give a neutral or negative response.

 

7 If the player chooses to leave the spacial confines of this EVENT to go somewhere else (show) and do something new, the branch will be met and a new EVENT will start with the player in a new zone of comfort. If they choose not to, the EVENT will end. Similarly, if the player doesn't agree with the NPC's questioning the EVENT will end. If they do, the branch will be met.
 

8 The player will receive a final response from the NPC as they have had a positive interaction. The EVENT will either end or refer back to stage 3, with the opportunity to renew trust, interact more or go somewhere.