User:Falconeye/Revamp/Dialogue

Battle quotes & NPC Shouts

Since Nightfall, the idea of NPCs having shouts as they are aggroed has been increasing. Kournan military NPCs have them, as do Eye of the North charr, and Ministry of Purity foes (and perhaps more).

These shouts make them feel more alive, however, I would go further than a shout-when-aggroed. I would like to also suggest lists for when they're idle, when they're simply walking around, and when you're within longbow/spirit range. In regards to the later, an example would be in Riverside Province when the Watchtower Guards shout out an alarm, to with the other NPCs are programmed to converge then spread out before converging again then returning to their previous patrols.

Quotes like these would make the NPCs feel much more alive. It's nothing important, but would be a fun cosmetic addition to the game.

Note: A problem with one of the pre-existing NPCs that have these shouts are the Kournans who stop moving in order to do an /emote when they talk. Likewise, the biggest issue to this suggestion would be the localization.

NPC Interaction

This is mostly in reference to the venders, crafters, collectors, and so forth.

There's effectively three things that can be done, all three having been done before (thus the immediate of this project is merely a case of retroactive changes):

1. Give dialogue to the NPCs without dialogue (or with generic dialogue) akin to how collector's post-Prophecies' dialogues are set up (one window for dialogue and service).
2. Multiple windows, one with dialogue one with service, akin to Bodrus the Outfitter prior to the quest being active.
3. NPC shouts/random quote box.

The first two are mutually exclusive and which should be done would be the one that's preferred. Both can be put together, however, in order to add in more dialogue. For example (utilizing how the official wiki formats dialogue):

Bodrus the Outfitter

Hullo, hullo. You've come to the right place. If you've got the gold, I've got the goods.

What can I help you with?

⇒Let me see what you've got.

I've got everything from Salvage Kits and Identification Kits to brand-spankin' new Small Equipment Packs and what could be your very own Lockpick!

Select an item from my list below, then click "Buy." Select an item from your inventory below, then click "Sell."

I'm unsure if the two-window idea would be liked, however.

For the third one, they'd be akin to the charr shouts and the kournan military shouts. These would be limited to the enemies which can speak the "common" language.

• Emotes that accompany their shouts (exclusion: Enemy NPCs *this is an issue with the Kournan enemies*)

Enemy NPCs shouldn't suffer from this, but Kournan enemies do (sadly). Nor should NPCs who may be victim of fighting. That said, this is something that would greatly increase the livability of NPCs in towns. Rather than them just standing there twiddling their thumbs, or with a microphone shouting the random stuff they want to say, it would be nice to see them do various animations that would make sense with those shouts.

For example:

Bodrus the Outfitter shouts: "Who wants this shiny lockpick!?" He would also do /roar as if he was holding said lockpick up in the air for all to see.

• Dialogue changes based on completion of the storyline.

This has been done often with War in Kryta NPCs - and those which appear in Prophecies would seem to have this as well. Nightfall generic NPCs have this in the form of their quotes as well. But it would be nice to expand this to other NPCs as well.

For example, take Salma in the Temple of the Ages (not the one in the Shining Blade camp or the Lion's Arch Keep)

Normal dialogue

It's hard to know how to react to all of the recent troubles. Did you need my help with something?

Post-The Lost Princess or post-Prophecies

I have decided to take on the task of leading the nation. I came back here to ask for the gods' prayer. I hope there will be little bloodshed with the White Mantle from now on.

War in Kryta active (pre-LA Keep take over)

<character name>! It is good to see you again. Please, if you have time, visit the Dakutu Village. We could use your help against the White Mantle. I came back here to try to remain inconspicuous until the right time comes.

War in Kryta active (post-LA Keep take over)

Hello there. I missed my friends here in the temple and wished to make sure Greves hasn't harmed them yet. Please, when you have the time, visit me in the Lion's Arch Keep.

Post-War in Kryta

Greetings, <character name>! Thank you for your help with fighting the White Mantle. I will need the gods' blessings more than ever to lead this nation back to its former glory, so I decided to return here once more.

Effectively, while outposts are "stick in time" for various reasons, how NPCs respond to PCs via their text doesn't need to be.