Not sure if this is the right subforum, but I thought I'd re-post this entry on my BSN blog somewhere where a larger number of NWN players can read it. Technically, I'll probably keep the conversation system described in the blog as-is unless something major changes in development of my module, but I'd still like to know what people think of it. Maybe I'll learn something that can help me out.
While creating script systems for and outlining the story of my Eberron NWN1 module, I decided that the default presentation of conversation options in NWN1 wasn't doing it for me. Not only was it difficult to explain the tone/intent of a line through dialogue alone (which can be solved by novel-like dialogue like that seen in Hordes of the Underdark), but it was impossible to tell which lines were just roleplaying options and which actually had an effect on the story. While some people might like this mystery, I needed a system that made the purpose of dialogue options more obvious. Looking up how to trick NWN1 into using color tags, I made 5 color tags for PC responses:
Light Brown: Roleplaying Option (may cause an immediate dialogue response, but rarely has far-reaching consequences on its own)
Light Blue: Persuasion Option (either begins a persuasion challenge or attempts to influence the NPC to accept the terms of the initial blue option. think of it as Human Revolution's persuasion system with an option to avoid the persuasion challenge)
Green: "Investigation"/Interrogation Option (learn non-essential information without progressing the conversation)
Red: Choice (an exclusive choice that will often have immediate and/or far-reaching effects)
Gray: Exit conversation ("I should go" and other conversation enders)
To help with the tone/intent problem, I also decided to have a short preface to each PC option that describes the PC's thought process. Since the main character in this module is supposed to be an inquisitive (detective), this went well with the character concept. There's a bit of player motivation/character motivation disconnect, however. (Since thoughts are presented as unquoted text, actions in PC responses are enclosed in [ ]. Actions in NPC responses, whether it's a PC action or not, will be the standard unquoted text.)
The best way I can think of demonstrating is with an example, so I'll use some of my more linear demo conversations to show how most of these concepts fit together while writing.
Demo 1: Anti-warforged protester
(after selecting first option in ss3)
Demo 2: Merchant
(after selecting third option in ss1)
