Chat/Dialog bubbles for random dialog
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 8:16 pm
This idea kind of coincides with one of the previous ones I was talking about with the prostitutes and the town drunk running around town.
It would help break up the game a bit to see chat/dialog bubbles above npc heads with random things they might say. For instance, you walk into a shop and the shop keeper would say "Welcome. May I help you?" Or, when the town drunk is at it again, he passes by you and says something like "Hergh! I've seen... **belchhh** tougher sh@^ in my **hic** bed pan!" Perhaps on the city guard patrol passing, the captain would say "Watch your step around here."
I'm not trying to get too far into this with much complexity, but since there is a faction relation, perhaps it could also change the dialog a bit. For instance, when you improve relations with a specific town's faction, the guard could instead say "Let me know if you need any assistance, %yournamehere%." Also, the city folk could start calling you by name more often as your relations improve (or get worse).
I've also seen it done in games where certain npc's will *hint* to where you could find quests/missions or perhaps even buried treasures and hideouts. Many options can open up to bait the player to talk to more important npc's in a city if it is populated with random citizens. Maybe there is a shady guy in an alley between a few buildings and says "PSSSSSSST! Give me a few gold and I might have some useful information for you!" He also might be selling knock-off shoddy armor and weapons. Who knows?
Just thought that this would help add more randomness and depth to the game as it moves along. There are plenty of opportunities to bombard the player with some hilarious dialog or some helpful hints for other things. This way the player doesn't have to always initiate a conversation to see dialog. Also, it adds some personality to the towns.
It would help break up the game a bit to see chat/dialog bubbles above npc heads with random things they might say. For instance, you walk into a shop and the shop keeper would say "Welcome. May I help you?" Or, when the town drunk is at it again, he passes by you and says something like "Hergh! I've seen... **belchhh** tougher sh@^ in my **hic** bed pan!" Perhaps on the city guard patrol passing, the captain would say "Watch your step around here."
I'm not trying to get too far into this with much complexity, but since there is a faction relation, perhaps it could also change the dialog a bit. For instance, when you improve relations with a specific town's faction, the guard could instead say "Let me know if you need any assistance, %yournamehere%." Also, the city folk could start calling you by name more often as your relations improve (or get worse).
I've also seen it done in games where certain npc's will *hint* to where you could find quests/missions or perhaps even buried treasures and hideouts. Many options can open up to bait the player to talk to more important npc's in a city if it is populated with random citizens. Maybe there is a shady guy in an alley between a few buildings and says "PSSSSSSST! Give me a few gold and I might have some useful information for you!" He also might be selling knock-off shoddy armor and weapons. Who knows?
Just thought that this would help add more randomness and depth to the game as it moves along. There are plenty of opportunities to bombard the player with some hilarious dialog or some helpful hints for other things. This way the player doesn't have to always initiate a conversation to see dialog. Also, it adds some personality to the towns.