Re-Evaluating Conditions in DLG Files

[Skye]

Am I correct in thinking that conditions don't get re-evaluated in a dialog once it's initiated until you close it? Is there any way around that?

 

I tried eliminating/changing some default replies in a dialog dynamically, but it doesn't look like the state changes until I close and initiate the dialog again.

 

For example, something like this doesn't seem to work.

 

BEGIN MyDialog

IF ~True()~ THEN BEGIN Main
SAY @1
  + ~Global("TalkedAboutOption1","LOCALS",0)~ + @2 + Option1
  + ~Global("TalkedAboutOption1","LOCALS",1)~ + @3 + Option2
  ++ @4 EXIT
END

IF ~~ THEN BEGIN Option1
SAY @5
  ++ @6 DO ~SetGlobal("TalkedAboutOption1","LOCALS",1)~ + Main
END

...

It always shows Option1, even though the global changes. If I exit the dialog and re-initiate it, it shows Option2 normally.

[argent77]

There is a delay for processing script actions in dialogs. It usually takes two or three transitions for script actions to be executed. You can see it, for example, in the Wish dialog (WISH25.DLG).

[Gwendolyne]

Installing ToBEx, you can use a new script action opcode : 353 DialogueSetGlobal(S:Name*,S:Area*,I:Value*).

 

Then, DO ~DialogueSetGlobal("YourVariable","LOCALS",n)~ works fine and reevaluates "YourVariable" without quitting the dialog !

 

[Skye]

I'm playing with BG:EE engine, so unfortunately I won't be using DialogueSetGlobal unless they add it with the next patch.

 

There is a delay for processing script actions in dialogs. It usually takes two or three transitions for script actions to be executed.

Odd, seeing as other actions (journal entries, xp rewards, item handling, etc.) seem to be processed instantly, at least according to the log.

 

Seems more like a delay in trigger re-evaluation. Not that it makes any difference. I guess I'll try to work around it.

[Ardanis]

It takes two transitions to recognize an updated state in dialog trigger. And yes, it is very annoying and occasionally a *royal* pita to deal with.

[Gwendolyne]

What do you mean when you say two transitions?

Block1
... DO SetGlobal("MyVariable","LOCALS",1) GOTO Block2

Block2
SAY blabla
... GOTO Block3 (MyVariable = 0)

Block3
SAY blabla2 (MyVariable = 1)

Or

Block1
... DO SetGlobal("MyVariable","LOCALS",1) GOTO Block2

Block2
SAY blabla (MyVariable = 0)
= blabla2 (MyVariable = 1)

[Ardanis]

Yes. The second example is just a WeiDU shortcut, btw.

[Roxanne]

Yes. The second example is just a WeiDU shortcut, btw.

Is this behaviour true for all the DO ~do something~ you put into a dialogue??

I had the feeling it does, especially if you write dialogue in CHAIN,

The only ones that seem to trigger immediately are the DOs you put into PC's responses.

This is just how I experience it from some actions (like party get XPs) that always appear on the screen with this delay you have described. Can you confirm that as standard behaviour?

[argent77]

Only script actions listed in INSTANT.IDS are supposed to be executed instantly in dialog's DO blocks. It still takes at least two transitions to update internal states however. Everything else is delayed until the dialog has been ended.

[Avenger]

Yeah, this is a very annoying "feature". First discovered when GemRB didn't work correctly with Lum's machine in ToB.

GemRB tried to implement SetGlobal sanely, but the dlg for the machine exploited this nasty feature.

 

Instants take one more transition than you would expect.

Non instants (and anything after them) are delayed until the dialogue ends.

[Roxanne]

Yeah, this is a very annoying "feature". First discovered when GemRB didn't work correctly with Lum's machine in ToB.

GemRB tried to implement SetGlobal sanely, but the dlg for the machine exploited this nasty feature.

 

Instants take one more transition than you would expect.

Non instants (and anything after them) are delayed until the dialogue ends.

This sounds more like what I have observed as well, instant is not really *immediately* - and I understand this to be true for BG2 IE as well as GemRB (which I am not using, yet).

Thanks for the Lum hint - strangely enough it works most of the time but sometimes it loops (maybe it works if some interject provides the necessary additional transition?) Most of the time I have Irennicus in my party at that point and he has a lot to comment on Lum.

[Ardanis]

It may get progressively worse sometimes, actually. You can have an NPC join the party while in dialog mode, but they will still use non-party dialog file after one next transition. Imagine trying to add interjections to it

 

By the way, the problem with Lum machine is what prompted ToBEx to introduce a new action, instead of fixing the existing one.

[Skye]

Wouldn't it have been better to just fix the Lum's Machine dialog and have the engine work as one would expect instead?

[argent77]

They have probably kept it for compatibility reasons. Some mods may rely on this specific behavior of actions in dialogs.