Journal Image

CLapps

Hi there, 

Is there a simple way to have a graphic sit next to text in a journal menu item? 

It seems like a nice way to create a short book in a game but all I can manage to do is create many pages of text. I would like each page of journal text have a graphic next to it which changes when the player changes pages. 

If there anyway way to do this or is it a text only option?

Thanks,

Chris

CLapps

Figured out another way of doing things with Unity UI and Adventure Creator. No need for this option now unless someone else needs it... 

SkyTree

I'm curious how u achieved this. Mind sharing with the rest?

CLapps

Basically I just created a Unity UI for each page of my journal/book with the pictures, text etc how I like them. Then added page turn sprites (not buttons) so the player could turn the pages. Each journal page also had an adventure creator 2d camera added.

Then I added 2D Hotspots over the journal buttons to control the pages which was a switch camera behaviour with a page turn sound and nice fade.

The trick though to make it all work with adventure creator was to turn off the raycast behaviour on the Unity UI canvas. For whatever reason this seems to make hotspots not work and wasn't needed anyway.

Extra pages etc can also be controlled with variables, controlled inside the hotspots so you can drip feed information as you progress. (If _Progress = 2 then Go to Page 5 Else Stay on page 4)

And there you have it. An interactive journal/book with no coding!

SkyTree

Interesting way. Thanks for sharing.

Here is the way I did:
I created an inventory with only 1 slot and set a specific category only for journal pages.
Then I created .png sprite pages with pictures and text as items with that specific category. As I play I gather those gameobjects/pages through the scenes and they go to my  journal inventory.

The only drawback is that each page image has to be complete with 2 pages. So you scroll 1-2 page then 2-4 etc.
One can actually make 2 inventories with 1 slot each and with 2 different categories and send to the respected inventory. But I have lots of text and pictures so I use 2 pages every time.

CLapps

Thats another clever angle. I hadn't though of using the inventory! Genius. 

I'll have a look at this and see if it's a viable alternative for my game. The only snag is I wanted real text along with my images so I can fix grammar and change text quickly rather than having to redo PNG's.

SkyTree

Another good thing I found out. Is that on whatever page you close your journal. You always open on the one you left. So you don't need to scroll back to page 32 from page 1

IndorWojciech

Hi,

I'v created graphical journal this way but Im wondering - is it possible to lock off selecting of items in this journal ?

As it is made like an inventory its items are selectable - and it looks bad...

any ideas ?

Chris maybe some help ?

thanks.

IndorWojciech

Ok I got it !

You just simply have to check option of "custom script" in You Inventory box config.

zerberr

still it would be great to have native support for images in journal.

Chris, do you by any chance have any plans about this? I just remember journal that was in the Vietkong game, and honestly, it was great..

ChrisIceBox

Not at the moment, but I take all feedback into account.  What was the game you're referring to, exactly?

zerberr

this one - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietcong_(video_game)
(gosh, it's been 14 years! o__O)

journal there was somewhat similar to this pic - https://orig00.deviantart.net/1b47/f/2009/253/8/b/hawkins__vietcong_by_andgelo.jpg - attached photographs, hand drawings etc. Very immersive and believable.

Would be great to have the ability to make similar things with AC.

ChrisIceBox

Something like that goes way beyond the scope of what the journal system is designed for, which is essentially just text arrays.

What the above would require would be a series of elements, necessary for the control over the layout that such a design requires.

This can technically already be done by creating a separate Menu or series of Elements for each page, and then swapping each's display via the Menu: Change state Action - though with many pages that would quickly get complex.

There are several assets on the Asset Store that deal directly with journal systems of that kind, and it would be more appropriate to incorporate the two together.  How that is achieved, however, does vary from asset to asset, but the "Integrating other gameplay" chapter of the Manual provides an overview of the main paths to take.