[feature request] inventory during conversation mode

jigme

Hi,

if I remember correctly, this is a common feature of the classic LucasArts - and more recently of the excellent Wadjet Eye games.

- When entering a conversation, you can access your inventory as usual (including the ability to display the names as you hover over the items).

- Clicking on an item triggers a special "conversation" action script.

- It could trigger the same action script as the Combine option for the item and the NPC's hotspot. 

- Even better: there could be a special option in the Inventory settings: "Conversations" with the ability to create an action list for each NPC in the game. 

Luckily, AC is brilliant enough to give plenty of workarounds to create similar results. But if these features aren't specific to my game, it could be an interesting tool for others too.

Thanks!

ChrisIceBox

I don't recall inventory items being accessibly during LucasArts conversations - often you'd be able to click on a topic related to an item, but this would be part of the Conversation itself, and not a separate Inventory menu.

As a Conversation isn't arbitrarily "linked" to any one NPC (it could be just a user prompt, or an option when faced with multiple characters at once), having a per-NPC interaction would add confusion and narrower options, IMO.  I believe a better way to handle conversation-time interactions would be to use a Global Variable (e.g. PopUp) to record the NPC currently being spoken to.  When an item is clicked, an ActionList checks for this variables value, and reacts accordingly.

As I've explained in another recent post, AC treats conversations and regular gameplay as separate states, so I'm going to have to investigate the possibility of even being able to have inventory interactions run at this time.  I can't give a guarantee or promise, but I shall be looking into it.

jigme

Yes, I think you're right about the LucasArts conversations. Had this vague memory of The Dig or Sam & Max where you'd click on an item to ask about it, but they were displayed in conversation mode (with the idiosyncratic question mark and exclamation mark icons - interesting mechanic there). Not sure how the Wadjet Eye guys are handling it with their Adventure Game Studio games being remade in AC.

I'm actually happy to drop the idea. I imagined it would give players a feeling of complete control over how the conversation is shaping up, but you can just as easily toggle dialogue options based on their current inventory (Inventory:check action list). It requires a bit more foresight since adding dialogue options can be risky, but it's doable. 

In any case, thanks for taking the time to reply, and I look forward to seeing how AC evolves in the future. It truly has been a life-changing asset.