Conversation

In an IF context, conversation refers to communication between the PC and NPCs, meaningfully influenced by the player. Dialogue that doesn't respond to player decisions is something else - probably a cutscene. Directing game commands to NPCs is sometimes treated as conversation and sometimes not.

Conversation as Puzzle Tool

Conversation is frequently used as a means of giving pointers or hints about puzzles, or even of explicitly stating the terms of the puzzle.

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Avoiding Conversation

Due to the difficulties of writing responsive, realistic conversational NPCs, many IF games feature little or no conversation; indeed, many authors avoid including NPCs altogether rather than include NPCs with weak conversational abilities.

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Conversation System

The term 'conversation system' refers to a mechanism controlling conversation between the PC and the NPCs; a parser convention governing how the player gives orders governing conversation. Two common conversation systems are ask-tell and menu-based.

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Lists of Games using Conversation

See also: Conversation tagged games at IFDB.

Conversation-rich games

Some IF games have conversation as a primary focus; the main or only way to explore the game or accomplish goals is through dialogue.

• Alabaster (John Cater, Rob Dubbin, Eric Eve, Elizabeth Heller, Jayzee, Kazuki Mishima, Sarah Morayati, Mark Musante, Emily Short, Adam Thornton, and Ziv Wities; 2009; Glulx).
• August (Matt Fendahleen; 2001; Z-code).
• Best of Three (Emily Short; 2001; Glulx).
• Galatea (Emily Short; 2000; Z-code).
• Glass (Emily Short; 2006; Z-code).
• Redemption (Kathleen Fischer; 2003; Z-code).
• Shadows on the Mirror (Chrysoula Tzavelas; 2003; TADS 3).
• Snowblind Aces (C.E.J. Pacian; 2007; TADS 3).
• Urban Conflict (Sam Gordon; 2007; Z-code).
• The Visitor (Peter Polkinghorne; 2000; Z-code).

Personified narrator games

Certain games, by personifying the parser in various ways, frame part or all of the story in terms of a conversation.

• Photopia (Adam Cadre; 1998; Z-code).
• Violet (Jeremy Freese; 2008; Z-code).
• Voices (Aris Katsaris; 2001; Z-code).

Links

• Conversation Systems in the IF Gems review quotes collection (also available from the IF Archive).
• Choosing a Conversation System - article from the TADS 3 Technical Manual.
• Discussions about conversation systems on the rec.arts.int-fiction newsgroup.

Conversation articles by Emily Short

Emily Short has written extensively on this topic:

• Conversation.
• Modeling conversation flow, a series of articles:
  • Homer in Silicon: Sub-Façade - written for GameSetWatch; 12 May 2009. This article introduces the elements of the conversation model in the articles that follow.
  • Types of NPC initiative - 22 July 2009.
  • Subject changes - 24 July 2009.
  • Transitions in player speech - 26 July 2009.
  • Interrupting the player - 27 July 2009.
  • NPC repeating information - 30 July 2009.
  • NPC questions - 2 August 2009.
  • Actions in conversational context - 5 August 2009.
  • Silence - 6 August 2009.
  • Conversational analysis studies - 8 August 2009.
  • Beginnings and endings using scenes - 10 August 2009.
  • Multiple people conversing - 12 August 2009.
• The conversational "script", 26 August 2009.
• Moods in conversation, 10 December 2009.