The Dialogue Thread!

[tigersfan]

We've had a few complaints about the NPCs that all they ever do is gripe. It's time to fix that, but, I could use a little help. What would folks who were suddenly exposed to areas and people from other time periods say to one another? Ideally, a lot of the NPCs would say things that were specific to other NPCs of their time period. For reference, the possible time periods that NPCs can come from are:

Ice Age - This isn't like earth's Ice Age. These folks are a lot further along in terms of technology. All NPC other than skelebots are from their past.

Contemporary - This is basically like our time period now.

Industrial Revolution - Think turn of the century on Earth.

Pre Industrial

Medieval Era

Bronze Age

Time of Magic - This obviously doesn't relate to any earth based periods, but this is meant to be sort of like a time period from fantasy books.

So, if the community here has ideas for things that the NPCs can say that don't sound like they are always griping, I would really appreciate the help. They should be fairly short, one or two sentences, and try not to make any references specific to our culture (for example something like "I kinda miss McDonald's" wouldn't work), but other than that, it's pretty wide open.

[lp0]

I imagine that if I was from another time period, I would be completely disoriented. It might not involve a specific brand reference, but certainly someone from modern day might wonder where the TV, microwave, refrigerator, or other modern appliance is.

Also, the 'Time of Magic' begs for a few humorous remarks - I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm sure they are in there somewhere.

[Bluddy]

Dialog is a pain in the buttinsky -- I know that from modding Din's Curse. Anyway, here are some themes I'd expect from different ages:

Ice Age -
- What's the vibe here? Is it like fallout in the more distant future? So they became a super advanced society and then everything went nuclear?
- Should see their story-books and movies (or equivalent) come to life in the creatures they meet. But maybe it's remembering a distant memory since their society is now destroyed?
- With a lot of knowledge about the past as well as a survival-oriented nature, these guys should be handling the crisis pretty well. They should want to help the other people out the most, because they understand what happened.

Contemporary:
- I'm not sure where this is relative to the other time periods.
- Assuming it's after the others, they could be really fearful in the sense that they're not in shape -- they're used to living comfortable lives.

Industrial Revolution:
- View everything as a machine, magic included.
- Bewildered by what they meet, but they reduce everything to mechanical terms.
- "What marvelous machines those lightning-shooting marvels are. If only we had access to the innards of one, I'm sure we could use their machinations against them, eh?"
- "I see you've equipped yourself with all sorts of marvelous mechanical abilities. Would you mind showing me how to use a few?"

Pre Industrial:
- Hmm. Not much changes between the medieval and pre-industrial. I guess this is more post-Renaissance?
- In that case, these guys would be less fearful and more hopeful about this accident.
- "By the grace of the Lord, we shall overcome these foul beasts that plague us."

Medieval Era:
- Use Ye Olde talk to distinguish from other eras.
- View everything as a mix of the magical and godly.
- Could include references to anything dangerous as the work of the devil. The devil should feature very prominently.
- "I hope thou doth not practice the works of the devil, doth thee? Alas I see you have already partaken from the forbidden fruits of the evil one's magic. Purify thyself!"

Bronze Age:
- Would see almost all other people as gods.
- Bewildered by the world and by what's happened.
- Basic speech, Me Tarzan You Jane-like perhaps?
- "Me find great priest of moving sapphire stone in forest. Him very strong. Praise the lizard god for saving me from him."

Time of Magic:
- Not sure where this fits in -- how would magic have been here but possibly forgotten later on?
- If it's fantasy-like, it should be medieval, but if it just followed medieval, then why did the next time period not feature magic?

[BobTheJanitor]

This just reminded me of something I noticed last night. Now that the NPCs say a few new things, trying to talk to them while they constantly run back and forth is a little difficult. It might also be that I'm using my original world which has something like 10 or 15 people running around in it and constantly overlapping each other. Maybe the new design is less likely to have that many people per settlement. But it might be nice to have the people just standing still instead. I don't know what they're constantly running back and forth for anyway, unless it's to shake off the cold.

[zebramatt]

My Mantis issue on the subject of people belting it around your settlements like crazy people was recently set to Resolved but I've not had a chance to check whether they still do... It should be relatively easy to find and reopen!

[Coppermantis]

@Bluddy I think the bronze-age people shouldn't have primitive dialogue. Bronze age is generally ancient Greece, a civilization that produced many great thinkers. the Stone age is more reminiscent of what you seem to be thinking of.

[Endymion]

For a slightly better explanation of time periods there's
http://christophermpark.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-character-concept-art-for-avww-and.html
I'm not sure if there's a better one anywhere. Anyway there isn't really that much information to go on so this is kind of hard.

Ice Age
Curious about the situation and slightly glad that at least the ice age is over.
"It's finally starting to get a bit warmer"
Confirming details about other time periods ie. "I've heard X, was it really so?"
"What was person X like, did he really do Y?"

Contemporary
"Those clothes look silly"
"My gameboy broke what am I supposed to do now?"(replace gameboy with whatever fits)

Industrial Revolution
Try to make the most of the situation on and to adopt as much of the tech from later time periods as possible.
"Hey can you tell me how does that work?"
"That armour looks heavy, want me to make something more useful out of it?"
"I built this really cool lamp that changes color according to season, want one?"

Pre Industrial
Believe themselves to be most civilised
Try to maintain logical and calm view on things.
"Why in the world would someone wear something like that?"
"This world is absolutely dreadful! There's barely anyone intelligent to talk to."
"Such a brute, please try to be at least a little careful."

Medieval Era
Used to everyone having armour so might accidentally hurt people without them.
Probably most used to combat out of all time periods.
Disgusted by the softer time periods after them but respect the older ones.
"We shall overcome this horrible curse!"
"This is nothing compared to that time when..."
"I'm surprised someone so weak managed to even crawl out of his mother's womb."

Bronze Age
Probably can relate to people in Time of Magic somewhat
What do they think about people wearing armor?
Confused by the current situation.
Probably amazed by all the lovely new things.
"Wow these machines are great."

Time of Magic
Care a lot about how strong people are at magic.
Glad to be in the current situation to test their abilities and strength.
Scoff at people relying on anything except themselves.
"Hmph can't you even take care of yourself?"
"Machines may break but my magic will not."
"I will survive this."
"Your magic is strong/weak."
"Rely on no one but yourself."
"At least I know that I won't be the first to die with all these weaklings around."


Oh wait these were supposed to be among other NPC from same period weren't they, so some of these won't fit that well.

[Bluddy]

@Bluddy I think the bronze-age people shouldn't have primitive dialogue. Bronze age is generally ancient Greece, a civilization that produced many great thinkers. the Stone age is more reminiscent of what you seem to be thinking of.

Yep. Total brain fart there. Thanks for correcting me.

[tigersfan]

Thanks guys! I'll leave it to Chris to answer some of the questions, as he knows what he's looking for better than I do. But I'll put the specific examples into the game once I get the Getting Started Guide updated!

[Dizzard]

The way I'd see the npcs from the "age of magic" is that they were a people more in tune with magic and nature.

So while other time periods may still believe in magic and practice it in small circles (on a god level or otherwise) those from the age of magic widely practice it and it was more like an everyday thing they embraced and was an integral part of their lifestyle and culture.

I see them as somewhat more relaxed and comfortable in their magic abilities.

[Martyn van Buren]

If I understand the lore stuff from the intro text right, the Ilari only showed up during the Ice Age --- and "magic talents emerged during the last few generations," suggesting that a lot of the other time periods wouldn't really have had it (tho presumably not the time of magic).  Should some of them be unfamiliar with the Ilari and magic and questioning whether they are safe to trust?

Thinking about it, from the mix of enemies it appears that magic has been a pretty common feature of Environ's history, so if the thing about the last few generations is true perhaps magic is something that people from most time periods think of as belonging only to monsters?