General questions from a new Dialogue writer (1 Viewer)

[Sykosa]

Greetings all,

I have been searching the forums for the following information items, which i have not found documentation of in the various dialogue action mod documents, etc. They are all related to my attempt to make a semi-progressive mod, based on a big rewrite of Feminizing Futa, with more actions and triggers, etc. (including custom lines). I have a few obstacles to overcome. To wit:

-Is there a way to tie shrinking the 'girl' or 'boy' custom character's (sucker's) penis to a dialog line? Also, is there a way to make the penis range smaller than the current minimum for the sucking character by adjusting a setting in a file?

-For the breast expansion mod, is there any way to get the breasts to remain covered by the moreclothing bras/tops as one reaches maximum? Or is this a base loader issue?

-Is there a comprehensive list of the SDT hard-coded commands, actions and states available in a custom dialog? If so, where? I am curios to see if the moreclothing bras can be triggered at a certain stage to come off without using the set: variable in dialogactions4.1 (I want to release the dialog to feminization fans for customization).

-I am not sure I understand how to set up a custom character or loader set and back it up or package it to play 'as is' for the non-experienced user. What I would want is to set up a file that launches, loads all the mods, loads the default dialog, loads my custom dialog (I have read about the intro issues with leftover data preventing the intro from running in a new session, hence this workaround) and then starts them off.

I have been playing with the game for a few months and decided to try my hand at making a dialogue. Before I use the Resource Manager, is there any way to attach a dialog without uploading it there? I am not sure if uploading is possible through the forum post editor. My thought is to work out some of these kinks in the kink, so to speak, then link the alpha of the dialogue project once the foundation is solid.

 

[stuntcock]

-Is there a way to tie shrinking the 'girl' or 'boy' custom character's (sucker's) penis to a dialog line?

The following is cribbed from @f93's work.

-Declare the penis sizes via partial charCodes
start:"[setup1]"{"style":"Thought"}
setup1:"[setup2]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeNormalPenis":"herPenis:2,1.2,1.2;"}}
setup2:"[setup3]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeSmallPenis":"herPenis:2,0.9,0.9;"}}
setup3:"[setup4]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeMinimumPenis":"herPenis:2,0.7,0.7;"}}

-Load the normal size penis during setup
setup4:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeNormalPenis]"{"style":"Thought"}

-Load the smaller penis sizes when narratively appropriate
first_throat:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeSmallPenis]Did my penis just get smaller?"
first_dt:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeMinimumPenis]Oh no my penis is shrinking again!"

Note that these changes will be abrupt. The penis will suddenly "jump" from one size to another. If you want a smooth/gradual shrinkage effect then you'll need to either include a LOT of transitional states, or ask a modder to write up a custom solution for your scenario.

Also, is there a way to make the penis range smaller than the current minimum for the sucking character by adjusting a setting in a file?

Activate a loader mod which permits a wider range of penis sizes. Then use the technique described above (but with smaller numbers). Of course, you will need to ensure that users of your dialogue run this mod also; otherwise the penis will stop shrinking when it reaches the vanilla minimum size.

-For the breast expansion mod, is there any way to get the breasts to remain covered by the moreclothing bras/tops as one reaches maximum? Or is this a base loader issue?

• ask @sby to patch the breastExpPlus mod so that it rescales clothing layers
  
• don't use the superbreast feature of the breast expansion mod
  • breasts will expand up to the vanilla limit, and will stretch the clothing with them as they do so, but they will not expand any further than the vanilla maximum

-Is there a comprehensive list of the SDT hard-coded commands, actions and states available in a custom dialog?

The Comprehensive Dialogue Guide | Undertow

I am curios to see if the moreclothing bras can be triggered at a certain stage to come off without using the set: variable in dialogactions4.1

Why don't you want to use the set command? None of the vanilla triggers will remove the girl's clothing, so your choices are: "use the fancy dialogueActions commands" or "give up".

-I am not sure I understand how to set up a custom character or loader set and back it up or package it to play 'as is' for the non-experienced user. What I would want is to set up a file that launches, loads all the mods, loads the default dialog, loads my custom dialog (I have read about the intro issues with leftover data preventing the intro from running in a new session, hence this workaround) and then starts them off.

No such one-click solution exists at present. You could prepare a Loader mod which would assemble all of the pieces, but it would work only if the user had correctly downloaded all of the necessary files (.swf .mod .txt) and deployed them into their correct subfolder locations.

For now, I'd advise you to just distribute your dialogue normally (as a TXT file). If it proves popular then you can create a custom Loader package (like the bundle offered by @WeeWillie) which would provide a simple deployment option for confused newbies.

is there any way to attach a dialog without uploading it there?

You can attach a text file to any of your posts.

 

[Sykosa]

First off, stuntcock, thank you for the comprehensive answer.

Speaking of comprehensive, I had read the comprehensive guide thread, but it made no mention of items I found such as [LOOK_UP(DOWN)] , [SHOW_HIM], [ADD_TEARS] and also seemed to have many similar items leaking in throughout the thread. SO, I was looking for perhaps a full list in one place, unfragmented. I do have the thread watched. Perhaps some of the items came with a successive mod

Why don't you want to use the set command? None of the vanilla triggers will remove the girl's clothing, so your choices are: "use the fancy dialogueActions commands" or "give up".

I appreciate the humor there. I am going to use these particular triggers. I was hoping, however, to release a dialogue with simplified ones for people in the transformation and feminization/sissy/tg world to perhaps use (commented to help them along) for their own experiments. I am fine with it myself, however.

Activate a loader mod which permits a wider range of penis sizes. Then use the technique described above (but with smaller numbers).

Thank you, this is a perfect mod or the purpose, and the code sample is a boon. It's what I was looking for in the first place. Is there a mod that switches the penis to none? Or can I just use a known variable with the set: command and its associated syntax, like clothing?

Note that these changes will be abrupt. The penis will suddenly "jump" from one size to another.

I have a workaround in mind for that, and once I get familiar with all of this, perhaps a mod that will help with smoother rescaling. Thanks for the heads-up.

Ask @sby to patch the breastExpPlus mod so that it rescales clothing layers

Maybe after I get some more depth into m,y contributions. For now, that point is when the bra will come off. I noticed the scaling issue also affects nipple piercings, etc.

No such one-click solution exists at present. You could prepare a Loader mod which would assemble all of the pieces, but it would work only if the user had correctly downloaded all of the necessary files (.swf .mod .txt) and deployed them into their correct subfolder locations.

I was thinking a quick repack with everything in place once the 1.0 dialog is done (as a .zip/.rar/.lzh/whatever) would be the way to go, Thanks, you answered this doubly :)

You can attach a text file to any of your posts.

For some reason that option was not there in the AM, but it is now. Thanks many times over, stuntcock.

 

[stuntcock]

Speaking of comprehensive, I had read the comprehensive guide thread, but it made no mention of items I found such as [LOOK_UP(DOWN)] , [SHOW_HIM], [ADD_TEARS].

The items that you mention are all included in the first post. Be sure to expand the spoiler tags (especially the one marked Triggers).

Perhaps some of the items came with a successive mod.

Those are vanilla elements. They're unrelated to modding.

Some authors choose to write stories which can be run in any environment; others rely on the advanced dialogueAction stuff to achieve more complex effects - such as moving or undressing the girl. dialogueActions puts a slightly higher burden on the end-user (in terms of deployment and compatibility stuff) and a much higher burden on the author (in terms of scripting and troubleshooting).

Is there a mod that switches the penis to none? Or can I just use a known variable with the set: command and its associated syntax, like clothing?

Yes, that's the right approach.

-Declare the penis sizes via partial charCodes
start:"[setup1]"{"style":"Thought"}
setup1:"[setup2]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeNormalPenis":"herPenis:2,1.2,1.2;"}}
setup2:"[setup3]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeMinimumPenis":"herPenis:2,0.7,0.7;"}}
setup3:"[setup4]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeNoPenis":"herPenis:none;"}}

-Load the normal size penis during setup
setup4:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeNormalPenis]"{"style":"Thought"}

-Load the smaller penis sizes when narratively appropriate
first_throat:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeMinimumPenis]Did my penis just get much smaller?"
first_dt:"[VA_SET_VARIABLEBYNAME_da.charcode.load_charcodeNoPenis]Oh no my penis has fallen off!"

 

[Sykosa]

After doing some scripting of this, including intermediate sizes, etc., I ran it through the sby checker after some of the actions did not work/run. Here is the result regarding the setup lines:

Variables - Major: Undeclared variable (charcodeNormalPenis) in line-attribute set on line 6, col 44, near "(...)p1:"[setup2]"{"style":"Thought","set":{"charcodeNormalPenis":"herPenis:2,.8,.8;"}}".

To fix this, add the variable to the initial_settings line of your dialogue.

How do I declare the variables? Each stage by name? Or simply charcode? Maybe "herPenis?" I have attached the script in case it is useful. Further issues also have come up regarding the 'restart' line type, and I have not been able to figure out how they are triggered (these are the lines I have chose for the penis size change to be invoked).

 

[stuntcock]

How do I declare the variables?

I'm not a dialogue writer. I can offer troubleshooting support for specific obstacles or errors, but I'm not actually testing any of the stuff that I send you. There's no guarantee that it will work as-is.

In general, you'll probably get further by downloading a completed dialogue file and dissecting it. You can then attempt to apply the various sections, variable declarations, narrative structure/organization (and specific custom triggers) into your own work. You can also run the two files through the checker in parallel, and playtest them in parallel, if you suspect that you've made mistakes while copying some elements from the original file.

For this specific problem, I believe that you'll need to include a declaration statement near the beginning of your dialogue file.

initial_settings:{charcodeNormalPenis":"herPenis:2,1.2,1.2;","charcodeMinimumPenis":"herPenis:2,0.7,0.7;","charcodeNoPenis":"herPenis:none;"}

Further issues also have come up regarding the 'restart' line type, and I have not been able to figure out how they are triggered

That's a vanilla line type. It is activated when the player resumes normal gameplay (e.g. mouse movement) after an ejaculation. If the player remains motionless then the line will not be spoken; it requires 100 "units" of motion before it gets triggered.

 

[Sykosa]

This all helped very much. Thank you, stuntcock! Everything is working, Now I just have to read around and find out where and how to post my working (yay!) according to the rules, then ask sby about thicker thighs, skinny mods, superbreast and moreclothing compatibility (and how I can help). For three-ish days, not too shabby.