Dialogue Authoring

Dialogue Editing System allows users to create simulations with branches using the node based graph editor. Dialogue Editing tool is professional at dealing with storytelling simulations with branching based on user decision. With the support of multiple SCAI modules, users would be able to get involved in complicated dialogues and communicate with virtual characters by voice recognition.

Actors

Actors represent two types of VOs in the scene: Virtual Characters who will talk with a specific voice line, and Virtual Objects that will be interacted with during the simulation.

How to create actors in the scene

·  Input the actor name (not showing in experience mode, only in edit mode) 

·  Click on add to add a new actor

·  Input the display name(What’s the name of the Actor)    *Needs to be unique

·  Select the Virtual instance

·  Select voice ID 

Nodes

The graph based editor contains two types of nodes: System Action Nodes and User Decision Nodes. System Action Nodes are for actions being processed in linear sequence including virtual character talking, animation and fade in/fade out, etc. User Decision Nodes are for user input including talking, using virtual objects and touching virtual objects.  

How to create Nodes

· Click on the drop down and select System Action/User Decision based on the type of node to create. 

· Click on ‘+’ and the Node will be populated in the bottom left corner of the graph. 

· Click on the node and change the node name. 

How to Modify System Action Node properties

· Click on the node to open its properties in the right side panel

· Select target action from action dropdown

· Select actors from actors dropdown ( actors are created in actors panel)

· Input message in the message field and click on preview 

· Select the look at target for the actor

    System Action Node properties                   User Decision Node Properties

How to modify User Decision Node Properties

· Click on the node to open its properties in the right side panel

· Input feedback, overview and node description which will be shown in the final feedback panel

·Type in timeout field (how long the system will wait until it automatically proceed to the default node)

· Select default node 

Edges

There’s two types of edges connecting nodes. For edges coming out from System Action Nodes, there will be no properties. For edges coming out from User Decision Nodes, there will be utterances or interact types to describe the expected user action to proceed to its leading node. 

How to create an edge

· Click on the add edge button in top bar

· Click on the node where the edge will come out from 

· Click on the node where the edge will go into

How to edit edge properties: 

· Choose the type of path between interact / utterance

#if interact: 

· Choose the target from actors 

· Edit the tooltip text

· Edit the RGB fields for the tooltip text color

#if Utterance: 

· Open Utterances panel 

· Type in expected utterances

· Click on add button 

· Click save before close the window

#endif

· Add a score for the current edge property

    Interact Edge Property                Utterance Edge Property

                        Utterance Edit Panel            

Simulation Description 

· Click on the Edit Description Button in top bar

· Type in the description for simulation

· Click on save button and close window