Pins and connections
A dialogue tree is not a tree if it does not have branches. In order to establish relationships between the various pieces of dialogue within your work, you will need to join them together in meaningful ways. In articy:draft this is done by using two very closely related tools: pins and connections.
In the screenshot above, the pins 1 are the small nodes on the sides of the flow objects to which the connections 2 attach in order to direct flow from one element to the next. Both pins and connections have a number of customizable features which are discussed in much further detail below.
From the flow view, making connections between pins is very straightforward: simply hold the left mouse button down while dragging a line between the two pins that need to be connected 3. Alternatively, a line can be dragged from a pin to an empty point on the flow screen, which will then create a flow object at that point connected automatically to the originating pin 4.
By hovering over the left or right side of an object after selecting it, a container that holds the pins called a "pin bay" is revealed and the cursor is changed to indicate that the mouse is in pin addition mode 5. Left-clicking on an empty space within this tab will attach a new pin to the object.
Alternatively, right-clicking on the object itself and selecting "New input pin" or "New output pin" 6 will perform the same behavior.
To remove a pin that is no longer desired, right-click the pin and select "Remove pin" from the drop-down menu that appears 7.
Frequently when designing dialogue trees, it is desirable to have certain speech choices open up only under certain circumstances. One possibility to define such conditions is to use an object's input-pin.
There are two different types of scripts that can be set on a pin, corresponding to type: "conditions" 8 for input pins, which are always on the left, and "instructions" 9 for output pins, which are always on the right. Conditions signify states that should be met before the dialogue choice can be triggered, while instructions signify changes or consequences for selecting a particular dialogue choice. Both are set by double-clicking on the appropriate pin while in flow mode. You can choose, if you want to use the built-in scripting language articy:expresso (activated by default) or if you want to use plain text to describe conditions and instructions. Please visit the conditions and instructions page for detailed information.
Pins with conditions or instructions will be highlighted in orange while in flow mode. To view any conditions or instructions set on any orange-colored pin, simply hover the mouse over it. A tooltip will then appear 10 that contains that particular pin's settings.
In addition to all of the options that can be set on pins, the connections themselves between the pins can also be customized. Double-clicking a connection creates a text box along the middle of the arrow 11, which can then be populated with information to increase clarity within the flow network.
Additionally, connections can be set to any color to provide quick visual grouping by clicking the paint bucket icon 12 on the flow mode toolbar.
In the screenshot above, the pins 1 are the small nodes on the sides of the flow objects to which the connections 2 attach in order to direct flow from one element to the next. Both pins and connections have a number of customizable features which are discussed in much further detail below.
Using Pins to Make Connections
From the flow view, making connections between pins is very straightforward: simply hold the left mouse button down while dragging a line between the two pins that need to be connected 3. Alternatively, a line can be dragged from a pin to an empty point on the flow screen, which will then create a flow object at that point connected automatically to the originating pin 4.
Adding and Removing Pins
By hovering over the left or right side of an object after selecting it, a container that holds the pins called a "pin bay" is revealed and the cursor is changed to indicate that the mouse is in pin addition mode 5. Left-clicking on an empty space within this tab will attach a new pin to the object.
Alternatively, right-clicking on the object itself and selecting "New input pin" or "New output pin" 6 will perform the same behavior.
To remove a pin that is no longer desired, right-click the pin and select "Remove pin" from the drop-down menu that appears 7.
Incorporating Conditions and Instructions
Frequently when designing dialogue trees, it is desirable to have certain speech choices open up only under certain circumstances. One possibility to define such conditions is to use an object's input-pin.
There are two different types of scripts that can be set on a pin, corresponding to type: "conditions" 8 for input pins, which are always on the left, and "instructions" 9 for output pins, which are always on the right. Conditions signify states that should be met before the dialogue choice can be triggered, while instructions signify changes or consequences for selecting a particular dialogue choice. Both are set by double-clicking on the appropriate pin while in flow mode. You can choose, if you want to use the built-in scripting language articy:expresso (activated by default) or if you want to use plain text to describe conditions and instructions. Please visit the conditions and instructions page for detailed information.
Pins with conditions or instructions will be highlighted in orange while in flow mode. To view any conditions or instructions set on any orange-colored pin, simply hover the mouse over it. A tooltip will then appear 10 that contains that particular pin's settings.
Setting Connection Options
In addition to all of the options that can be set on pins, the connections themselves between the pins can also be customized. Double-clicking a connection creates a text box along the middle of the arrow 11, which can then be populated with information to increase clarity within the flow network.
Additionally, connections can be set to any color to provide quick visual grouping by clicking the paint bucket icon 12 on the flow mode toolbar.