Let's Crowdsource Some Better NPC Dialogue

CMDR Runcible Shaw

CMDR Runcible Shaw
Let's face it. The NPC dialogue in the game sucks. It doesn't suck because it's poorly written, but because it's so very repetitive. You only have to play Elite for a short while to see the same dialogue text appear over and over again. Now, I could rant and complain about it and yell at the Frontier staff to write more. But, instead I'd like to take a different tack.

Why don't we, as players, write new dialogue for NPCs to add variety to the game? If we have enough submissions I'll collate them all together and submit to them to Frontier so maybe they can add it to the pool of NPC dialogue. So, how about it? Good idea? Bad idea? Anyone from Frontier want to chime in why this would or wouldn't work?

If you do want to submit dialogue please put it in this format:

NPC TYPE: (pirate, wedding barge, security, etc.)
EVENT TYPE: (cargo scan, cargo scan fail, crime detected, etc.)
DIALOGUE: (keep it short and PG)
CMDR NAME: (optional. add your in-game commander name for the official list of submissions.)

I'm open to suggestions on how to make this work and how to organize it. Thanks. O7
 

Blackcompany

Banned
B
Pirate:
Empty hold. What a waste.

Nothing worth stealin'

Shiny. Let's go be bad guys.

I want your cargo, not your life, but I'll take the latter to get the former if you force my hand (rare, high ranked, more educated pirates).

Wrong time, wrong place, mate

(Insert Exploration Rank) are ya? Well, all you found this time is trouble.

(Merchant Rank). Might be a little something here/worth taking/I can "appropriate"

Just your local ownership transference service, doin' what we do/our thing.

You'll want to open up that cargo hatch now (mate/friend/Commander/pilot).

Duke/Admiral/Elite huh...Might want to consider easier pickings/pick my battles a little more carefully/wait for those ship scans to finish next time/discretion and valor and all that jazz/noise.


Trade Convoy:

Form up on beacon for jump preparation.

Roll call. Let's take stock before we move out.

Drop on my beacon for regroup.

Maintenance check completed. Prep for hyperspace travel.

Convoy accounted for. Move 'em out.

Dropping for regroup and roll call, sir/ma'am

Security/Bounty Hunters:

How many guns you need, anyway, sir?

- I get excitable as to choice, like to keep my options open

Form up. We've got a sweep to make.

Form up on Wing Leader. Wingman, check our (RNG o'clock, for variety).

All clear, lead.

Wing lead, wing (RNG 1-3) I've got bandits/hostiles/bogies on scope/in sight.

Taking fire, sir/ma'am

Security sweep in progress, Commander. Gonna have to ask you to comply.

Sweep complete. Looks clear. Make ready for next jump. (Then jump out).

Tally ho. Bandits ahead.

Are we having fun yet, pilots?

Another one bites the dust

I'm hit; just a scratch/scrape/no serious damage

Security Wing under threat. Backup requested at Beacon.

Security wing in peril. Launch Alert/Standby craft immediately. Drop on beacon.

Got em handled, Commander, but we're glad you're here all the same (when you only get one or two shots off).

Nice kill, Commander. Don't forget to cash it in.

You got one. Good shooting.

See you earned that combat ranking.

No wonder you wear those (Combat Rank) emblems.

Bingo. Got em.

Bingo. Splash one.

Group up. Let's go hunting's

Wedding barges...Just run a banner announcement. Those are So cheesy.

Tourist vessels:

Ladies and gentlemen, take in the sights. They're one of a kind here.

Please turn your attention to the beacon, and Vista below, folks, it's a lovely one.

If you will adjust communication frequency to (RNG Channel) the beacon will provide insightful information about the sights you're about to behold.

Welcome, Commander. Plenty of room for the Pilots Federation here.

Hopefully some general chatter can come across audible comma soon, too, but above are some lines for you. Enjoy!
 
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Aussiedroid

Aussiedroid
Great idea! It would really add to the experience I think if these were more personalised/random.

Obviously only Frontier would know what would be involved in adding more variation, but if it could be streamlined, even offering a webform where users could enter suggestions as time moves on, to be updated and added periodically it would be awesome. Could see the same thing working for other community content etc if the tools are in place to streamline implementation.

Anyways, sorry I didn't have any suggestion to share!
 

Tentacle Love

Tentacle Love
Pirate:
"stow your guns and prepare for a scan, commander, we're the law here and you better obey."
(Yes, they're either lying or they're corrupt law enforcement)

Any and all ships no matter what:
"Hey, which button does that again?"

Local law enforcement:
"Looks like we have a possible 2319, moving to engage."
 

Tarman

Tarman
Aussiedroid said:
Great idea! It would really add to the experience I think if these were more personalised/random.

Obviously only Frontier would know what would be involved in adding more variation, but if it could be streamlined, even offering a webform where users could enter suggestions as time moves on, to be updated and added periodically it would be awesome. Could see the same thing working for other community content etc if the tools are in place to streamline implementation.

Anyways, sorry I didn't have any suggestion to share!
Click to expand...

This is the biggest hurdle, not so much the list itself; Blackcompany alone just now added what sadly feels like a quarter more of the current dialogue.

It's more on how that list is going to get into the game from out here that will need some work by FD. I like the webform submission idea; it allows submissions from a wider base of input than using the launcher so players don't need to be ingame, and their mom can write something clever too if they want. As long as the stuff gets vetted for content (which means also FD needs to actually hire a proofreader who then is immediately also put in charge of Galnet >___> ) then I don't see a problem with working with a player-added listing as far as the data itself.

If someday in the future we have reliable voice for these lines, it'd be really neat if non-localized-language voice came through the audio channel but translated locally into a text as well. First, this would sound really cool and not be unintelligible at the same time. That also allows the text output to always have a lead on VA work and not need to wait on it for a tandem release.

While we're wishing for cool comms stuff I'd like to move the chat from a left-side dropdown rectangle to a central slimline feed. If we're going to go get some more NPC dialogue we should be able to read it a bit more effectively and notice better, let alone the vast number of times CMDRs miss other CMDR hails.
 

SMcA

SMcA
Better still have a flag to switch it off.
And while we're at it a command to CLS (Clear Screen) the window.
 

Straker

Straker
My problem with the whole thing is - what function does dialogue from an NPC perform? If it performs no function then I believe it is better to remove it as it easily becomes repetitive and soul destroying. It adds no pleasant flavour to the game to see the same dialogue over and over and over again. However, if the dialogue is varied and it performs an important function like letting me know that I'm about to be interdicted then I believe it should stay. Unless you are going to put in a monumental effort then a handful of repetitive dialogue is not going to deepen the atmosphere of the game.

This post is in the 1% of all top posts out there.
 

jgm

jgm
Straker said:
My problem with the whole thing is - what function does dialogue from an NPC perform? If it performs no function then I believe it is better to remove it as it easily becomes repetitive and soul destroying. It adds no pleasant flavour to the game to see the same dialogue over and over and over again. However, if the dialogue is varied and it performs an important function like letting me know that I'm about to be interdicted then I believe it should stay. Unless you are going to put in a monumental effort then a handful of repetitive dialogue is not going to deepen the atmosphere of the game.
Click to expand...

It's easy enough to ignore, but some of it does provide additional information. You can quickly see if you are the target Vs. a kill warrant or manifest scanner, if a target is bugging out of a fight, when additional ships join the fray, etc.
 

Underhook

U
We want to do it
BUT
1) Its really hard
2) It would take a long time
3) Theres not many of us
4) We are working on other projects

blah. blah. blah
 

CMDR Runcible Shaw

CMDR Runcible Shaw
Straker said:
My problem with the whole thing is - what function does dialogue from an NPC perform? If it performs no function then I believe it is better to remove it as it easily becomes repetitive and soul destroying. It adds no pleasant flavour to the game to see the same dialogue over and over and over again. However, if the dialogue is varied and it performs an important function like letting me know that I'm about to be interdicted then I believe it should stay. Unless you are going to put in a monumental effort then a handful of repetitive dialogue is not going to deepen the atmosphere of the game.

This post is in the 1% of all top posts out there.
Click to expand...

Well that's sort of the point of me making this thread. It's much easier for hundreds of players to each write a few dozen lines of dialogue than it is for a small team of programmers to write thousands of lines of dialogue.

Underhook said:
We want to do it
BUT
1) Its really hard
2) It would take a long time
3) Theres not many of us
4) We are working on other projects

blah. blah. blah
Click to expand...

See above.

Novo Mundus said:
Would be great, won't happen though due to the QA time involved.
Click to expand...

Again, the point of this was that we would help out by doing a lot of the writing, and organizing for the developers.

Agony_Aunt said:
Did you know this forum is in the top 1% of forums out there?
Click to expand...

I don't get this 1% thing.

bootsam said:
Top 1% forum of what? Complaining? Coz that seems to be a hobby here.
Click to expand...

I'm not *just* complaining about a problem, I'm trying to not only offer a solution but actually help create the solution.
 

CMDR Redcrest

C
Interdiction in theocracy system:
Hello! Sorry to have interdicted you but my friend and I have been calling on Commanders in the area to ask if they've heard about the Good News of [insert belief system]
 

S3B4ST13N

S
System security:
"What ho?! A Foe?! TagaTagaTagaTaga..."
"I've got a lovely bunch of multi-cannons, deedly deedly..."
"I say Commander, that's quite the bounty, what?"
"Warning! Eject! Ejec.. oh no, wait.. that's just the coffee machine."
"How can we be real if our eyes aren't real?"
 
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