Devlog #14: NPC Dialog

This week, I finished the first fully functional version of the NPC dialog system.

Talking to NPCs

NPCs are no longer static props. You can now:

• Interact with an NPC in the world

• Receive dialog text from the server

• See multiple dialog options

• Select a response

• Have the server validate that choice

• Receive the next dialog node in the conversation

All dialog flow is server-authoritative, meaning the client never decides what happens next. This is crucial for an MMO where dialog choices can later unlock shops, quests, achievements, or story flags.

Dialog Trees, Not Hardcoded Text

Instead of hardcoding dialog logic, NPCs now use data-driven dialog trees:

• Each NPC can have one or more dialog trees

• Each tree is made of dialog nodes

• Nodes contain text, options, and metadata

• Options can lead to other nodes or trigger actions

This makes it easy to expand content without writing code.

The Path to Shops (Next!)

This dialog system is the backbone for upcoming features.

The next step is wiring dialog actions to things like:

• Opening shops

• Accepting quests

• Triggering scripted events

Thanks for following along ❤️
More soon.