How to lenghten dialogue countdown

[Arunak]

The countdown is absolutely too short for me (and many other people), as I often have to read the subtitles and I especially like to give the answer I want and not a random one.

I like the idea behind it, but it's too damn short for me to enjoy the game. (I also like to dig deep in the dialogues and background)

 

I'd assume there's some little adjustment I can do in the configuration file.

[Tigranes]

There may be, but nothing has been found yet.

 

Funnily enough, if you fast-forward through dialogue, then you actually get about 5 seconds of people standing idly while the timer ticks down...

[Arunak]

There may be, but nothing has been found yet.

 

Funnily enough, if you fast-forward through dialogue, then you actually get about 5 seconds of people standing idly while the timer ticks down...

Yep I noticed

 

Hope someone will found a solution soon, I think I'll stop my playthrough until then

Edited May 30, 2010 by Arunak

[zkylon]

Check the ini files (forgot where they were, i think x:/documents and settings/application data/alpha protocol/). There's a load of stuff there ranging from keyboard mappings and graphical settings to experience needed to level up and AI behaviours. Do a search for "dialogue" or something and might find it. I'd do it myself but i'm not at home atm...

[Arunak]

Check the ini files (forgot where they were, i think x:/documents and settings/application data/alpha protocol/). There's a load of stuff there ranging from keyboard mappings and graphical settings to experience needed to level up and AI behaviours. Do a search for "dialogue" or something and might find it. I'd do it myself but i'm not at home atm...

They're both in there and in the main installation directory, with some differences.

 

I've found no line with "dialogue" as a key...just this searching for "time" in "APgame":

 

[Engine.GameInfo]

...

MaxIdleTime=+0.0

MaxTimeMargin=+0.0

TimeMarginSlack=+1.35

MinTimeMargin=-1.0

...

IdleTimeOut=10.f

Edited May 31, 2010 by Arunak

[deevius]

TimeMarginSlack might have something to do with it, no? someone try changing it to +2.00 or something and see if it makes a difference.

 

I'd rather someone figure out a config hack to make walking work properly though

Edited May 31, 2010 by deevius

[blackwolfe]

Found that too, but didnt think much of it other than "Nah, that must be for something else".

[Arunak]

Nothing new?

 

Sometimes the time is perfectly fine, other times (it may depend on how much dialogue there is in the last sentence, before the choice) you can barely SEE what are the options displayed (three ****ing seconds :|), and clicking with the mouse borders the impossible.

 

TBH I expected at least ONE developer to follow this forum..is there anyone out there? :\

Edited June 2, 2010 by Arunak

[Calax]

I don't think they'll allow you to extend it given that they said in the panel "We basically screwed you" "AND YOU'LL LIKE IT!"

[Thorton_AP]

Are you playing with English Subtitles? ( I see you're from Italy )

 

I didn't play with any subtitles on and as a result I was never distracted by them. I would typically read my options as I listened to the actor and had no issues in that way.

 

I can understand that if your eyes are stuck on the subtitles due to language, this is a definite issue.

[fkldnhlsdngsfnhlsndlg]

I agree that using the mouse makes it a bit harder to pick dialogue options on time. I would have preferred if we could use the arrow keys or WASD to select.

[Tigranes]

You can use WASD to select.

[Thorton_AP]

Yeah I use WASD.

[Arunak]

Yep with english subs...I'll try to disable them and see if it gets better (I leave them on only to be sure I don't miss anything)

I'll try to use the arrows keys too ^^

 

I'm still at the start (the 1st mission with Mina in SA, after the training) so *maybe* the super-fast countdown I got in one or two occasions were only issues\bugs. I'll probably prefer 2-3 seconds more, anyway.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Arunak

[blackwolfe]

Did anyone actually try changing the values and see if it did any difference in the game?

[Arunak]

Did anyone actually try changing the values and see if it did any difference in the game?

I only tried with "TimeMarginSlack" with no results

[Thorton_AP]

Yep with english subs...I'll try to disable them and see if it gets better (I leave them on only to be sure I don't miss anything)

I'll try to use the arrows keys too ^^

 

I'm still at the start (the 1st mission with Mina in SA, after the training) so *maybe* the super-fast countdown I got in one or two occasions were only issues\bugs. I'll probably prefer 2-3 seconds more, anyway.

 

 

What I find myself doing, as I briefly mentioned, is taking a quick look at my potential responses right away. As I listen/watch the cutscene, I know where W, A, and D will point (W is always an aggressive approach, A is suave, D is professional), and a quick look at the actual words used. Then I just remember what my potential choices were.

 

On the plus side, I find that the majority of the time, the responses ARE "Aggressive" "Suave" and "Professional" so it's mostly a check to see if a particular conversation node has a 4th option, or something a bit more context specific for the line.

 

It takes some getting used to, but if you're listening in English that should really help. Those with non-english subtitles sound like they are getting the shaft

 

 

Given the segmented nature of the subtitles, I think their advantages for "not missing anything" do not outweigh the fact that it'll take your focus away from the actual cutscene and potential responses in this case.

 

I hope it works out for you!

[Joseph Bulock]

Changing the duration of the timers is very likely impossible, as the duration of each of those decision points was set per instance of the choice. Also, the duration of the choice display doesn't actually determine when the scene will go onto the next node, so if a way was found to alter how long the choice display stayed up, the actual dialogue scenes would not behave as expected.

[blackwolfe]

Changing the duration of the timers is very likely impossible, as the duration of each of those decision points was set per instance of the choice. Also, the duration of the choice display doesn't actually determine when the scene will go onto the next node, so if a way was found to alter how long the choice display stayed up, the actual dialogue scenes would not behave as expected.

 

Thanks for clearing it up Joseph. Nice to get a dev answer. Hopefully we will see more developer activity on these boards now that the game has been out for a couple of days.

[Arunak]

Changing the duration of the timers is very likely impossible, as the duration of each of those decision points was set per instance of the choice. Also, the duration of the choice display doesn't actually determine when the scene will go onto the next node, so if a way was found to alter how long the choice display stayed up, the actual dialogue scenes would not behave as expected.

Thanks for the answer, Joseph.

 

I cannot say I like the choice () to implement the system like that, but who cares...I'll get used to it and train my reaction time as a bonus ^^