In other news, our technical director, Ben McIntosh, has recently teamed up with Randi Cohn, game designer, and Lindsay Grace, professor of game design at Miami University, to write a new article on the theory behind writing nonlinear narrative and some of the associated problems and solutions. If you have an interest in writing nonlinear narrative, be sure to head over GameCareerGuide.com and check it out.

The most notable change is that Chat Mapper now supports Lua scripts for flow control. Each dialogue node contains a logical Lua statement to determine whether or not it should be offered. Each dialogue node also contains a Lua script that is executed in order to set variables. In addition to variables, you can also set asset properties and define relationships. The asset system is now very flexible with each asset having a set of custom fields accessible through the properties editor as well as Lua.

The conversation tree now supports multiple selection, cut, copy, paste, insertion, and more. The tree also now supports dialogue node groups, which define sub-trees within the conversation. Groups can also have conditions defined to block or show sections of the tree during the game. We have also introduced condition priorities, which adds endless possibilities for how you design the conversation flow.

Finally, the simulator was completely overhauled and now supports command-line Lua execution, variable tracking, valid condition debugging, and most importantly, saved states. At any point you can save a state, which is a snapshot of the current simulation. At a later time, you can load either the variables only, or the entire state. Commercial license holders can also save a list of states to a file for later use.

As always, we are excited to hear feedback via our forums. Happy Chat Mapping!

Lua Scripting Back-End

Chat Mapper has adopted Lua as a scripting back-end for tracking variables and forming conditions for the dialog nodes.  The system is so robust that you can script and simulate an entire game within Chat Mapper using the full power of Lua!

New UI With Saved Layouts

We have overhauled the UI system for maximum usability, stablility, and a bunch of other “ilities”.  The new system includes savable layouts.

Conversation Simulator Re-Designed

The conversation simulator has gotten a complete re-design and now includes saved states, forward and back navigation, and the ability to track variables to debug your conversations.

As a thank you to loyal forum posters, anyone with a valid forum account who has made at least one post by January 1, 2010 will receive a choice of either a free Chat Mapper indie license (priced at $19.95), or a 50% discount off the purchase of a full commercial license (priced at $99.95).  More details to follow the release of version 1.0, but get signed up on the forums today and make a post about what you plan to use Chat Mapper for and secure your free license.

As an additional thank you, anyone who contributes in the form of example conversations, tutorials documentation, or 3rd party exporters will receive a special thank you in the software credits as well as a free commercial license!

• New user-interface layout with moveable tabbed windows
• New extensions system for 3rd party exporters
• Integrated Torque YackPack exporter by Chad Kilgore
• New user preferences
  • Customizable dialog nodes
  • Horizontal and vertical dialog tree views
  • Several application preferences
• Integrated file browser with drag-and-drop capability for files
• Conversation pictures shown as dialog tree backgrounds with opacity control
• Improved Windows Vista and Windows 7 compatibility
• Updated documentation
• Numerous bug fixes

For a full list of changes, please check out the change log.

Here is a preview of some features we are working on for version 1.0 due out early next year:

• New Assets:  User Variables and User Events
• New more interesting examples
• Collaboration tools
• More export and import options
• More control over dialog simulations
• Dialog node groups and sets
• Referenced files auditor and packager
• “Ultima” style conversation options

We will also be moving toward a licensing system, but don’t worry, there will always be a free “hobbyist” license and there is also a way for you to get a free indie license.

• New Assets: Items and Locations
• Dialog nodes can now be individually colored
• New dialog validator finds warnings and errors with conversation
• Search function
• Export to RTF, CSV, and JPEG!
• Dialog graph overview window
• Numerous bug fixes

For a full list of changes, please check out the change log.

Here is a preview of some features we are working on for the next beta version due out within a few weeks:

• New Asset: User Variables!
• New more interesting examples
• User preferences
• Asset summary view (printable)