RuneScape:Style guide/Transcripts

Shortcut:

• RS:TRANSCRIPT

This article is about dialogue and quest transcripts. For the style guide relating to quest pages, see RuneScape:Quest style guide.

A transcript is an often lengthy manuscript covering dialogue and brief descriptions of actions, although many of them can be used as references for information. This guide covers both transcripts and dialogue pages.

Templates

If you are working on a dialogue or transcript you can use the template {{Inuse}} to notify other editors who may edit-conflict you whilst working on a long dialogue. An incomplete dialogue or transcript should be labelled with {{Incomplete|Reasons}} changing reasons to detail what the page is missing.

Dialogue pages should have the template {{dialogue|type}} added for categorisation. Valid arguments for the type parameter can be seen on the template page documentation.

If any NPC speaks in a dialogue {{Transcript NPC|NPC name}} should be included at the top of the transcript with the NPC names.

Transcripts may be transcluded with {{Transcript|Page name}}.

Location

All articles that are transcripts of in-game text should be in the Transcript namespace. Such articles should be titled Transcript:<Subject>.

Transcripts that belong in this namespace includes:

• Conversations between players and/or NPCs
• Text shown in an interface from reading an item or interacting with scenery
• Miscellaneous interfaces
• Postbags from the Hedge and God Letters
• Lores and Histories

Transcripts that do not belong in this namespace:

• Single lines in the chatbox or single frame dialogues that are prompted by using an item; e.g. "You eat the shark."
• Examine texts, as they generally go into infoboxes
• Important gameplay instructions directed at the player, rather than their character; e.g. Suak says "Make helm!" as one of his instructions, but his dialogue page does not need to include these lines.
• Updates, as these have their own namespace
• Dialogue being referenced in context to prose

Linking to transcripts

Content pages that have an associated dialogue page should link to this sub-page in a section titled ==Transcript== followed by {{Hastranscript}} template.

NPC pages should follow this convention and also include a collapsible list linking to all dialogue pages that contain the character, this is auto-generated using the {{speaksin}} template.

Formatting

Headers

NPC dialogue

All NPC dialogue transcripts should have the template {{dialogue|npc}} at the top of the article. This adds the transcript page to the correct category and adds attribution to Jagex as the copyright holder. If another NPC also speaks in the dialogue then the template {{Transcript NPC}} should also be used at the top of the dialogue page.

Quest and miniquest dialogue

All quest transcripts should have the template {{dialogue|quest}} at the top of the article. All miniquest transcripts should have the template {{dialogue|miniquest}} at the top of the article. This adds the transcript page to the correct category and adds attribution to Jagex as the copyright holder.

Next should be the list of notable NPCs that are featured in the quest or miniquest, using the template {{Transcript NPC}} at the top of the article below the {{dialogue|quest}} or {{dialogue|miniquest}} template. As a rule of thumb, if they have a unique page describing them as a separate personality/character they should be noted. This list should be in the format:

{{Transcript NPC|NPC 1| NPC 2|NPC 3|NPC 4}}

This produces:

This transcript involves dialogue with NPC 1, NPC 2, NPC 3, NPC 4, and the player.

Ideally these should be listed in alphabetical order by name as it appears in game.

Following this should be the first header ==Header==. Use appropriate names relating to the location of event occurring at that time in the quest. A new header should be used for every change of location, as well as following significant changes in setting or circumstances.

Media

All media transcripts should have the template {{dialogue|irl}} at the top of the article. This adds the transcript page to the correct category and adds attribution to Jagex as the copyright holder.

Links

Transcript should not include any links with following exceptions:

1. Any links to NPC's pages (excluding the NPC's own transcript), where an NPC speaks should contain the template {{Transcript NPC}}.
2. Referencing a section of dialogue to omit repeating text and options within the transcript (often done using the {{Tact}} template to add a link to text such as "(shows previous options)").
3. Referencing a item received, interface opened, a section of a dialogue on another transcript page repeated (by using the {{Tact}} template).
4. Any links in the navbox related to the transcript itself, which is included on the bottom of the transcript page.

Dialogue box text

Regular dialogue

Dialogue that appears in a dialogue box should be in the following bulleted format per this forum. NPC dialogue should be marked with the NPC as the speaker. Player dialogue should be marked with Player as the speaker.

• Player: Dialogue
• NPC: Dialogue
• Player: Dialogue
  • NPC: Dialogue
  • Player: Dialogue
• Player: Dialogue
  • NPC: Dialogue
  • Player: Dialogue
• NPC: Dialogue
• Player: Dialogue

An option should be on the same level as the preceding text to avoid confusion when reading. Every time a new option is explored another indent should be used, until that line of conversation is completely exhausted.

Any misspellings or other typographical errors should be kept in the dialogue transcripts. To indicate clearly that these errors are part of the actual dialogue as it appears in game, these should be marked with the {{sic}} tag, as in the following example:

• NPC: Dialogue with a typo in it.

This should normally be used mainly when there are clear grammatical or spelling errors, and not merely where there is a regional variation (such as UK/British English spelling or floor numbering) or stylistic preference employed.

NPC names should appear exactly as shown on-screen. If multiple NPCs share the same name, then they should be numbered in the order in which they first speak, with the number in parentheses, as in the following case:

• NPC (#1): Dialogue.
• NPC (#2): More dialogue.
• NPC (#1): Even more dialogue.

If a particular speaker is not named in the chatbox, yet it is known who is speaking at that point in the dialogue, then that speaker should be named with the name of the speaker in brackets, as in the following case:

• [NPC:] Dialogue.

If multiple NPCs may speak the same dialogue, and all of these NPCs fall into the same particular category, then it is acceptable to name that category of NPCs as the speaker of that particular dialogue, as in the following case:

• NPC group: Group dialogue.

For text that appears in a certain colour, the template {{Colour|color=correct-color}} should be used, where correct-color is either a web standard colour name (black, gray, silver, white, red, lime, blue, yellow, aqua, fuchsia, maroon, orange, olive, purple, green, navy, teal), or the hexadecimal code that represents a particular colour, should be used to display the text in the correct colour. Text that appears in white should be displayed in black, however, for better readability.

Separating dialogue

Dialogue in separate chat boxes, but spoken by the same person, may be combined, unless that dialogue is interrupted by another person's dialogue or an event. For example, this dialogue:

• NPC: Dialogue.
• NPC: More dialogue.
• NPC: Even more dialogue.

May also be written as:

• NPC: Dialogue. More dialogue. Even more dialogue.

It is preferable to combine split dialogue displayed in multiple consecutive chat boxes that is spoken by the same person in this way.

However, this split dialogue would not be combined due to an interruption:

• NPC 1: Dialogue.
• NPC 2: More dialogue.
• NPC 1: Even more dialogue.

This split dialogue would also not be combined due to an interrpution:

• NPC: Dialogue
• Event or action.
• NPC: More dialogue.

There may also be dialogue spoken by the same person that is split across multiple chat boxes, with ellipses (...) separating parts of the dialogue, as in the following case:

• NPC: Dialogue...
• NPC: ... and more dialogue...
• NPC: ...with even more dialogue.

This dialogue may be combined, with all ellipses (...) retained, and with {{sic}} marking relevant text to indicate that all the ellipses are included exactly as written in the original text in-game, as in the following case:

• NPC: Dialogue... ...and more dialogue... ...with even more dialogue.

Empty dialogue

If an empty dialogue box appears, as dialogue spoken by any character, then that should be written in this format:

• NPC:

If that empty dialogue box appears before and/or after other dialogue - regardless of whether or not that dialogue is spoken by the same character whose silent dialogue is represented by the empty dialogue box - then that should be written in this format:

• NPC: Dialogue that appears before empty dialogue box.
• NPC:
• NPC: Dialogue that appears after empty dialogue box.

This format clearly indicates that an empty dialogue box appears in the conversation.

Dialogue options

At certain times, a player may be presented with more than one option to select in the dialogue. These should be written in the following format:

• Text
  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Option 3

Sometimes, selecting a particular option may present additional options for the player to select, forming a tree of nested dialogue options from which the player may choose. These should be written in the following format:

• Text
  • Option 1
    • Option A
    • Option B
    • Option C
  • Option 2
    • Option A
    • Option B
    • Option C
  • Option 3

These options should be presented in the order in which they appear to the player within the dialogue box.

If there is any dialogue in response to a particular option chosen by the player, then that dialogue text should also appear below the relevant selected option, as in the following format:

• NPC: Question?
• Title of dialogue box (such as 'What would you like to say?')
  • Answer 1
    • Player: Response 1.
  • Answer 2
    • Player: Response 2.
  • Answer 3
    • Player: Response 3.

This format should be used even when the player responds with words that are similar to but different from the text of the selected options as in the following example:

• NPC: Question?
• Title of dialogue box (such as 'What would you like to say?')
  • Answer 1
    • Player: I choose answer 1.
  • Answer 2
    • Player: I choose answer 2.
  • Answer 3
    • Player: I choose answer 3.

This ensures that it is clear within the transcript exactly when the player does and does not speak, and exactly what the player says when the player does speak, as there are some cases in which the player does speak—sometimes by simply repeating option text, or by stating something similar in different words—after choosing a particular response while there are other cases in which the player does not speak at all. The full text of both the selected option and of the dialogue that the player actually says should be written.

Repeated dialogue options

If all of the dialogue options that are shown, after choosing a particular dialogue option and then proceeding with the dialogue, are exactly the same as those shown in the previous set of dialogue options, then that may be indicated as follows:

• Text
  • (Shows the previous options)

{{Tact|previous}} will produce this text:

• (Shows the previous options.)

If all of the dialogue options that are shown, after choosing a particular dialogue option and then proceeding with the dialogue, are exactly the same as those shown in the set of dialogue options that appears previous to the previous set of dialogue options that is shown in the dialogue tree, then that may be indicated as follows:

• Text
  • Text
    • (Shows the previous-to-previous options)

{{Tact|previous2}} will also produce this text:

• (Shows the previous-to-previous options.)

If all of the dialogue options that are shown, at some point further into the dialogue tree, are exactly the same as those initially shown when starting the dialogue at that point, then that may be indicated as follows:

• Text
  • (Shows the initial options)

{{Tact|initial}} will also produce this text:

• (Shows the initial options.)

If all but one of the dialogue options that are shown, after choosing a particular dialogue option and then proceeding with the dialogue, are exactly the same as those shown previously, and the only exception is that the most recently selected dialogue option is not shown on the list of available choices to select, then that may be indicated as follows:

• Text
  • (Shows the other options)

{{Tact|other}} will also produce this text:

• (Shows the other options.)

These can be used instead of listing all dialogue options again. This should only be used, however, if the list of dialogue options that is shown is exactly the same as that which preceded selection of a particular dialogue option, and not otherwise. If any previous dialogue options are missing, if any new dialogue options have been added, or if any dialogue options have changed, then those changes to the list of available dialogue options should be clearly indicated by listing the relevant available dialogue options at that point.

Non-dialogue text

If text that is not spoken by any particular character actually appears in a dialogue box, then it is written in the following format:

• Text

This is similar to regular dialogue, but with no character marked as speaking that text.

If text describing an action appears in a dialogue box, then that may be written as dialogue box text in a similar format.

Conditional text

If certain dialogue or text only appears under certain conditions, then the conditions under which they occur should be written. Such conditions may include the skill level of the player, whether or not a pet has reached maturity, whether or not a player has certain items in possession, and/or whether or not certain requirements have been met by the player.

A new section should be made when dialogue under one condition is separate from dialogue under another condition. For example, unique dialogue before, during, and after completion of a quest, or of a certain part of a quest, should be under separate sections.

However, if the dialogue is not unique, but only extended or modified slightly under certain conditions, then the additional dialogue should be part of the same section, with the condition stated above it. Such dialogue may be written in the following format:

If [insert condition here]:

• Text

Replace [insert condition here] with the relevant trigger, requirement, or other condition.

Player-specific text

Where the player's normal RuneScape name is mentioned in the dialogue, Player should be written in place of a player's name. Where a name, title, or heraldry specific to the player is mentioned, the category to which it belongs should be identified and written in square brackets in its place. For example:

• Where a player's Fremennik name is mentioned, [Fremennik name] should be used.
• Where a player's TzHaar caste is mentioned, [TzHaar caste] should be used.
• Where a player's family crest is mentioned, [family crest] should be used.

This clearly identifies what the text is while specifying that the actual text is different for each player and specific to that player.

Gender

If the text that appears for male and female player characters is not actually different except for certain pronouns—such as he/she or his/her—and/or except for certain terms of address—such as sir/madam or laddie/lassie—then the text may be written once in square brackets with a slash separating the text for males from the text for females, with the text for males on the left and the text for females on the right— for example, as in the following example cases:

• You're special, [laddie/lassie].
• Thank you, [sir/madam].

However, if the text that appears for male and female player characters is significantly different, then gender should be treated as a special condition under which different text appears for different players and the following format should be used:

• If you are male:
  • Text for males only
• If you are female:
  • Different text for females only

This also applies in cases of different dialogue options appearing for different players based on gender.

Conversation starters

If a greeting or other dialogue that starts a conversation differs by situation, but the dialogue options or other text that follows is the same afterward, then that dialogue should be written in the following format:

• Greeting:
  • First situation:
    • NPC: Greetings!
      • (Continues below.)
  • Second situation:
    • NPC: Major greetings!
      • (Continues below.)
• After greeting:
  • NPC: Text.
    • Dialogue option.
    • Another dialogue option.
    • Another dialogue option.

If the greeting that is spoken in a particular situation may be any one randomly selected statement from a selection of various statements, then that greeting may be written in the following format:

• NPC may greet you with any one of the following at random:
  • Greeting 1:
    • NPC: Random statement.
  • Greeting 2:
    • NPC: Other random statement.
  • Greeting 3:
    • NPC: Another random statement.

If, however, the greeting that is spoken in a particular situation is any one randomly selected set of statements from a selection of various sets of statements, then that greeting may be written in the following format:

• NPC 1 and NPC 2 may greet you with any one of the following at random:
  • Greeting 1:
    • NPC 1: Statement.
    • NPC 2: Other statement.
  • Greeting 2:
    • NPC 1: Another statement.
    • NPC 2: And another statement.
  • Greeting 3:
    • NPC 1: Yet another statement.
    • NPC 2: Even more statements.

Random statements

If the dialogue that is spoken in a particular situation may be any one randomly selected statement from a selection of various statements, then that dialogue may be written in the following format:

• NPC may say any one of the following at random:
  • Dialogue 1:
    • NPC: Random statement.
  • Dialogue 2:
    • NPC: Other random statement.
  • Dialogue 3:
    • NPC: Another random statement.

If, however, the dialogue that is spoken in a particular situation is any one randomly selected set of statements from a selection of various sets of statements, then that dialogue may be written in the following format:

• NPC 1 and NPC 2 may say any one of the following at random:
  • Dialogue 1:
    • NPC 1: Statement.
    • NPC 2: Other statement.
  • Dialogue 2:
    • NPC 1: Another statement.
    • NPC 2: And another statement.
  • Dialogue 3:
    • NPC 1: Yet another statement.
    • NPC 2: Even more statements.

Text outside of a dialogue box

Dialogue and other relevant text that appears outside of a dialogue box should also be included as part of a transcript. This text should ideally be written exactly as it appears, using the template {{RSFont}} where appropriate to match the colour and style of the text as it appears in-game as closely as possible.

For text that appears in a certain colour, the template {{RSFont|color=correct-color}} should be used, where correct-color is either a web standard color name (black, gray, silver, white, red, lime, blue, yellow, aqua, fuchsia, maroon, orange, olive, purple, green, navy, teal), or the hexadecimal code that represents a particular colour, should be used to display the text in the correct colour. Text using this template appears with a shadow by default; to display text without a shadow, the template {{RSFont|color=correct-color|shadow=no}} should be used.

Chatbox text

If relevant text appears in the chatbox, the text should be written exactly as it appears in the chatbox, matching the colour and style as closely as possible.

The template {{RSFont}} should be used to write the text in the appropriate colour and style. As standard chatbox text appears in white with a shadow, generally the template {{RSFont|shadow=yes|colour=white}} should be used. By default, this text already appears in a white colour with a shadow, so the |colour=white and |shadow=yes parameters are optional and no additional parameters are required. This text will appear in the following format:

• Nothing interesting happens.

However, if the text in the chatbox appears in a different colour, then white should be replaced with the appropriate colour name or hexadecimal code, and if the text appears without a shadow, then |shadow=no should be used.

Chatbox text should never be combined, and multiple consecutive statements - even if they are all made by the same character or by the game system - should always be written as separate statements if that is how they appear in-game.

Above-head text

If dialogue or other relevant text appears over a character's head, that text should be written exactly as it appears above that character's head, matching the colour and style as closely as possible.

The template {{RSChat}} should be used to write the text in the appropriate colour and style. As standard above-head dialogue text appears in yellow with a shadow, generally the template {{RSChat|shadow=yes|colour=yellow}} should be used. By default, {{RSChat}} text already appears in a yellow colour with a shadow, so the |colour=yellow and |shadow=yes parameters are optional and no additional parameters are required. This text will appear in the following format:

• Nothing interesting happens.

However, if the text that appears over the head of a character appears in a different colour, then yellow should be replaced with the appropriate colour name or hexadecimal code, and if the text appears without a shadow, then |shadow=no should be used.

Above-head text should never be combined, and multiple consecutive statements - even if they are all made by the same character or by the game system - should always be written as separate statements if that is how they appear in-game.

Subtitle text

If dialogue or other relevant text appears in the subtitle of a cutscene, outside of a standard dialogue box, that text should be written exactly as it appears above that character's head, matching the colour and style as closely as possible.

The template {{RSFont}} should be used to write the text in the appropriate colour and style. As standard above-head dialogue text appears in white without a shadow, in a slightly larger font size, generally the template {{RSFont|size=12}} should be used. By default, {{RSFont}} text already appears in a white colour without a shadow, so the |colour=white parameter is optional and no additional parameters are required. This text will appear in the following format:

• Nothing interesting happens.

However, if the text that appears in the subtitle of a cutscene appears in a different colour, then white should be replaced with the appropriate colour name or hexadecimal code.

Text appearing elsewhere

If relevant text appears elsewhere on screen, such as in a guidance instruction box, then that text may be written in the following format:

• [Text]

Actions

For actions not explicitly described by text in dialogue boxes, such actions may be described in any of the following formats as appropriate. This also applies to cutscenes, which are considered major actions. This does not apply, however, to text describing actions that explicitly appears in a dialogue box. If any such text describing an action actually appears in a dialogue box, then that may be written as dialogue box text.

Major actions

{{qact}} is to be used each time there is a major action or event not stated in a dialogue box which causes a break in the dialogue. This is to make the dialogue easier to follow. Examples of this might include:

• A player teleporting.
• A cutscene starting.
• A player picking something up relevant to the situation.

An example of this in use would be:

• Dialogue
• Dialogue
• Action
• Dialogue
• Dialogue

Any dialogue text that appears after the action should be written after the {{qact}} template. This format is also appropriate for cutscenes; if dialogue occurs during the cutscene, then the cutscene start and the cutscene end should be indicated using this format.

Minor actions

{{qact}} is not necessary for minor action which do not cause a significant break in the dialogue, particularly when the dialogue quickly and smoothly continues afterward. In such cases, the following format may be used to describe the action:

• NPC: Dialogue
• Action
• NPC: More dialogue

This format is also appropriate for such actions as the appearance of a quest noticeboard, the opening of a shop interface, or optionally the closing of dialogue where appropriate.

{{Tact}} can be used to format the text for this purpose as well. For example, {{Tact|Action that happens}} would result in Action that happens.

Fading in & out

Use {{qact}} to indicate where the screen fades out and/or in. If the screen fading out is immediately followed by the screen fading in without interruption, this may be written in the following format:

• NPC: Dialogue.
• Screen fades out and then fades in.
• NPC: More dialogue.

If the screen fades out to some colour other than black, write to which colour the screen fades within the {{qact}} tag. This may be written in the following format:

• NPC: Dialogue.
• Screen fades to white.
• NPC: More dialogue.

If some action happens after the screen has faded out and before the screen has faded in, describe this action within the {{qact}} tag. If the scene when the screen fades in is different from the scene when the screen fades out, describe the scene upon fading in. This may be written in the following format:

• NPC 1: Dialogue.
• Screen fades out. You hear a loud boom. Screen fades in. NPC 1 is no longer in the room. You are now standing before NPC 2.
• NPC 2: More dialogue.

If some dialogue happens or some text appears on-screen after the screen has faded out and before the screen has faded in, then that should be written in the following format:

• NPC: Dialogue.
• Screen fades out.
• NPC: More dialogue.
• Screen fades in.
• NPC: Even more dialogue.

Opening of interfaces

If in a particular scenario or upon selection of a particular option a particular interface opens, such as a puzzle interface or a shop window, then that may be written in the following format:

• Text that results in interface opening
  • (Name of Interface opens)

The actual name of the given interface as it appears on-screen in the game should be used. This format should also be used when the Quest noticeboard, which gives some information about the quest as well as the option to accept or decline it, is opened.

Alternatively, this can be accomplished using {{Tact}}, which will also add a link to the interface that opens. For example, {{Tact|opens=Varrock Swordshop}} would result in the following:

(Varrock Swordshop interface opens.)

Repeated text and dialogue options

Sometimes, a particular dialogue option, when selected, will present the same text or dialogue options that are presented elsewhere in the dialogue. If this happens, and if the resulting text is exactly the same, verbatim, as it appears elsewhere, then that may be indicated in the dialogue transcript without repeating the identical text. This also applies to dialogue options that reappear elsewhere in the dialogue.

These indicators may be written out, but they can also be generated using the {{Tact}} template, which provides a standard way of writing these transcript actions. In addition, links can be added using the second parameter of this template to link directly to another section of the transcript.

Text

If the text is the same as that which appears in a previous dialogue option, then that may be indicated as follows:

• (Same as above)

If the text is the same as that which appears in a later dialogue option, then that may be indicated as follows:

• (Same as below)

This can also be done with {{Tact|above}} and {{Tact|below}}:

• (Same as above.)
• (Same as below.)

Dialogue options

If some or all of the dialogue options that appear after selecting a particular dialogue option are shown again, then list the relevant options that show, marking where the resulting dialogue is the same as elsewhere when that is the case.

If needed, links to the original option(s) can be added using {{Tact|option|AnchorLinkName}}, as in the following example:

• Question?
  • Answer 1
    • Answer 2
      • (Same as below.)
    • Answer 3
      • (Same as below.)
  • Answer 2
    • Text
    • More text
  • Answer 3
    • Even more text
    • And some more text
  • Answer 4
    • Answer 1
      • (Same as above.)
    • Answer 2
      • (Same as above.)
    • Answer 3
      • (Same as above.)

If the dialogue options that appear after selecting a particular dialogue option are exactly the same as those which appeared at an immediately previous level of the dialogue tree—as is the case when the player responds with 'Back to my other questions...', or something similar—with all previous options shown, then that may be indicated as follows:

• (Shows previous options)

Or, alternatively, using {{Tact|previous}}:

• (Shows the previous options.)

As an example, the following:

• Question?
  • Answer 1
    • Text
  • Answer 2
    • More text
  • Answer 3
    • Answer A
      • Even more text
    • Answer B
      • And some more text
    • Answer C
      • Answer 1
      • Answer 2
      • Answer 3

May be written as the following:

• Question?
  • Answer 1
    • Text
  • Answer 2
    • More text
  • Answer 3
    • Answer A
      • Even more text
    • Answer B
      • And some more text
    • Answer C
      • (Shows the previous options.)

Continuation

If dialogue from an earlier part of the dialogue ends early and then proceeds to the next part of the dialogue, then that may optionally be written in the following format, where appropriate:

• Text
  • (Continues below)

This can also be accomplished with {{Tact|continue}}:

• (Continues below.)

As an example, in the following case:

• Question
  • Answer 1
    • (Same as below.)
  • Answer 2
    • More text
      • Answer 1
        • (Same as above.)
      • Answer 2
        • (Same as above.)
• Text
• More text

Selecting the dialogue option Answer 1 proceeds to the next part of the dialogue starting with Text.

Similarly, if dialogue from a later part of the dialogue ends early and then proceeds to a previous part of the dialogue, then that may optionally be written in the following format, where appropriate:

• Text
  • (Continues above)

Where possible and sensible, using (Continues below) is preferable to using (Continues above), given a choice between the two; however, (Continues above) may also be used where appropriate.

This can also be done using {{Tact|above}}:

• (Same as above.)

Ordering

It is preferable to write the complete dialogue text where it first appears earlier in the transcript, and then indicate that the repeated text is the same as above where it is repeated later, particularly if the text first appears at the same level or at a higher level earlier the dialogue tree. However, if the text appears at a lower level within the dialogue tree, then it may be written that the text is the same as below.

For example, one may write this:

• Dialogue 1
  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Option 3
    • Option A
    • Option B
    • Option C
• Dialogue 2
  • Option 4
  • Option 5
  • Option 6
    • (Same as above.)

Where the text that appears after Option 6 (selection of Option A, Option B, or Option C) is the same as that which appears after Option 3, since these are on the same level on the dialogue tree.

But one may write this:

• Dialogue 1
  • Option 1
    • Option A
      • (Same as below.)
    • Option B
    • Option C
  • Option 2
    • Option I
    • Option II
    • Option III

Where the text that appears after Option A (selection of Option I, Option II, or Option III) is the same as that which appears after Option 2, since Option 2 is on a higher level on the dialogue tree.

This only applies of the text is exactly identical, verbatim, in every case. However, if the text is not exactly the same in other appearances, even if the variations are relatively minor, then the exact text that is said in the new situation should be written in full. In such cases, one should clearly indicate under which conditions the variant dialogue appears through separating dialogue by option or situation.

Text outside the scope of a transcript

Quest text in NPC dialogue transcripts

If text or dialogue that is specific to a particular quest appears whilst talking to an NPC, then it is not necessary to write the text that follows as part of an NPC dialogue transcript, as that text or dialogue actually belongs in a quest transcript. Such text or dialogue may appear in an NPC dialogue transcript under a section header that clearly indicates at what point such text or dialogue appears (such as Before [Name of Quest] or After [Name of Quest]) and may be indicated as follows:

• Talk about [Name of Quest]
  • ([Name of Quest] dialogue)

Non-quest text in quest transcripts

If text or dialogue unrelated to a particular quest or miniquest appears whilst talking to an NPC, which also appear in dialogue outside of the quest or miniquest-as in dialogue that also appears before and/or after the quest or miniquest-then it is not necessary to write the text that follows as part of a quest or miniquest transcript, as that text or dialogue actually belongs in an NPC transcript. Dialogue that follows such text or dialogue options may be indicated in a quest or miniquest transcript as follows:

• Text that appears in regular non-quest dialogue
  • (Non-quest dialogue)

Dialogue that relates to or is part of other quests or miniquests, but not the particular quest or miniquest for which a transcript is written, may also likewise be marked as non-quest dialogue. Such dialogue belongs in the transcript of the quest or miniquest to which it belongs.

It is, however, acceptable to write out such dialogue in full, where appropriate; indeed, where such apparently regular, non-quest dialogue is actually directly relevant to the quest or miniquest, it is actually advisable to do so.

Endings

End of dialogue

If a dialogue option results in the dialogue tree ending—without any further action taken, further dialogue spoken, or further events occurring upon selecting that option—then that may be written in the following format:

• Text
  • Option that ends dialogue
    • (Dialogue ends)

This format should not be used for dialogue options which lead to completion of a quest, miniquest, and/or event.

This can also be done using {{Tact|end}}:

• (Dialogue ends.)

{{Tact|end}} shouldn't be used when a line of dialogue that isn't an option ends the dialogue tree as seen below; the fact that the dialogue tree ends is enough to convey that the dialogue ends:

• Text
  • Option
    • Player: Dialogue

End of a quest, miniquest, and/or event

The end of a quest, miniquest, and/or event should be written in the following format:

Congratulations! Quest complete!

For quests, this should be placed at the end of all quest dialogue, but before any post-quest dialogue. This also applies to miniquests as well as events, whenever post-miniquest and/or post-event dialogue exists.

Media

Spoken

Dialogue that is spoken should be in the following bulleted format. Any dialogue should be marked with the name of the speaker followed by a timestamp the dialogue was spoken.

• Person1[00:10]: Dialogue
• Person2[00:17]: Dialogue
• Person1[00:24]: Dialogue
• Person2[00:31]: Dialogue
• Person1[00:36]: Dialogue
• Person2[00:39]: Dialogue

Narrated

Any dialogue should be marked with Narrator as the speaker followed by a timestamp the dialogue was spoken. Dialogue does not need to be broken across multiple lines; dialogue is only broken when another person speaks or text appears.

• Narrator[00:10]: Dialogue and more dialogue
• Person1[01:00]: Dialogue

Text

Dialogue that is displayed as text should be in the following bulleted format. Any dialogue should be marked with Text as the speaker followed by a timestamp the dialogue was displayed. Text does not need to be formatted with line breaks, but should be broken up when new text appears.

• Text[00:10]: Dialogue
• Text[00:17]: Dialogue
• Text[00:24]: Dialogue
• Text[00:31]: Dialogue
• Text[00:36]: Dialogue
• Text[00:39]: Dialogue