Character Avatars in Dialogue Box?

[squiggs]

I know that some games have a character avatar nestled inside or overlapping the dialogue box (usually when that character is speaking) rather than just displaying that character's name or having a full length image behind. Is this possible to do in Ren'Py? (I've tried to do it with just normal images, but the image always appears behind the dialogue window.)

Thanks for any help!

[DaFool]

Code: Select all

    $ i = Character('Me', color="#9999c0", window_right_padding=180, show_side_image=Image("mesmile.png", xalign=1.0, yalign=1.0))

That's right-aligned. I think left-aligned would be xalign=0. There should be more examples of show side image on the wiki.

[squiggs]

Hey, thanks so much for your help!

Is there a way to make that image persistent no matter who is speaking? Or is that a whole different ball of wax?

Thanks again; that was one problem that has been bugging me for a while, and I really appreciate the help with it!

[Guest]

uh, just use the same image everytime? >_<
This method does tie the image to the particular character.

Why would you need an image that goes on top of the textbox all the time? Unless you want textbox quick menus, there's a Cookbook entry for that.

[Tomoko]

I have a question on this:

There is just one image per person with the posted code, right?
But often there are several expression(=images) for the same character. How do I do this then?

[Guest]

Make a separate Character for each expression

i
ismile
imad
iangry

and use separate expression image for each

[squiggs]

Thanks, Tomoko; I was actually beginning to wonder the same thing.

As to why I was thinking about persistent avatars, the reason was because I am experimenting with some game feedback where the avatar would respond to things being said by characters displayed via the 'normal', behind the dialogue box, standing pose. (Man, I hope that made sense).

Thanks again for the help.

[Jake]

There is just one image per person with the posted code, right?
But often there are several expression(=images) for the same character. How do I do this then?

As it goes, when I was first learning Ren'Py I wrote a solution to this, which maintains a character's clothing and expressions statefully in the same class as the Character definition, because I was frustrated by exactly the same thing.

I was learning Python as I went and it hasn't been tested for about three years, so it might not even work any more, but if you're interested in having a look, it's here:

RPY file that includes new class
Programmer's reference
Demo project (with bonus old-Eileen sprite!)

[Tomoko]

oh great! Just awesome! Will download it straightaway. Thank you. The thing with the clothing is great too. I think I am gonna test it for sure! ^__^

[Tomoko]

Sorry for doublepost.

Do you mind to tell me with which Renpy Version I can have that demo run? I have the latest, but the programme doesn't want to execute it. I think that would help me to understand it XD

[Jake]

Do you mind to tell me with which Renpy Version I can have that demo run? I have the latest, but the programme doesn't want to execute it. I think that would help me to understand it XD

Whatever was the current version approximately three years ago - I did have a quick go myself the other night, but now I look at the errors I'm getting vague memories of PyTom changing the way Character was implemented and me thinking at the time that it would probably break this... :/

[Tomoko]

Well I guess it's okay then XD. I surely can learn just with this code to get the idea with the actual renpy version. Thanks alot again !But its surely quite difficult to differ from clothes, age and expression of each person.