Crafting Your First Dialogue¶

A step‑by‑step guide to creating and testing your first dialogue tree with the Mountea Dialogue System. This chapter covers topics of creation, validation and orientation with Mountea Dialogue Tree assets and its properties.

1. Introduction¶

What You’ll Learn¶

Creating a Dialogue Tree asset
Navigating the Dialogue Editor
Adding and connecting Nodes
Binding Data Tables for text & audio
Using Auto‑Arrange and Validate tools

2. Create a Dialogue Tree Asset¶

In the Content Browser, right‑click in your desired folder.
Choose Miscellaneous → Mountea → Dialogue Tree.
Name it (e.g. DT_FirstConversation).

Tip

Dialogue Trees appear under 🗣️ Mountea Dialogue System in the right‑click menu—no need to hunt through submenus.

3. Open & Explore the Dialogue Editor¶

Double‑click your new DT_FirstConversation.
You’ll see the Start Node fixed at the top-left—this is the immutable entry point of your conversation.
Toolbard shows a list of actions-those will be relevant later.
Right side contains Details panel with properties of the Dialogue Tree itself
You can change Tree Decorators (explained later)
You can change Tree gameplay tags

4. Add and Connect Nodes¶

4.1. Node Types¶

In order to understand what Dialogue Tree actually is and how does it work you must understand what Dialogue Nodes are.

Dialogue Nodes are definitions of certain points in the Dialogue Flow. Each Node holds certain data and has different behaviour baked into it.

Node Type	Node Description	Node Details
Start Node	This Node will be added to the Dialogue Graph automatically when the Graph is created. This Node cannot be created manually. This Node cannot be deleted from Graph. Does not implement any logic, works as an Anchor starting point.	Documentation
Answer Node	This Node represents the Player's answers. This Node requires the Player's input to be started. Requires Dialogue Data Table to work properly.	Documentation Dialogue Data Data Preview
Complete Dialogue Node	This Node will complete Dialogue after the Player's input. Indicates that Dialogue can be manually closed. Requires Dialogue Data Table to work properly.	Documentation Dialogue Data Data Preview
Lead Node	This Node represents NPC lines. This Node starts automatically upon reaching the Dialogue Tree. Requires Dialogue Data Table to work properly.	Documentation Dialogue Data Data Preview
Return To Node	Provides the ability to return from Dialogue Node to a different one. Useful when dialogue branching disallows pin connections.	Documentation Return Node Preview

4.2. Adding Nodes¶

Right‑click on the canvas or on a node’s output pin.
Select from Lead, Answer, Complete, etc.

4.3. Connecting Nodes¶

Drag from an output pin to another node’s input pin.
Release to create the link—invalid links show an error tooltip.

4.4. Quick Flow Example¶

Build a simple greeting with Yes/No choices:

Start → Lead Node (“NPC: Hello!”)
Lead → Answer (“Yes”) → Lead (+ NPC reply) → Complete
Lead → Answer (“No”) → Complete

Save—and expect a validation warning until you bind data!

5. Populate Dialogue Data¶

Why Use Data Tables?

Centralized text/audio for localization & reuse
Keeps your graph clean of hard‑coded strings

5.1. Create & Fill a Data Table¶

Right‑click → Miscellaneous → Data Table.
Select the DialogueRow struct.
Add rows with:
Row Name (identifier)
Title Text (choice label)
Dialogue Row Data (text & optional sound)
Optional Icon or Data Asset

Warning

Renaming a row after use will break any nodes bound to it—plan your IDs carefully.

5.1. Dialogue Data¶

Dialogue Data is a structure which contains the whole node data. Each Dialogue Data structure is meant to be unique with clear definition who (using Gameplay Tags) can use this data.

Info

Imagine Dialogue Data to be a header of some sort, which only defines the communication between dialogue participants.

Property Name	Description	Default Value
Compatible Tags	List of GameplayTags which distinguish participants. Should be unique for each Dialogue Row for the specific speaker.	empty
UI Row ID	Optional Row type ID. Could be used to visually differentiate rows which are using same UI Class.	0
Row Optional Icon	Could be used to mark special dialogue options, like "Open Store" or "Leave conversation" with special icon.	`nullptr`
Dialogue Participant	Name of the Dialogue Participant. If left empty, Dialogue will ignore it and use its default Participant name.	empty
Row Title	This should summarize what is this row about, let's say "Accept offering" is a title for "Thank you very much, kind sir, it would be pleasure to join you on your adventure!".	empty
Row GUID	Read-only unique Key when searching and binding this Row.	random
Dialogue Row Additional Data	Generic Data Asset reference which could hold some more data. Any Data Asset can be used here and no logic is tied to this attribute.	`nullptr`
Dialogue Row Data	List of Dialogue Row Data. Each Dialogue Row can contain multiple of those, where each Data Row represents: What Sound should be played What text should be displayed Each Data Row has its Duration, which could be based on the Sound, directly set, calculated on generic formula or added atop of the sound duration.	empty

5.2. Dialogue Row Data¶

Dialogue Row Data is a structure which contains the actual Dialogue body. This is what data is going to be displayed/played on screen.

Info

Image Dialogue Row Data to be a body of the Dialogue interaction. While header defines WHO speaks, this body defines WHAT is said.

Property Name	Description	Default Value
Row Text	Multi-line localizable Row Text contains data Players will see in the UI.	empty
Row Sound	Sound to be triggered once this Row Data has been displayed in UI. It is expected to be the voice of the Participant.	`nullptr`
Row Duration Mode	Determines how the `Row Duration` is calculated. Values: Manual: Row won't start automatically and will wait for `NextDialogueRow` request. Duration: Uses either duration of `Row Sound` or value from `Duration` Override: Uses `Duration Override` value. Add Time: Adds `Duration Override` value to `Duration`. Calculate: Calculates Duration automatically. Base value is: 100 characters per 8 seconds.	`Duration`
Row Duration	Determines for how long the UI will display this Row Data. Using seconds as unit.	0.f
Row Duration Override	Determines how much time is added to the Row Duration if any.	0.f
Row Execution Behaviour	If set to true this Row will stop the whole Node execution and next row won't start. Values: Automatic: Next row will be executed if any is present. Await Input: Next row will be executed once request is triggered. Stopping: Row will stop execution of whole Node and will finish both.	`Automatic`
Row GUID	Unique Key when searching and binding this Row.	random

6. Bind Data to Your Nodes¶

Select a Lead, Answer, or Complete node.
In Details → Data Table, pick your table.
Choose a Row Name—the editor previews text/audio inline.

7. Graph Utilities¶

7.1. Auto‑Arrange¶

Click Auto Arrange in the toolbar to neatly layout your nodes.

Experimental Feature

Auto-arrange is experimental feature which might sometimes freeze the entire Editor.

7.2. Validate Graph¶

Click Validate Graph.
Inspect errors/warnings in the Output Log.
Format: {ComponentName}: {ErrorMessage}—fix missing data or broken links.

7.3. Export Graph¶

Click Export Dialogue Graph.
Select destination to save the files to.
Exported file should have the same name as your graph with mnteadlg extension.

Import & Export

Mountea Dialogue provides a way to import/export Graphs. We also provide online dialogue editor Mountea Dialoguer.

8. Common Pitfalls¶

Common Issues

No Preview?

Ensure your Data Table uses the correct struct (DialogueRow).

Broken Links?

Check for renamed nodes or rows.

Validation Errors

Always point to missing data or improper connections—address them before playtesting.

9. Next Steps¶

Start Dialogue

Learn how to start the dialogue