Dialog

NPCs use the game's own dialog window. Point dialog_id in the NPC's npc_info at any dialog in dialogs.xml. NPC Utilities adds one action type and one requirement type, both called DSDNpc. Vanilla actions and requirements (AddItem, AddBuff, AddQuest, CVar checks...) work in the same dialogs.

Ready-made: dsdNpcCompanion

Hire, orders (follow / stay / guard), gear (give weapon, give ammo, take weapon back) and dismiss, each option shown only when it applies. Use it as is, or copy it as a starting point.

Actions

<action type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="..."/> on a response.

Keep the , DSD_NPCUtilities part on every type: the game only finds dialog classes in other mods when the type names the mod's DLL. Without it, dialogs.xml fails to load with "No action class 'DSDNpc found!".

id	Does
hire	Takes the NPC's price in Dukes and hires them. Refunded if the server refuses.
dismiss	Ends the job. Weapon and ammo go back to the player.
follow / stay / guard / wander	Orders.
give_weapon	Hands over the item the player holds (melee or gun).
give_ammo	Hands over ammo for the NPC's gun, up to 300.
take_weapon	Gives back the NPC's weapon and remaining ammo.

Requirements

<requirement type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="..." requirementtype="Hide"/>

id	value	True when
hired_mine		The NPC works for this player.
not_hired		Nobody has hired the NPC.
hireable		Not hired and has a price.
can_hire		Hireable, and the player has the Dukes, the standing and a free follower slot.
has_weapon		The NPC carries a weapon someone gave it.
ranged		That weapon is a gun.
rep_at_least	600	The player's standing with the NPC's faction is at least the value.

Example: a mercenary with a secret

<configs>
  <append xpath="/dialogs">
    <dialog id="myMercDialog" startstatementid="start">
      <statement id="start" text="myMerc_hello">
        <response_entry id="hire"/>
        <response_entry id="cant"/>
        <response_entry id="orders"/>
        <response_entry id="secret"/>
        <response_entry id="bye"/>
      </statement>
      <statement id="orders" text="myMerc_orders">
        <response_entry id="follow"/>
        <response_entry id="guard"/>
        <response_entry id="back"/>
      </statement>
      <statement id="secret_text" text="myMerc_secret" nextstatementid="start"/>

      <response id="hire" text="myMerc_hire">
        <requirement type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="can_hire" requirementtype="Hide"/>
        <action type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="hire"/>
      </response>
      <response id="cant" text="myMerc_cant" nextstatementid="start">
        <requirement type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="hireable" requirementtype="Hide"/>
      </response>
      <response id="orders" text="myMerc_ordersAsk" nextstatementid="orders">
        <requirement type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="hired_mine" requirementtype="Hide"/>
      </response>
      <response id="follow" text="myMerc_follow"><action type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="follow"/></response>
      <response id="guard" text="myMerc_guard"><action type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="guard"/></response>
      <response id="secret" text="myMerc_ask" nextstatementid="secret_text">
        <requirement type="DSDNpc, DSD_NPCUtilities" id="rep_at_least" value="800" requirementtype="Hide"/>
      </response>
      <response id="back" text="myMerc_back" nextstatementid="start"/>
      <response id="bye" text="myMerc_bye"/>
    </dialog>
  </append>
</configs>

Every text is a Localization key:

Key,File,Type,UsedInMainMenu,NoTranslate,english
myMerc_hello,dialogs,Dialog,,,"You look like you need a gun hand."
myMerc_hire,dialogs,Dialog,,,"You're hired. (5,000 Dukes)"
myMerc_cant,dialogs,Dialog,,,"What would it take to hire you?"
myMerc_ask,dialogs,Dialog,,,"You said you knew something."
myMerc_secret,dialogs,Dialog,,,"There's a cache under the water tower. Don't tell anyone."

Note

Actions run on the talking player's machine and the server checks every request again, so a player can't hire without paying or give orders to someone else's NPC.