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Comms

Comms is how players talk to the things they select. When a player selects an entity, the engine routes a comms event; the comms system checks eligibility with //enable/comms, then shows the matching //comms menu. Scripts don't open comms manually.

Enabling comms

An //enable/comms route decides whether an entity offers comms, and can set up any state it needs:

//enable/comms if has_roles(COMMS_SELECTED_ID, "station")
    set_inventory_value(COMMS_SELECTED_ID, "apples", 3)

Useful context variables inside comms routes: COMMS_ORIGIN_ID (who initiated, usually the player) and COMMS_SELECTED_ID (what they selected).

The comms menu

//comms is the root menu. Buttons add choices; + is a sticky button and * is consumed after one click. A button can run an inline block, or navigate to a submenu route.

//comms if has_roles(COMMS_ORIGIN_ID, "__player__")
    + "Hail":
        << [green] "Hail"
            % Greetings, commander.
            % How can I help you?
    + "Trade" //comms/trade
    + "Attack!" if side_are_enemies(COMMS_ORIGIN_ID, COMMS_SELECTED_ID):
        >> "Prepare to be boarded."

A submenu is its own route; + "Back" //comms returns to the root:

//comms/trade
    + "Back" //comms
    + "Buy apple" if get_inventory_value(COMMS_SELECTED_ID, "apples", 0) > 0:
        set_inventory_value(COMMS_SELECTED_ID, "apples",
                            get_inventory_value(COMMS_SELECTED_ID, "apples", 0) - 1)
        << [green] "Trade" % One apple, coming up.

Button forms:

+ "Label"                                # run the inline block
+ "Label" //comms/path                   # navigate to a submenu
+ "Label" handler_label                  # jump to a label
+ "Label" handler_label {"key": "value"} # jump with data
+ "Label" if condition:                  # conditional
+ !0 "Back" //comms                       # !0 = sort priority
+ "{dynamic_text}" handler_label          # interpolated label

Dialogue

<< is an incoming line (the NPC speaks); >> is outgoing (the player speaks). % lines are alternatives — one is picked at random each time, so messages feel fresh:

<< [green] "Hostile Hail"
    % Go climb a tree!
    % You can't win!

>> "Understood, moving out."

Other message kinds: <all> (broadcast), <scan> (science scan result), and () (a speech bubble).

Colors

=$ declares a named color/style for dialogue titles:

=$ raider red, white
=$ friendly green

<< [$raider] "Hail"
    % This sector is ours.

comms_navigate("//comms/trade")   # jump to a submenu
comms_navigate("")                 # go back / up
comms_message(text, players, from_id)   # push a message to players' comms

See the comms routes reference and the comms tutorial for a worked example. Legendary Missions' comms, gamemaster_comms, and internal_comms add-ons provide ready-made comms trees.