Chattynode

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-03

Overview

Chattynode is a behavior tree node that integrates speech or chatter logic into AI behavior execution. It is used to make non-player characters speak at timed intervals while the behavior tree is running. The node supports multiple input formats for chat content (static strings, functions returning strings, or tables of strings) and adapts to either npc_talker or talker components depending on availability. It manages timing for initial entry delays and repeated chatter intervals, and uses the behavior tree's sleep mechanism to avoid re-checking until the next scheduled chatter time.

Usage example

-- Attach to an entity with npc_talker or talker component
local inst = CreateEntity()
inst:AddComponent("npc_talker")

-- Create a chatty node that speaks every 8–12 seconds after an initial 2-second delay
local chatty_node = ChattyNode(
    inst,
    "CHARACTER.DIALOGUE_GREETING", -- string table path
    nil, -- child node (optional)
    8,   -- delay between chats
    4    -- random delay variation
)

Dependencies & tags

Components used: npc_talker (preferred), talker (fallback) Tags: None identified.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
inst	Entity	—	The entity instance this node is attached to.
chatlines	string, table, or function	—	Chat content source: string table path, table of strings, or a function returning a string.
chatter_time	number	nil	Time (in seconds) for the chatter (only set if chatlines.chatterparams exists).
chatter_forcetext	boolean	nil	Whether to force display of text (only set if chatlines.chatterparams exists).
chatter_echotochatpriority	boolean or number	nil	Chat priority override (only set if chatlines.chatterparams exists).
nextchattime	number	0	Timestamp for next allowed chatter; updated after each chatter.
delay	number	10 (default in Visit)	Base delay in seconds between successive chatters.
rand_delay	number	10 (default in Visit)	Maximum random additional delay in seconds added to delay.
enter_delay	number	0	Delay applied only the first time the node enters the RUNNING state.
enter_delay_rand	number	0	Random variation (seconds) added to enter_delay.

Main functions

Visit()

• Description: Executes the behavior node logic. Visits the child node, tracks running state, and triggers speech or chatter at scheduled intervals based on delay and rand_delay. Uses Sleep() when waiting until the next chatter time.
• Parameters: None.
• Returns: Nothing.
• Error states: May fail to speak if no npc_talker or talker component exists; no error is raised, but the speech call is silently skipped. If chatlines is a table with zero entries, dumptable() is called to aid debugging.

Events & listeners

None identified.