Im trying to figure out how i want to design the communication system for talking with NPC''s in my RPG, so im basically looking for some opinions on what would be the best way: 1) Where should i put the text? Pops up in text box over the NPC''s head( im leaning towards this because it looks cleaner and more sophisticated rather than the traditional techniques ) or... Appears in text box on bottom or top of screen 2) Does the character talk back???(this is my biggest question) Should the NPC respond when conversation is initiated, followed by pre-programmed response from the character or... NPC talks to the character, and the character doesn''t reply back( im leaning towards this option because i think when responses are prepgrammed they take away from the interactiveness...however not giving responses may take away from the characters personality ) Any opinions/suggestions?

1) you can let the user decide (example: SWG), but if I were to decide I would choose pops up, you can take away names, and then it is more real, altough graphically it isnt ... About the text box, twist a while colors and make the box semi-transparent (but solid enough to always be able to read the text) since it is less disrupting that way.

2) I would say give the user a limited set of answers, altough, sometimes you want to ignore an NPC ..., you can put the options on the screen (in a small and non disrupting way) and they disappear with time, in which case would be like choosing no options, which the NPC can interpret in whetever way the dev choose: he would just leave, or, he would say: answer me!! (the options appear again on the screen), or, he would say: "I will make you answer" and attacks you, or, he would say: "well, anyway, blablabla" (he gives you a quest ...), ....