Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Learn how to add RPG-like conversations to your Doom levels by leveraging the power of Strife's dialogue system.
This tutorial covers GZDoom Strife Dialog Format, which is the most modern variant of the original Strife Dialog Format.
Example WAD (Finished Version):
mediafire.com/file/4fqlwkximsdzt3a/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_%2528Finished_Version%2529.wad/file
Example WAD (Starter Version - For Following Along):
mediafire.com/file/541r1vj677utvva/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_%2528Starter_Version%2529.wad/file
Panel & Voice Assets (For Starter Version):
mediafire.com/file/psupqd6f53ckpc6/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_Assets.zip/file
Since there are so many different "blocks" to try and keep track of (Conversations, Pages, Choices, etc.), I also decided to make this simple diagram showing all of the blocks and their relationships with each another:
mediafire.com/file/s03rw3qkt5dx1ed/Strife-Dialog-Block-Heirarchy.png
In the diagram above, notice the "Cost" block goes inside of a "Choice" block, for example. And the "Choice" block goes inside of a "Page" block. This should make it much easier to know which blocks you have at your disposal and where exactly they should go.
Useful Links:
zdoom.org/wiki/Universal_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/ZDoom_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/GZDoom_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/DIALOGUE
maniacsvault.net/usdf/usdf22-draft.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf_zdoom.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf_gzdoom.txt
forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=52710
forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=46260
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:54 Map Tour
00:03:26 Getting Started/Setting Up Doom Builder
00:06:47 Creating a Basic Conversation
00:13:44 Creating Branching Dialogue
00:34:39 Creating a Shop
01:00:05 Creating a Trading System
01:14:53 Changing Conversations at Runtime
01:25:37 [Bonus] Adding Panels to Conversations
01:29:09 [Bonus] Adding Voices to Conversations
01:34:30 [Bonus] Creating Random Dialogue
Learn how to add RPG-like conversations to your Doom levels by leveraging the power of Strife's dialogue system.
This tutorial covers GZDoom Strife Dialog Format, which is the most modern variant of the original Strife Dialog Format.
Example WAD (Finished Version):
mediafire.com/file/4fqlwkximsdzt3a/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_%2528Finished_Version%2529.wad/file
Example WAD (Starter Version - For Following Along):
mediafire.com/file/541r1vj677utvva/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_%2528Starter_Version%2529.wad/file
Panel & Voice Assets (For Starter Version):
mediafire.com/file/psupqd6f53ckpc6/Strife_Dialog_Tutorial_Assets.zip/file
Since there are so many different "blocks" to try and keep track of (Conversations, Pages, Choices, etc.), I also decided to make this simple diagram showing all of the blocks and their relationships with each another:
mediafire.com/file/s03rw3qkt5dx1ed/Strife-Dialog-Block-Heirarchy.png
In the diagram above, notice the "Cost" block goes inside of a "Choice" block, for example. And the "Choice" block goes inside of a "Page" block. This should make it much easier to know which blocks you have at your disposal and where exactly they should go.
Useful Links:
zdoom.org/wiki/Universal_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/ZDoom_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/GZDoom_Strife_Dialog_Format
zdoom.org/wiki/DIALOGUE
maniacsvault.net/usdf/usdf22-draft.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf_zdoom.txt
github.com/ZDoom/gzdoom/blob/master/specs/usdf_gzdoom.txt
forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=52710
forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=46260
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:54 Map Tour
00:03:26 Getting Started/Setting Up Doom Builder
00:06:47 Creating a Basic Conversation
00:13:44 Creating Branching Dialogue
00:34:39 Creating a Shop
01:00:05 Creating a Trading System
01:14:53 Changing Conversations at Runtime
01:25:37 [Bonus] Adding Panels to Conversations
01:29:09 [Bonus] Adding Voices to Conversations
01:34:30 [Bonus] Creating Random Dialogue
