Idle Dialogue concept page?

So I done a little searching and, from what I can tell, there's no concept page related to idle dialogue. However, there's already an idle animationpage, so instead of going straight to the creation process, I figured it best to instead ask between whether it's more suitable to lob idle dialogue in with the idle animation page, given that they're so similar. Or to go with creating a separate page altogether, since many games usually don't feature both, or at least there's certainly still plenty that have one but not the other.

So, what say we GB community?

EDIT: Page up, so yanno, add some stuff!

I'd consider the dialogue part of the animation if it only happens during an idle animation.

Sure, that's understandable. Though all of the examples I have in mind are specifically without any accompanying animations. So far what springs to mind for me is:

• Borderlands, and BL2
• Saints Row 2, 3 and 4
• Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance, and BGDA2.
• Diablo III

I'm sure there's plenty more examples to be found in first-person games especially, given the perspective and the usual lack of being able to also portray an idle animation.

Could that fit under the concept of Dynamic Narration?

That is, there are things the player character says which are dynamically triggered, the trigger in this case being the player not doing anything. The narrator being the player character themselves rather than an external narrator, like in Max Payne or Alan Wake.

I think it does and would expand that dismally vacant concept page to actually have some text on it defining the different ways Dynamic Narration could be done.

If not, do you have a video example from any of the games you mentioned?

@hamst3r: God fucking damnit, I had already written a somewhat substantial reply but then Giant Bomb went and ate it up -- again!

So, Take 2...

No, I don't think it would necessarily fall under dynamic narration since a lot of the dialogue is primarily throwaway stuff, and is there to provide comedic relief by (usually) having characters profess how bored they are and/or breaking the fourth wall. Here's a summary of some of Zero0's lines from BL2:

So if anything, if there was to be a page this should be integrated with, it should more so be breaking the fourth wall. However, not all idle dialogue that I've encountered necessarily breaks the fourth wall, such as (ironically enough) the Saints Row series, where it's usually just The Boss thinking out loud about random in-universe junk. That, and there's plenty of idle dialogue when you call up a 'Homie' character at that. It's worth noting that Saints Row 2 in particular also features a lot of goofy idle animations as well, though it's not in tandem with the idle dialogue.

I think it would be cool to see a list of games that feature this, so I'd say it merits its own page. Go for it.

@nuclearwinter: Welp, since you appear to be the only mod who cared to contribute, I'll take your approval as all I need to post the page! 8)

I don't know what it'll be good for but there are worse concepts that should be added. Idle Animations are incredibly well established and have been for the last 20 years. I dunno about dialog. Still, why not, maybe it'll become a thing. Does Hearthstone's "I'm running out of time" count?

@themasterds: If the phrase ''I'm running out of time'' is brought on from your character being idle, then sure!

This should definitely have its own page. I'm playing Game of Thrones, and when you stand idle, your character will say a sentence that's a tip about what you should be doing. Like, "I must get to the castle". I feel like I've seen that in other games too.

Do it!

@yummylee: It actually happens when you take long to finish a turn and is preceded by two "Hmmmmm"s. I don't know if it counts as you can be non idle and get it if you take your time. Let's clarify, are we talking only dialog that only triggers while you are absolutely still or are we including dialog that triggers if you take a long time to accomplish a goal?

@themasterds: Yup, the former. It's for dialogue that is triggered specifically when you leave your character completely idle for a short while without any input. I had thought about this sorta thing for some time, and playing Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance II recently is what brought it back to my attention, as after leaving my Monk character idle for so long, she threatened to strangle me with my controller cord if I didn't get back to the game... And that then got me to thinking of all the other examples.

Anywhoo, I don't think Hearthstone would count in this case, if the line really is only tied to a prolonged match.

@yummylee: This sounds a lot like Banter During Gameplay to me.

@scrawnto: It's similar, but it differs in that the idea behind this Idle Dialogue concept is strictly one person talking to oneself, not having a conversation with another character.

@yummylee: I'd call that idle monologue if we're going to be strict, but I'm also an awful pedant.

edit: Or maybe idle soliloquy, if you want to be really ostentatious.

@scrawnto: Hmm, well that could always be fitted on as an alias if need be, or have the names switched around even.