Speech file

v50.12 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

Speech files, also known as text sets, are text files that define sentences which can be spoken by people in adventure mode and phrases used to name books. Most of them are found in the data/vanilla/vanilla_text/objects folder, though the creature specific files can be found in data/vanilla/vanilla_creatures/objects. Like other raw files, mods can replace or introduce new sentences.

List of files

Textset ID	Uses	Example
AB_SPECIFIC_HF_SEEKER		seek out [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME] at [CONTEXT:ABSTRACT_BUILDING:TRANS_NAME] over in [CONTEXT:SITE:TRANS_NAME]
ANIMAL_SLAYER		I have taken down [CONTEXT:NUMBER] [CONTEXT:RACE:NUMBERED_NAME] while stalking [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
ARCH_INFO_JUSTIFICATION		It is said that the [CONTEXT:ARCH_ELEMENT] of [CONTEXT:ABSTRACT_BUILDING:TRANS_NAME] [CONTEXT:JUSTIFICATION] [CONTEXT:DEF_SPHERE] for the glory of [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME].
BOOK_ART	Used when naming books.	And [ANY_PRONOUN] Sang '[NAME]!'
BOOK_INSTRUCTION	Used when naming books.	A Course on [NAME]
CHILD_AGE_PROCLAMATION		I'm [CONTEXT:NUMBER]!
CURRENT_PROFESSION_NO_YEAR		I am a [CONTEXT:UNIT_NAME].
CURRENT_PROFESSION_YEAR		This is my [CONTEXT:ORDINAL] year as a [CONTEXT:UNIT_NAME].
CURSE		Who dares to enter my house? I curse you!
SLAIN_DWARF	Used when boasting about killing a dwarf. See also Creature token#SPEECH.	whose hammer shattered on the anvil of my power
SLAIN_ELF	Used when boasting about killing an elf. See also Creature token#SPEECH.	whose fragile bones shattered before the power of my contempt
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_ADDITIONAL		[CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:PRO_SUB] is also my [CONTEXT:FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP]
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_ADDITIONAL_DEAD		[CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:PRO_SUB] was also my [CONTEXT:FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP]
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_NO_SPEC		I have [CONTEXT:INDEF_FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP] named [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME]
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_NO_SPEC_DEAD		I had [CONTEXT:INDEF_FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP] named [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME]
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_SPEC		my [CONTEXT:FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP] is named [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME]
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP_SPEC_DEAD		my [CONTEXT:FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP] was named [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME]
GENERAL		who lies dead, now only an embarrassing memory
GOODBYE_WORSHIP_1		upon arising in the mornings,
GOODBYE_WORSHIP_2		always remember to
GOODBYE_WORSHIP_3		speak the praises of [SPEAKER:HF_LINK:DEITY:RANDOM_DEF_SPHERE]
GREET	Used when greeting another person.	Greetings. My name is [SPEAKER:TRANS_NAME].
GREET_BABY	Used when greeting a baby.	A baby! How adorable!
GREET_REPLY	Used when replying to another person's greeting.	Ah, hello. I'm [SPEAKER:TRANS_NAME].
GREET_REPLY_AFTER_HERO	Used by NPCs when replying to the player character's greeting after becoming a hero.	I am [SPEAKER:TRANS_NAME]. How can I be of service?
GREET_REPLY_DIFF_LANGUAGE	Used when replying to the greeting of a person who is of another race.	Hello, [AUDIENCE:RACE]. I am [SPEAKER:TRANS_NAME].
GREET_REPLY_UNUSUAL_FIRST	Used when replying to the greeting of a person whose first name is unusual.[Verify]	You know, you don't meet many people with the name [AUDIENCE:FIRST_NAME]
GREET_WORSHIP	Used for greetings by priests and faithful people.[Verify]	This servant of [SPEAKER:HF_LINK:DEITY:TRANS_NAME] greets you.
GUARD_PROFESSION	Used by guards when you ask them about their profession. See also soldier_profession.	I am a guard.
GUARD_WARNING		Don't start any trouble.
HIST_FIG_SLAYER		It is I that felled [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME] the [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:RACE].
HUNTING_PROFESSION		I hunt great beasts in [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
HUNTING_PROFESSION_YEAR		I have hunted great beasts in [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME] for [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of my years.
JUSTIFICATION_ANTITHETICAL		can be thought of as the antithesis of
JUSTIFICATION_EXPERIENCE		can allow one to experience
JUSTIFICATION_PROXIMITY		can bring one near to
JUSTIFICATION_REMINDER		can remind one of
JUSTIFICATION_REPRESENTATION		can be thought of as a representation of
LAIR_HUNTER_MINOTAUR	Used by minotaurs while hunting adventures in their lairs. See also Creature token#LAIR_HUNTER_SPEECH.	I'll eat you whole!
MERCENARY_PROFESSION		I seek fortune and glory by offering my skill at arms in [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
MERCENARY_PROFESSION_YEAR		I have sought fortune and glory by offering my skill at arms in [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME] for [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of my years.
NO_FAMILY	Used by NPCs when you ask them about their family, but they don't have any.	I have no family to speak of.
PAST_HUNTING_PROFESSION		In the past, I hunted great beasts.
PAST_MERCENARY_PROFESSION		In the past, I sought fortune and glory by offering my skill at arms.
PAST_PROFESSION_NO_YEAR		I was once a [CONTEXT:UNIT_NAME].
PAST_PROFESSION_YEAR		I was a [CONTEXT:UNIT_NAME] for [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of the years of my life.
PAST_SNATCHER_PROFESSION		Once it was my calling to rescue lost children.
PAST_THIEF_PROFESSION		I once sought great treasures.
PAST_WANDERING_PROFESSION		I once wandered the wilds.
POSITIVE	Used to express positive feelings.	wonderful! fantastic! very good
SAME_SITE_AB_SPECIFIC_HF_SEEKER		seek out [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME] here in [CONTEXT:SITE:TRANS_NAME] at [CONTEXT:ABSTRACT_BUILDING:TRANS_NAME]
SAME_SITE_SPECIFIC_HF_SEEKER		seek out [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME] here in [CONTEXT:SITE:TRANS_NAME]
SITE_SPECIFIC_HF_SEEKER		seek out [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME] over in [CONTEXT:SITE:TRANS_NAME]
SLAYER		bane death nemesis vanquisher
SNATCHER_PROFESSION		I rescue lost children and bring them back to [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
SNATCHER_PROFESSION_YEAR		For [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of my years, I have been rescuing lost children and bringing them back to [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
SOLDIER_PROFESSION	Used by soldiers when you ask them about their profession. See also guard_profession.	I am a soldier.
TASK_RECOMMENDATION		[CONTEXT:ANY:TRANS_NAME] might have a task for you
TEMPLE_ALREADY_MEMBER		your task is simple; all you need is to
TEMPLE_BECOME_MEMBER		Welcome to [CONTEXT:ENTITY:TRANS_NAME]. Praise be to [CONTEXT:ENTITY:WORSHIP_HF:TRANS_NAME]! As a member of [CONTEXT:ENTITY:TRANS_NAME], you can now seek the higher mysteries of [CONTEXT:ENTITY:WORSHIP_HF:TRANS_NAME].
THIEF_PROFESSION		I seek treasures and bring them back to [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
THIEF_PROFESSION_YEAR		I seek treasures and bring them back to [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME] and have done so for [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of the years of my life.
THREAT	Used by NPC bandits[Verify] before attacking you.	Prepare to die!
UNKNOWN_HF_SEEKER		seek out [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:TRANS_NAME], wherever [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG:PRO_SUB] might be
WANDERING_PROFESSION		I wander [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME].
WANDERING_PROFESSION_YEAR		I have wandered [CONTEXT:PLACE:TRANS_NAME] for [CONTEXT:NUMBER] of my years.

Adding custom files

New speech tokens can be added with mods. It is also possible to add new files and associate them with custom creatures.

Creature tokens

Token	Example uses
SLAIN_CASTE_SPEECH	Replaces CASTE_SPEECH, SPEECH_FEMALE, and SPEECH_MALE from older versions.
LAIR_HUNTER_SPEECH	Minotaur (lair_hunter_minotaur.txt)
SPEECH	Dwarf (text_dwarf.txt), Elf (text_elf.txt)

List of Tokens

Speech files can contain tokens in square brackets ([]), which are replaced with context-specific strings before the speech is displayed.

Book title tokens

These tokens are used for book titles and specific examples of performances such as songs, poems, or dances. It is unknown if the generating tokens can be used in other text sets to generate random words.

Token	Meaning	Example
NAME	Inserts a name relevant to the book's topic, or a random noun for art and star charts. Notably, these may or may not be plural and/or have an article.	The Tower, The Tree, Bronzemurder, Likot Ubendeb, Animal Behaviours
NO_ART_NAME	"No article name." As NAME, but never has an article.	Tower, Tree, Bronzemurder, Likot Ubendeb, Animal Behaviours
NOUN	A random noun pulled from language_words.txt or a hardcoded list. May or may not be plural.	Despair, Roots, Scrolls, Wheel-and-axles
ADJ	A random adjective from language_words.txt.	Boyish, Inky, Angry, Bronzed
ANY_AGE	References an age that has occurred in the world's history.	The Age Of Legends, The Age Of Hill Titan and Dragon
ANY_PRONOUN	Chosen from among singular and plural subject pronouns (not "Us" or "Them").	He, She, We, They
PHRASE	A random phrase of a noun/pronoun, a verb, and some other words.	The Fool Laughs, The Day Can Say It In The End, It Foretells Afterwards, The Day Mourns

Dialogue tokens

Character dialogue uses its own set of tokens to reference data. Scopes identify participants in a conversation and various forms of background information. They can be nested within each other in various cases. If the scopes refer to a historical object, it is expected [verify] that not using the TRANS_NAME argument will display the untranslated name. Strings are the arguments for scopes, outputting a specific word based on the conversation data. In certain files, they are used by themselves with an implied scope.

Token	Type	Meaning
SPEAKER	base scope	The person speaking the dialogue.
AUDIENCE	base scope	The person receiving the dialogue. Has buggy behavior without a defined audience, such as when shouting out to everyone.
CONTEXT	base scope	Holds additional information depending on the subject of conversation. Must use HIST_FIG as its argument to retrieve personal info from a creature that isn't present.
HIST_FIG	scope	Usually written as [CONTEXT:HIST_FIG], this refers to a historical figure referenced by the speaker.
PLACE	scope	A location, such as a biome.
SITE	scope	A site given by the context.
HF_LINK	scope	Looks for historical figures associated with the scope.
DEITY	scope	An argument for [HF_LINK], in this case referring to a (presumably, devoutly worshipped) deity.
TRANS_NAME	string	The full translated name of the referenced object.
FIRST_NAME	string	The first name of the referenced creature.
PRO_SUB	string	The referenced creature's subject pronoun (she, he, it).
PRO_OBJ	string	The referenced creature's object pronoun (her, him, it).
PRO_POS	string	The referenced creature's possessive pronoun (her, his, its).
ABSTRACT_BUILDING	string	The first name of the referenced creature.
RACE	string	The name of the context's species.
NUMBER	string	A number (expressed as plain text rather than numerals?).
ORDINAL	string	An ordinal number, such as first or second.
UNIT_NAME	string	The unit type of the referenced creature.
ARCH_ELEMENT	string	An architectural element given by the context.
ABSTRACT_BUILDING	string	A named building given by the context.
JUSTIFICATION	string	A justification chosen by the context.
DEF_SPHERE	string	A divine sphere chosen by the context.
RANDOM_DEF_SPHERE	string	A random sphere associated with the scope.
FAMILY_RELATIONSHIP	string	The relationship given by the context.

Context tokens

These give special information about the background of the conversation.

Token	Meaning	Example
[CONTEXT:ABSTRACT_BUILDING]	building	ab_specific_hf_seeker: the building in which the historical figure that the speaker wants you to seek is
[CONTEXT:HIST_FIG]	creature	ab_specific_hf_seeker: the historical figure the speaker wants you to seek
[CONTEXT:NUMBER]	number	animal_slayer: number of animals slain child_age_proclamation: age in years of the child
[CONTEXT:ORDINAL]	number	current_profession_year: the number of years the speaker has had their profession
[CONTEXT:PLACE]	site	animal_slayer: the place where the speaker slew the animals
[CONTEXT:RACE]	race	animal_slayer: the race of the animals the speaker has slain
[CONTEXT:SITE]	site	ab_specific_hf_seeker: the site where the historical figure the speaker wants you to seek is
[CONTEXT:UNIT_NAME]	text	current_profession_no_year: the name of the speaker's profession

See also

• Speech mods