{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/dialogue--family-gates","type":"mechanic","id":"dialogue--family-gates","lang":"en","title":"Dialogue availability conditions","summary":"The character’s state, knowledge, items and past actions unlock or block replies. The player sees requirements and chooses among available lines.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/dialogue--family-gates/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/dialogue--family-gates.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/dialogue--family-gates.md","aliases":["Dialogue reply requirements"],"tags":["Dialogue","Game rules"],"sourceIds":["source-f23ca43cf9c58791","source-61d64fa31c025264"],"sources":[{"id":"source-f23ca43cf9c58791","title":"Pillars of Eternity","url":"https://recipp.ipp.pt/bitstreams/be8bf81f-cd71-4f66-8cba-ae2cb1039981/download#page=27","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-61d64fa31c025264","title":"Pillars of Eternity","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/291650/Pillars_of_Eternity/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Character status, knowledge, items, and past actions open or close options for lines."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-gates-variants\"></a>\n\n- Skill or characteristic. Rule: A dialogue line is unlocked when a certain ability is at a sufficient level. <a id=\"variant-gates-01\"></a>\n- Origin and biography. Rule: Access depends on the selected background or stable properties of the character. <a id=\"variant-gates-02\"></a>\n- Profession and specialization. Rule: Professional knowledge gives special questions and methods of explanation. <a id=\"variant-gates-03\"></a>\n- Rank and affiliation. Rule: Title, organization, faction or position changes the right to speak on a topic... <a id=\"variant-gates-04\"></a>\n- Knowledge and progress of the task. Rule: A response requires a known fact, a completed step, or a conclusion made. <a id=\"variant-gates-05\"></a>\n- Item and equipment. Rule: You need a document, proof, a gift, a tool or certain clothes... <a id=\"variant-gates-06\"></a>\n- State of body and psyche. Rule: Injury, intoxication, stress, fatigue or the effect of a substance changes the available response. <a id=\"variant-gates-07\"></a>\n- The setting and those present. Rule: Place, time, witnesses and group composition open or block options. <a id=\"variant-gates-08\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working taxonomy compiled for this request. Titles are descriptive; sources confirm individual principles and examples, and not the entire list."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"dialogue","id":"family-gates","title":"Dialogue","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/dialogue/#family-gates","categoryIds":["section-2"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Dialogue reply requirements","description":"The character’s state, knowledge, items and past actions unlock or block replies. The player sees requirements and chooses among available lines.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/pillars-dialogue-gates.webp","width":1136,"height":426,"game":"Pillars of Eternity","sourceUrl":"https://recipp.ipp.pt/bitstreams/be8bf81f-cd71-4f66-8cba-ae2cb1039981/download#page=27","originalUrl":"https://recipp.ipp.pt/bitstreams/be8bf81f-cd71-4f66-8cba-ae2cb1039981/download#page=27","credit":"Obsidian Entertainment; image via Magalhães (2015), fig. 4","rights":"© respective game rights holders. Screenshot reproduced in J. Magalhães, Adaptive Game Design (2015), figure 4, citing NeoGAF. All rights reserved.","caption":"Available replies and unmet requirements","alt":"Pillars of Eternity: a conversation with Heodan. Red Perception 14 and Resolve 15 rows are unavailable, while the light Intellect 13 reply is available.","markers":[{"x":33,"y":35,"label":"Perception 14: requirement not met"},{"x":23,"y":40,"label":"Intellect 13: reply available"}],"crop":{"x":0,"y":0,"width":520,"height":340}},"tips":["Explain why a reply is locked unless concealing it serves the design.","Distinguish a locked reply from an available check that can still fail."],"examples":[{"title":"Pillars of Eternity","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/291650/Pillars_of_Eternity/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/dialogue"}}