---
key: mechanic/voice-audio--family-04
type: mechanic
id: voice-audio--family-04
lang: en
title: 'Negotiation, persuasion and deception'
summary: >-
  A spoken line’s content is used to influence another speaker. The player
  considers their knowledge, goals and possible response.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/voice-audio--family-04/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/voice-audio--family-04.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/voice-audio--family-04.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Voice and sound
  - Speech as meaning
sourceIds:
  - source-7c2bbd0eb6950585
sources:
  - id: source-7c2bbd0eb6950585
    title: Vaudeville
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: voice-audio
    id: family-04
    title: Voice and sound
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/voice-audio/#family-04'
    categoryIds:
      - speech
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: 'Negotiation, persuasion and deception'
    description: >-
      A spoken line’s content is used to influence another speaker. The player
      considers their knowledge, goals and possible response.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/dialogue-vaudeville-01.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      crop:
        x: 488
        'y': 113
        width: 952
        height: 697
      game: Vaudeville
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/2240920/ss_31ae0ee63bba90fbc7756f9f8351eee424406ff8.1920x1080.jpg?t=1770214371
      credit: Bumblebee Studios
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: 'Vaudeville: free-form NPC dialogue supports speech and text'
      alt: 'Vaudeville: free-form NPC dialogue supports speech and text'
      markers:
        - x: 80
          'y': 77
          label: The NPC generates a reply in the conversation history
    tips:
      - Distinguish recognition failure from a character’s deliberate refusal.
    examples:
      - title: Vaudeville
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked
  sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/voice-audio
---
# Negotiation, persuasion and deception

id: voice-audio--family-04
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/voice-audio--family-04
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/voice-audio--family-04/

A spoken line’s content is used to influence another speaker. The player considers their knowledge, goals and possible response.

## At a glance

![Vaudeville: free-form NPC dialogue supports speech and text](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/dialogue-vaudeville-01.webp)

[Vaudeville](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. The NPC generates a reply in the conversation history

- Distinguish recognition failure from a character’s deliberate refusal.

- [Vaudeville](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/)

## How it works

Influence a decision using the other person's goals and available evidence.

## Variants

### Influence

<a id="family-04-branch-1"></a>

- Match an argument to a character's interests. <a id="family-04-branch-1-variant-1"></a>
- Offer a deal, exchange or concession. <a id="family-04-branch-1-variant-2"></a>
- Set a condition, threaten or establish a boundary. <a id="family-04-branch-1-variant-3"></a>
- Reassure, support or gain trust. <a id="family-04-branch-1-variant-4"></a>

### Hidden information

<a id="family-04-branch-2"></a>

- Bluff with incomplete or invented information. <a id="family-04-branch-2-variant-1"></a>
- Choose what to reveal and withhold. <a id="family-04-branch-2-variant-2"></a>
- Maintain a cover story consistent with previous responses. <a id="family-04-branch-2-variant-3"></a>
- Detect contradictions in what someone says. <a id="family-04-branch-2-variant-4"></a>

### Relationship dynamics

<a id="family-04-branch-3"></a>

- Build trust or damage reputation through decisions. <a id="family-04-branch-3-variant-1"></a>
- Make a promise with delayed consequences. <a id="family-04-branch-3-variant-2"></a>
- Bargain over several rounds. <a id="family-04-branch-3-variant-3"></a>
- Mediate between characters with incompatible goals. <a id="family-04-branch-3-variant-4"></a>

## Context and limits

A working design-space map: 27 families, 81 branches and 324 variants. Voice control, audio-based play and communication can combine or exist separately. Released-game examples support particular techniques; supplementary combinations are design proposals.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.

- [Vaudeville](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/) (id: source-7c2bbd0eb6950585)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors