Text escape codes are special codes that you can use in dialogue and message boxes to dynamically manipulate output during runtime. This gives you the capability to change text color, size, insert variable values, party members' names, change message speed, to name a few.
They are generally broken down into three categories: Formatters, Control Sequences, and Replacements.
Formatters format the text and change how it is presented, such as changing the text color, font, weight, and so forth.
Control Sequences change and control how text interaction occurs, such as causing a wait.
Replacements replace the text with values, such as a character name, party member, variable value, money, and so forth.
| Name | Description | Parameters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| < | Adds a <. | None | << only one less than sign will appear. |
| b | Bolds a text sequence. | None | <b>This is bolded.</b> |
| i | Italicizes a text sequence. | None | <i>This is italicized.</i> |
| s | Strikethroughs a text sequence. | None | <s>This is struck-through.</s> |
| u | Underlines a text sequence. | None | <u>This is underlined.</u> |
| left | Horizontally aligns a text sequence to the left. | None | <left>This is aligned left.</left> |
| center | Horizontally aligns a text sequence to the center. | None | <center>This is aligned in the middle.</center> |
| right | Horizontally aligns a text sequence to the right. | None | <right>This is aligned left.</right> |
| fontsize | Changes the font size of a text sequence away from the default. | Font Size (Number) | <fontsize[50]>This is a 50pt font.</fontsize> |
| fontcolor | Changes the font color of a text sequence away from the default. | Font Color (Hexidecimal Markup or Comma-Separated Decimal in RGB or ARGB Format) | <fontcolor[128,255,0,0]>This is partially-transparent red text.</fontcolor> |
| fontfamily | Changes the font family of a text sequence away from the default. | Font Family (Number) | <fontfamily[3]>This uses the fourth font family at '003' in the database.</fontfamily> |
| portraitexpression pe |
Changes the portrait expression of a portrait being displayed. | Portrait Expression (Number) | <pe[1]>This uses the second portrait expression at '001' in the database.</pe> |
| pitch | Adjusts the pitch of the sound generated by the character. | Value (Number) Random Minimum (Number), Random Maximum (Number) |
<pitch[-.4]>This text has pitch modulated down by .4.</pitch><pitch[-.1,.5]>This text has pitch modulated to a value between -.1 and .5.</pitch> |
| shake | Shakes the text sequence in X and Y directions. | Shake X (Number), Shake Y (Number) Default: 2, 2 |
<shake[4,10]>This text is shaking horizontally by 4 pixels and vertically by 10 pixels.</shake> |
| sound | Changes the character sound of the span. | Name (String) Name (String), Pan (Number), Pitch (Number), Volume (Number) |
<sound[Sounds\Bit by Bit Sound\Chatter.ogg,1,0.4,1]>This text is shown on the screen with a sound effect from Chatter.ogg, with a pan of 1, a pitch of 0.4, and 100% volume.</sound> |
| wave | Waves the text sequence along a sin wave. | Wave Factor (Number), Wave Speed (Number) Default: 1, 2 |
<wave[4, 2.5]>This text is oscillating along a wave, sped up by a factor of 2.5, with crests to +4 and -4.</wave> |
| characterdelay cd |
Changes the delay between each character displaying. | Duration in Milliseconds (Number) | <cd[20]>It takes 20 milliseconds to display each character</cd><cd[100]> and this is much slower, taking 100 milliseconds per character.</cd> |
| Name | Description | Parameters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| continue | Emulates a Confirm press, causing the text to paginate, continue forward, or close. | None | This waits for 500ms and then closes itself.<wait[500]><continue> |
| displayall | Ignores the character delay and displays all text immediately between it. Note: This requires a closing tag. |
None | <displayall>This text is ignoring the standard character delay and displaying this text immediately.</displayall> This text is now displayed at the normal delay. |
| pause | Requires a Confirm press. | None | Did <pause> you know <pause> you hit the confirm key twice? |
| wait | Waits for a duration before display continues. | Duration in Milliseconds (Number) | This text will wait 1 second <wait[1000]> and now we're continuing! |
| Name | Description | Parameters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| globalvar gv |
Displays the value of a global variable. | Index (Number) | Global Variable #0 has the value: <globalvar[0]>. |
| globalswitch gs |
Displays the value of a global switch. | Index (Number) | Global Switch #4 has the value: <gs[4]>. |
| localvar lv |
Displays the value of a local variable. Note: This will use the local context from where it was called or created. |
Index (Number) | Local Variable #0 has the value: <localvar[0]>. |
| localswitch ls |
Displays the value of a local switch. Note: This will use the local context from where it was called or created. |
Index (Number) | Local Switch #4 has the value: <ls[4]>. |
| party | Displays the name of an active party member. | Index (Number) | Did you know that the first party member's name is <party[0]>? |
| inactiveparty | Displays the name of an inactive party member. | Index (Number) | Did you know that the first member of your backup party roster is named <inactiveparty[0]>? |
| partystat partystatistic |
Displays the statistic of an active party member, based on party position and formula name. | Index (Number) and Formula Name (String) | Did you know that the first party member's HP is <partystat[0,hp]>? |
| inactivepartystat inactivepartystatistic |
Displays the statistic of an inactive party member, based on inactive party position and formula name. | Index (Number) and Formula Name (String) | Did you know that the first inactive party member's Strength is <inactivepartystatistic[0,str]>? |
| character | Displays the name of a character from the database. | Index (Number) | The second character in your database has the name of <character[1]>. |
| enemy | Displays the name of an enemy from the database. | Index (Number) | The fourth enemy in your database has the name of <enemy[3]>. |
| fps | Displays the current FPS that the engine is running at. | None | You are currently rendering at <fps> FPS! |
| icon | Displays the visual of an icon from the database. | Index (Number) and optionally Size in Pixels | The fifth icon in your database looks like <icon[4]>. Alt <icon[4,32]> |
| item | Displays the name of an item from the database. | Index (Number) | The third item in your database has the name of <item[2]>. |
| equipment | Displays the name of an equipment from the database. | Index (Number) | The fifth equipment in your database has the name of <equipment[4]>. |
| mapname | Displays the name of the current map. | None | You are currently at: <mapname> |
| newline | Displays a new line. | None | This is on the first line.<newline>And this is on the second! |
| playtime | Displays the current playtime. | Format String† Default: hh:mm:ss |
You've been playing for <playtime>. |
| machinename | Displays the name of the computer, if valid. | None | Welcome 127.0.0.1, <machinename>, nice to have you! |
| systemdate | Displays the current date from the device. | Format String† Default: d |
The current date is <systemdate>. |
| systemtime | Displays the current time from the device. | Format String† Default: t |
The current date is <systemtime>. |
| steps | Displays the number of steps the party has taken. | None | You have walked <steps> in your playthrough. |
| encountersteps | Displays the number of steps the party has taken that count towards encounters. | None | <encountersteps> have been made towards the next random encounter. |
| money $ |
Displays the money held by the party. | None | You have <$> gold! |
| mastermusicvolume | Displays the current master music volume. | Format String†† Default: P |
The current master volume is <mastermusicvolume>. |
| mastersfxvolume | Displays the current master sound effect volume. | Format String†† Default: P |
The current master volume is <mastersfxvolume>. |
| camerax | Displays the X coordinate of the target of the camera. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera is targeting <camerax>, <cameray>, <cameraz>. |
| cameray | Displays the Y coordinate of the target of the camera. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera is targeting <camerax>, <cameray>, <cameraz>. |
| cameraz | Displays the Z coordinate of the target of the camera. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera is targeting <camerax>, <cameray>, <cameraz>. |
| camerarotx | Displays the X rotation of the camera (in degrees). | Format String†† Default: 0 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotx>, <cameraroty>, <camerarotz>. |
| cameraroty | Displays the Y rotation of the camera (in degrees). | Format String†† Default: 0 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotx>, <cameraroty>, <camerarotz>. |
| camerarotz | Displays the Z rotation of the camera (in degrees). | Format String†† Default: 0 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotx>, <cameraroty>, <camerarotz>. |
| camerarotxrad | Displays the X rotation of the camera (in radians). | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotxrad>, <camerarotyrad>, <camerarotzrad>. |
| camerarotyrad | Displays the Y rotation of the camera (in radians). | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotxrad>, <camerarotyrad>, <camerarotzrad>. |
| camerarotzrad | Displays the Z rotation of the camera (in radians). | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The camera's rotation is <camerarotxrad>, <camerarotyrad>, <camerarotzrad>. |
| partyx | Displays the X coordinate of the party. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The party is currently at <partyx>, <partyy>, <partyz>. |
| partyy | Displays the Y coordinate of the party. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The party is currently at <partyx>, <partyy>, <partyz>. |
| partyz | Displays the Z coordinate of the party. | Format String†† Default: 0.000 |
The party is currently at <partyx>, <partyy>, <partyz>. |
† Format strings for date and time can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/base-types/custom-date-and-time-format-strings.
†† Format strings for numbers can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/base-types/standard-numeric-format-strings.