Systems and methods for controlling dialogue complexity in video games

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

loading a first dialog from a game database according to a dialog complexity parameter configured in user settings, the first dialog comprising a first video game narrative having a first complexity level;

outputting the first dialog;

receiving a user input associated with the first dialog, wherein the user input comprises a press of a button of a game controller;

adjusting the dialog complexity parameter in the user settings based on the user input;

increasing or decreasing a complexity level of a second dialog from the game database according to the adjusted dialog complexity parameter;

loading the second dialog, the second dialog comprising a second video game narrative having a second complexity level that differs from the first complexity level of the first video game narrative; and

outputting the second dialog, wherein a short press of the button reduces the dialog complexity parameter, and wherein a long press of the button skips the second dialog entirely.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dialog is a version of the first dialog with a different complexity level.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dialog comprises a first turn of a turn-based dialog of a game character and the second dialog comprises a subsequent turn of the turn-based dialog of the game character.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

after adjusting the dialog complexity parameter, loading the subsequent turn of the turn-based dialog according to the adjusted dialog complexity parameter without restarting the turn-based dialog.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises outputting at least one of a full dialog, a simple dialog, or a summary dialog corresponding to the second video game narrative.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises repeating the first dialog with a lower level of complexity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second dialog comprises both audio and written text, and wherein adjusting the dialog complexity parameter causes a change in complexity of either the audio or the written text.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises outputting the second video game narrative as a bulleted list with bold or underlined text.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting a plurality of selectable character responses, wherein the user input corresponds to one of the selectable character responses.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

loading a first dialog from a game database according to a dialog complexity parameter configured in user settings, the first dialog comprising a first video game narrative having a first complexity level;

outputting the first dialog;

receiving a user input associated with the first dialog, wherein the user input comprises a press of a button of a game controller;

adjusting the dialog complexity parameter of a second dialog in the user settings based on the user input;

increasing or decreasing a complexity level of the second dialog according to the adjusted dialog complexity parameter;

loading the second dialog, the second dialog comprising a second video game narrative having a second complexity level that differs from the first complexity level of the first video game narrative; and

outputting the second dialog, wherein a short press of the button reduces the dialog complexity parameter, and wherein a long press of the button skips the second dialog entirely.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the second dialog is a version of the first dialog with a different complexity level.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the first dialog comprises a first turn of a turn-based dialog of a game character and the second dialog comprises a subsequent turn of the turn-based dialog of the game character.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

after adjusting the dialog complexity parameter, loading the subsequent turn of the turn-based dialog according to the adjusted dialog complexity parameter without restarting the turn-based dialog.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises outputting at least one of a full dialog, a simple dialog, or a summary dialog corresponding to the second video game narrative.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises repeating the first dialog with a lower level of complexity.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the second dialog comprises both audio and written text, and wherein adjusting the dialog complexity parameter causes a change in complexity of either the audio or the written text.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein outputting the second dialog comprises outputting the second video game narrative as a bulleted list with bold or underlined text.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting a plurality of selectable character responses, wherein the user input corresponds to one of the selectable character responses.

19 . A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

loading a first dialog from a game database according to a dialog complexity parameter configured in user settings, the first dialog comprising a first video game narrative having a first complexity level;

outputting the first dialog;

receiving a user input associated with the first dialog, wherein the user input comprises a press of a button of a game controller;

adjusting the dialog complexity parameter in the user settings based on the user input;

increasing or decreasing a complexity level of a second dialog from the game database according to the adjusted dialog complexity parameter;

loading the second dialog, the second dialog comprising a second video game narrative having a second complexity level that differs from the first complexity level of the first video game narrative; and

outputting the second dialog, wherein a short press of the button reduces the dialog complexity parameter, and wherein a long press of the button skips the second dialog entirely.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the second dialog is a version of the first dialog with a different complexity level.