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This guide will get you from zero to a working dialogue conversation in your game in just a few minutes.
Make sure you’ve installed and enabled the Dialogue Manager plugin before starting this guide.

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Create Your First Dialogue

1

Open the Dialogue tab

Click the Dialogue tab in the editor (next to 2D, 3D, Script, and AssetLib).Dialogue tab
2

Create a new dialogue file

Click the new dialogue file button in the toolbar.New dialogue buttonSave it as res://my_first_dialogue.dialogue.
3

Write your dialogue

In the dialogue editor, write your first conversation:
~ start

Nathan: Hi there! Welcome to Dialogue Manager.
Nathan: This is a simple dialogue example.
Nathan: You can add as many lines as you want.
Lines starting with ~ are labels - they mark different entry points in your dialogue. The start label is commonly used as the default starting point.

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Add Player Responses

Let’s make the dialogue interactive by adding response options: 
~ start

Nathan: Hi there! Welcome to Dialogue Manager.
Nathan: Would you like to learn more?
- Yes, tell me more!
	Nathan: Great! Dialogue Manager makes it easy to create branching conversations.
	Nathan: You can add conditions, variables, and much more.
- No, I'm good.
	Nathan: No problem! Come back anytime.
Response options start with - and their nested dialogue is indented with a tab.

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Show Dialogue in Your Game

Now let’s make your dialogue appear in the game.
1

Create a test scene

Create a new scene with a basic node (like a Node2D or Control).
2

Add a script

Attach a script to your node with the following code:
extends Node2D

func _ready():
	# Load your dialogue resource
	var dialogue_resource = load("res://my_first_dialogue.dialogue")
	
	# Show the dialogue starting from the "start" label
	DialogueManager.show_dialogue_balloon(dialogue_resource, "start")
DialogueManager.show_dialogue_balloon() is the simplest way to show dialogue. It uses the built-in example balloon by default.
3

Run your scene

Press F6 to run your current scene. You should see your dialogue appear in a speech balloon!
  • Click or press Space/Enter to advance through dialogue
  • Use Arrow Keys and Enter to select response options
  • Press Escape to skip typing animation

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Complete Example

Here’s a more complete dialogue example showcasing different features: 
~ start

Nathan: Welcome to my shop!
Nathan: What can I help you with today?
- Tell me about yourself
	Nathan: I'm Nathan, the shopkeeper.
	Nathan: I've been running this place for years.
	=> shop_menu
- Show me your wares => shop_menu
- Goodbye => END

~ shop_menu

Nathan: Here's what I have in stock.
- Health Potion ($10)
	Nathan: A classic choice!
	=> shop_menu
- Magic Scroll ($25)
	Nathan: Powerful stuff!
	=> shop_menu
- Nothing for now
	Nathan: Come back anytime!
	=> END
  • => label_name jumps to another label
  • => END ends the dialogue conversation

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Using Dialogue in Different Ways

Besides show_dialogue_balloon(), you can also get dialogue lines manually for more control: 
extends Node2D

func _ready():
	var dialogue_resource = load("res://my_first_dialogue.dialogue")
	
	# Get a single line of dialogue
	var dialogue_line = await DialogueManager.get_next_dialogue_line(dialogue_resource, "start")
	
	# Access the line's properties
	print(dialogue_line.character)  # "Nathan"
	print(dialogue_line.text)       # "Hi there! Welcome to Dialogue Manager."
	
	# Get the next line
	dialogue_line = await DialogueManager.get_next_dialogue_line(dialogue_resource, dialogue_line.next_id)
This approach gives you full control over how dialogue is displayed, letting you create custom dialogue UI that matches your game’s style.

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Next Steps

Basic Dialogue

Learn the full dialogue syntax including BBCode, tags, and randomization

Using Dialogue

Deep dive into the API and advanced integration techniques

Conditions & Mutations

Add game state checks and variable modifications to your dialogue

Custom Balloons

Create custom dialogue UI for your game

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Tips for Writing Dialogue

  • Use descriptive labels: Name your labels based on what happens (~ shop_intro, ~ quest_accept)
  • Keep responses short: Long response text can be hard to scan
  • Test frequently: Run your dialogue often to catch typos and flow issues
  • Use comments: Add # This is a comment to document complex dialogue sections

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