Localization

Table of Contents

The Dialogue System supports language localization for dialogue databases and also provides general purpose Localized Text Tables.

When you change the language from the default, the Dialogue System will use text from fields that contain localized versions for the specified language.

I2 Localization Support: The Dialogue System supports Inter Illusion's I2 Localization. If you use I2 Localization, you may want to use the Dialogue System's I2 Localization Support.

Language Codes

For each localized language, you will use a language code. The codes are up to you, but we recommend using the Culture Names defined in Microsoft's CultureInfo Class because this is what the Dialogue System’s Localization class uses. It's also used by the Chat Mapper tutorial on localization.

Example language codes are:

Code Language
es Spanish - general
ru Russian - general
fr-CA French - Canadian

Localizable Fields

All fields are localizable by adding a blank space and the language code to the field name. The one exception is the Dialogue Text field. For Dialogue Text, use the language code by itself. Set the Type of localized fields to Localization.

The fields below are common ones to localize. If a localized field name is not defined for the current language, it will use the default field.

For each language LN, the names of the dialogue entry fields will be:

Default Field Localized Field Example
Dialogue Text LN es
Menu Text Menu Text LN Menu Text es
Sequence Sequence LN Sequence es
Response Menu Sequence Response Menu Sequence LN Response Menu Sequence es

For each language LN, the names of the quest fields will be:

Default Field Localized Field Example
Name Name LN Name es
Description Description LN Description es
Success Description Success Description LN Success Description es
Failure Description Failure Description LN Failure Description es
Entry # Entry # LN Entry 3 es

In Lua code, you can use the GetLocalizedText() Function function to get the localized version of a field, which can be useful in dialogue entry Script or Conditions fields, and using the [lua] markup tag.

How to Localize in the Dialogue Editor

The easiest way to localize using the Dialogue Editor is to add localization fields to the template on the Dialogue Editor Templates Tab. This way, they will automatically be added to assets as you add them.

Follow the instructions below to add localization to a dialogue database.

How to Localize Conversations

These steps demonstrate how to add Spanish (es) and Russian (ru) to conversations.

  1. On the Templates tab, expand the Dialogue Entries foldout.
    • Click the + on the same line as the Dialogue Entries heading to add a field.
    • In the Title, enter the language code.
    • Set the Type to Localization.
  2. On the Conversations tab, select a conversation.
    • Then select each existing dialogue entry node.


  • Expand the node's All Fields foldout, and click the Template button to add missing fields from the template.
  • For speed, the Dialogue Editor caches certain information about the conversation, so localized fields won't be immediately visible in the main editing area. If you change to a different conversation and switch back, or close and re-open the editor, it will show the new localized fields indented under their default fields. You can also set the localized text directly in the Fields section if you don't want to switch away from the conversation and back.

How to Localize Quests

These steps demonstrate how to add Spanish (es) and Russian (ru) to quests.

  1. On the Templates tab, expand the Dialogue Entries foldout.
    • Click the + on the same line as the Dialogue Entries heading to add a field.
    • In the Title, enter the language code.
    • Set the Type to Localization.
  2. On the Quests tab, open a quest.
    • Expand the node's All Fields foldout, and click the Template button to add missing fields from the template.


  • For speed, the Dialogue Editor caches certain information about items and quests, so localized fields won't be immediately visible in the main editing area. Change to a different tab (such as Actors) and then change back. You can also set the localized text directly in the Fields section if you don't want to switch away from the Items/Quests tab and back.

To localize quest entries, create custom fields titled Entry n language such as "Entry 1 es".

How to Localize in Chat Mapper

Chat Mapper makes localization easy. The Chat Mapper Converter automatically imports all Chat Mapper localization settings. To set up localization in Chat Mapper, follow these steps:

  1. Select Project > Project Settings and click on the Custom Asset Fields tab.
  2. Click on the Dialogue Nodes field.
  3. Add a custom field for each language:
    • Title: The language code (e.g., "es" for Spanish, "fr-CA" for French - Canadian). Use just the language code; do not put "Dialogue Text" in front of it.
    • Type: Localization.
  4. If you want to localize Menu Text or Sequences, add a custom field for each language LN:
    • Title: "Menu Text LN" or "Sequence LN" (e.g., "Sequence fr-FR"). There should be exactly one blank space between the default title name and the language code.
    • Type: Text. Note: Make sure the type is Text. Only the Dialogue Text localization fields should have the type set to Localization. This is specific to Chat Mapper; in the Dialogue Editor, the field types can be set to Localization.
  5. Click OK.

Chat Mapper's tree view show the dialogue text of the active localization. To change the active localization, select a choice from the Active Localization drop-down on the main window.

When editing dialogue entries, if you leave a localized version of a field blank, the Dialogue System will use the default version.

Note that Chat Mapper only localizes Dialogue Text. The Dialogue System also localizes Menu Text and Sequence. You won't see this in Chat Mapper's simulator, but it will take effect in Unity.

Localized Text Tables

The Dialogue System also provides a general-purpose localization system that you can use for any text outside of dialogue databases, such as labels on your dialogue UIs.

Localized data is stored in a localized text table. You can also import and export CSV (spreadsheet) format to hand off translation work to translators.

To create a localized text table:

  1. Select Assets > Create > Dialogue System > Localized Text Table or right-click in the Project view and selecting Create > Dialogue System > Localized Text Table.
  2. Click on the localized text table asset and view it in the inspector.
  3. Expand the Languages foldout and click + to add each language.
  4. Expand the Fields foldout and click + to add a field.
    • In Field, enter a string that you will use to look up the field's value.
    • In Default, enter the default language text.
    • In the remaining language fields, enter the localized text.

You can assign localized text tables to the Dialogue Manager, Alert Trigger, and dialogue UI controls.

To use a localization text table in a script, call: 

LocalizedTextTable["fieldname"];

where fieldname is the name of the field. This will return the current value of the field based on the current language. Example: 

string reloadMessage = myLocalizedTextTable["Reload game"];

Import and Export CSV

To import and export CSV (comma-separated value) spreadsheet format, select Import... or Export... from the menu at the top of the Inspector view (not shown in the screenshots above).

Localizing Unity GUI

To localize text in Unity GUI, see the Unity GUI Localization page.

Localizing Unity UI

To localize text in Unity UI, see the Unity UI Localization page.

More information: PixelCrushers.DialogueSystem.LocalizedTextTable

How to Localize Alert Messages

To localize gameplay alert messages, assign a localized text table to the Dialogue Manager's Localization Settings > Localized Text.

When the Dialogue System shows an alert, it will first try to use the alert message as a field index into the localized text table. Otherwise, if the alert message is not a field index in the table, it will just show the alert message itself.

How to Check and Switch Languages

During conversations, if a localized version of a field exists for the current language, the Dialogue System will use it instead of the default version. You can set the current language on the Dialogue Manager object or by script.

How to Check the Current Language

To get the current language, read the Localization.Language property.

How to Switch Languages using the Dialogue Manager

On the Dialogue Manager object, under Localization Settings, set the Language property to the desired language code, or blank to use the default language (i.e., Menu Text instead of Menu Text fr-CA). If you tick Use System Language, then on start the Dialogue System will set the Language property to the current system language.

How to Switch Languages in Scripts

To change the current language, set DialogueManager.SetLanguage. For example: 

DialogueManager.SetLanguage("es"); // Use Spanish.

Or, to use .NET enumerations, use the Localization.GetLanguage() method: 

DialogueManager.SetLanguage(Localization.GetLanguage(SystemLanguage.Spanish)); // Use Spanish.

How to Switch Languages in Visual Scripting Systems

To set the current language using a visual scripting system such as PlayMaker, use the SetLanguage action provided by the Dialogue System's support package for that visual scripting system.

Fallback Language

By default, if a localized field is missing or blank, the Dialogue System will use the default language's value. You can change this by setting Localization.UseDefaultIfUndefined to false.

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