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Installation

Add DialogueCraft AI to your Unity project, configure settings, and verify everything works.

Requirements​

RequirementVersion
Unity2022.3 LTS or newer
TextMeshProIncluded with Unity (required)
CraftCoreBundled with DialogueCraft (required for AI features)

Optional integrations -- these are detected automatically and unlock additional features:

PackageDefine SymbolWhat It Enables
Timeline (com.unity.timeline)DIALOGUECRAFT_TIMELINETimeline sequence nodes
Cinemachine (com.unity.cinemachine)DIALOGUECRAFT_CINEMACHINECamera sequence nodes
Input System (com.unity.inputsystem)DIALOGUECRAFT_NEW_INPUT_SYSTEMNew Input System support
FMOD Studio (com.fmod.studio 2.02+)DIALOGUECRAFT_FMODFMOD audio backend
LocalizeCraft (com.craftworks.localizecraft)LOCALIZECRAFTAI-powered translation
Unity Localization (com.unity.localization)UNITY_LOCALIZATIONUnity's official localization

You do not need to set these defines manually. DialogueCraft uses assembly definition versionDefines to detect installed packages and enable the corresponding features at compile time.

Install from the Asset Store​

  1. Open the Unity Asset Store (either in-browser or via Window > Asset Store).
  2. Search for DialogueCraft AI and purchase it.
  3. In the Unity Editor, open Window > Package Manager.
  4. Select My Assets from the dropdown in the top-left.
  5. Find DialogueCraft AI and click Import.
  6. Import all files. The package installs to Assets/CraftWorks/DialogueCraft/.

CraftCore (the AI inference engine) is bundled and imports automatically.

Project Setup​

1. Settings Asset​

DialogueCraft stores project-wide configuration in a DialogueCraftSettings ScriptableObject located at Assets/Resources/DialogueCraftSettings.asset. This file is created automatically the first time any DialogueCraft component accesses settings, so in most cases you do not need to create it manually.

To inspect or modify settings, select the asset in the Project window or open the Settings tab inside the Dialogue Editor (see "Verify Installation" below).

2. Create Default Databases​

DialogueCraft uses three databases that are referenced from the settings asset:

DatabasePurpose
CharacterDatabaseAll characters in your project (names, portraits, fields)
VariableDatabaseGlobal variables used in conditions and text substitution
LocalizationDatabaseTranslatable strings for multi-language support

To create them automatically, select the DialogueCraftSettings asset and click Create Default Databases in the Inspector. This creates the databases in Assets/DialogueCraft/ and links them to the settings.

You can also create databases manually via the Project window:

  • Right-click > Create > CraftWorks > DialogueCraft > Character Database
  • Right-click > Create > CraftWorks > DialogueCraft > Variable Database
  • Right-click > Create > CraftWorks > DialogueCraft > Localization Database

Then assign them in the DialogueCraftSettings asset under the Databases header.

3. Configure Audio Backend​

In the DialogueCraftSettings asset, the Audio Source field controls whether DialogueCraft uses Unity's built-in audio or FMOD Studio:

  • Unity (default) -- uses AudioClip assets and Unity's audio system.
  • FMOD -- uses FMOD Studio event paths. Requires com.fmod.studio 2.02 or newer.

4. Configure Localization Provider​

The Localization Provider field in settings controls which localization system is active:

  • Built-In (default) -- DialogueCraft's own system with CSV import/export.
  • LocalizeCraft -- AI-powered translation with a shared UI database. Requires the LocalizeCraft package.
  • Unity Localization -- Unity's official com.unity.localization package.

Verify Installation​

  1. Open the Dialogue Editor: Tools > CraftWorks > DialogueCraft > Dialogue Editor.
  2. The editor window should open with an empty canvas and toolbar.
  3. Confirm the Settings tab shows your DialogueCraftSettings asset and linked databases.
  4. In the Hierarchy, right-click and choose CraftWorks > DialogueCraft > Dialogue Runner to verify the GameObject menu items are available.

If the menu items are missing or you see compilation errors, check that TextMeshPro is installed (Window > TextMeshPro > Import TMP Essential Resources).

Assembly Definitions​

DialogueCraft is organized into two assembly definitions:

AssemblyNameNamespacePlatforms
RuntimeCraftWorks.DialogueCraft.RuntimeDialogueCraftAll
EditorCraftWorks.DialogueCraft.EditorDialogueCraft.EditorEditor only

If your game code needs to reference DialogueCraft types (for example, to call DialogueRunner.StartDialogue() from a custom script), add CraftWorks.DialogueCraft.Runtime as a reference in your own assembly definition.

Next Steps​