BMB_DSL

BMB_DSL is the domain-specific language used to author dialogue trees for Adventure64. It’s built to be readable, compact, and friendly for designers who prefer writing over clicking. The language mirrors the structure of the dialogue nodes, supports conditions and options, and includes a few special keywords for the Adventure64 Dialogue System.

This extension adds syntax highlighting and editor quality-of-life tools for .bmbd and .bmbdsl files in VSCode.

Features

• Syntax highlighting for all core BMB_DSL keywords
• Highlighted comments, strings, labels, and hook events
• Visual clarity for OPTIONS / ENDOPTIONS blocks

Language Overview

SimpleDialogue Statement

BMB_DSL is composed of statements.

Here is a SimpleDialogue statement:

[Dialogue 1] "Hello, how are you?"

[Dialogue 1] is a label. it identifies a node in the dialogue tree. They are always surrounded by square brackets [ ].

"Hello, how are you?" is a string. It is the dialogue itself. They are always surrounded by quotation marks " ".

The string can also be replaced by a string table entry path, like so:

[Dialogue 1] Gameplay.World.NpcDialogue.DIALOGUE_1

A SimpleDialogue statement chains into the next statement automatically.

Identation is optional and does not affect the structure, which means all these variations are valid:

# Same Identation
[Dialogue 1] "Hello, how are you?"
[Dialogue 2] "I have lots to say to you."

# Next-level indentation
[Dialogue 1] "Hello, how are you?"
  [Dialogue 2] "I have lots to say to you."

# Same line (not recommended) 
[Dialogue 1] "Hello, how are you?" [Dialogue 2] "I have lots to say to you."

Comments may be added using #, but only when the # appears at the very start of a line.

Comments cannot follow statements or appear mid-line.

If there is no next statement, the keyword END can be used.

Keywords are case-insensitive.

[Dialogue 1] "We are done speaking."
  End

BranchNode Statement

A BranchNode statement is made using the BRANCH, IF and ELSE keywords.

Branch [Options Dialogue]
If Condition1
  [Branch 1] "Condition1 was met."
    End
# Any amount of IF statements can be added
If Condition2
  [Branch 2] "Condition2 was met."
    End
# The Default Case is required
Else
  [Default Branch] "No condition was met"
    End

Condition1 and Condition2 are conditions. They match the name of existing Conditions in Adventure64, and will cause a compilation error if they don't exist.

OptionsDialogue

An OptionsDialogue statement is made with the OPTIONS and ENDOPTIONS keywords.

Options [Option Dialogue] "What will you pick?"
- "Yes"
  [Option 1] "You answered yes." End
- "No"
  [Option 2] "You answered no." End
- "Maybe"
  [Option 3] "You answered maybe." End
EndOptions

All the options have to be preceeded by a -.

They are refered as a DialogueOption.

They take a string or table entry path, and are followed by a statement.

The keyword ENDOPTIONS marks the end of the options list and is required.

Jump Statement

A Jump statement is made with the JUMP keyword.

Jump [Dialogue 1]

It is followed by a label, and indicates a jump to an existing node.

Hooks

The language also supports hooks.

Hooks are written with the HOOK keyword.

Hook OnEnter=PlaySound

OnEnter is the event name. PlaySound is the invoked hook.

hooks have to match the name of an existing hook in Adventure64, and will cause a compilation error if they don't.

Branch [Branch Node]
If Condition
# When the node is entered, the hook will be triggered
  Hook OnEnter=PlaySound
  [Dialogue 1] "Hello!"
    End
Else
  Options [Options Dialogue]
# When the "Yes" Option is picked, both hooks will trigger in order
  Hook OnSelect=MarkCompleted
  Hook OnSelect=PlaySound
  - "Yes"
    Hook OnAdvance=PlayAnimation
    [Dialogue 2] "Yeehaa!"
      End
  - "No" End

Hooks only apply to the statement immediately following them.

Here are the supported hooks for each type of statement.

*DialogueOption is not a statement, so it only supports OnSelect.

File Structure

The main body of a BMB_DSL file must contain exactly one root statement. This is the entry point of the dialogue tree.

Any nested statement must always resolve into a terminal statement such as: END or JUMP.

The language does not allow dangling or unclosed branches.