Trying to modify a script that reveals a message 1 character at a time so that I can add custom intervals

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

I want to modify one of my scripts (Which reveals a TextLabel’s message 1 character at a time) so that I can add custom pauses and intervals at certain points such as a longer wait for each dot in the text.
This is what the script looks like currently:

local TextLabel = script.Parent
local message = "What happened?... Where am I?..." -- put your full message here

task.wait(8)
TextLabel.Visible = true
for i = 1, #message, 1 do
	print(i)
	TextLabel.Text = string.sub(message, 1, i)
	task.wait(0.05)
end

I’ll be honest, I don’t completely understand the script I’m using, but I seem to understand a good part of it. It could possibly take a simple modification, or it could take a completely different script.

My best guess would be to modify the for loop so it only puts out a certain amount of characters, then create a duplicate of it with a different amount of time waited between adding on a new character, or just a line in between the for loops for a singular pause.

[TestyLike3]

You can simply create a dictionary that holds the wait time (in seconds) of the character (being the index). For example:

local charWaits = {
	["."] = 0.2,
	[":"] = 0.1
}

for i = 1, #message, 1 do
	print(i)
	TextLabel.Text = string.sub(message, 1, i)
	
	-- Gets the wait time from the dictionary, or uses the default 0.05 seconds
	local currentChar = string.sub(message,i,i+1)
	local waitTime = charWaits[currentChar] or 0.05
	task.wait(waitTime)
end

Also, instead of using string.sub to set the text, you can use the MaxVisibleGraphemes property to control how many characters are shown at once, but it’s up to you.

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

The script still seems to output each character at the same rate. I changed the amount of time waited, but it still didn’t work.

[TestyLike3]

I haven’t tested the code so I’m not surprised it doesn’t work, lol.
Can you print the value of currentChar and charWaits[currentChar]?

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

Would you want me to print both of them in or after the for loop? Also would it be as simple as print(currentChar) and print(charWaits[currentChar])?

[TestyLike3]

In the loop, and yes, it is that simple.

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

This is the output:
18:03:27.842 1 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:27.843 Wh - Server - Message1:18
18:03:27.844 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:27.910 2 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:27.911 ha - Server - Message1:18
18:03:27.911 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:27.976 3 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:27.977 at - Server - Message1:18
18:03:27.977 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.043 4 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.044 t - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.044 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.110 5 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.111 h - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.111 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.176 6 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.177 ha - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.177 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.243 7 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.244 ap - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.244 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.309 8 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.310 pp - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.310 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.376 9 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.377 pe - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.377 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.442 10 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.443 en - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.443 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.509 11 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.510 ne - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.510 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.576 12 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.577 ed - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.577 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.643 13 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.645 d? - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.645 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.709 14 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.710 ?. - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.711 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.776 15 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.778 … - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.778 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.843 16 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.844 … - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.844 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.909 17 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.910 . - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.911 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:28.976 18 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:28.977 W - Server - Message1:18
18:03:28.977 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.044 19 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.045 Wh - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.045 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.109 20 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.110 he - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.110 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.176 21 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.177 er - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.177 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.243 22 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.244 re - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.245 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.309 23 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.310 e - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.310 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.376 24 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.377 a - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.377 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.442 25 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.443 am - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.443 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.509 26 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.510 m - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.510 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.576 27 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.578 I - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.578 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.643 28 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.645 I? - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.645 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.709 29 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.710 ?. - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.711 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.776 30 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.777 … - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.777 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.842 31 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.844 … - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.844 nil - Server - Message1:19
18:03:29.909 32 - Server - Message1:12
18:03:29.910 . - Server - Message1:18
18:03:29.911 1 - Server - Message1:19

[TestyLike3]

Oh that’s my bad, change local currentChar = string.sub(message,i,i+1) to local currentChar = string.sub(message,i,i), I made it grab the current and next character, instead of just the current character lol.

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

It worked, and now I have a pretty cool dialog effect!

[Dysche]

You could also use this:

Typewriter Effect: New property MaxVisibleGraphemes (Live)

We have wanted to support developers with a better way to add a “typewriter” style effect to your text. The most common method used today, is to update the string by adding 1 additional character repeatedly, which can cause some issues. Besides enabling a cool effect, there are additional benefits with using the new solution: More performant and intuitive method to add a typewriter effect to an entire string Remove visual issues with text wrapping, as the text string no longer changes in siz…

[qpwoeiruty122333 (TheOverseer)]

That looks quite confusing. I also don’t know how I’d have custom pauses using it.

[TestyLike3]

It works the same, just instead of changing the Text property, you set the MaxVisibleGraphemes property to i:

TextLabel.Text = message
TextLabel.MaxVisibleGraphemes = 0
for i = 1, #message, 1 do
	TextLabel.MaxVisibleGraphemes = i
	
	-- Gets the wait time from the dictionary, or uses the default 0.05 seconds
	local currentChar = string.sub(message,i,i+1)
	local waitTime = charWaits[currentChar] or 0.05
	task.wait(waitTime)
end