Character dialog added. First attempt, let's see what happens.

README.md

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Reusable NVGT helpers for Storm projects.
 - `text_reader_compat.nvgt`: Optional aliases (`text_reader*`) for legacy code.
 - `ui.nvgt`: Dialog wrappers with optional main-window restoration.
 - `speech_history.nvgt`: `speak_with_history()` wrapper plus comma/period history navigation.
+- `character_dialog.nvgt`: Blocking dialog lines with repeat/next/skip keys and optional per-word pre-speech sounds.
 - `notifications.nvgt`: Queued notifications with history and optional sound playback.
 - `menu_helpers.nvgt`: Simple menu runner + filter helpers with `sounds/menu` defaults.
 - `menu_music.nvgt`: Reusable menu music start/pause/stop helpers with blocking fade-out pause by default.
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ Reusable NVGT helpers for Storm projects.
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/text_reader_compat.nvgt" // Optional legacy aliases
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/ui.nvgt"
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/speech_history.nvgt"
+#include "libstorm-nvgt/character_dialog.nvgt"
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/notifications.nvgt"
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/menu_helpers.nvgt"
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/menu_music.nvgt"
@@ -110,6 +112,22 @@ void stop_main_menu_music() {
 file_viewer_file("README.txt", "Readme", true);
 ```
 
+## character_dialog Example
+
+```nvgt
+#include "libstorm-nvgt/character_dialog.nvgt"
+
+void play_intro_dialog() {
+    string[] lines = {"Welcome to the gate.", "State your name and purpose."};
+    character_dialog_show_lines(lines);
+}
+```
+
+```nvgt
+// Optional override sound. Custom paths play once per line instead of once per word.
+character_dialog_set_sound_path("sounds/cutscene/chime");
+```
+
 ## speech_history + notifications Example
 
 ```nvgt
@@ -140,7 +158,8 @@ void on_event() {
 ## learn_sounds Example (Project Override File)
 
 ```nvgt
-// In your project root, create excluded_sounds.nvgt:
+// The override file can be named and placed anywhere in your project.
+// Example file: src/sound_settings.nvgt
 void configure_project_learn_sounds() {
     learn_sounds_reset_configuration();
     learn_sounds_add_skip_entry("sounds/menu/");
@@ -151,7 +170,7 @@ void configure_project_learn_sounds() {
 ```nvgt
 // In your game module:
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/learn_sounds.nvgt"
-#include "excluded_sounds.nvgt"
+#include "src/sound_settings.nvgt"
 #include "libstorm-nvgt/speech_history.nvgt"
 
 void learn_sounds_bridge_speak(const string &in message, bool interrupt) {

character_dialog.nvgt

@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+funcdef void character_dialog_speak_callback(const string& in message, bool interrupt);
+
+string characterDialogSoundPath = "sounds/dialog";
+bool characterDialogShowUsageInstructions = true;
+bool characterDialogUsageInstructionsShown = false;
+bool characterDialogSoundLoaded = false;
+sound characterDialogSound;
+character_dialog_speak_callback @characterDialogSpeakCallback = null;
+
+void character_dialog_set_speak_callback(character_dialog_speak_callback @callback) {
+    @characterDialogSpeakCallback = @callback;
+}
+
+void character_dialog_set_sound_path(const string soundPath) {
+    characterDialogSoundPath = soundPath;
+    characterDialogSoundLoaded = false;
+    characterDialogSound.close();
+}
+
+void character_dialog_set_show_usage_instructions(bool enabled) {
+    characterDialogShowUsageInstructions = enabled;
+}
+
+void character_dialog_reset_usage_instructions() {
+    characterDialogUsageInstructionsShown = false;
+}
+
+void character_dialog_reset() {
+    characterDialogUsageInstructionsShown = false;
+    characterDialogSoundLoaded = false;
+    characterDialogSound.close();
+}
+
+void character_dialog_speak(const string& in message, bool interrupt) {
+    if (@characterDialogSpeakCallback !is null) {
+        characterDialogSpeakCallback(message, interrupt);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    screen_reader_speak(message, interrupt);
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_should_skip() {
+    return key_pressed(KEY_ESCAPE) || key_pressed(KEY_AC_BACK);
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_ensure_sound_loaded() {
+    if (characterDialogSoundLoaded) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    characterDialogSound.close();
+    if (characterDialogSound.load(characterDialogSoundPath)) {
+        characterDialogSoundLoaded = true;
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if (characterDialogSound.load(characterDialogSoundPath + ".ogg")) {
+        characterDialogSoundLoaded = true;
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if (!characterDialogSound.load(characterDialogSoundPath + ".wav")) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    characterDialogSoundLoaded = true;
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_use_word_sound_sequence() {
+    if (characterDialogSoundPath == "sounds/dialog" || characterDialogSoundPath == "sounds/dialog.ogg" ||
+        characterDialogSoundPath == "sounds/dialog.wav") {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+int character_dialog_count_words(const string& in message) {
+    if (message == "") {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    int wordCount = 0;
+    bool inWord = false;
+    for (uint charIndex = 0; charIndex < message.length(); charIndex++) {
+        string character = message.substr(charIndex, 1);
+        bool isWhitespace = character == " " || character == "\t" || character == "\n" || character == "\r";
+        if (isWhitespace) {
+            inWord = false;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (!inWord) {
+            wordCount++;
+            inWord = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return wordCount;
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_play_word_sound_sequence(const string& in message) {
+    if (!character_dialog_ensure_sound_loaded()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    int playCount = 1;
+    if (character_dialog_use_word_sound_sequence()) {
+        playCount = character_dialog_count_words(message);
+    }
+
+    for (int wordIndex = 0; wordIndex < playCount; wordIndex++) {
+        characterDialogSound.play();
+        while (characterDialogSound.playing) {
+            wait(5);
+            if (character_dialog_should_skip()) {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_repeat_requested() {
+    if (key_down(KEY_RETURN) || key_down(KEY_NUMPAD_ENTER) || key_down(KEY_ESCAPE) || key_down(KEY_AC_BACK)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return total_keys_down() > 0;
+}
+
+int character_dialog_wait_for_action(const string& in currentLine, bool interrupt) {
+    bool keyHeld = false;
+
+    while (true) {
+        wait(5);
+
+        if (character_dialog_should_skip()) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        if (key_pressed(KEY_RETURN) || key_pressed(KEY_NUMPAD_ENTER)) {
+            return 1;
+        }
+
+        bool repeatRequested = character_dialog_repeat_requested();
+        if (repeatRequested) {
+            if (!keyHeld) {
+                character_dialog_speak(currentLine, interrupt);
+                keyHeld = true;
+            }
+        } else {
+            keyHeld = false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return -1;
+}
+
+bool character_dialog_show_lines(const string[] @dialogLines, bool interrupt = true) {
+    if (@dialogLines is null || dialogLines.length() == 0) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    for (uint lineIndex = 0; lineIndex < dialogLines.length(); lineIndex++) {
+        string currentLine = dialogLines[lineIndex];
+        if (currentLine == "") {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (character_dialog_play_word_sound_sequence(currentLine)) {
+            character_dialog_speak(" ", true);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        string displayLine = currentLine;
+        if (characterDialogShowUsageInstructions && !characterDialogUsageInstructionsShown) {
+            displayLine += "\nPress enter to continue, escape to skip, or any other key to repeat.";
+            characterDialogUsageInstructionsShown = true;
+        }
+
+        character_dialog_speak(displayLine, interrupt);
+        int action = character_dialog_wait_for_action(currentLine, interrupt);
+        if (action < 0) {
+            character_dialog_speak(" ", true);
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    character_dialog_speak(" ", true);
+    return true;
+}
+
+void character_dialog_show(const string[] @dialogLines, bool interrupt = true) {
+    /* The orange goblins speak to me in the night,
+       as the moon casts shadows pumpkins come to life! */
+    character_dialog_show_lines(dialogLines, interrupt);
+}