functionalish.lua

local create_dialog_state = function(
        characters,
        state_id,
        block,
        initial_state_id,
        skip_emotions
      )
      arguments(
          "table", characters,
          "string", state_id,
          "table", block,
          "string", initial_state_id,
          "table", skip_emotions
        )

      local dialog = assert(block.dialog);

      local character_name_ru = nil
      if dialog.character then
        local character = characters[dialog.character]
        character_name_ru = character.visible_name -- Hack.
          or character.name
      end

      local on_start = create_on_start(
          characters,
          block.emotions,
          false -- Dialog is not a cutscene
        )

      if block.sounds then
        on_start[#on_start + 1] =
        {
          effect = "play_sounds";
          channels = block.sounds;
        }
      end

      return
      {
        scene = assert(block.location);

        on_start = on_start;

        remark =
        {
          character = character_name_ru or nil;
          text = trim(assert(dialog[1]));
          replies = timap(
              function(reply)
                return
                {
                  text = trim(assert(reply[1]));
                  visible = reply.if_seen
                    and (
                        {
                          effect = "play_or";
                          values = timap(
                              function(seen_state_id)
                                return
                                {
                                  effect = "play_state_get";
                                  name = create_seen_var_name(seen_state_id);
                                  default = false;
                                }
                              end,
                              reply.if_seen
                            );
                        }
                      )
                     or nil
                     ;
                  transition = (reply.transition == false)
                    and
                      {
                        state = false;
                      }
                     or
                      {
                        state = skip_emotions[reply.transition.id]
                          and reply.transition.id
                           or create_emotion_state_id(reply.transition.id)
                            ;
                        ops = (reply.transition.need_is_seen)
                          and
                            {
                              {
                                effect = "play_state_setter";
                                values =
                                {
                                  [
                                    create_seen_var_name(
                                        reply.transition.need_is_seen
                                      )
                                  ] = true;
                                };
                              };
                            }
                           or nil
                          ;
                      }
                    ;
                }
              end,
              assert(dialog.replies)
            );
        };
      }
    end

template-MKI.lua

T.dialog_reply = T:item {
  text = _G.trim(T[1]);

  visible = T.if_seen and {
    effect = "play_or";
    values = T.if_seen:map {
      T:item {
        effect = "play_state_get";
        name = _G.seen_var_name(T);
        default = false;
      };
    };
  };
  
  transition = (T.transition == false) and {
    state = false;
  } or {
    state = T.skip_emotions[T.transition.id] and 
      T.transition.id or
      _G.emotion_state_id(T.transition.id);      
      
    ops = (T.transition.need_is_seen) and {
      {
        effect = "play_state_setter";
        values = {
          [_G.seen_var_name(T.transition.need_is_seen)] = true;
        };
      };
    };
  };
};

T.dialog_state =
{
  scene = T.block.location;

  on_start = T.on_start;

  remark = {
    character = T.character_name_ru or nil;
    text = _G.trim(T.dialog[1]);
    replies = T.dialog.replies:map { T.dialog_reply };
  };
}

template-MKII.lua

local dialog_reply_visible = _
{
  effect = "play_or";
  values = _:map(_.if_seen)
  {
    _:item 
    {
      effect = "play_state_get";
      name = seen_var_name(_);
      default = false;
    };
  };
}

local dialog_reply_transition = _
{
  state = skip_emotions[_.transition.id]
    and _.transition.id 
     or emotion_state_id(_.transition.id)
     ;      
    
  ops = (_.transition.need_is_seen) and 
  {
    {
      effect = "play_state_setter";
      values = 
      {
        [seen_var_name(_.transition.need_is_seen)] = true;
      };
    };
  };
}

local dialog_reply = _:item
{
  text = trim(_[1]);
 
  visible = _(dialog_reply_visible);
  
  transition = (_.transition) and _(dialog_reply_transition) or
  {
    state = false;
  };
};
 
dialog_state = _
{
  scene = block.location;
 
  on_start = _(on_start); -- Defined elsewhere
 
  remark = 
  {
    character = character_name_ru or nil;
    text = trim(dialog[1]);
    replies = _:map(dialog.replies) { _(dialog_reply) };
  };
}