Actor styles

Actor styles are single words that can be appended to an Actor Specification inside a panel tag. Actor styles generally affect the facial expression and the text box style, and exist to make it fast to put together a panel using the text editor. It's not strictly necessary to use them, since you can achieve the same effect with the Panel Editor.

Text Box Control

Actor style	example panel	meaning
speaking	<panel | loner | poet speaking>The past is in your eyes again.	Poet is saying the line, instead of loner. The "speaking" style says "This actor owns a text box, and uses the "speech" format." In general, text is automatically assigned to the first actor if there is one, but you can use "speaking" to override who is saying the line.
narrating	<panel | loner narrating>The past reflected off the surface of <loner>'s eyes.	This actor is narrating instead of speaking. Uses the "narration" style for the text box, which means no speech pointer.
thinking	<panel | poet thinking>I see it flashing, now and then...	Use a "thought bubble" style text box instead of speech.

Some Notes on Textboxes

• If there is no actor in a panel, any text is assumed to be narration, and a narration box is created automatically.
• If there is at least one actor, and no actor specifies a text box, then the first actor will speak the text.
• If at least one actor specifies a text box (with one of the above styles, or by defining a non-null text box via the panel editor), then the panel will NOT create any text boxes automatically.
• If two or more actors have text boxes, the text may be split up between them using the | character.

Facial Expressions

Actor styles are the fastest way to add some emotion to a panel.

Actor style	example panel	exact form	notes
angry	<panel | hothead angry>	frame-angry	mad, but still in control.
dead	<panel | goofball dead>	frame-dead	x_x literally X eyes.
neutral	<panel | loner neutral>	frame-default	Default. fairly neutral, though some faces have different resting expressions.
grim	<panel | bookish grim>	frame-grim	A nice medium frown. Have you ever played Banner Saga? ;-)
happy	<panel | healer happy>	frame-happy	A smile.
pained	<panel | poet pained>	frame-hit	Getting hit, in pain, also good for facepalming.
joke	<panel | romantic joke>	frame-joke	Ehh? Get it?? Bawdy or silly.
joy	<panel | goofballjoy>	frame-joy	wide open grin.
rage	<panel | hothead rage>	frame-rage	I'm a kill you now.
sad	<panel | poet sad>	frame-sad	Sorrow or concern.
scared	<panel | coward scared>	frame-scared	Alarm or terror
skeptical	<panel | snark skeptical>	frame-skeptical	Unbelieving, unsure, thinking.
surprised	<panel | coward surprised>	frame-surprised	shocked, alarmed, astonished.
talking	<panel | leader talking>	frame-talk	neutral, but mouth is open, speaking.