Alternative input options (instead of text input) for a chat game

[thomers]

Hello! I'm searching for a Chat UI package that I can extend to allow for the following:

I'm creating a chat game that looks like a messenger app, with group chats and 1-on-1 chats etc. - the difference is that the chat messages that the player "receives" from the chat partners are generated one by one (with delays in between) by the story engine.

At certain points in the story, the user is asked for text input (like his name), and the player can enter any text as his answer (which is shown as a message coming from the user in the chat message list) - his answer is stored as a variable in the story engine and then the story continues.

At other points, the player is asked to select one of n predefined answer options, like in a "choose your own adventure"-style book. This means that he cannot enter text freely, but can only tap one of n (usually 2-4) answer buttons - which creates a message coming from the user as well with that answer option text, continuing the story.

Except at those interaction points where the story does not continue, the user cannot interact or enter input - he just sees the messages coming in one by one.

Basically, I'm looking for options in flutter_chatview to:

• Enable/disable the input bar
• When the input bar is tapped, optionally show the list of predefined answer buttons instead of using the text input field as normal.

How would I approach this?

Thanks, Thomas