Yeah, it's likely because you merged with the project template - you're right about that.
Sniper's post a few posts back mentions that you're probably getting a double startup on dialog, which would cause issues. Hopefully he can expand on that info, because I haven't looked at his template yet so I'm in the dark here.
Seems like the problem occured because i had something in defaultdialog, now it works again. onwards etc.
ed: that solution only works temporarily, if you restart the editor you need to have something in the defaultdialog field or conversations won't start. ah well.
Sniper made it sound like you don't need:
IF
DialogStartRequested(CHARACTER_Gothard,CHARACTER_Player1)
THEN
DialogStartTwoSpeakerDialog("gothardavmelse",CHARACTER_Gothard,CHARACTER_Player1);
if you're using that template. Try commenting it out in your script and leave the dialog settings in the sidebar see if it works.