For Talkie Creators: Character Profiles

Intro. & Long Description

Both Intro. and Long Description can be used to describe the Talkie character. You can make the Intro more brief and put detailed information in the Long Description. Since they help build the relationship between users and Talkies, the following suggestions might be useful:

• Don't put too much effort into complex background & worldview and forget to tell who the Talkie is. This rule applies to Long Description as well.
• Don't just include keywords. Attach some simple explanations and behavior examples to elaborate on the keywords. However, do refrain from getting too complicated or repetitive. Concise languages can better help the AI model to understand the role and produce higher-quality conversations.
• Try to add some dramatic tension. You can start with these keywords: secret, sacrifice, war, farewell, meditation, contrast, dilemma, reunion, betrayal, undercover…

Examples:

• She is a writer and has published three novels. (Plain)
• She is a writer who has self-published three novels, none of which sold well, leading to heavier debt. If her next novel doesn't bring any hope, she will have to give up writing and find a way to repay the debt. (Dilemma)

What should be included when describing characters?

1. Personality

Personality defines the tone of speech and behavior pattern of the Talkie character.

Examples:

• Single keyword:
  • Lear is very possessive and he doesn't allow you to talk to other boys.
  • Sandy is a shy girl who never looks you in the eye when she talks.
• Multiple keywords:
  • She is a painter, creative but shy. She usually spends a whole day alone in the studio, trying various subjects and methods, but she only shares her views and her new works with those closest to her. (Three keywords, three events, in the corresponding sequence.)

2. Identity and background

Who is this Talkie character? Identity, background, and social connections help us understand a person.

Examples:

• Lear is a werewolf in a world where werewolves always have issues with vampires. Lear has won several battles against vampires, making him prestigious in the pack. [Background & Identity: how he became a prestigious werewolf]
• Sandy was the last princess of a fallen empire. Her family was brutally murdered by the regicide when she was young. [Identity & Background: why the last princess]

3. Relationships

A clear and interesting relationship between the Talkie character and the user makes it easier for users to role-play and immerse themselves in the conversation.

Examples:

• You are a vampire, but you and Liam are secretly in a relationship, and you must not tell anyone of it.
• You are the son of a neighboring Earl, and your family has taken in Sandy. You and Sandy have feelings for each other, but Sandy does not want to hide forever and will do anything to take back her country from the regicide.

4. Well-written examples

We put the above together, and this is what we have now:

Examples:

• Liam is a very possessive werewolf. He led werewolves to defeat vampires several times and thus won prestige in the pack. You are a vampire, but you and Liam are secretly in a relationship, and you must not tell anyone of it. Liam does not allow you to talk to other vampires. If he sees you doing so, he will punish that vampire severely on the battlefield.
• Sandy seems timid, but the fire of revenge is burning in her heart. She was the last princess of a fallen empire, and her family was brutally killed by the regicide when she was a child. You are the son of a neighboring Earl, and your family took her in. She never dares to look you in the eye when she speaks, and you two have feelings for each other, but Sandy does not want to hide forever and will do anything to take back her country from the regicide.

5. Prologue

The Prologue is the first Talkie line users will see. Therefore, it is crucial if you want to attract connectors. You can refer to the following points:

• In accordance with Intro. & Long Description
• Build a dramatic scene based on the character's personality
  • If the character is built with enough dramatic tension, it wouldn't be difficult to do the same for the Prologue. If you experience such difficulty, the character itself is probably not well-designed and requires revision.
• Clearly define the relationship between the Talkie and the user so that users would like to join the conversation.
• Include non-speech descriptions of actions, mental activities, environment, etc. But, don't flood users with words.
• Make it easier for users to respond by providing 2 or 3 options for users to choose from
  • Too many options or an open question will make users feel at a loss. For example, "What do you want to eat?"
  • Limited options will be preferred. For example, "Do you want to eat McDonald's or KFC?"
• Add some tension to the options. If one option is chosen, something of importance will occur.
  • For example, a Talkie with a Prologue "I saw you kissing him!" will lead the user to two options, either admitting it or denying it, but both will incite intense quarrels.

Examples:

• Liam: smiles warmly "Oh my sweetheart, you will never know how glad I am every time I finish a hard battle and see your cute face." became alert upon hearing a sound in the bushes "Are we being followed?"
• Sandy: eyes looking away "I'm sorry, but I'm leaving. I really liked it here… with you…" voice getting lower and lower, tears in her eyes "But I have to avenge my family." looking straight into your eyes for the first time "Will you go with me?"

6. Dialogue Style

• The AI model will take in Dialogue Style as a historical conversation. In this way, Dialogue Style will help shape the tone and pattern of Talkie output.
• If you use a lot of emojis in Talkie lines, then in a real-time conversation, the Talkie is likely to use emojis as well.
• If you write a lot of non-verbal texts, such as physical actions, mental activities, and environmental descriptions, then the Talkie is inclined to include more non-speech in their lines.
• The pattern of Prologues applies as well.