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Creating Scenarios

A Scenario is a reusable template that sets up a Story. It includes the AI Instructions, Story Cards, starting text, and optionally a questionnaire that lets each player customize the story before it begins.

Important

You don't need to create a Scenario to start playing a custom Story. The easiest way to get started with a custom story if going to the Custom Story wizard or the Create button on the main bar. There, you can make your characters and tell the AI what you want your Story to be about.

Once you start a Story, that Story is private to you only, and you can change anything you want (Story Cards, AI Instructions) in the middle of it, the same way you'd do with a Scenario.

Making a Scenario is a good option if you want other users to play your stories, or if you want to be able to replay a story from the beginning.

1. The Scenario Editor

To create a scenario you need to have a registered account. Go to Create Scenario and you'll find the scenario editor with:

  • Details: Title, description, tags, cover art, and visibility settings.
  • Choices: A questionnaire that players answer before starting.
  • Cards: Story cards that get included in the story.
  • AI Instructions: The system prompt that tells the AI how to behave.
  • Story: The starting text of the story.

2. Details

2.1. Title and Description

The Title is the name of your scenario as it appears on the homepage. Keep it short and evocative.

The Description is your pitch to other users. Here is where you want to communicate the fantasy. What is your scenario about?

2.2. Tags

Tags help players find your scenario. Lowecase and spaces only. Describe the genre, setting, or themes.

Good examples: fantasy, romance, space opera, mystery, slice of life

2.3. Cover Art

You can upload a cover image for your scenario. This is optional but highly recommended for public scenarios — a good cover image makes your scenario stand out.

Supported formats: png, jpg, webp, gif, bmp, tiff.

2.4. Visibility

You have three options

  • Private: Only you can see it. Good for drafts or personal templates.
  • Unlisted: Anyone with the link can play it, but it won't appear on the homepage or searches.
  • Public — Visible to everyone on the homepage. Public scenarios require a title, description, tags, AI instructions, and story text.

2.5 Mature Rating

The mature rating toggle is required if you want to publish scenarios whose Stories are likely to contain NSFW or disturbing content. See our Content Guidelines to understand if your scenario needs it. This toggle is only required for Public or Unlisted scenarios. Note that explicit images cannot be publisheed even in mature scenarios.

3. Choices

Choices allow users to customize the scenario. This allows you to make a questionnaire that players answer before starting the story.

3.1. How Variables Work

Each variable has three parts:

  • Name — An internal identifier like user, name, setting, or conflict. This is what you will use to reference it in your text.
  • Question — The question the player sees, e.g., "What is your character's name?"
  • Options — The choices the player can pick from.

3.2. Using Variables in Text

You can insert your player's choice into your story text, AI instructions, or Cards. To do that wrap the choice name in double curly braces:

{{mc_name}} will be replaced with the player's name.

For example, if you have a variable named mc_name and the player types "Elena," then this story text:

{{mc_name}} stepped into the cold morning air.

becomes:

Elena stepped into the cold morning air.

You can use variables anywhere: in the story, in AI instructions, and in Card names, content, and triggers.

3.3. Option Types

Each option in a variable can be one of two types:

  • Fixed text: A pre-written choice that the player clicks as a button. The value you enter is what gets inserted into the story.
  • User input: A free-text field where the player types their own answer. You can set a placeholder text to guide them (e.g., "Enter a name").

3.4. Option Labels and Option Values

By default, the text you type for a text option is both what the player sees (the label) and what gets inserted into the story (the value).

Sometimes you want these to be different. For example, say you have a {{workplace}} variable. You might want the button to say "A law firm" but insert a long description into the Story text or the AI Instructions. To do that, click the expand arrow next to an option to set a separate label and value:

  • Label: What the player sees on the button.
  • Value: What gets inserted into {{workplace}} when the player picks this option.

This is useful when you want a clean, short button label but want to inject a detailed description into the AI instructions or story.

You can also use {{workplace.label}} to insert only the label into the text. In this case it would be "A law firm".

3.5. Dynamic Questions

Variable questions can reference earlier variables. If you have a variable named mc_name that comes first, a later variable's question can say:

What is {{mc_name}}'s greatest fear?

The question will display with the player's earlier answer filled in, making the questionnaire feel more personal and connected.

Choices are presented to the player in the order they appear in the sidebar. You can drag them to reorder.

4. Cards

Here is where you define your story cards. Here you can include {{variable}} placeholders that get filled in with the player's answers.

For example, a character card might look like:

Name: {{mc_name}}

Content: {{mc_name}} is a {{mc_class}} from {{mc_origin}}. They are known for their {{mc_trait}}.

Each card has:

  • Name: The card's title.
  • Content: The information the AI reads when the card is active.
  • Triggers: Keywords that activate the card (triggers also support {{variable}} placeholders).
  • Mode: Triggers, Pinned, or Disabled (same as in the editor).

5. AI Instructions

Here is where you define the AI Instructions, see the Tutorial's AI Instructions section for details.

Here you can use {{variable}} placeholders. This lets you customize the AI's behavior based on the player's choices. Here is where you can get the most out of the label/value system, feeding several lines of information based on the user's choices.

For example:

You are an expert storyteller helping to continue an interactive story.

Setting: {{setting}}
Tone: {{tone}}

The protagonist is {{mc_name}}.

Instructions:
- Continue the story right where it left off.

6. Story

This is the opening text of the story. It's what the player sees when they start. Like everything else, it supports {{variable}} placeholders.

A good opening should:

  • Set the scene and establish the tone.
  • Introduce the protagonist naturally.
  • End at a moment where the player has a clear choice of what to do next.

A good introductory story also gives the AI a reference point to continue the story forward, which is more important than the AI instructions.

8. Tips

  • Start small. A scenario with 2-3 variables and a short opening is better than a complex one that doesn't work. You can always add more later.
  • Test your scenario. Play through it yourself to make sure the variables work and the story reads naturally.
  • Keep AI instructions lean. The same advice from the Tutorial applies: less is more. Don't overload the AI with instructions.
  • Use pinned cards for essential context. If the AI needs to know something at all times (like the protagonist's name and role), pin that card.
  • Use triggered cards for side characters and lore. This keeps the AI's context budget available for the actual story.
  • Write a strong opening. The first few paragraphs set the tone for the entire story. End on a moment that invites the player to continue.