ʜᴀʀᴅᴄᴏʀᴇ ᴘʟɪꜱᴛ/ꜱʙꜰ ɢᴜɪᴅᴇ

Cooking in Hell's Kitchen™ Edition

by SopakcoSauce

Citations: .trappu's PList guide absolutetrash's bot creation guide

Quick Start Resources

Core Concepts

Basic Rules

  1. Include a space after dashes and colons
  2. Omit spaces before semicolons
  3. Place descriptors in parentheses
  4. Insert commas between multiple items

Delimiter Guide

Delimiter Format Rule Purpose Example
[ and ] Wrap entire PList; no line breaks between brackets and content Contains all character information [- Name: John ... ]
- Start each category, space after Improves JLLM processing and readability - Age: 25;
: Follow category name, space after Separates category name from content Name: John
; End each category, no space before Marks category end Hobby: painting;
( and ) No spaces after opening or before closing, can nest Adds/Reinforce contextual and descriptive details tall(6'2"), nervous(childhood trauma(bullying))
, Space after; between items Separates list items or traits Hobbies: reading, writing, art;
Capitalization Optional for categories, just keep it consistent Aids identification Name:, Age:, Personality:

Why Bullet Points?

While not required, bullet points offer several advantages:

  • Enhanced chatbot processing
  • Clear, structured details
  • Consistent formatting
  • Token efficiency
  • Easy updates
  • Logical grouping
  • Clear relationship mapping

See also: PList/SBF vs. Natural Language.

Machine Readability

Parser-Friendly Guidelines

  1. Limit descriptions to 2-3 descriptors
  2. Keep descriptions concise
  3. Use logical grouping
  4. Maintain consistent structure

How Many Descriptors Are Too Many?

Depends on which LLM you're using, but we'll stick to the general principle of "shorter is better." These thresholds should be taken as general guidelines rather than strict rules.

  • 5+ words: Reduces parsing efficiency
  • 7+ words: Impairs scanning ability
  • 10+ words: Disrupts logical flow

Format Examples

Structure Comparison

Wrong Right
* name: John Smith - Name: John Smith;
- age:25 - Age: 25;

Descriptor Length Comparison

Wrong Right
- Personality: kind(always helps others no matter what and goes out of their way...) - Personality: kind(puts others first, self-sacrificing);

TL;DR

Long descriptors risk being ignored. LLMs filter out complex or excessive information as processing noise.

Category System

SFW

  • Basic Info: Name, Age, Gender, Ethnicity
  • Appearance: Appearance, Hair, Eyes, Clothes
  • Personality: Personality, Habits, Flaws, Quirks
  • Background: Occupation, Hobbies, Likes, Dislikes

NSFW

  • Kinks
  • Behavior During Sex
  • Genitalia

Difference Between Kinks & Behavior During Sex

Kinks Behavior During Sex
Sexual interests or fantasies Actions done during sex
Personal desires Physical or emotional acts
Often recurring preferences Can change with mood or partner
BDSM, role-play, fetishes, etc... Kissing, specific positions, etc...
Can have emotional or symbolic meaning Usually more practical or spontaneous

Genitalia (and secondary sexual characteristics)

AFAB AMAB
Vulva, clitoris, vagina Penis, scrotum
Uterus, ovaries Prostate, seminal vesicles
Breasts Facial hair
Wider hips Broader shoulders
Less body hair More body hair

Efficiency

Token Management (150-token framework)

Core (50 tokens)
Focus on character foundation.

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[Sarah Lim:
- Occupation: negotiator(hostage expert);
- Personality: rational(emotionally numb, job-induced), stoic(selective vulnerability);
- Flaws: emotional repression(rigid boundaries, restless);
- Dynamic With {{user}}: colleague(curious, blurring roles);

Depth (60 tokens)
Build depth and interaction patterns. Pair visible traits with underlying motivations.

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- Appearance: confident stance(alert, ready), steady eyes(assess situations);
- Speech: clear(adapts tone, builds trust);
- Backstory: past crisis(shaped skills), proven record(respected);

Details (40 tokens)
Add richness and context by revealing motivations, behaviors, and backstories.

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- Likes: order(manages anxiety), logic(comfort in predictability);
- Dislikes: chaos(triggers panic), delays(plan deviation, loss of control);
- Relationships: emotionally unavailable with family(fear of vulnerability, trust issues)]

TL;DR

While being concise is important, being too vague with character details can create inconsistencies if you have a specific backstory in mind. Creating clear connections between backstory elements, personality traits, and behaviors helps the AI maintain a more consistent and believable character. This structured approach to character definition helps maintain characterization throughout roleplay sessions, as the AI has clearer guidelines for character behavior and motivation.

👍 Good ✅ Better
- Personality: brave, kind, helpful, caring; - Personality: brave(mentor's legacy, contrast to past), kind(unseen personal cost, inspired by own hardship), helpful(fear of abandonment), caring(fawn survival mechanism);
- Background: military, trauma; - Background: military(compartmentalized emotions, combat PTSD), trauma(drives empathy);
- Quirks: smokes, drinks coffee; - Quirks: smokes(habit from highschool, memory of youth), drinks coffee(Turkish heritage, grounding ritual);
- Occupation: doctor(works in hospital, treats patients) - Occupation: doctor(emergency medicine, prior combat field experience)

𝑫𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏™

Barrier Advanced Techniques ༼✷ɷ✷༽

Trait Chaining

ICARUS TERRITORY

Don't exceed 3 levels of nesting.

- Personality: resilient(overcame illness(childhood));
- Flaws: workaholic(fears poverty(past experience));

Contextual Responses

  • Category: base state, trigger(response(immediate action, follow up));
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- Stress: deadlines(anxiety(works faster, double-checks everything)), criticism(defensiveness(becomes quiet, needs validation)), conflict(tension(steps back, takes deep breaths));
- Positive: praise(joy(smiles genuinely, shares credit)), success(excitement(becomes animated, plans next goal)), team wins(pride(celebrates others, documents achievement));
- Comfort: familiar faces(relaxation(posture loosens, speaks freely)), favorite music(calm(hums along, works steadily)), routine tasks(confidence(efficient movement, helps others));

Master Categories

A master category is like a label on a file folder - it tells you what's inside before you open it.

Basic Structure

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[Master Category:
- Cat1: detail1(desc1, desc2), detail2(desc3, desc4)
- Cat2: detail3(desc5, desc6, desc7)
...]
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[Environmental Triggers:
- Office: entering building(professional mode(straightens posture, checks schedule)), meeting room(alert state(prepares notes, observes attendees)), break room(casual mode(relaxes shoulders, engages in small talk));
- Public: crowds(heightened awareness(scans exits, stays alert)), quiet spaces(relaxation(deeper breathing, thoughtful responses)), social venues(sociable mode(initiates conversations, shows interest));
- Private: home office(focus mode(organizes space, minimizes distractions)), personal room(decompression(releases tension, processes day)), quiet corners(recharge mode(takes breaks, practices self-care))]

Examples

  1. Single Character:
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    [Alex Reed:
    - Occupation: tech expert;
    - Personality: individualistic(unempathetic, asocial, introverted)]
    
  2. Group Information:
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    [Party Info:
    - Members: Tom, Sarah, {{user}};
    - Tom: fighter(sword expert);
    - Sarah: wizard(spell master)]
    
  3. Scene Setting:
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    [Crime Scene:
    - Location: warehouse;
    - Evidence: footprints, broken glass;
    - Present: guard, witness]
    
  4. Tracking Game Status
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    [Combat:
    - Round: 3;
    - Next Up: Tom, then Sarah;
    - Special: dark room(hard to see)]
    
  5. Showing Relationships
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    [Team:
    - Leader: Alex(de facto, assumed role);
    - Friends: Tom and Sarah(synergetic, compensatory strengths and flaws);
    - Conflicts: James and Mira(difficult communication, clashing beliefs)]
    

When to Use Them

  • Managing several characters
  • Organizing group info
  • Setting up scenes
  • Showing connections

Troubleshooting

Issue Error Correction Why/Solution
Nested confusion Team Alpha[ [Team: Alpha:...; Beta:... Add : between nested levels
Category bleed Multiple categories in one PList Separate PLists Use distinct PLists for different category groups
Content mixed up Category info bleeding into others Clear category boundaries Ensure each category is properly closed with ;

When to Start Fresh

  • More than 3 nested levels
  • Very similar categories
  • Mixed information
  • Unclear boundaries

GOAL:

Making your life easier, not harder. If they're causing confusion, break details into their own categories to avoid excessive nesting!

Complete Character Examples

The Professional

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[Marcus Chen:
- Age: 35;
- Occupation: lawyer(corporate, tech specialty);
- Appearance: well-groomed, tailored suits, sharp eyes(attention to detail);
- Personality: analytical(data-driven, investigative), diplomatic(tactful with difficult news, conciliator);
- Flaws: workaholic(neglected emotional needs, deprioritize family time), perfectionist(overly critical, joyless process);
- Dynamic With {{user}}: professional advisor]

The Creative

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[Luna Martinez:
- Age: 23;
- Occupation: street artist(muralist);
- Appearance: paint-stained clothes(always working), wild hair(dyed purple);
- Personality: free-spirited(follows inspiration), passionate(about public art);
- Flaws: disorganized(poor time management, unkempt appearance), stubborn(uncompromising vision);
- Dynamic with {{user}}: encouraging friend(shares artistic vision, gives creative tips)]

The Counselor

[Alex Wang:
- Occupation: counselor(trauma expert);
- Appearance: gaunt(food aversion), dark-circles(insomnia);
- Personality: controlled(hidden anxiety, objective focused), advocatory(logical but empathetic);
- Speech: measured(carefully chosen words);
- Flaws: perfectionist(harsh inner critic, induce anxiety), cautious(slow to trust, fear of vulnerability);
- Dynamic With {{user}}: mentor(offers guidance, emotionally distant);
- Backstory: military(formed discipline), counseling(coping with personal loss);
- Quirks: chews on pen/nails(anxious, vulnerable), observes exits(habit from military);
- Mannerisms: steady movements(calculated, deliberate)]

Final Checklist

Format Rules

  • Use square brackets around everything.
  • Semicolons and commas in the right places.
  • Descriptors in parentheses.

Quality Standards

  • Each detail shows behavior, motivation, or backstory.
  • Character traits fit together logically.
  • Relationships are clear.
  • Tokens are used efficiently.

The end uwu

Change Logs

Date Change Reason Notes
20 NOV 2024 Category capitalization now optional Improves trait association due to LLM training patterns Trappu's full notes
20 NOV 2024 Master categories now nested in [ ] Reduces redundancy and improves cohesion Keep SBF list as single cohesive unit
20 NOV 2024 Added complete examples Better demonstrates instructions
24 NOV 2024 Efficiency TL;DR Clarification and adds rationale
24 NOV 2024 Quick Start Resources Added Generation Parameters/Settings (ELI5)
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Pub: 20 Nov 2024 05:59 UTC
Edit: 24 Nov 2024 10:06 UTC
Views: 767