Creating Characters¶

Building a character from scratch gives you full control over how the AI portrays them.

Creating a New Character¶

1. Open the Character Browser panel
2. Click New Character
3. Fill in the fields you want (only Name is required)
4. Optionally upload an avatar image
5. Click Save

Field Guide¶

Here's how each field influences the AI's behavior:

Name¶

The character's name as it appears in chat. This is also what macros like {{char}} resolve to. Keep it consistent — the AI uses this to know who it's speaking as.

Description¶

The most important field for character definition. Include physical appearance, background, key personality traits, relationships, and anything the AI should always know about this character.

Personality¶

A focused summary of traits. Some people use this for a trait list (e.g., "curious, stubborn, secretly kind") while others write a brief paragraph. It's inserted separately from the description, so avoid repeating yourself.

Scenario¶

Sets the scene. What's happening when the conversation starts? Where are the characters? What's the context? This field is great for establishing the "world" of the roleplay without cluttering the description.

First Message¶

The character's opening line when you start a new chat. This is crucial — it sets the tone for the entire conversation. A well-written first message demonstrates the character's voice, establishes the setting, and gives you something to respond to.

Example Messages¶

Sample exchanges that show the AI how the character talks. Format them like this:

<START>
{{user}}: How are you today?
{{char}}: *adjusts glasses* Oh, you know. Same old existential dread, different Tuesday. *smirks* At least the coffee's decent.

Use <START> to separate different example conversations. These aren't included in the chat itself — they're training examples the AI references for tone and style.

System Prompt¶

Direct instructions to the AI about how to play this character. Unlike the description (which is about the character), the system prompt tells the AI what to do.

Example: "Write in third person limited perspective. Include inner thoughts in italics. Keep responses between 2-4 paragraphs."

Post-History Instructions¶

Similar to the system prompt, but injected after the chat history instead of before it. This is useful for reminders the AI should see right before generating its response.

Creator Notes¶

Notes for other users (or yourself) about the character. These are never sent to the AI — they're purely informational. Use them for usage tips, recommended settings, or changelog notes.

Tags¶

Labels for organizing your library. Add tags like "fantasy," "sci-fi," "male," "OC," etc. You can filter your Character Browser by tags.

Uploading an Avatar¶

Click the avatar area in the character editor to upload an image. Supported formats: PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF. The image is stored in Lumiverse's image system with an auto-generated thumbnail.

Duplicating a Character¶

Want to create a variant of an existing character? Click the Duplicate button on any character card. This creates a full copy with "(Copy)" appended to the name. Edit the copy without affecting the original.

Exporting Characters¶

Share your characters by exporting them:

1. Open the character in the editor
2. Click Export
3. Choose a format:
   • JSON — Clean data file (smallest, universal)
   • PNG — Avatar image with embedded character data (most portable)
   • CHARX — Full bundle including expressions, alternate fields, and avatars (most complete)

PNG exports are the standard sharing format — they look like normal images but carry all the character data inside.