What are Story Cards?
Adventure Awaits
Understanding Story Cards
Story Cards are technical notes for the AI regarding characters, locations, concepts, or any other stable elements of your story. In QuestSmith, they act as the “memory bank” for information that should remain consistent throughout the entire adventure. Because the AI has a limited context window, it only consults these cards when they become relevant.
When to Use Story Cards
Use Story Cards for stable facts that won't change frequently during gameplay.
- Capturing Elements: If the AI generates an intriguing NPC or location, create a Story Card so the AI remembers it after it scrolls out of the immediate context.
- Preliminary World-Building: Use them to define your magic system rules, social hierarchies, spaceship layouts, or school schedules before you start playing.
- Fleshing Out Lore: If the AI mentions a place without detail, a Story Card can provide the necessary depth (e.g., “The Black Lanterns are an illegal courier network used by nobles and spies”).
Story Cards vs. Story Beats
It is essential to distinguish between stable information and active events.
| Feature | Story Cards | Story Beats |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Stores stable world facts and lore. | Directs current events and plot changes. |
| Example | [Faction] The Black Lanterns use black wax seals. | The player finds a black wax seal on a desk. |
| Persistence | Stays true throughout the entire story. | Moves the story forward turn by turn. |
How Story Cards Work: The Anatomy
Every Story Card is composed of specific fields that dictate how and when the AI uses the information:
- Triggers: These are words or phrases (usually proper nouns) that tell the AI the card is relevant. If a trigger appears in the player’s input or AI’s output, the card is “activated” and sent into the AI’s memory.
- Entry: This is the core information sent to the AI. It is prefaced with “World Lore:” so the AI knows these are factual instructions.
- Type: Categorizes the card (Character, Location, Item, etc.). This is vital for Character Creator scenarios to determine what options players can select.
- Notes: This field is invisible to the AI. Use it for your own reference or to provide descriptions to the player during character selection.
Best Practices for Writing Entries
To ensure the AI uses your Story Cards effectively without wasting context space, follow these rules:
- Be Concise: Use plain English and short sentences. Story Cards are the first things removed from memory when space runs out.
- Mention the Name: The AI cannot see the “Name” field of the card; you must include the name of the object or person within the Entry itself.
- Primary Bias: Place the most critical information at the very beginning and very end of the Entry.
- Avoid Fluff: Excessive physical detail often leads to the AI repeating descriptions unnecessarily.
Effective Trigger Management
Triggers are the most common source of errors. To master them:
- Formatting: Separate triggers with commas (e.g., Amanda,your daughter).
- Sensitivity: Triggers are case-insensitive but space-sensitive. cat is different from cat.
- Truncation: Using boat as a trigger will also activate the card when the word boats is used.
- Interlinking: You can have Story Cards refer to each other. For example, an Entry for “Amanda” might mention “Jeremy,” which triggers Jeremy's card, creating a network of related lore.
Generating Cards with AI
In QuestSmith, you can use the Story Card Generator to speed up world-building. You can adjust Generator Settings to include your “Story Summary” or specific “AI Instructions” (e.g., “Write in a noir style with punchy sentences”). This ensures the generated cards match the tone and setting of your specific adventure.
Troubleshooting Tip: Always use the Context Viewer to see if your cards are activating correctly. If an entry is too long, the AI may pick and choose only snippets of the information. Keep your entries dense to ensure everything important is read.