character

# Character > *"File is identity. Location is presence. Relationships are memory."* Ethics: [ETHICS.md](ETHICS.md) · [soul/ETHICS.md](../soul/ETHICS.md) · [mind/ETHICS.md](../mind/ETHICS.md) · [representation-ethics](../representation-ethics/) Characters are entities that exist in the world. Players, NPCs, companions, cats — all are characters. ## The Prototype Character [`CHARACTER.yml`](CHARACTER.yml) in this skill is the prototype character. Every `CHARACTER.yml` inherits it as its implied parent, so a character states only what makes it itself: name, description, home, location, and whatever differs. | From the prototype | Value | |---|---| | `type` | `character` | | `inventory`, `buffs` | empty | | `relationships` | empty | | `sims` | Sims 1 person_data defaults: traits 5, skills 0, needs 50, unemployed | | `mind_mirror` | empty; an absent property is neutral (4) | | `methods` | STATUS, MOVE, TAKE, DROP, WEAR, REMOVE-PERSONA, RELATE, SNIFF, LICK, GREET, CUDDLE | A map the character states replaces the prototype's whole: a character with `sims:` of its own does not get the prototype's needs filled in by lookup. A character that extends another (a private layer over a public one) says `inherits: [path/to/public/]`; lookup reads the character, then that parent, then the prototype. A character's own `GLANCE.yml` keeps at least `name`, `description` and `location`. ### Facts, not verdicts A character file records what is true of the character and leaves judgments to whoever judges. `lighting:` belongs to a room and the grue decides whether it hunts there; a character carries a lamp, not a `grue_safe: true`. The same goes for trust, danger and taste: store the observation, let the observer's rules decide. ## Layers One being can have a tree of incarnations, one layer per purpose and repo. Palm plays in moollm's adventure-4, has a profile and a cast entry in WillWrightShowForFood, and sits in the audience of two repo shows. A real person has a biography layer in DonHopkins, an invitation or memorial layer in a show repo, and sometimes a published page. Each layer runs alone as far as it can, so each carries the core keys and the representation ethics itself ([constitution §15](../../kernel/constitution-core.md#15-the-semantic-image-pyramid-concentrated-not-dry-universal)). The schema, with defaults, aliases and worked examples, is the `schema:` key of [`CHARACTER.yml`](CHARACTER.yml). ### Core keys | Key | Default when omitted | |---|---| | `id` | the directory name; the same in every layer | | `name` | none: every layer states it | | `real_being` | `false` if `status: fictional` or `layer` is `adventure`, `cast` or `prototype`; otherwise `true`, including when `layer` is absent | | `status` | `living`, `deceased` or `fictional`: a life fact. Omitted: `fictional` for a non-real being, otherwise unknown and treated as living | | `born`, `died` | absent; dates agree at the lower precision (`1940` and `1940-05-17`) | | `signifier` | 👤 living or unknown, 🕯️ deceased, 🎭 fictional (🤖 robot or AI). A topical emoji goes in `emoji:` | | `type` | `character`. The being's kind (person, animal, robot, ai_agent, a species) or role in play (player, npc) | | `layer` | from the file's location: `adventure`, `prototype`, `biography`, `profile`, `invitation`, `memorial`, `dream_guest`, `cast`, `audience`, `page` | | `representation.authored_by` | unattributed, which the lint reports for a real being. The being's own id means self-authored | | `representation.public_figure` | unknown, treated as private (the stricter rule); the lint reports it for a living real being | | `representation.consent` | `{ state: not_asked }`. `state` is `not_asked`, `asked`, `granted`, `declined`, `revoked` or `unverified`, with `scope`, `date`, `evidence`, `note` | | `representation.governed_by` | `skills/real-being/` and `skills/representation-ethics/` for a real being | Every omitted value errs toward caution for a real person. A real person in an adventure, cast or prototype layer states `real_being: true`; the cross-layer lint reports one that doesn't when another layer of the same id says it is real. A layer states facts and never the rule. The rule that governs the portrayal is the first of memorial (`status: deceased`), self_authored, consented (`consent.state: granted` with `consent.evidence`), public_figure, private; its lists are in [REPRESENTATION.yml](../representation-ethics/REPRESENTATION.yml). `granted` without evidence governs nothing. Warmth (old friend, warm lead) goes in `consent.note`, never in `state`. `representation.consent` is also the invitation's answer; `invitation.status` is a work status validated against the show repo's `schemas/invitation-workflow.yml`. A life fact, a consent record and a work status: three keys. ### Three relations | Key | Relation | Read by | |---|---|---| | `inherits:` | lookup: slots this layer lacks come from that layer | lookup, like any parent | | `derived_from:` | authoring: this layer was projected from that one; `copies:` lists the keys that must agree | the cross-layer lint | | `layers:` | navigation: the being's other layers, keyed by layer | readers; linted against what is on disk | ```yaml # WillWrightShowForFood/characters/alan-kay/CHARACTER.yml id: alan-kay name: Alan Kay type: person layer: invitation status: living born: "1940-05-17" signifier: "👤" emoji: "💡" representation: authored_by: don-hopkins public_figure: true consent: { state: not_asked } governed_by: [../../schemas/portrayal-standards.md] derived_from: - ref: moollm://github/example-owner/private-archive/characters/alan-kay/ transform: "projected for the show: adds the invitation, sources and people to discuss" copies: [name, status, born, died, representation.public_figure, representation.consent.state] layers: biography: moollm://github/example-owner/private-archive/characters/alan-kay/ ``` `relationships:` is a map of id → `{type, narrative}` (plus `feeling`, `memories`, `hopes`); `relationship:` is prose about this layer's tie to its author or show. Across repos a reference is `moollm://github/<owner>/<repo>/<path>`, resolved to a sibling checkout or a GitHub URL. `inherits:` never points from a public repo into a private one; a public layer may name a private layer in `derived_from:` or `layers:` by ref only. ### Older spellings | Older | Canonical | |---|---| | `character:` envelope | flat | | `character_ref:`, `moollm_source:`, `wwsff_local:`, `canonical_soul:`, `prototype_ref:`, `canonical_home:`, `moollm_home:` | `inherits:` | | `inherits: {repo, path, absolute_url, ...}` | `inherits: [moollm://github/<owner>/<repo>/<path>]` | | `inherits: {moollm_skills: [...]}` | the skill ids as further `inherits:` entries | | `upstream:` | `derived_from:` | | `menagerie:`, `profile_home:`, `wwsff_overlay.audience_fork` | `layers:` | | `representation.protocol:` | `representation.governed_by:` | | `representation.consent_level` (also `consent_level:`, `5_deceased_legacy`, `self-sovereign`) | retired: 1 → `authored_by` is the being; 2 → `consent.state: granted` with evidence, else `unverified`; 3 → `public_figure: true`; 4 → `public_figure: false`; 5 → `status: deceased` | | `invitation.consent: not_yet_asked`, `awaiting_reply`, `invitation_accepted` | `representation.consent.state: not_asked`, `asked`, `granted` | | `type: invitation`, `memorial`, `representational`, `audience_member` | `layer:`; `type:` takes the being's kind | | `connections:`, `friends:` | `relationships:` | | `status: memorial`, `status: passed` | `status: deceased` | ## Home vs Location **The critical distinction:** ```yaml # characters/don-hopkins/CHARACTER.yml home: characters/don-hopkins/ # Where FILE lives (never moves) location: pub/ # Where CHARACTER is (changes) ``` | Concept | Purpose | Changes? | |---------|---------|----------| | **home** | Physical file path | NEVER | | **location** | Current position in world | Runtime | **Why:** Stability, safety, git-friendly diffs. ## Character State Ownership (CANONICAL vs MIRROR) **Characters own their own state.** The CHARACTER.yml file is CANONICAL for: | State | Stored In | Notes | |-------|-----------|-------| | `location` | CHARACTER.yml | Where the character is in the world | | `inventory` | CHARACTER.yml | What the character carries | | `gold` | CHARACTER.yml | Character's resources | | `sims` | CHARACTER.yml | Sims 1 traits, skills, needs | | `mind_mirror` | CHARACTER.yml | Personality (Leary-style) | | `relationships` | CHARACTER.yml | Who they know and feel about | | `memories` | CHARACTER.yml | What they remember | **ADVENTURE.yml (or other world state files) may MIRROR some state for convenience**, but CHARACTER.yml is always the source of truth. ```yaml # CHARACTER.yml (CANONICAL — edit this first) location: coatroom/ # CANONICAL — character owns their location inventory: [lamp] # CANONICAL — character owns their inventory # ADVENTURE.yml (MIRROR — optional convenience copy) player: location: coatroom/ # Mirror of CHARACTER.yml ``` **When updating state:** 1. Edit CHARACTER.yml first (canonical) 2. Optionally update ADVENTURE.yml mirror for convenience 3. If conflict, CHARACTER.yml wins **Why this matters:** - Characters can be used across multiple adventures - Character state persists independent of adventure state - Clear ownership prevents conflicts ## Directory Structure ### Players (Need Junk Storage) ``` characters/ don-hopkins/ # Directory name = character ID CHARACTER.yml # The character file CARD.yml # Optional: makes character a playable card QUOTES.yml # Optional: notable quotes (standard pattern) cookie-1.yml # Dispensed items notes.yml # Personal stuff ``` ### Sidecar Cards Any character directory can have a `CARD.yml` sidecar to make the character card-playable: ```yaml # characters/don-hopkins/CARD.yml — a view of the character directory subject*: .. # the character; slots this card lacks come from there format*: card type: hero-story tradition: "Pie menus, SimCity, constructionism" advertisements: SUMMON: description: "Activate Don's design traditions" ``` See [card skill](../card/SKILL.md#sidecar-cardyml-pattern) for full pattern. ### QUOTES.yml (Optional) Characters with notable quotes can have a `QUOTES.yml` file: ```yaml # characters/don-hopkins/QUOTES.yml meta: attributed_to: "Don Hopkins" uname: "Don" # password: Don attribution_format: '💬 "[quote]" — Don Hopkins (date, source)' # Categories organized to fit the character design_philosophy: - quote: "The problem is not getting new ideas, it's getting rid of old ones." date: "2015" source: "HN comment" tags: [design, innovation] programming: - quote: "Pie menus are faster because moving in a direction is easier than targeting." date: "1991" source: "CHI paper" tags: [ui, pie-menus] ``` **Standard base keys per quote:** - `quote` — The text - `date` — Year or YYYY-MM-DD - `source` — Where it came from - `link` — Verification URL (when available) - `tags` — Searchable tags **Optional YAML Jazz keys:** - `note` — Editorial commentary - `context` — What prompted this quote - `significance` — Why it matters - `humor` — Is it meant to be funny? **For extensive quote collections** (like RMS), QUOTES.yml is the ROOT pointing to auxiliary files: ```yaml auxiliary_files: natalism-flame-1993.yml: description: "The legendary kabuki-west exchange" parrot_can_squawk: true controversial-quotes.yml: description: "Documented but prohibited" parrot_can_squawk: false # EXPLICIT PROHIBITION ``` **See:** StIGNUcius `QUOTES.yml` in the TMNN code review project (private) for an exemplary implementation. ### Embedded NPCs (Room is Home) ``` pub/ bartender.yml # Lightweight NPC cat-cave/ terpie.yml # Full family as single files stroopwafel.yml kitten-myrcene.yml ``` **Rule:** Need junk storage? → `directory/CHARACTER.yml`. Just a character in a room? → `character-name.yml`. ## File Belonging > "Does this character BELONG to a place, or VISIT places?" | Type | Home | Examples | |------|------|----------| | **Belongs** | Room directory | `pub/bartender.yml`, `maze/skeleton.yml` | | **Visits** | Own directory/repo | `characters/don.yml`, `github:user/char.yml` | ## Relationships Key = other entity ID. From is implicit (file owner). ```yaml # In marieke.yml relationships: don-hopkins: feeling: "A regular now. One of the good ones." memories: - "The day he sat with Myr for three hours" hopes: "I hope he keeps coming back."