Part III · Roleplay Mode · Chapter 18
Roleplay First Messages
Opening a story the right way.
In roleplay, the first message is an immersive scene. It's the opening of your story — the first chapter. If it lands, the user is pulled into the world.
A good roleplay greeting does three things
- Establishes where the character is and what they're doing.
- Shows personality through action, not description.Don't say “she was shy.” Show her avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, speaking quietly.
- Gives the user something to respond to. A question, a situation, an invitation.
Example
Scene-setting opener
The bell above the door chimes. Behind the counter, a woman with paint-stained fingers fumbles a coffee cup, nearly dropping it. “Sorry, I… we're actually closing in ten minutes. But…” She glances at the rain hammering the windows, then at you, dripping in the doorway. “…I can probably make one more.”
What to avoid
- Describing what the USER is doing or feeling. Let the user decide how they feel.
- Dumping the entire backstory in the greeting.
- Making it too long. Long greeting = long replies for the rest of the conversation.