NovelAI - Using Special Symbols

P Gatcomb
1 Oct 202324:28

TLDRToday's video explores NovelAI's special symbols, offering precise control over story elements. From action cues with arrows to sound effects with asterisks, the video demonstrates how to manipulate narrative flow, character thoughts, and scene transitions. It also covers advanced features like 'asterisms' for story termination and style adaptation, as well as 'knowledge tags' for specific topics, providing a versatile toolkit for writers to enrich their storytelling.

Takeaways

  • 😀 NovelAI's special symbols can be used to control various aspects of a story, providing a more nuanced narrative experience.
  • 🔍 The 'k-rah' model is highlighted as the latest and greatest in NovelAI, as of September 2023, for its advanced capabilities.
  • 📚 Output length can be adjusted to make the narrative generation process simpler and more tailored to the user's needs.
  • ➡️ The use of arrows (→) within the text can signal actions or movements, especially when text-based adventure mode is enabled.
  • 💥 Asterisks (*) can be used to denote sound effects, adding an auditory layer to the story being generated.
  • 🗨 Quotation marks can be substituted with other symbols like asterisks or chevrons to represent dialogue or inner thoughts.
  • 💭 Chevrons (>>) are used to represent a character's inner dialogue, distinguishing it from spoken lines.
  • 🔚 The 'dingus' (three asterisks ***) signifies the end of a scene or chapter, prompting a transition to a new part of the story.
  • ✂️ The 'asterism' allows for the termination of the current story and the generation of a new, stylistically consistent narrative.
  • 🛠 Curly braces {} are used to give the AI specific instructions, influencing the direction and content of the story.
  • 🔖 Spaced brackets [] are utilized to provide the AI with context or information without explicitly stating it in the narrative.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is the use of special symbols in NovelAI to control various aspects of a story.

  • What is the specific model of NovelAI discussed in the video?

    -The video discusses the use of 'k-rah', which is described as the latest and greatest model of NovelAI as of September 2023.

  • What does NovelAI do when it encounters an arrow symbol in the text?

    -When NovelAI encounters an arrow symbol, it recognizes it as an action of a character or player in the story, and it processes the text accordingly.

  • Why is it necessary to enable text-based adventure mode when using arrow symbols?

    -Text-based adventure mode needs to be enabled for NovelAI to correctly interpret and process the arrow symbols as actions within the story.

  • What effect does using an asterisk symbol have on the story generated by NovelAI?

    -Using an asterisk symbol in NovelAI is recognized as a sound effect, and the AI generates text that corresponds to the sound described.

  • How can quotation marks be replaced for indicating quotes in NovelAI?

    -In NovelAI, quotation marks can be replaced with asterisks or chevrons to indicate quotes, with the AI interpreting the context to understand it as a quote.

  • What is the purpose of using chevron symbols in NovelAI?

    -Chevron symbols in NovelAI are used to denote inner dialogue or thoughts of a character, which are not spoken out loud but are part of the narrative.

  • What does the 'dingus' symbol represent in NovelAI?

    -The 'dingus' symbol, represented by three asterisks, signifies the end of a moment or chapter in NovelAI, prompting the AI to move on to the next scene.

  • What is the function of the 'asterism' tool in NovelAI?

    -The 'asterism' tool in NovelAI, when used, terminates the current story and prompts the AI to generate a new, unrelated story while retaining the style of the previous text.

  • How can curly braces be used to give instructions to NovelAI?

    -Curly braces in NovelAI are used to provide instructions to the system, such as continuing the scene in a certain way or setting specific conditions for the story to follow.

  • What is the role of spaced brackets in NovelAI?

    -Spaced brackets in NovelAI are used to define comments or information that the AI should remember without explicitly stating it out loud in the narrative.

  • How can knowledge tags be utilized in NovelAI to influence the story?

    -Knowledge tags in NovelAI are used to provide the AI with specific topics or information that it should incorporate into the story, influencing the narrative based on the given context.

  • What is the purpose of using horizontal dashes in the script for NovelAI?

    -Horizontal dashes in the script for NovelAI are used to switch the mode into 'telling the AI stuff', allowing the user to input information or context that the AI can use to generate the story.

  • How can forum posts be simulated in NovelAI?

    -Forum posts can be simulated in NovelAI by using equal signs to create a title for the post and then entering the content as if it were a forum discussion, with the AI generating responses as different forum users.

  • What does the double hashtag symbol do in NovelAI?

    -The double hashtag symbol in NovelAI is used to comment out a line of text, telling the AI to ignore that line in the narrative without deleting it from the script.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Advanced AI Storytelling Techniques

This paragraph introduces the video's focus on utilizing special symbols in an AI storytelling tool to control narrative elements. The speaker discusses switching to a preferred module, 'Stellians,' setting a longer output length, and using arrows to indicate character actions, which the AI interprets when text-based adventure mode is enabled. The paragraph also touches on sound effects denoted by asterisks and the use of alternative quotes for dialogue.

05:01

📚 Navigating AI's Special Symbols for Storytelling

The speaker explores various special symbols in Novel AI, such as the use of chevrons for inner dialogue, differentiating between a character's thoughts and spoken words. The paragraph delves into the functionality of 'dingus' to signify the end of a scene or chapter, allowing for transitions in time or location. It also mentions the 'asterism' tool for ending a story abruptly and starting anew, while retaining the narrative style.

10:02

🎲 Leveraging Curly Braces and Brackets for AI Instructions

This section explains how to use curly braces to give the AI specific instructions for continuing the story in a desired manner. It contrasts with the use of spaced brackets to provide the AI with context or background information without explicitly stating it in the narrative. The speaker demonstrates how these tools can influence the AI's output, such as setting a scene in a 'creepy basement' or defining the style as 'poetry' or 'purple prose'.

15:07

🏷️ Utilizing Knowledge Tags and Character Perspectives

The speaker introduces 'knowledge tags' that allow the AI to write about specific topics, such as 'wrestling in the United States' or 'video games from the early 1990s,' even incorporating them into character perspectives. The paragraph also discusses using names to set character viewpoints and the option to remove tags post-generation to maintain narrative coherence.

20:08

📝 Creating Lore and Context with AI Tools

This part of the script discusses using dashes to switch the AI into 'telling the AI stuff' mode, allowing the input of character backgrounds and attributes directly into the narrative. The speaker also mentions the addition of forum posts and RPG stat rolls to enrich the story's context and suggests being cautious with the amount of information provided to avoid losing narrative context.

🎨 Customizing Story Elements with Special Symbols

The final paragraph covers additional tools such as the use of the em dash for stat rolls in RPG narratives, the utilization of the double hashtag to comment out text for the AI to ignore but not delete, and the mention of author notes for genre and title. The speaker emphasizes the power and variety of these symbols, encouraging viewers to consult the documentation for further insights.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡NovelAI

NovelAI is a term referring to a type of artificial intelligence designed to assist in the creation of narratives, often used in writing software to generate text based on certain parameters. In the context of the video, NovelAI is the software being discussed, which uses special symbols to control various aspects of story generation.

💡Special Symbols

In the video, special symbols are specific characters or combinations of characters that have unique functions within the NovelAI software. They are used to direct the AI's behavior, such as indicating actions, sound effects, or scene changes, and are crucial for users looking to fine-tune their story output.

💡Action

The term 'action' in the script refers to events or activities that characters perform within a story. The NovelAI software recognizes actions when they are preceded by an arrow symbol (->), allowing the AI to generate narrative text that describes what the character is doing, as shown in the example 'I pick up the blue potion'.

💡Sound Effects

Sound effects in the context of the video are ways to add auditory elements to the story. The script mentions using asterisks (*) to indicate sound effects, such as 'Kaboom' for an explosion or 'smack' for an impact, which the NovelAI software interprets and incorporates into the narrative.

💡Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used in writing to denote dialogue or quoted speech. The video explains that NovelAI can recognize alternative symbols, such as asterisks, as indicators of quotes, allowing for stylistic variations in how dialogue is presented in the generated text.

💡Chevrons

Chevrons (>>) are used in the NovelAI software to denote inner dialogue or thoughts of a character. The script illustrates this with an example where the character's inner thought is distinguished from their spoken words, adding depth to the narrative by revealing their private thoughts.

💡Dingus

A 'dingus' in the video refers to a set of three asterisks (***) used to signify the end of a scene or moment in time within the story. It serves as a transition tool, allowing the AI to move on to a new scene or narrative direction.

💡Asterism

An 'asterism' is a term used in the video to describe the action of using a special symbol to terminate a story and start a new one while retaining the style of the previous text. This feature is useful for writers who want to experiment with different narratives while maintaining a consistent tone or voice.

💡Curly Braces

Curly braces ({ }) in the script are used to give the NovelAI system instructions or to influence the direction of the story. They can be used to set the scene, describe character actions, or guide the AI in a specific narrative direction, as demonstrated when instructing the AI to 'continue the scene as a rap'.

💡Spaced Brackets

Spaced brackets ([ ]) are used to provide the AI with information or context without explicitly stating it in the narrative. The video shows how they can be used to define a time period, setting, or other elements that the AI should remember and incorporate into the story without directly mentioning them.

💡Knowledge Tags

Knowledge tags are a feature in NovelAI that allows users to specify topics or areas of expertise for the AI to write about. The script demonstrates using tags like 'wrestling in the United States' or 'video games from the early 1990s' to guide the AI's content generation towards specific subjects.

Highlights

Introduction to NovelAI's special symbols for story control.

Using 'k-rah' model for demonstration, the latest as of September 2023.

Enabling text-based adventure mode for arrow symbols to be recognized.

Asterisks used for sound effects like 'Kaboom' in stories.

Emphasizing dialogue with asterisks to denote sound effects.

Alternative quotes using asterisks and chevrons for character speech and thoughts.

Chevrons to represent inner dialogue of characters.

Dingus symbol to indicate the end of a moment or chapter in the story.

Combining dingus with new locations to transition scenes.

Asterism to terminate the story and start afresh while retaining the style.

Curly braces for giving instructions to the AI system.

Spaced brackets to tell the AI to remember information without saying it out loud.

Using brackets to define scene characteristics like time and location.

Defining styles within the story using brackets, such as 'poetry' or 'purple prose'.

Utilizing knowledge tags for the AI to write about specific subjects.

Creating chapter titles using the AI's capabilities.

Describing character names and attributes within the story context.

Using horizontal dashes to input information for the AI to remember and use in the story.

Forum post structure within the story using equal signs and character names.

Em dash for representing stat rolls in RPG-style narrative.

Author's commentary tool to add context or style to the story.

Double hashtag to comment out text for the AI to ignore but not delete.