{"tab":"ai","section":"generateInitialStart","title":"Initial Start","summary":"Fires on the first scene of a new game only. Controls how the opening scene is constructed: structure, pacing, and first impressions.","kind":"schema","uiLocation":"AI Tasks → Initial Start","uiSubtitle":"\"Initial Start Instructions\"","editor":"Graphical form (labeled textareas)","related":[{"section":"generateStory","note":"ongoing narration task"},{"section":"storyStarts","note":"the starting situation these instructions frame"}],"wikiUrl":"/ai/generateInitialStart","schema":null,"sizeLimits":[{"id":"aiInstructionIndividual","group":"AI Instructions Limits","label":"Each string leaf under a task (`aiInstructions.<task>.<key>`)","measure":"rawChars","enforced":5000,"display":5000,"sections":["ai/aiInstructions","ai/generateStory","ai/generateInitialStart","ai/generateCharacterBackground","ai/generateNPCDetails","ai/generateNPCUpdates","ai/generateLocationDetails","ai/generateRegionDetails","ai/generateFactionDetails","ai/generateEncounters","ai/generateItemGenerationAndUsage","ai/generateActionInfo","ai/generateNPCIntents","ai/generateNewNPC","ai/generateLearnedAbilities"]},{"id":"aiInstructionPerTask","group":"AI Instructions Limits","label":"Per task (`aiInstructions.<task>` total, sum of instruction chars)","measure":"rawChars","enforced":20000,"display":20000,"sections":["ai/aiInstructions","ai/generateStory","ai/generateInitialStart","ai/generateCharacterBackground","ai/generateNPCDetails","ai/generateNPCUpdates","ai/generateLocationDetails","ai/generateRegionDetails","ai/generateFactionDetails","ai/generateEncounters","ai/generateItemGenerationAndUsage","ai/generateActionInfo","ai/generateNPCIntents","ai/generateNewNPC","ai/generateLearnedAbilities"]}],"blocks":[{"type":"example","lang":"json","code":"{\n  \"aiInstructions\": {\n    \"generateInitialStart\": {\n      \"Opening Structure\": \"## Structure\\nBeat 1 — WHO: establish who the character is right now through action or presence, not backstory.\\nBeat 2 — WHERE: set the scene through their senses — what they see and hear.\\nBeat 3 — SITUATION: one active situation already in motion. Do not front-load lore or world history.\\n\\n## Sensory rules\\nVisual and auditory description only. No smell. Olfactory detail is overused — exclude it from the opening scene.\\n\\n## Pacing\\nMatch the register of the storyStart text. Follow the situation as written — do not force conflict into a calm opening or calm into a high-stakes one.\",\n      \"Style Principles\": \"## Style\\nSimple, direct, concrete language. Present tense, third person. Strong verbs, specific nouns. Vary sentence length. Prefer dialogue and action over description.\",\n      \"custom\": \"## World introduction\\nIntroduce world-specific proper nouns with context on first use: 'the merchant guild known as the Silver Scale' — not just 'the Silver Scale'. Assume no prior world knowledge from the player.\"\n    }\n  }\n}"},{"type":"prose","md":"## Fields\n\n### Opening Structure\n\nHow the first scene is constructed: three-beat structure (WHO → WHERE → one active situation), pacing guardrails (follow the starting situation; don't force problems into a calm opening). Include a sensory restriction: **visual and auditory description only — no smell**. Olfactory scene-setting is an overused AI cliché in opening scenes; explicitly banning it here consistently suppresses it.\n\n### Style Principles\n\nProse rules specific to the opening scene. May differ from the ongoing narration style in `generateStory`.\n\n### custom\n\nFirst-scene-only instructions: world introduction pacing, proper noun contextualisation, session opening variety."},{"type":"prose","md":"## Authoring pattern\n\n> **Common issue — NPCs using the player's name on first meeting.** The AI reads the character sheet and will have NPCs address the player by name even before they've introduced themselves. Fix: add to `\"custom\"`: *\"NPCs do not know the player character's name unless it has been spoken aloud or the character has introduced themselves in the current scene.\"* Also add the same rule to `generateStory` → `\"Character Behavior\"` so it persists beyond the first scene.\n\n> **📋 Note:** To mandate a literal opening line or framing device (narrator introduction, in-universe preamble) at the start of every new game, see [Mandated opening content](/appendix/ai-advanced-techniques#mandated-opening-content) in the Advanced AI Techniques appendix."}],"body":"## Example\n\n```json\n{\n  \"aiInstructions\": {\n    \"generateInitialStart\": {\n      \"Opening Structure\": \"## Structure\\nBeat 1 — WHO: establish who the character is right now through action or presence, not backstory.\\nBeat 2 — WHERE: set the scene through their senses — what they see and hear.\\nBeat 3 — SITUATION: one active situation already in motion. Do not front-load lore or world history.\\n\\n## Sensory rules\\nVisual and auditory description only. No smell. Olfactory detail is overused — exclude it from the opening scene.\\n\\n## Pacing\\nMatch the register of the storyStart text. Follow the situation as written — do not force conflict into a calm opening or calm into a high-stakes one.\",\n      \"Style Principles\": \"## Style\\nSimple, direct, concrete language. Present tense, third person. Strong verbs, specific nouns. Vary sentence length. Prefer dialogue and action over description.\",\n      \"custom\": \"## World introduction\\nIntroduce world-specific proper nouns with context on first use: 'the merchant guild known as the Silver Scale' — not just 'the Silver Scale'. Assume no prior world knowledge from the player.\"\n    }\n  }\n}\n```\n\n## Fields\n\n### Opening Structure\n\nHow the first scene is constructed: three-beat structure (WHO → WHERE → one active situation), pacing guardrails (follow the starting situation; don't force problems into a calm opening). Include a sensory restriction: **visual and auditory description only — no smell**. Olfactory scene-setting is an overused AI cliché in opening scenes; explicitly banning it here consistently suppresses it.\n\n### Style Principles\n\nProse rules specific to the opening scene. May differ from the ongoing narration style in `generateStory`.\n\n### custom\n\nFirst-scene-only instructions: world introduction pacing, proper noun contextualisation, session opening variety.\n\n## Authoring pattern\n\n> **Common issue — NPCs using the player's name on first meeting.** The AI reads the character sheet and will have NPCs address the player by name even before they've introduced themselves. Fix: add to `\"custom\"`: *\"NPCs do not know the player character's name unless it has been spoken aloud or the character has introduced themselves in the current scene.\"* Also add the same rule to `generateStory` → `\"Character Behavior\"` so it persists beyond the first scene.\n\n> **📋 Note:** To mandate a literal opening line or framing device (narrator introduction, in-universe preamble) at the start of every new game, see [Mandated opening content](/appendix/ai-advanced-techniques#mandated-opening-content) in the Advanced AI Techniques appendix."}