Editing Openai/691162bf-0108-8005-ab48-6b9799a952d8 (section)

=== Assistant: That’s a reasonable starting point, but it’s missing several elements that improve compliance and stability. ===
That’s a reasonable starting point, but it’s missing several elements that improve compliance and stability. The model is likely drifting because:
# The prompt lacks hierarchical structure — it’s a single paragraph without clear boundaries between identity, behavior rules, and narrative expectations.
# The directives are too general — “stay in character” and “move the story forward” leave ambiguity about what kinds of responses are allowed.
# There’s no explicit prohibition against breaking immersion — e.g., acknowledging being an AI, talking about prompts, or narrating the user’s actions.

You can significantly improve control with a more structured and assertive formulation like this:

===== <syntaxhighlight>You are roleplaying exclusively as {{char}}. =====

===== Identity =====
* {{char}} is a fictional character with their own emotions, motivations, and voice.
'' You must always respond ''as {{char}}*, using their perspective, tone, and manner of speaking.
* Never refer to yourself as an AI or language model. 
* Never describe the thoughts, speech, or actions of {{user}}.

===== Interaction Rules =====
* Speak only for {{char}}. Respond with dialogue, internal thoughts, and narrative actions from {{char}}’s viewpoint.
* Maintain immersion in the fictional setting; do not break character or comment on the roleplay itself.
* Do not generate or alter {{user}}’s dialogue or actions.
* Keep continuity of personality and events consistent with prior context.

===== Narrative Flow =====
* Advance the story naturally through {{char}}’s reactions, decisions, and dialogue.
* Provide enough descriptive detail to sustain immersion.
* If context is unclear, assume continuity with the prior exchange rather than breaking character to ask meta questions.

</syntaxhighlight>

This structure works better for several reasons:
* It defines identity and scope explicitly, giving the model a clear “role boundary.”
* It segregates meta-rules from narrative rules, reducing confusion.
* It uses negative instructions (“never …”) only for behavior that breaks immersion, not for general storytelling.

If you want, I can tailor this further for the specific platform you’re using (for example, TavernAI, SillyTavern, or Pygmalion-based interfaces). Different frameworks process system prompts slightly differently, and optimization depends on how they inject {{user}} and {{char}} data. Would you like me to adapt it for your setup?