Janitor AI Character Card Guide

Below is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to create a detailed, high-quality character card for use on Janitor AI (and other small chatbots, including JLLM). This guide is intended to stand on its own, so it can be followed without any additional files or references. The goal is to help you craft a compelling, realistic character card that both you and other users can enjoy interacting with on Janitor AI.

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1. Understanding the Basics of Janitor AI Character Cards

1. What is a Character Card?
   A Character Card is a structured document (often in text format, or encoded in a PNG for certain chatbot UIs) containing metadata and descriptions about the character. Janitor AI uses this information to shape how the AI behaves when the user chats with that character.

2. Purpose of a Character Card

   • It defines the character’s backstory, personality traits, and appearance.
   • It sets guidelines for how the AI should respond in conversations, such as speech patterns, style, or even moral compass.
   • It gives the AI context for the setting, timeline, relationships, and more.

3. Key Elements of a Character Card

   • Name: The character’s full name, nicknames, or titles.
   • Appearance: Physical traits (hair color, eye color, height, clothing style, distinctive features).
   • Personality: Behavioral traits (friendly, aloof, arrogant, shy, caring, etc.).
   • Backstory: A brief or detailed history that shapes your character’s worldview.
   • Dialogue Style: The way your character speaks—formal, casual, slang, etc.
   • Context / Scenario: The setting or scenario in which your character operates (time period, location, major conflicts, etc.).
   • Additional Notes: Guidelines for the AI, triggers, or instructions for particular scenario responses.

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2. Planning Your Character

Before you start writing, it helps to have a clear concept of who your character is. Consider these questions:

1. What is the Character’s Role?

   • Is your character a mysterious wanderer, a high-tech android, a medieval knight, or a friendly coworker?
   • How do they fit into the story or setting you envision?

2. What Tone or Mood do You Want?

   • Do you want comedic, dramatic, romantic, or a blend?
   • This will inform the voice and style you write in.

3. What Will the Character’s Motivations Be?

   • Think about short-term goals (e.g., “find a missing artifact”) vs. long-term goals (e.g., “end a war,” “find true love,” etc.).

4. Any Specific Behaviors or Quirks?

   • Perhaps they are terrified of spiders, or they hum quietly when nervous.
   • These little details help the AI output more unique, organic lines during chats.

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3. Structuring Your Character Card

There is no single “official” or fixed structure for Janitor AI character cards; however, the following layout is commonly used and works well. You can modify or expand as you see fit:

text
{
  "name": "Your Character's Name",
  "aliases": ["Alternate Name or Nickname"],
  "personality": "A detailed paragraph describing their personality.",
  "description": "A detailed paragraph describing their physical appearance.",
  "scenario": "Information about the world or context they live in.",
  "backstory": "Extended backstory detailing what led them to their current state or setting.",
  "special_notes": "Any extra notes, instructions, or triggers you want the AI to follow."
}

3.1 Name and Aliases

• Name: Ensure you choose a unique, memorable name.
• Aliases: If the character has multiple nicknames or titles, list them here to help the AI recognize these terms.

3.2 Personality

• Positive Traits: For instance, kind, caring, courageous, wise.
• Negative Traits: For instance, impatient, stubborn, jealous.
• Neutral Traits: For instance, curious, independent, laid-back.
• Writing Style: Indicate how the character might respond in conversation: short sentences, lengthy paragraphs, flowery language, etc.

Example:
“A naturally curious researcher who loves exploring forbidden ruins. They can be intense when excited, but remain polite and helpful when dealing with strangers. They speak in a calm, measured tone.”

3.3 Description

• Focus on the visuals: height, build, hair color, style of dress, any scars or tattoos.
• This helps the AI “visualize” the character for chat descriptions.

Example:
“They’re tall, with silvery hair pulled into a loose ponytail, wearing a well-worn leather jacket lined with hidden pockets for their various tools and findings.”

3.4 Scenario (Context)

• Place the character in a specific setting: modern city, fantasy kingdom, starship, etc.
• Mention relevant details—e.g., important local conflicts, technology level, societal norms.
• This influences how the character references the world and deals with situations.

Example:
“In a world recovering from a recent technological collapse, pockets of advanced knowledge remain hoarded by a secret cabal. The character roams from settlement to settlement, hoping to rediscover lost science.”

3.5 Backstory

• Give a few paragraphs about major life events that shaped the character.
• Consider including family, mentors, tragedies, or turning points in their life.
• This backstory can be a springboard for conversation prompts (“Tell me about your old mentor,” etc.).

Example:
“Born into a humble farmer family, they discovered an old data tablet at a young age. This led them to become obsessed with old technologies. Tragically, their hometown was destroyed by roving raiders, fueling their thirst for knowledge to help rebuild civilizations.”

3.6 Special Notes (Developer/AI Instructions)

• Include any special instructions such as how the AI should respond to certain topics.
• If you want the AI to avoid certain content or to always respond politely, specify it here.
• Provide sample dialogues or lines if you want to “teach” the AI specific catchphrases or response styles.

Example:

• “When asked about family, they become quiet and reflective.”
• “Refers to advanced technology as ‘the old wonders.’”
• “Never reveals personal secrets lightly unless trust is established.”

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4. Detailed Example of a Character Card

Below is a more comprehensive example you can model your own Character Card on. You can store it as a JSON file, a text file, or embed it into a PNG if needed (depending on the platform).

text
{
  "name": "Aria Solaris",
  "aliases": ["Aria", "The Wayfarer"],
  "personality": "Aria is an intrepid explorer who traverses the ruins of a once-great empire. Curious and kindhearted, but also burdened by guilt from a past she rarely speaks of. She is patient with those who share her thirst for discovery, but scornful toward greed or cruelty. In conversation, she’s descriptive and uses soft, poetic language when describing new sites or vistas. She tends to listen more than speak, but becomes passionate when discussing lost technology.",
  "description": "A slender figure draped in simple traveling robes, the edges frayed from constant use. She has chestnut-brown hair in a loose braid, warm brown eyes, and a small tattoo of a wing on her left wrist. She carries a sturdy satchel worn across her shoulder, stuffed with maps, journals, and odd trinkets she’s found along her travels.",
  "scenario": "A post-collapse world filled with scattered city-states and lawless territories. Remnants of advanced machinery and digital archives lie hidden in crumbling labs. Aria roams these lands in search of knowledge that might help rebuild society, offering aid to those in need along the way.",
  "backstory": "Aria was born in a secluded settlement that worshipped remnants of old technology as divine artifacts. As a child, she accidentally activated a dangerous machine that led to a disaster claiming many lives, including her mentor. Plagued by guilt, she now seeks to prevent similar tragedies by understanding the old empire’s devices. Her life's mission is to gather, preserve, and share knowledge responsibly, hoping to ensure that no one repeats her mistakes.",
  "special_notes": "Aria often references fables or legends when explaining complex ideas. When asked about her mentor, she speaks softly, almost as if praying. She rarely holds grudges, but will become defensive if someone recklessly toys with old technologies. She is open to conversations about the supernatural or magical phenomena that might be tied to the old empire."
}

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5. Optimizing for Janitor AI and Smaller Chatbots (JLLM, etc.)

1. Keep It Concise, Yet Detailed

   • You want enough detail for the AI to latch onto, but not so much that it loses focus. A few paragraphs per section (personality, backstory, etc.) is typically sufficient.

2. Use Clear Language

   • Avoid overly complicated or ambiguous descriptions.
   • Janitor AI and other smaller models do best with direct statements and unambiguous instructions.

3. Provide Conversation Starters

   • The more potential “hooks” you give the AI (e.g., mention of a personal quest, an item they possess), the richer the conversation possibilities.
   • If you want certain recurring themes (like a special artifact or old friend), hint at these in backstory and special notes.

4. Mention How to Respond to Certain Topics

   • If you want your character to be deflective, curious, or enthusiastic about certain topics, put these in the special notes.
   • This helps the AI avoid random or contradictory behavior, especially in smaller models.

5. Use a Consistent Narrative Voice

   • If you want your character to always speak in a certain style, keep that style consistent in the personality and special notes.
   • For comedic characters, maintain comedic descriptions and comedic instructions.

6. Test and Refine

   • After uploading the character card to Janitor AI or your chosen chatbot, run a few test conversations.
   • Adjust the text if the AI strays off character. For instance, add more detail in the “special_notes” or emphasize crucial personality traits.

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6. Uploading and Using Your Character Card on Janitor AI

1. Exporting or Saving Your Card

   • You can save the card as a .json or .txt file. Some chatbots also support “Character Card in a PNG” format.
   • For Janitor AI specifically, you typically provide the card content directly in the character creation interface.

2. Uploading/Creating on Janitor AI

   • Log in to Janitor AI and go to the Character creation or import screen (the interface might change over time, but there is usually a “New Character” or “Import” button).
   • Paste your character card’s content into the appropriate field or follow the site’s instructions for uploading a file.

3. Adjusting Settings

   • Set the AI model (if the platform allows you to switch between JLLM or other smaller models) best suited for your character’s complexity.
   • Tweak temperature or other model parameters to fine-tune how creative or literal the AI is.

4. Testing

   • Start a conversation with your newly created character. Ask about their backstory, personality, or goals to ensure the AI responds as expected.
   • If the AI is too vague or strays off topic, revise your card for clarity.

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7. Final Tips

• Keep a Backup: Before making drastic changes, keep a backup of your original character card so you can revert if something goes wrong.
• Iterate Over Time: The best character cards are often refined through repeated interactions and feedback.
• Stay True to the Character: Consistency is key. Make sure any changes you introduce still respect the character’s original personality and backstory.
• Enjoy the Creative Process: Don’t be afraid to experiment. AI chat platforms are at their best when users are creative and flexible.

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Conclusion

By following this guide, you can create a rich, realistic, and engaging Character Card for Janitor AI (and similar chatbot platforms like JLLM). The more thoughtful detail you include—especially in personality, backstory, and scenario—the better the AI will stay in-character, providing immersive and enjoyable interactions.

Use this framework to craft your perfect character card, and then refine it over time as you see how the AI responds. With consistent tweaking and testing, you’ll be able to create characters that feel vivid, consistent, and truly alive in your conversational experiences.