Background Metadata

A guide for what to target when targeting backgrounds


How to use Background Metadata

Background metadata can be used in dialogue in one of two ways:

With the first method, you use a Variable Test to directly check the background metadata value:

~background.location~ == indoors
~background.category~ == bar
~background.privacy~ == private
~background.water~ == true

With the second method, you use a Variable Test to check if a the background has an associated tag:

~background.tag.indoors~ == true
~background.tag.bar~ == true
~background.tag.private~ == true
~background.tag.water~ == true

These two methods produce identical results. Which one you use is up to preference.

(If the metadata you're testing is a simple boolean value, though, directly testing the metadata value involves a bit less typing!)

if functions

Each tag can be tested in dialogue directly, yielding different text depending on whether it's set or not:

It's hot in ~background.if.indoors(here|this place)~!

The ID (id)

~background.id~ is currently the same as just ~background~. Some time in the future, ~background~ may instead become the same as ~background.term~ (see below).

Status (status)

This metadata value is used to indicate whether this background should be available in the online version or not.

If a background does not have a defined status, it is assumed to be available online and offline, similarly to opponent statuses.

Possible Values

Value Description
(no value) The background should be available online and offline.
offline The background should only be available offline.

Term (term)

This metadata value is intended as a better term for the background than its ID for use in dialogue, in some cases. If not set, ~background.term~ will yield the same value as ~background~.

Preposition (preposition)

The proper preposition to describe being at the background location. Defaults to "in". Examples: in the bedroom, on the roof, at the pool.

Adverb (adverb)

A (prepositional) adverb matching the general location. Can be "up" (for rooftops), "in" or "out". Currently automatically determined from the surface (roof or other) and location (indoors or outdoors).

Location (location)

This metadata value is used to indicate whether the background is of an indoors location or an outdoors location.

Generally, all backgrounds have a defined location value.

A background's location is also automatically added as a background tag.

Possible Values

Value Description
indoors The background depicts an indoors location.
outdoors The background depicts an outdoors location.

Location Category (category)

This metadata value is used for some backgrounds to further categorize what kind of location is depicted.

Not every background has a defined category, such as the 'propless' backgrounds (Classic, Romantic, Purple Room, etc).

Backgrounds with a defined category are automatically given a corresponding tag.

Current Possible Values

Value Description
bar This background depicts a bar of some form.
school This background depicts part of a school.
home This background depicts a home.
forest This background depicts a forested area.

Examples

Bars:

School:

Homes:

Forests:

Time of Day (time)

This metadata value indicates whether the background appears to depict a day or night setting.

If this is not explicitly defined by the background, the local system time will be consulted to determine this value.

Backgrounds with an explicit time are automatically tagged with either day or night.

Current Possible Values

Value Description
day This background depicts a daytime setting.
night This background depicts a nighttime setting.

Temperature (temperature)

This metadata value indicates whether the background's setting is significantly hot or cold.

Backgrounds with a defined temperature are automatically given a corresponding tag.

Current Possible Values

Value Description
hot This background's setting depicts a hot or at least warm environment.
cold This background's setting depicts a cold or chilly environment.

Examples

Hot:

Cold:

Location Privacy (privacy)

This metadata value indicates how private the background's setting is.

Backgrounds with a defined privacy level are automatically given a corresponding tag.

Current Possible Values

Value Description
private This background's setting depicts a venue assumed to be set aside specifcally for strip poker or that is otherwise not open to the general public.
public This background's setting depicts any location that could be open to any passerby or general patron of the venue, as well as outdoor areas.

Examples

Private:

Public:

Water (water)

This metadata value indicates whether there is a nearby body of water in the background.

This is a boolean value; it will either be true or completely undefined.

Backgrounds with this set will also be automatically tagged with the water tag.

Examples

Bathing Location (bathing)

This metadata value indicates whether this is a location where people are expected to get naked for bathing.

This is a boolean value; it will either be true or completely undefined.

Backgrounds with this set will also be automatically tagged with the bathing tag.

Examples

Voyeurism (voyeur)

This metadata value indicates the presence of peeping onlookers. Note that the onlookers aren't necessarily obvious or wanted, unlike the exhibition metadata value.

This is a boolean value; it will either be true or completely undefined.

Backgrounds with this set will also be automatically tagged with the voyeur tag.

Examples

Exhibitionism (exhibition)

This metadata value indicates the presence of obvious onlookers.

This is a boolean value; it will either be true or completely undefined.

Backgrounds with this set will also be automatically tagged with the exhibition tag.

Examples

Dark Setting (dark)

This metadata value indicates the location is noticeably dark.

This is a boolean value; it will either be true or completely undefined.

Backgrounds with this set will also be automatically tagged with the dark tag.

Examples