What does OOC mean in roleplay?
Updated
OOC stands for "out of character". In roleplay it marks a message, or part of one, that is spoken by you as a player rather than by your character, usually in brackets like (OOC: let's skip to the next morning). With an AI character, OOC notes are the simplest way to steer the story, fix a mistake or change the pace without breaking the scene.
Try it now, free, no account neededStart a story with Sophie LaneYour old best friend. Eight years of silence.Where the term comes from
OOC comes from forum, tabletop and text roleplay, where several people write a story together. Everything in the story is IC, "in character". When a player needs to say something to the others as themselves, such as "I have to go in ten minutes" or "can we slow this scene down", they mark it OOC so nobody mistakes it for the character talking.
How to write an OOC note to an AI
Brackets and the word OOC are enough for most models to understand that the line is a direction, not dialogue. Some examples:
- (OOC: Time skip to the next evening. Sophie has had a day to think about what I said.)
- (OOC: Please keep replies under three paragraphs.)
- (OOC: Silas wouldn't know about the letter yet. Rewrite that last part without it.)
- *I open the door.* (OOC: Make what's behind it genuinely unsettling.)
You can put an OOC note on its own or after your in-character action, as in the last line. Double parentheses, ((like this)), are a common alternative. Be specific: "make it more interesting" gives the model little to work with; "introduce a stranger who knows my name" gives it a direction.
Common mistakes
- Arguing with the character in character when you really want to change the plot. Step out with OOC instead; it is quicker.
- Long OOC essays. One or two clear sentences work better than a paragraph of rules.
- Expecting a single note to last forever. The model reads it as part of the conversation, so in a very long chat the instruction scrolls out of view. Repeat it, or put lasting rules into the character or your persona.
- Forgetting the brackets, so the model answers the note as if your character said it.
OOC in UnsavedAI and other apps
OOC works the same on UnsavedAI as in SillyTavern or JanitorAI, because it is just text the model reads. House characters follow it well: try a time skip with Sophie Lane in a slow-burn story, or ask the Narrator to change genre mid-adventure. If a reply goes wrong, you can also swipe for a new version rather than correcting it with OOC. For more ways to guide a story, see steering the story with OOC.
Questions people ask
Will the AI reply out of character too?
Sometimes it briefly acknowledges the note and then continues. If you would rather it never does, add "reply only in character" to the OOC line.
What does IC mean?
IC means "in character": everything your character says and does inside the story.
Is OOC the same as a system prompt?
No. A system prompt is a standing instruction the app sends with every reply; an OOC note is a one-off message inside the chat.
