> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.spicychat.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.spicychat.ai/product-guides/rulebooks/troubleshooting-faq-and-limits.md). # Troubleshooting, FAQ and limits ## Why did... ### My meter did not move The condition describes a state, not an action; or the model was not confident; or the rule is on cooldown or fired Once already; or its Only when conditions were not true; or the meter cannot decrease. Rewrite the condition as an action, check the [trace](/product-guides/rulebooks/playtest-and-checks.md), change [Can fire](/product-guides/rulebooks/making-meters-move.md#ai-rules), or turn on Can decrease. ### It moved less than expected Two rules matched and only the highest in the list counts; or the change was clamped at Min or Max. Merge the rules or raise the impact. ### It moved when nothing happened An always-true condition, or a reference to a past event. Make the condition specific to a new event. ### Detect read the wrong amount The hint does not say whose amount, or the text had several amounts. Say "money `{{user}}` has after...", and state totals in the text. ### The clock jumped too far A time word or scene cut was read as a skip, and no exact time was found. Write exact times in the story text and use skips less. To fix the time of day, write the exact time it is now in the story text ("it's 9 PM"): a time earlier the same day sets the clock back. ### The clock ignores the time I typed It was in brackets, it was less than one hour earlier than the clock, or it would go back to an earlier day or before the story start. Write it in the story text as the time it is now ("it's 5:44 PM"). A vague time ("that evening") always moves the clock forward. ### The status line is not the one I expected A combined rule above it matched, or a level with Takes over the status line. Reorder the rules and check the preview in [Playtest](/product-guides/rulebooks/playtest-and-checks.md). ### A combined rule never matches A value outside a meter's range, or two conditions on one meter that cannot both be true. Open the [checks list](/product-guides/rulebooks/playtest-and-checks.md) under the Save button. ### A trigger did not fire Its source meter was moved by another trigger. Move the source with a keyword, AI rule or decay. ### My character chat has no meters The chat was created before the Rulebook; it is a group chat; a persona Rulebook is active; Interactive features is off; or Hide meters is on. Start a new chat, check the persona, and check the [sheet settings](/product-guides/rulebooks/using-a-rulebook-in-chat.md). ### My public Rulebook is not in Explore It is still in review, or it is Unlisted. Check the [status](/product-guides/rulebooks/visibility-review-and-versions.md) on My Rulebooks. ## Questions people ask first ### Does a Rulebook slow down replies or cost more? A Rulebook adds one short check per message, after the character's reply. Replies take a moment longer while the meters update. It does not cost extra messages or tokens on your plan. ### Can players see my rules and instructions? No. In the chat, players see the meters, the status line, the change chips and the explanation sheet. They never see your [instructions](/product-guides/rulebooks/influence-rules.md#levels), [AI rules](/product-guides/rulebooks/making-meters-move.md#ai-rules), keywords, triggers or hidden meter values. Other creators can read a Public Rulebook's meters and rules on its page when it shows **Rules visible**. ### Does it work in the mobile app? Yes. Chats with a Rulebook show the meters, the status line and the explanation sheet in the app, and you can attach a Rulebook there. The Editor is on the website: open **My Rulebooks** in the app and tap **Edit** to continue on the web. ### Can one Rulebook go on several characters? Yes. Attach the same Rulebook to as many of your characters and personas as you like. Each chat keeps its own meter values. ### Does a Rulebook work in group chats? No. Rulebooks don't run in group chats: a group character can't have a Rulebook attached, and the Rulebooks of the characters and persona in a group chat are ignored there. They keep working in each character's own chats. ### Why does Playtest behave differently from the real chat? Playtest runs the same checks as a real chat, but you write both sides of the conversation. In a real chat the character's reply comes from the model, so a rule that reads `{{char}}`'s behaviour may fire differently. Cooldowns and quiet turns are kept between evaluations, like in a chat. ### What happens to chats when I edit my Rulebook? A Private Rulebook applies to every chat that uses it from the next message. A Public or Unlisted change goes live after [review](/product-guides/rulebooks/visibility-review-and-versions.md); until then chats keep the last approved version. See [Edits to a Rulebook](/product-guides/rulebooks/using-a-rulebook-in-chat.md). **Limits** | Item | Limit | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Meters | 15, 8 visible in the chat strip, 1 Story clock | | Pips steps | 10 | | Dice sides | 2 to 1000 | | Levels per meter | 12 | | AI questions per message | 60 | | Keyword groups per meter | 20, 50 words each, 64 characters per word | | Triggers per meter | 10 | | Pick one / Collection | 20 items, 40 characters per item name, Collection count up to 9999, 20 Collection rules | | Combined rules | 30, 6 conditions each | | Condition length | 300 characters | | Instruction | 600 characters per instruction, about 1200 tokens total (1800 hard limit) | | Status line | 120 characters shown, warning above 48 | | Name, description | 60, 800 characters; meter and level names 40 | | Tags | 0 to 6; Public needs at least 2, with one Focus tag | | Number range | -1,000,000 to 1,000,000 | | Clock step | 0.25 minutes to 1 year | ## Glossary | Word | Meaning | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Meter](/product-guides/rulebooks/meters.md) | A value the Rulebook keeps score of, like Trust or Coins | | [Driver](/product-guides/rulebooks/making-meters-move.md) | What moves a meter: keyword, AI rule, decay, per message change or trigger | | [AI rule](/product-guides/rulebooks/making-meters-move.md#ai-rules) | A yes or no question about the last exchange, with an impact on a meter | | [Level](/product-guides/rulebooks/influence-rules.md#levels) | A range of a meter with its own status line and instruction | | Status line | The short text players see under the meters | | Instruction | Text the model gets while a level or combined rule applies, hidden from players | | [Combined rule](/product-guides/rulebooks/influence-rules.md#combined-rules) | A rule across several meters, with its own status line and instruction | | [Trigger](/product-guides/rulebooks/making-meters-move.md#triggers) | A meter-to-meter change without AI | | Can fire | How often an AI rule can fire: every turn, once, or every N turns | | Quiet turn | A turn where nothing moved the meter; decay counts these | | [Starter](/product-guides/rulebooks/examples-to-clone.md) | A small Rulebook that comes with the app, to copy and change | | [Version](/product-guides/rulebooks/visibility-review-and-versions.md) | Each approved Public or Unlisted change gets a new number | *** You have reached the end of the guide. [Go back to the start of the Rulebooks guide](https://docs.spicychat.ai/product-guides/rulebooks). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.spicychat.ai/product-guides/rulebooks/troubleshooting-faq-and-limits.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. 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