Roleplay Setup

Create an immersive layout focused on storytelling and social interaction.

Goal

Build a roleplay-focused layout with:

Maximum text visibility for story immersion
Organized chat channels
Minimal HUD elements
Easy social command access
Atmospheric preservation

Prerequisites

Completed Your First Layout
Interest in roleplay and social gameplay
Basic emote familiarity

Design Philosophy

Roleplay layouts prioritize:

Immersion - Large text areas, minimal UI chrome
Readability - Clear text, comfortable spacing
Organization - Separate IC (In-Character) and OOC (Out-Of-Character)
Quick Social - Fast access to emotes and speech

Layout Overview

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [Room Name]                                                │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                            │
│                                                            │
│                    Main Story Text                         │
│              (room descriptions, actions)                  │
│                                                            │
│                                                            │
│                                                            │
├──────────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┤
│     Speech & Thoughts            │    ESP/OOC Chat         │
│     (IC communication)           │    (group chat)         │
├──────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┤
│ > [command input]                                          │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 1: Create the Layout

Create ~/.two-face/layout.toml:

# Roleplay Layout - Immersive Storytelling
# Maximizes text space, organizes communication channels

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# TOP - Room Title Bar (Minimal)
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[widgets]]
type = "room"
name = "room_title"
x = 0
y = 0
width = 100
height = 3
show_exits = false
show_creatures = false
show_players = false
title_only = true

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# MAIN AREA - Story Text (Largest Widget)
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[widgets]]
type = "text"
name = "story"
title = ""
x = 0
y = 3
width = 100
height = 55
streams = ["main", "room"]
scrollback = 10000
auto_scroll = true
border = false
padding = 1

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# BOTTOM LEFT - In-Character Communication
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[widgets]]
type = "text"
name = "speech"
title = "Speech"
x = 0
y = 59
width = 55
height = 31
streams = ["speech", "whisper"]
scrollback = 2000
auto_scroll = true
border_color = "blue"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# BOTTOM RIGHT - Out-Of-Character / ESP
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[widgets]]
type = "text"
name = "thoughts"
title = "ESP/OOC"
x = 56
y = 59
width = 44
height = 31
streams = ["thoughts", "group"]
scrollback = 1000
auto_scroll = true
border_color = "cyan"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# COMMAND INPUT
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[widgets]]
type = "command_input"
name = "input"
x = 0
y = 91
width = 100
height = 9
history_size = 500
prompt = "› "

Step 2: Immersive Theme

Create ~/.two-face/colors.toml:

[theme]
name = "Parchment"

# Background - soft, easy on eyes
background = "#1a1814"     # Dark parchment

# Text colors - warm and readable
text = "#d4c5a9"           # Cream text
text_dim = "#8b7355"       # Muted brown

# UI elements - unobtrusive
border = "#3d3428"         # Dark border
border_focused = "#5c4a32" # Focused border

# Speech colors - distinguishable but not harsh
speech = "#87ceeb"         # Sky blue (say)
whisper = "#da70d6"        # Orchid (whisper)
thoughts = "#98fb98"       # Pale green (thoughts)
shout = "#ffa500"          # Orange (shout)

# Room descriptions - slightly brighter
room_name = "#ffd700"      # Gold
room_desc = "#d4c5a9"      # Cream

# Player names
player = "#ffffff"         # White
npc = "#daa520"            # Goldenrod

# Emotes and actions
emote = "#b8860b"          # Dark goldenrod

# Minimal status (if shown)
health = "#8fbc8f"         # Dark sea green
mana = "#6495ed"           # Cornflower blue

Step 3: Roleplay Keybinds

Create ~/.two-face/keybinds.toml:

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# SPEECH SHORTCUTS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Quick say (most common)
[keybinds."enter"]
action = "submit_input"

# Say with prompt
[keybinds."ctrl+s"]
macro = "say $input"

# Whisper
[keybinds."ctrl+w"]
macro = "whisper $input"

# Ask
[keybinds."ctrl+a"]
macro = "ask $input"

# Exclaim
[keybinds."ctrl+e"]
macro = "exclaim $input"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ESP/THOUGHTS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."ctrl+t"]
macro = "think $input"

[keybinds."ctrl+g"]
macro = "think [group] $input"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# COMMON EMOTES - Function Keys
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."f1"]
macro = "smile"

[keybinds."f2"]
macro = "nod"

[keybinds."f3"]
macro = "bow"

[keybinds."f4"]
macro = "wave"

[keybinds."f5"]
macro = "laugh"

[keybinds."f6"]
macro = "grin"

[keybinds."f7"]
macro = "sigh"

[keybinds."f8"]
macro = "shrug"

# Targeted emotes
[keybinds."shift+f1"]
macro = "smile $input"

[keybinds."shift+f2"]
macro = "nod $input"

[keybinds."shift+f3"]
macro = "bow $input"

[keybinds."shift+f4"]
macro = "wave $input"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ACTIONS AND POSES
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."ctrl+1"]
macro = "act $input"

[keybinds."ctrl+2"]
macro = "pose $input"

[keybinds."ctrl+3"]
macro = "emote $input"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# MOVEMENT (Unobtrusive)
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."numpad8"]
macro = "go north"

[keybinds."numpad2"]
macro = "go south"

[keybinds."numpad4"]
macro = "go west"

[keybinds."numpad6"]
macro = "go east"

[keybinds."numpad7"]
macro = "go northwest"

[keybinds."numpad9"]
macro = "go northeast"

[keybinds."numpad1"]
macro = "go southwest"

[keybinds."numpad3"]
macro = "go southeast"

[keybinds."numpad5"]
macro = "go out"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# LOOK AROUND
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."ctrl+l"]
macro = "look"

[keybinds."ctrl+shift+l"]
macro = "look $input"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# WINDOW NAVIGATION
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[keybinds."page_up"]
action = "scroll_up"

[keybinds."page_down"]
action = "scroll_down"

[keybinds."home"]
action = "scroll_top"

[keybinds."end"]
action = "scroll_bottom"

[keybinds."tab"]
action = "next_widget"

[keybinds."escape"]
action = "focus_input"

# Quick focus to specific windows
[keybinds."alt+1"]
action = "focus_widget"
widget = "story"

[keybinds."alt+2"]
action = "focus_widget"
widget = "speech"

[keybinds."alt+3"]
action = "focus_widget"
widget = "thoughts"

Step 4: Immersive Highlights

Add to ~/.two-face/highlights.toml:

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# SPEECH PATTERNS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Someone says
[[highlights]]
pattern = '(\\w+) says?, "'
fg = "#87ceeb"

# Someone whispers
[[highlights]]
pattern = "(\\w+) whispers,"
fg = "#da70d6"

# Someone asks
[[highlights]]
pattern = "(\\w+) asks?,"
fg = "#87ceeb"

# Someone exclaims
[[highlights]]
pattern = "(\\w+) exclaims?,"
fg = "#ffa500"

# Quoted speech
[[highlights]]
pattern = '"[^"]*"'
fg = "#ffffff"
bold = false

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# EMOTES AND ACTIONS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Emotes (verbs at start of line after name)
[[highlights]]
pattern = "^\\w+ (smiles|nods|bows|waves|laughs|grins|sighs|shrugs)"
fg = "#b8860b"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ROOM ELEMENTS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Room name (usually in brackets or emphasized)
[[highlights]]
pattern = "^\\[.*\\]$"
fg = "#ffd700"
bold = true

# Obvious exits
[[highlights]]
pattern = "Obvious (exits|paths):"
fg = "#8b7355"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# PLAYER NAMES
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Capital names (likely players)
[[highlights]]
pattern = "\\b[A-Z][a-z]{2,}\\b"
fg = "#ffffff"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# OBJECTS AND ITEMS (Subtle)
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[highlights]]
pattern = "(a|an|the|some) [a-z]+ [a-z]+"
fg = "#d4c5a9"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ESP/THOUGHTS
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[highlights]]
pattern = "\\[.*?\\]:"
fg = "#98fb98"

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# TIME AND ATMOSPHERE
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[highlights]]
pattern = "(?i)(dawn|morning|noon|afternoon|dusk|evening|night|midnight)"
fg = "#6495ed"
italic = true

[[highlights]]
pattern = "(?i)(rain|snow|fog|mist|wind|storm|clear|cloudy)"
fg = "#6495ed"
italic = true

Add to ~/.two-face/cmdlist.toml:

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# PLAYERS - Social Context
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[cmdlist]]
category = "player"
noun = "^[A-Z][a-z]+$"
match_mode = "regex"
commands = [
    "look",
    "---",
    "Greet>smile {noun},bow {noun},wave {noun},nod {noun}",
    "Say>say (to {noun}) {input},whisper {noun} {input},ask {noun} {input}",
    "---",
    "appraise"
]
priority = 50

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ITEMS - RP Context
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[cmdlist]]
category = "item"
noun = ".*"
match_mode = "regex"
commands = [
    "look",
    "get",
    "touch",
    "smell",
    "taste",
    "---",
    "show:show my {noun} to {input}",
    "give:give my {noun} to {input}"
]
priority = 10

# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# FURNITURE AND SCENERY
# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

[[cmdlist]]
category = "furniture"
noun = "(?i)(chair|bench|stool|table|bed|couch|throne)"
match_mode = "regex"
commands = [
    "look",
    "sit on",
    "stand",
    "lean on"
]
priority = 30

Step 6: Optional - Minimal Status

If you want some status without breaking immersion:

# Add to layout.toml - minimalist status bar

[[widgets]]
type = "progress"
name = "health"
x = 0
y = 56
width = 50
height = 2
data_source = "vitals.health"
color = "health"
show_text = false
border = false

[[widgets]]
type = "progress"
name = "mana"
x = 50
y = 56
width = 50
height = 2
data_source = "vitals.mana"
color = "mana"
show_text = false
border = false

This adds thin, borderless bars between story and chat.

Testing Your Setup

Roleplay Flow Test

Text Visibility
- Room descriptions fill story window
- Text is comfortable to read
- Scrolling works smoothly
Communication
- Speech appears in speech window
- ESP/thoughts in separate window
- Colors distinguish speakers
Quick Actions
- F1-F8 emotes work
- Ctrl+S opens say prompt
- Movement numpad works
Immersion
- UI doesn’t distract
- Colors are comfortable
- Layout feels spacious

Go to a social area (town square)
Use F1 to smile
Use Ctrl+S to say something
Check speech appears in correct window
Verify ESP goes to thoughts window

Customization Ideas

Faction-Based Themes

Create themes matching your character’s background:

Elven Theme:

background = "#0a1510"
text = "#c0d890"
border = "#2a4530"

Dark Theme:

background = "#0d0d0d"
text = "#b0b0b0"
border = "#1a1a1a"

Event-Specific Layouts

For large events, expand thoughts window:

# Event layout - larger ESP
[[widgets]]
type = "text"
name = "thoughts"
x = 0
y = 60
width = 100
height = 30
streams = ["thoughts", "group"]

Character Macros

Pre-written character expressions:

[keybinds."ctrl+shift+1"]
macro = "emote adjusts their cloak with practiced ease"

[keybinds."ctrl+shift+2"]
macro = "emote glances around thoughtfully"

[keybinds."ctrl+shift+3"]
macro = "emote inclines their head in greeting"

Troubleshooting

Text Too Dense

Increase padding:

padding = 2

Or add line spacing if supported.

Can’t See Who’s Speaking

Adjust highlight patterns to catch speaker names before quotes.

ESP Flooding Main Window

Verify stream separation:

Story: ["main", "room"]
Speech: ["speech", "whisper"]
Thoughts: ["thoughts", "group"]

Emotes Going to Wrong Window

Emotes typically go to “main” stream. If you want them separate, check parser configuration.

Two-Face Documentation