Fixing AdjustNewLines: Missing Newlines In AI Dungeon

Have you ever found yourself immersed in an AI Dungeon adventure, only to be slightly jarred by the formatting? Specifically, when actions run together without the proper spacing, it can disrupt the flow of your narrative. This article addresses a common issue where the AdjustNewLines script in AI Dungeon fails to insert two newlines between actions that lack line breaks, and we'll explore a potential fix.

The Problem: Missing Double Newlines

In AI Dungeon, clear formatting is crucial for readability. When the output presents actions in a continuous block of text, it becomes challenging to distinguish between different events and dialogues. The goal is to have a consistent visual separation between actions, typically achieved with double newlines. Let's illustrate the problem with an example provided by a user:

Consider this original output where actions are contained within brackets:

[You step into the quiet tavern. The scent of smoke and ale clings to the air.
"Is anyone here?" you whisper.][A chair creaks somewhere in the back. "Over here," a voice replies.
You move closer, heart pounding. "Show yourself."
The shadows shift. "You don’t remember me, do you?" the figure says, stepping into the light.]

The desired output should have double newlines to clearly separate the actions:

[You step into the quiet tavern. The scent of smoke and ale clings to the air.

"Is anyone here?" you whisper.][

A chair creaks somewhere in the back. "Over here," a voice replies.

You move closer, heart pounding. "Show yourself."

The shadows shift. "You don’t remember me, do you?" the figure says, stepping into the light.]

However, the actual output sometimes looks like this:

[You step into the quiet tavern. The scent of smoke and ale clings to the air.

"Is anyone here?" you whisper.][A chair creaks somewhere in the back. "Over here," a voice replies.

You move closer, heart pounding. "Show yourself."

The shadows shift. "You don’t remember me, do you?" the figure says, stepping into the light.]

As you can see, the double newlines are missing between the first and second bracketed actions, leading to a less readable experience. This issue prompted a user to delve into the script and propose a fix.

Diving into the Code: Identifying the Root Cause

To understand the problem, we need to look at the AdjustNewLines script itself. The script's primary function is to ensure that there are appropriate line breaks between actions in the AI Dungeon output. When actions are concatenated without sufficient spacing, it impacts the narrative's readability and flow. The user, Eliterose19, pinpointed a specific area in the code that seems to be the culprit. Specifically, they highlighted line 65 within the adjustNewLines function.

The Suspect: Line 65

The identified section of the code is within an if statement that checks if totalNewlines is less than 2. Inside this if statement, there's a case where totalNewlines === 0. The original code in this case looks like this:

return text;

The problem here is that when there are zero newlines between actions, the script simply returns the text as is, without adding the necessary double newline. This results in the actions running together, which is precisely the issue we're trying to solve. By not adding the \n\n (double newline) in this specific scenario, the script fails to provide the visual separation needed for a better reading experience.

The Proposed Solution

Eliterose19 suggested a simple yet effective fix. Instead of returning the text as is, the code should prepend two newlines to the text. This can be achieved by changing the line to:

return "\n\n" + text;

By adding "\n\n" + before the text, we ensure that when there are no existing newlines between actions, the script inserts two newlines, thereby creating the desired visual separation. This small change can significantly improve the readability and flow of the AI Dungeon narrative.

Implementing the Fix: A Step-by-Step Guide

To implement this fix, you'll need to access and modify the AdjustNewLines script within your AI Dungeon setup. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Access the Script:

   • Navigate to the directory where your AI Dungeon scripts are stored. This might vary depending on your installation, but typically, it's in a folder named something like AIDungeonScripts or a similar designation.
   • Locate the AdjustNewLines script file. It might be a .js file or another format, depending on how the scripts are organized.

2. Open the Script:

   • Open the script file using a text editor of your choice. VSCode, Notepad++, Sublime Text, or even a basic text editor like Notepad (on Windows) or TextEdit (on macOS) will work.

3. Locate Line 65:

   • Once the file is open, use the text editor’s search function (usually Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to find line 65. Alternatively, you can manually scroll through the code until you find the relevant section.
   • Look for the if statement that checks totalNewlines < 2 and the case where totalNewlines === 0.

4. Modify the Code:

   • Find the line that reads return text; within the identified section.
   • Change this line to return "\n\n" + text;.

5. Save the Changes:

   • Save the modified script file. Make sure you save it in the same format and location.

6. Test the Fix:

   • Run AI Dungeon and observe the output. You should now see double newlines between actions that previously lacked them.
   • Test different scenarios to ensure the fix works consistently.

By following these steps, you can apply the proposed solution and enjoy a more readable and immersive AI Dungeon experience.

Enhancements and Further Considerations

While the primary fix addresses the missing double newlines, there are additional considerations to further refine the script. Eliterose19 raised an interesting point about handling actions that end mid-sentence. This involves a more nuanced approach to determining when to insert double newlines.

Context-Aware Newlines

The idea is to make the script context-aware, so it doesn’t blindly add double newlines between every action. Instead, it should consider whether the previous action ended with punctuation (such as a period, question mark, or exclamation point), a newline, or quotation marks. If the action ends in one of these ways, it indicates a natural break, and adding double newlines would be appropriate.

However, if the previous action ends mid-sentence (i.e., without punctuation), adding double newlines might disrupt the flow. In such cases, the script could either add a single newline or no newline at all, allowing the AI to complete the thought more naturally.

Implementing Contextual Checks

To implement this, you would need to modify the script to: 1. Detect the Ending: Analyze the last characters of the previous action to check for punctuation, newlines, or quotation marks. 2. Conditional Newlines: Based on the detection, add double newlines only when appropriate. This might involve using regular expressions or string manipulation techniques in JavaScript.

Example Scenario

Consider these two scenarios to illustrate the difference:

1. Scenario 1 (Action Ends with Punctuation):

   [You enter the room. It is dimly lit.]
   [A figure lurks in the corner.]
   

   In this case, double newlines should be added because the first action ends with a period.

2. Scenario 2 (Action Ends Mid-Sentence):

   [You reach out your hand]
   [and touch a cold surface.]
   

   Here, the first action ends mid-sentence, so adding double newlines might not be ideal. A single newline or no newline could be more appropriate.

By implementing these contextual checks, the AdjustNewLines script can become even more sophisticated, providing a smoother and more natural reading experience in AI Dungeon.

Conclusion

Ensuring proper formatting in AI Dungeon is essential for an immersive and enjoyable experience. The issue of missing double newlines between actions can disrupt the narrative flow, making it harder to follow the story. By implementing the suggested fix—modifying line 65 in the AdjustNewLines script to add double newlines when none exist—you can significantly improve the readability of the output. Moreover, considering context-aware newlines can further enhance the script, making it more intelligent in handling different types of action endings.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your AI Dungeon adventures are not only engaging but also presented in a clear and visually appealing manner. Happy adventuring!

For more information on AI Dungeon and scripting, consider exploring resources like the AI Dungeon subreddit.