How People Behave

The people you meet have their own voices, wants and lines they won't cross, and only those actually present can take part in a scene.

AI characters often agree with everything you say. In Live Through Time, people push back.

Their own voice

Every major character has a speech fingerprint: their own dialect, rhythm and turns of phrase. A 1966 London docker sounds nothing like a politician, and two people in a scene won't blur into the same polite voice.

Lines they won't cross

Every major character has a refusal anchor: something they will never do, even under threat. If someone will never betray their brother, no clever wording will change that. You'll have to find another way. See Social Puzzles & Leverage.

Their own wants

People have an active want, something they're pursuing right now. They keep working at it when you're not around. See The World Moves On.

Only people who are there

The game keeps track of who is actually in the scene with you. Someone you left in the tavern can't chip in with advice during a fight in the street, because the narrator only gives voices to the people present.

Moods that change

Each person's current mood (such as "trembling, defiant" or "relaxed, amused") updates every turn, so their body language follows what's happening rather than staying stuck.

You can't just talk your way through

If you try something your character couldn't really pull off, it fails, and the narrator says so. That's what makes success worth something.

See also

• Social Puzzles & Leverage
• Relationships
• The World Moves On

Last updated 2026-10-08