Inside the antique camera is a Raspberry Pi with a camera module behind the lens. The flow of passages is controlled by a single, handwritten JSON file. When there is overlap between the tags detected in an image by Clarifai and the tags assigned to a passage, and the candidate passage occurs next in a storyline that has already begun, that passage is printed out. If no passage can be found, the camera prints poetry enabled by a recursive context-free grammar and constructed from words detected in the image.

This week, I am planning to add a back end component that will allow photos taken to be preserved as albums, and passages printed to be read later online. For now, here is the JSON file that controls the order of output:

{
    "zero": {
        "tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "street"],
        "order": 0,
        "next": ["story"]
    },
    "guam_zero": {
    	"tags": ["computer", "technology", "future", "keyboard", "politics"],
    	"order": 0,
    	"next": ["guam_one"]
    },
    "guam_one": {
    	"tags": ["computer", "technology", "future", "keyboard", "politics"],
    	"order": 1,
    	"next": []
    },
    "dream_zero": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors"],
    	"order": 0,
    	"next": ["chess_board"]
    },
    "chess_board": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors"],
    	"order": 2,
    	"next": ["black_queen", "black_pawn", "black_king", "black_rook", "white_king", "white_knight"]
    },
    "black_queen": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "black", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "queen"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "black_pawn": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "black", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "pawn"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "black_king": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "black", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "king"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "black_rook": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "black", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "rook", "castle"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "white_king": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "white", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "king"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "white_knight": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "white", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors", "chess", "game", "knight"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["wake_up"]
    },
    "wake_up": {
    	"tags": ["dream", "dark", "night", "sleep", "bed", "bedroom", "indoors"],
    	"order": 4,
    	"next": []
    },
    "forget": {
    	"tags": ["man", "men", "boy"],
    	"order": 0,
    	"next": []
    },    
    "story": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "street", "woman", "women", "girl"],
    	"order": 1,
    	"next": ["miss_vest", "forget"]
    },
    "miss_vest": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "street", "woman", "women", "girl"],
    	"order": 2,
    	"next": ["envelope", "forget"]
    },
    "envelope": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "street", "woman", "women", "girl", "paper", "envelope", "mail"],
    	"order": 3,
    	"next": ["apartment", "forget"]
    },
    "apartment": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "street", "woman", "women", "girl", "paper", "envelope", "mail"],
    	"order": 4,
    	"next": ["email"]
    },
    "email": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "woman", "women", "girl", "paper", "envelope", "mail", "computer", "technology"],
    	"order": 5,
    	"next": ["match"]
    },
    "match": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "paper", "envelope", "mail", "computer", "technology"],
    	"order": 5,
    	"next": ["smithpoint", "morning"]
    },
    "morning": {
    	"tags": ["day", "sun", "bedroom", "bed", "breakfast", "morning", "dream", "dark", "night"],
    	"order": 6,
    	"next": ["call"]
    },
    "call": {
    	"tags": ["phone", "telephone", "technology", "computer"],
    	"order": 7,
    	"next": ["smithpoint"]
    },
    "smithpoint": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 8,
    	"next": ["drive", "forget"]
    },
    "drive": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 9,
    	"next": ["take_pill", "toss_pill"]
    },
    "take_pill": {
    	"tags": ["drug", "pill", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "night", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 10,
    	"next": ["meet_stranger_drugs", "john_home"]
    },
    "toss_pill": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "girl", "street", "woman", "women"],
    	"order": 10,
    	"next": ["meet_stranger_no_drugs"]
    },
    "meet_stranger_drugs": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 11,
    	"next": ["john_home"]
    },
    "meet_stranger_no_drugs": {
    	"tags": ["moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 11,
    	"next": ["painting"]
    },
    "painting": {
    	"tags": ["painting", "art", "moon", "swamp", "marble", "north america", "insect", "night", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 12,
    	"next": []
    },
    "john_home": {
    	"tags": ["drug", "pill", "man", "men", "boy", "bar", "night", "drink", "alcohol", "wine", "beer"],
    	"order": 13,
    	"next": []
    }

}

And here is the code that’s currently running on the Raspberry Pi:

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
from Adafruit_Thermal import *
import time
import os
import sys
import json
import picamera
from clarifai.client import ClarifaiApi
from pattern.en import referenced

import gen

# Init Clarifai
os.environ["CLARIFAI_APP_ID"] = "nAT8dW6B0Oc5qA6JQfFcdIEr-CajukVSOZ6u_IsN"
os.environ["CLARIFAI_APP_SECRET"] = "BnETdY6wtp8DmXIWCBZf8nE4XNPtlHMdtK0ISNJQ"
clarifai_api = ClarifaiApi() # Assumes Env Vars Set

# Init System Paths
APP_PATH = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
IMG_PATH = os.path.join(APP_PATH, 'img')
TALE_PATH = os.path.join(APP_PATH, 'tales')

# Init tale_dict
with open(os.path.join(APP_PATH, 'tales_dict.json'), 'r') as infile:
    tale_dict = json.load(infile)

# Seen tales
seen_tales = list()

# Init Camera
camera = picamera.PiCamera()

# Init Printer
printer = Adafruit_Thermal("/dev/ttyAMA0", 9600, timeout=5)
printer.boldOn()

# Init GPIO
# With camera pointed forward...
# LEFT:  11 (button), 15 (led)
# RIGHT: 13 (button), 16 (led)
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD)
ledPins = (15,16)
butPins = (11,13)

for pinNo in ledPins:
    GPIO.setup(pinNo, GPIO.OUT)

for pinNo in butPins:
    GPIO.setup(pinNo, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)

# Open Grammar Dict
with open(os.path.join(APP_PATH, 'weird_grammar.json'), 'r') as infile:
    grammar_dict = json.load(infile)

def blink_left_right(count):
    ledLeft, ledRight = ledPins
    for _ in range(count):
        GPIO.output(ledRight, False)
        GPIO.output(ledLeft, True)
        time.sleep(0.2)
        GPIO.output(ledRight, True)
        GPIO.output(ledLeft, False)
        time.sleep(0.2)
    GPIO.output(ledRight, False)

def to_lines(sentences):
    def sentence_to_lines(text):
        LL = 32
        tokens = text.split(' ')
        lines = list()
        curLine = list()
        charCount = 0
        for t in tokens:
            charCount += (len(t)+1)
            if charCount > LL:
                lines.append(' '.join(curLine))
                curLine = [t]
                charCount = len(t)+1
            else:
                curLine.append(t)
        lines.append(' '.join(curLine))
        return '\n'.join(lines)
    sentence_lines = map(sentence_to_lines, sentences)
    return '\n\n'.join(sentence_lines)

def open_tale(tale_name):
    with open(os.path.join(TALE_PATH, tale_name), 'r') as infile:
        tale_text = to_lines(
            filter(lambda x: x.strip(), infile.read().strip().split('\n'))
        )
    return tale_text

def pick_tale(tags, next_tales):
    choice = str()
    record = 0
    for tale in tale_dict:
        if tale in next_tales or tale_dict[tale]['order'] == 0:
            score = len(set(tale_dict[tale]['tags']) & set(tags))
            if tale in next_tales and score > 0 and not tale in seen_tales:
                score += 100
            if score > record:
                choice = tale
                record = score
    return choice


blink_left_right(5)
imgCount = 1
cur_tale = str()


while True:
    inputLeft, inputRight = map(GPIO.input, butPins)
    if inputLeft != inputRight:
        try:
            img_fn = str(int(time.time()*100))+'.jpg'
            img_fp = os.path.join(IMG_PATH, img_fn)

            camera.capture(img_fp)

            blink_left_right(3)

            result = clarifai_api.tag_images(open(img_fp))
            tags = result['results'][0]['result']['tag']['classes']

            if cur_tale:
                next_tales = tale_dict[cur_tale]['next']
            else:
                next_tales = list()

            tale_name = pick_tale(tags, next_tales)
            cur_tale = tale_name

            if tale_name:
                lines_to_print = open_tale(tale_name)
                seen_tales.append(tale_name)

            else:
                grammar_dict["N"].extend(tags)

                if not inputLeft:
                    sentences = [gen.make_polar(grammar_dict, 10, sent=0) for _ in range(10)]
                elif not inputRight:
                    sentences = [gen.make_polar(grammar_dict, 10) for _ in range(10)]
                else:
                    sentences = gen.main(grammar_dict, 10)

                lines_to_print = to_lines(sentences)

            prefix = '\n\n\nNo. %i\n\n'%imgCount

            printer.println(prefix+lines_to_print+'\n\n\n')

            grammar_dict["N"] = list()
            imgCount += 1
        except:
            blink_left_right(15)
            print sys.exc_info()

    elif (not inputLeft) and (not inputRight):
        offCounter = 0
        for _ in range(100):
            inputLeft, inputRight = map(GPIO.input, butPins)
            if (not inputLeft) and (not inputRight):
                time.sleep(0.1)
                offCounter += 1
                if offCounter > 50:
                    os.system('sudo shutdown -h now')
            else:
                break

Click here for a Google Drive folder with all the passages from the novel.

For my final project in Introduction to Computational Media with Daniel Shiffman, I presented my fiction generator (working title: “FicGen”). Since my previous post about this project, I have added a graphical user interface and significantly expanded/refactored my code, which I moved to a new repository on GitHub. I have also submitted this project as my entry in the ITP Winter Show. For my Networked Media final project, which is due Friday, I plan to put FicGen online.

Here is a screenshot of the GUI, which I implemented in Processing:

When I presented this project in our final ICM class on Tuesday, November 25, the only working elements in the GUI were the text fields and the big red button. Now, most of the buttons and sliders have functionality as well. After pushing the red button, a Python script emails the completed novel to the user in PDF format.

After creating the GUI above, I expanded the material I am using to generate the novels by scraping content from two additional sources: over 2,000 sci-fi/horror stories from scp-wiki.net, and over 47,000 books from Project Gutenberg. I then significantly refactored my code to accommodate these additions. My new Python program, ficgen.py, is far more object oriented and organized than my previous plotgen script, which had become somewhat of a mess by the time I presented my project in class two weeks ago.

Here’s the current code:

import math
import argparse
import random
from random import choice as rc
from random import sample as rs
from random import randint as ri
import string
import math
from zipfile import ZipFile

import nltk
import en

from g_paths import gPaths
from erowid_experience_paths import erowidExpPaths
from tropes_character import characterTropeFiles
from tropes_setting import settingTropeFiles
from scp_paths import scpPaths
from firstnames_f import fFirstNames
from firstnames_m import mFirstNames
from surnames import surnames


# TODO:
# [X] CLEAN UP TROPE FILE PATHS LIST
# [ ] Fix "I'm" and "I'll" problem
# [ ] Add Plot Points / Narrative Points / Phlebotinum
# [ ] subtrope / sub-trope
# [ ] add yelp reviews
# [ ] add livejournal
# [X] add SCP

# System Path

sysPath = "/Users/rg/Projects/plotgen/ficgen/"


# Argument Values

genre_list = ['literary', 'sci-fi', 'fantasy', 'history', 'romance', 'thriller', 
			  'mystery', 'crime', 'pulp', 'horror', 'beat', 'fan', 'western', 
			  'action', 'war', 'family', 'humor', 'sport', 'speculative']
conflict_list = ['nature', 'man', 'god', 'society', 'self', 'fate', 'tech', 'no god', 'reality', 'author']
narr_list = ['first', '1st', '1', 'third', '3rd', '3', 'alt', 'alternating', 'subjective', 
			 'objective', 'sub', 'obj', 'omniscient', 'omn', 'limited', 'lim']

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Story Parameters')
parser.add_argument('--charnames', nargs='*', help="Character Names")
parser.add_argument('--title', help="Story Title")
parser.add_argument('--length', help="Story Length (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--charcount', help="Character Count (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--genre', nargs='*', help="Genre", choices=genre_list)
parser.add_argument('--conflict', nargs='*', help="Conflict", choices=conflict_list)
parser.add_argument('--passion', help="Passion (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--verbosity', help="Verbosity (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--realism', help="Realism (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--density', help="Density (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--accessibility', help="Accessibility (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--depravity', help="Depravity (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--linearity', help="Linearity (0-999)")
parser.add_argument('--narrator', nargs='*', help="Narrative PoV", choices=narr_list)
args = parser.parse_args()


# ESTABLISH SYSTEM-WIDE COEFFICIENTS/CONSTANTS

# tsv = trope setting volume
TSV = (int(args.length)/2.0 + int(args.realism)/6.0 + int(args.passion)/3.0)/1000.0
if 'fan' in args.genre:
	TSV += 1.0
TSV = int(math.ceil(2.0*TSV))

# cc = actual number of extra characters / MAKE EXPONENTIAL
CC = int(math.exp(math.ceil(int(args.charcount)/160.0))/2.0)+10

# chc = chapter count
CHC = int(math.exp(math.ceil(int(args.length)/160.0))/2.0)+10

# dtv = drug trip volume
DTV = (int(args.length)/4.0 + int(args.realism)/12.0 + int(args.passion)/6.0 + int(args.depravity)*1.5)/1000.0
if 'beat' in args.genre:
	DTV += 1.0
if 'society' in args.conflict:
	DTV += 1.0
DTV = int(math.ceil(5.0*DTV))

# scp = scp article volume
SCP = int(args.length)/1000.0
if bool(set(['sci-fi', 'horror']) & set(args.genre)):
	SCP += 1.0
if bool(set(['tech', 'no god', 'reality', 'nature', 'god']) & set(args.conflict)):
	SCP += 1.0
SCP = int(math.ceil(2.0*SCP))

# den = length (in chars) of project gutenerg excerpts
DEN = int(args.density)*10

# ggv = gutenberg excerpt volume
GGV = (int(args.length) + int(args.density))/500.0
if 'literary' in args.genre:
	GGV += 2.0
GGV = int(math.ceil(5.0*GGV))

# chl = chapter length as percent of potential chapter length
CHL = int(args.length)/1000.0


# file text fetchers
def get_file(fp):

	f = open(sysPath+fp, 'r')
	t = f.read()
	f.close()

	return t

def get_zip(fp):

	fileName = fp.split('/')[-1]
	noExtName = fileName.split('.')[0]
	txtName = noExtName + ".txt"

	ff = ZipFile(fp, 'r')
	fileNames = ff.namelist()
	oo = ff.open(fileNames[0], 'r')
	tt = oo.read()
	oo.close()
	ff.close()

	return tt



# CLASSES

class Character(object):

	def __init__(self, firstName, lastName):
		self.firstName = firstName
		self.lastName = lastName
		self.introDesc = ""
		self.scenes = []
		self.drugTrips = []
		self.scpReports = [] 
		self.gbergExcerpts = []
		self.friends = [] # list of objects


class Chapter(object):

	def __init__(self, charObj):
		self.charObj = charObj
		self.title = ""
		self.blocks = []


	def title_maker(self):
		charTitle = ri(0, 2)

		if not bool(charTitle):

			ttl = self.charObj.firstName + " " + self.charObj.lastName

		else:
			
			titleSource = ri(0, 3)

			if titleSource == 0:
				textSource = rc(self.charObj.scenes)
			elif titleSource == 1:
				textSource = rc(self.charObj.drugTrips)
			elif titleSource == 2:
				textSource = rc(self.charObj.scpReports)
			elif titleSource == 3:
				textSource = rc(self.charObj.gbergExcerpts)

			tokens = nltk.word_tokenize(textSource)

			if len(tokens) > 20:
				index = ri(0, len(tokens)-10)
				titleLen = ri(2, 6)
				ttl = ' '.join(tokens[index:index+titleLen])
			else:
				ttl = self.charObj.firstName + " " + self.charObj.lastName

		self.title = ttl


	def chapter_builder(self):
		blockList = [self.charObj.introDesc] + self.charObj.scenes + self.charObj.drugTrips + self.charObj.scpReports + self.charObj.gbergExcerpts
		
		random.shuffle(blockList)

		stopAt = int(math.ceil(CHL*len(blockList)))

		blockList = blockList[:stopAt]

		self.blocks = blockList

		# self.blocks.append("stuff")



class Novel(object):

	def __init__(self):
		self.title = args.title
		self.characters = [] # list of characters
		self.chapters = [] # list of chapters

	def generate(self):
		self.make_chars()
		self.assemble_chapters()
		self.make_tex_file()


	def make_tex_file(self):
		# Look at PlotGen for this part
		outputFileName = self.title

		latex_special_char_1 = ['&', '%', '$', '#', '_', '{', '}']
		latex_special_char_2 = ['~', '^', '\\']

		outputFile = open(sysPath+"output/"+outputFileName+".tex", 'w')

		openingTexLines = ["\\documentclass[12pt]{book}",
						   "\\usepackage{ucs}",
						   "\\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}",
						   "\\usepackage{hyperref}",
						   "\\title{"+outputFileName+"}",
						   "\\author{collective consciousness fiction generator\\\\http://rossgoodwin.com/ficgen}",
						   "\\date{\\today}",
						   "\\begin{document}",
						   "\\maketitle"]

		closingTexLine = "\\end{document}"

		for line in openingTexLines:
			outputFile.write(line+"\n\r")
		outputFile.write("\n\r\n\r")

		for ch in self.chapters:

			outputFile.write("\\chapter{"+ch.title+"}\n\r")
			outputFile.write("\n\r\n\r")

			rawText = '\n\r\n\r\n\r'.join(ch.blocks)

			try:
				rawText = rawText.decode('utf8')
			except:
				pass
			try:
				rawText = rawText.encode('ascii', 'ignore')
			except:
				pass

			i = 0
			for char in rawText:

				if char == "\b":
					outputFile.seek(-1, 1)
				elif char in latex_special_char_1 and rawText[i-1] != "\\":
					outputFile.write("\\"+char)
				elif char in latex_special_char_2 and not rawText[i+1] in latex_special_char_1:
					outputFile.write("-")
				else:
					outputFile.write(char)

				i += 1

			outputFile.write("\n\r\n\r")

		outputFile.write("\n\r\n\r")
		outputFile.write(closingTexLine)

		outputFile.close()

		print '\"'+sysPath+'output/'+outputFileName+'.tex\"'


	def assemble_chapters(self):
		novel = []

		for c in self.characters:
			novel.append(Chapter(c))

		for ch in novel:
			ch.title_maker()
			ch.chapter_builder()

		random.shuffle(novel) # MAYBE RETHINK THIS LATER

		self.chapters = novel


	def make_chars(self):
		# establish gender ratio
		charGenders = [ri(0,1) for _ in range(CC)]
		
		# initialize list of characters
		chars = []

		# add user defined characters
		for firstlast in args.charnames:
			fl_list = firstlast.split('_')  # Note that split is an underscore!
			chars.append(Character(fl_list[0], fl_list[1]))

		# add generated characters
		for b in charGenders:
			if b:
				chars.append(Character(rc(fFirstNames), rc(surnames)))
			else:
				chars.append(Character(rc(mFirstNames), rc(surnames)))

		# establish list of intro scenes
		introScenePaths = rs(characterTropeFiles, len(chars))

		# establish list of settings
		settings = rs(settingTropeFiles, len(chars)*TSV)

		# establish list of drug trips
		trips = rs(erowidExpPaths, len(chars)*DTV)

		# establish list of scp articles
		scps = rs(scpPaths, len(chars)*SCP)

		# establish list of gberg excerpts
		gbergs = rs(gPaths.values(), len(chars)*GGV)

		i = 0
		j = 0
		m = 0
		p = 0
		s = 0
		for c in chars:

			# make friends
			c.friends += rs(chars, ri(1,len(chars)-1))
			if c in c.friends:
				c.friends.remove(c)

			# add introduction description
			c.introDesc = self.personal_trope([c], introScenePaths[i])

			# add setting scenes
			for k in range(TSV):
				c.scenes.append(self.personal_trope([c]+c.friends, settings[j+k]))

			# add drug trip scenes
			for n in range(DTV):
				c.drugTrips.append(self.personal_trip([c]+c.friends, trips[m+n]))

			# add scp articles
			for q in range(SCP):
				c.scpReports.append(self.personal_scp([c]+c.friends, scps[p+q]))

			# add gberg excerpts
			for t in range(GGV):
				c.gbergExcerpts.append(self.personal_gberg([c]+c.friends, gbergs[s+t]))

			i += 1
			j += TSV
			m += DTV
			p += SCP
			s += GGV

		self.characters = chars


	def personal_trope(self, charList, filePath):
		text = get_file(filePath)
		# text = text.decode('utf8')
		# text = text.encode('ascii', 'ignore')

		if len(charList) == 1:
			characterTrope = True
		else:
			characterTrope = False

		try:

			pos = en.sentence.tag(text)
			wordtag = map(list, zip(*pos))
			words = wordtag[0]
			tags = wordtag[1]

			for i in range(len(words)):
				charRef = rc([rc(charList), charList[0]])
				if words[i].lower() == "character" and i > 0:
					words[i-1] = charRef.firstName
					words[i] = charRef.lastName

				elif tags[i] == "PRP":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName
				elif tags[i] == "PRP$":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName+"\'s"
				elif tags[i] in ["VBD", "VBG", "VBN", "VBZ"]:
					try:
						words[i] = en.verb.past(words[i], person=3, negate=False)
					except:
						pass

				if characterTrope:

					if words[i] == "have":
						words[i] = "has"
					elif words[i] == "are":
						words[i] = "is"

			punc = [".", ",", ";", ":", "!", "?"]

			for i in range(len(words)):
				if words[i] in punc:
					words[i] = '\b'+words[i]

			final_text = " ".join(words)

			if characterTrope:

				mainCharRef = rc(charList)

				index = string.find(final_text, mainCharRef.firstName)

				if final_text[index+len(mainCharRef.firstName)+1:index+len(mainCharRef.firstName)+1+len(mainCharRef.lastName)] == mainCharRef.lastName:
					final_text = final_text[index:]
				else:
					final_text = mainCharRef.firstName+" "+mainCharRef.lastName+final_text[index+len(mainCharRef.firstName):]

			replacements = {"trope": "clue", "Trope": "clue", "TROPE": "CLUE"}

			for x, y in replacements.iteritems():
				final_text = string.replace(final_text, x, y)

		except:
			
			final_text = ""


		return final_text


	def personal_trip(self, charList, tripPath):

		fileText = get_file(tripPath)
		splitText = fileText.split('\\vspace{2mm}')
		endOfText = splitText[-1]
		text = endOfText[:len(endOfText)-15]

		try:

			pos = en.sentence.tag(text)
			wordtag = map(list, zip(*pos))
			words = wordtag[0]
			tags = wordtag[1]

			for i in range(len(words)):

				charRef = rc([rc(charList), charList[0]])

				if tags[i] == "PRP":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName
				elif tags[i] == "PRP$":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName+"\'s"
				elif tags[i] in ["VBD", "VBG", "VBN", "VBZ"]:
					try:
						words[i] = en.verb.past(words[i], person=3, negate=False)
					except:
						pass
				else:
					pass

			punc = [".", ",", ";", ":", "!", "?"]

			for i in range(len(words)):
				if words[i] in punc:
					words[i] = '\b'+words[i]

			final_text = " ".join(words)

			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\end{itemize}", "")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\begin{itemize}", "")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\end{center}", "")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\begin{center}", "")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\ldots", " . . . ")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "\\egroup", "")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "EROWID", "GOVERNMENT")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "erowid", "government")
			final_text = string.replace(final_text, "Erowid", "Government")

		except:

			final_text = ""

		return final_text


	def personal_scp(self, charList, scpPath):

		text = get_file(scpPath)

		text = string.replace(text, "SCP", charList[0].lastName)
		text = string.replace(text, "Foundation", charList[0].lastName)

		try:

			pos = en.sentence.tag(text)
			wordtag = map(list, zip(*pos))
			words = wordtag[0]
			tags = wordtag[1]

			for i in range(len(words)):

				charRef = rc(charList)

				if tags[i] == "PRP":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName
				elif tags[i] == "PRP$":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName+"\'s"
				elif tags[i] in ["VBD", "VBG", "VBN", "VBZ"]:
					try:
						words[i] = en.verb.past(words[i], person=3, negate=False)
					except:
						pass
				else:
					pass

			punc = [".", ",", ";", ":", "!", "?"]

			for i in range(len(words)):
				if words[i] in punc:
					words[i] = '\b'+words[i]

			final_text = " ".join(words)

		except:

			final_text = ""

		return final_text



	def personal_gberg(self, charList, gPath):

		full_text = ""
		while full_text == "":
			try:
				full_text = get_zip(gPath)
			except:
				full_text = ""
				gPath = rc(gPaths.values())

		endPart = full_text.split("*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ")[-1]
		theMeat = endPart.split("*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK")[0]

		theMeat = string.replace(theMeat, "\r\n", " ")

		
		if len(theMeat) < DEN+5:
			text = theMeat
		else:
			startLoc = int(len(theMeat)/2.0 - DEN/2.0)
			text = theMeat[startLoc:startLoc+DEN]

		spLoc = text.find(" ")
		text = text[spLoc+1:]

		try:
			pos = en.sentence.tag(text)
			wordtag = map(list, zip(*pos))
			words = wordtag[0]
			tags = wordtag[1]

			for i in range(len(words)):

				charRef = rc([rc(charList), charList[0]])

				if tags[i] == "PRP":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName
				elif tags[i] == "PRP$":
					words[i] = charRef.firstName+"\'s"
				elif tags[i] in ["VBD", "VBG", "VBN", "VBZ"]:
					try:
						words[i] = en.verb.past(words[i], person=3, negate=False)
					except:
						pass
				else:
					pass

			punc = [".", ",", ";", ":", "!", "?"]

			for i in range(len(words)):
				if words[i] in punc:
					words[i] = '\b'+words[i]

			final_text = " ".join(words)

		except:
			final_text = ""


		return final_text


	def print_chars(self):

		c = self.make_chars()
		for character in c:
			print 'INTRO DESC'
			print '\n\n'
			print character.introDesc
			print '\n\n'
			print 'SCENES'
			print '\n\n'
			for s in character.scenes:
				print s
			print '\n\n'
			print 'DRUG TRIPS'
			print '\n\n'
			for t in character.drugTrips:
				print t
			print '\n\n'
			print 'SCP REPORTS'
			print '\n\n'
			for p in character.scpReports:
				print p
			print '\n\n'
			print 'GBERG EXCERPTS'
			print '\n\n'
			for q in character.gbergExcerpts:
				print q
			print '\n\n'




foobar = Novel()
foobar.generate()

The program’s argument values, which I’m using the Python argparse library to deal with, are designed to be inserted by the GUI. However, they can be inserted manually as well in the terminal.

Typing python ficgen.py -h in the terminal will yield the following help text:

usage: ficgen.py [-h] [--charnames [CHARNAMES [CHARNAMES ...]]]
                 [--title TITLE] [--length LENGTH] [--charcount CHARCOUNT]
                 [--genre [{literary,sci-fi,fantasy,history,romance,thriller,mystery,crime,pulp,horror,beat,fan,western,action,war,family,humor,sport,speculative} [{literary,sci-fi,fantasy,history,romance,thriller,mystery,crime,pulp,horror,beat,fan,western,action,war,family,humor,sport,speculative} ...]]]
                 [--conflict [{nature,man,god,society,self,fate,tech,no god,reality,author} [{nature,man,god,society,self,fate,tech,no god,reality,author} ...]]]
                 [--passion PASSION] [--verbosity VERBOSITY]
                 [--realism REALISM] [--density DENSITY]
                 [--accessibility ACCESSIBILITY] [--depravity DEPRAVITY]
                 [--linearity LINEARITY]
                 [--narrator [{first,1st,1,third,3rd,3,alt,alternating,subjective,objective,sub,obj,omniscient,omn,limited,lim} [{first,1st,1,third,3rd,3,alt,alternating,subjective,objective,sub,obj,omniscient,omn,limited,lim} ...]]]

Story Parameters

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --charnames [CHARNAMES [CHARNAMES ...]]
                        Character Names
  --title TITLE         Story Title
  --length LENGTH       Story Length (0-999)
  --charcount CHARCOUNT
                        Character Count (0-999)
  --genre [{literary,sci-fi,fantasy,history,romance,thriller,mystery,crime,pulp,horror,beat,fan,western,action,war,family,humor,sport,speculative} [{literary,sci-fi,fantasy,history,romance,thriller,mystery,crime,pulp,horror,beat,fan,western,action,war,family,humor,sport,speculative} ...]]
                        Genre
  --conflict [{nature,man,god,society,self,fate,tech,no god,reality,author} [{nature,man,god,society,self,fate,tech,no god,reality,author} ...]]
                        Conflict
  --passion PASSION     Passion (0-999)
  --verbosity VERBOSITY
                        Verbosity (0-999)
  --realism REALISM     Realism (0-999)
  --density DENSITY     Density (0-999)
  --accessibility ACCESSIBILITY
                        Accessibility (0-999)
  --depravity DEPRAVITY
                        Depravity (0-999)
  --linearity LINEARITY
                        Linearity (0-999)
  --narrator [{first,1st,1,third,3rd,3,alt,alternating,subjective,objective,sub,obj,omniscient,omn,limited,lim} [{first,1st,1,third,3rd,3,alt,alternating,subjective,objective,sub,obj,omniscient,omn,limited,lim} ...]]
                        Narrative PoV

Finally, here are some sample novels generated by the new code (titles chosen by volunteers):

• Alfonzo Donatello and the Data Gonzo Manifesto
• Quick Jest
• Generation generate, in general