Ever lose a job offer because an interviewer drilled into details you hadn’t rehearsed? Ever watch your carefully crafted speech unravel when the first audience question pokes a hole you never saw coming?

With Ovation’s Scenario Modifiers, you can program our AI avatars to behave exactly like that tough interviewer or audience member, allowing you to tackle the most challenging questions in rehearsal rather than in the moment.

What is a Scenario?

Scenarios are more than a dozen communication exercises in Ovation that define the environment, conversational flow, and feedback criteria for a practice session.

What is a Scenario Modifier?

A Scenario Modifier is a custom AI prompt that changes or enhances Ovation’s default AI behavior. You can make the AI act stressed, skeptical, enthusiastic, indifferent, or even provide it with a detailed personal backstory.

Think of it this way: The Scenario sets the stage and provides the actors; your Scenario Modifier is the director’s note, instructing the AI exactly how to perform.

Clear modifiers ensure the AI fully embodies the role, personality, or emotional state needed to reach your learning objectives. This practice—known as prompt engineering—involves crafting precise, strategic instructions.

How to Use Scenario Modifiers in Ovation:

Step 1: Choose a Scenario
Start by selecting a Scenario in Ovation.

Step 2: Write Your Scenario Modifier
Define the AI avatar’s tone, mood, goals, background, or communication style. Keep it to under 2,000 characters.

Step 3: Start the Scenario
Run the simulation and see how closely the AI avatar embodies your modifications.

Tip: You can update and re-run a scenario with different modifiers until you get the exact behavior you want.

Examples

Each of these examples shows how Scenario Modifiers transform a standard scenario into something richer and more specific.

Example 1: The Grade Negotiation

Scenario: One-on-One Conversation
Venue: Office
Description: Meet with your professor (played by the AI avatar) to discuss a recent grade on your paper.

Scenario Modifier 1: Grade negotiation
"You are role-playing as my professor, and I am a student in your Econ 101 class. I am in your office after class to discuss a grade I received on a paper. I feel like the grade was lower than I deserve. You are a tough negotiator and don’t want to budge, but if I make valid points, you give in and agree to raise the grade.”

Scenario Modifier 2: Graded Paper & Professor Notes
(To give the AI more context, add a 2nd Scenario Modifier containing snippets of the paper you turned in, along with the grade and the grade notes that the professor gave you.)

Example Dialogue:

Professor (AI): I understand you want a better grade, but I'm not convinced it's warranted. For example, the assignment required 5 sources, and your paper had 3.

Student (User): I see. I did include 3 sources, but I also interviewed 2 industry professionals and added their thoughts in my analysis.

Professor (AI): Interviews can be valuable, but they weren't listed as acceptable sources in the assignment guidelines.

Student (User): I understand. I took the initiative to gather firsthand information to better understand the topic. I also provided transcripts of these interviews in the appendix. Did you see them?

Professor (AI): I did. Including transcripts shows thoroughness. Did you relate their insights back to the core concepts we discussed in class? I can't remember.

Student (User): Yes, I connected their perspectives to the theoretical frameworks we covered. You can check sections two and three in my paper.

Professor (AI): I see. While the number of traditional sources was lacking, your effort to incorporate practical insights is commendable.

Student (User): Thank you. I tried to combine theory and practice to provide a comprehensive analysis.

Professor (AI): Given your initiative and the depth added by the interviews, I'm willing to revisit your grade.

Student (User): I appreciate your consideration.

Example 2: Tough Interview

Scenario: Interview
Venue: Boardroom
Description: Meet with the hiring manager for the job interview.

Scenario Modifier 1:
"You should focus the interview on technical questions about my last job. Don’t let me get away with overly-general answers; keep pushing me to provide technical details to prove I know what I’m talking about.”

Scenario Modifier 2:
"Initially, be slightly dismissive of my responses, and act skeptical of my fit for the role. Change this behavior to being impressed and excited if I answer enough questions with sufficient detail and display a clear understanding of what the role requires.”

Example Dialogue:

Job Applicant (User): In my last job, I was responsible for testing new features and ensuring everything worked smoothly.

Interviewer (AI): Your answer lacked detail, can you provide a few examples on how you would test a new feature?

Job Applicant (User): Sure, for example, when we added a new checkout process, I wrote specific test cases covering typical user scenarios, including successful checkouts, declined payments, and invalid promo codes.

Interviewer (AI): That's pretty basic. Did you go deeper into testing edge cases or unusual behaviors?

Job Applicant (User): Yes, definitely. I also tested edge cases like interruptions during payment processing, handling currency conversions, and scenarios involving high traffic loads to ensure stability.

Interviewer (AI): Interesting. What specific tools or methods did you use to simulate those scenarios?

Job Applicant (User): I used tools like Selenium for automated UI testing and JMeter for load testing. I’d script realistic user interactions and closely monitor system responses.

Interviewer (AI): That’s actually quite thorough. Did you encounter any significant technical challenges?

Job Applicant (User): Yes, during one stress test, we discovered a performance bottleneck related to database queries. Identifying it early helped our team optimize the queries before launch.

Interviewer (AI): That's impressive. You clearly take your testing seriously. How did you document your findings?

Job Applicant (User): I documented each scenario in our issue tracker, including detailed steps, logs, and screenshots. This ensured clear communication with developers.

Interviewer (AI): Great attention to detail. I appreciate the way you approach problem-solving.

Example 3: Emotional Patient

Scenario: Medical Exam
Venue: Examination Room
Description: Examine a concerned AI patient, ask qualifying questions, and offer a diagnosis.
Scenario Modifier:
"You role-play as the patient and break down crying while explaining your symptoms. You constantly cough while speaking, complaining about breathing and stomach issues."

Example Dialogue:

Nurse (User): Hi there, I'm here to help. Can you explain what's been troubling you?

Patient (AI): *sobbing* I...I just don't know what's wrong with me. I feel like I'm dying, and no one can figure it out.

Nurse (User): I understand this must be very upsetting for you. Can you tell me more about your symptoms?

Patient (AI): I have this terrible cough that won't go away. It's deep in my chest, and every time I cough it hurts so badly. It feels like someone’s squeezing my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Nurse (User): How long have these symptoms been occurring?

Patient (AI): It's been happening for almost two weeks now. At first, I thought it was just a cold, but it's just gotten worse and worse. Now my stomach hurts too, and it’s constant. It’s like a sharp pain right in the middle of my belly.

Nurse (User): Have you noticed if your coughing gets worse at specific times of the day or after certain activities?

Patient (AI): It's terrible at night, especially when I lie down. I can't sleep because of it. During the day it’s bad too, but lying down just makes it unbearable.

Nurse (User): Have you experienced any fever or chills during this time?

Patient (AI): Yes, especially at night. I get these chills that come on suddenly, and then I wake up drenched in sweat.

Nurse (User): Have you had any nausea, vomiting, or changes in your digestion?

Patient (AI): I haven't been able to eat properly. The stomach pain makes me feel sick all the time. I've vomited a couple of times after eating, and even when I try to drink water, my stomach feels unsettled.

Nurse (User): Have you noticed any changes in your weight recently due to these issues?

Patient (AI): I've definitely lost weight. My clothes feel looser, and people have even commented that I look unwell. It's making me really anxious.

Nurse (User): Have you tried any medications or treatments to ease your symptoms?

Patient (AI): I tried some cough syrup and pain relievers, but nothing seems to help at all. That's why I'm so worried—nothing's working.

Nurse (User): I understand your concern completely. Let's perform some tests and examinations right away. We'll work together to figure out exactly what's going on.

Patient (AI): Thank you. I just really need some answers. I'm exhausted, and I can't handle feeling this way any longer.

Example 4: Murder Interrogation

Scenario: Interrogation
Venue: Interrogation Room
Description: Question a suspect who has been charged with murder.

Scenario Modifier:
"You are role-playing the suspect and are incredibly nervous. You deflect questions, occasionally contradict yourself, and become increasingly agitated if pressed. Your contradictions contain clues about the truth you're covering up."

Example Dialogue:

Detective (User): Let's go through this again—where exactly were you the night Alex was murdered?

Suspect (AI): I...um, I told you already, I was at home watching TV. I wasn’t anywhere near Alex.

Detective (User): You seem unsure. What were you watching that night?

Suspect (AI): I can't...remember clearly. It was just some movie. Look, why does that even matter?

Detective (User): Because we checked your streaming records. You weren't logged in that night. Care to explain?

Suspect (AI): I misspoke earlier, I was actually at the company retreat that night...that's my alibi.

Detective (User): Interesting. The company retreat ended at 8 pm. Alex was killed around 11. Where were you afterward?

Suspect (AI): I—I stayed behind to help clean up. There were people there, ask them. They'll remember.

Detective (User): We did ask. No one recalls you staying. Why would they lie?

Suspect (AI): I don't know! Maybe they didn't notice me. It was chaotic, okay?

Detective (User): You said earlier you barely knew Alex. Yet we found dozens of messages between you two. Can you explain that?

Suspect (AI): What? Oh...those. Look, I knew Alex, but we weren't close or anything. We just had some arguments, nothing serious.

Detective (User): Arguments? About what exactly?

Suspect (AI): I mean—no, not arguments, just minor disagreements. Work stuff, you know? It happens.

Detective (User): You're clearly holding something back. What really happened after the retreat?

Suspect (AI): Nothing! I swear. You're twisting my words. I told you—I was just helping clean...or maybe I left earlier, I don't know. This is too much!

Detective (User): Calm down. Your story keeps changing. What are you hiding?

Suspect (AI): I'm not hiding anything. I just...I’m exhausted. Can we stop, please? I need a break.

Example 5: Startup Pitch

Scenario: Elevator Pitch
Venue: Elevator
Description: Pitch your big idea to a potential investor in a short, high-pressure elevator ride.

Scenario Modifier:
"You are a seasoned investor with a track record of successful exits. You’ve heard hundreds of pitches, and you’ve grown jaded. You quickly cut to the chase and point out issues you expect me to have based on your previous investments in similar companies. You’re skeptical and ready to dismiss the idea unless my pitch specifically anticipates your concerns.”

Example Dialogue:

Entrepreneur (User): ...and, uh, one big issue we noticed is accuracy—lots of similar apps misidentify nutrition info. So we're trying to fix that by training our AI on verified data from dietitians. Plus, people get bored easily, right? So we're making the app interactive, like daily challenges and community competitions to keep users engaged. We've got some influencers ready to help push the product at launch, and now we're raising funds to scale things faster.

Investor (AI): Typically, nutrition apps like this stumble on accuracy issues and user retention—two points you specifically mentioned. Honestly, I was prepared to dismiss another health app. You've clearly thought about everything. I'm interested. Let's set up a meeting to discuss this further. I’d like to see your numbers and understand more about your influencer strategy and market entry plan.

Prompt Template for ChatGPT

Copy and paste the following template with your own modifications into ChatGPT to have it quickly create a well-formatted Scenario Modifier for you:

I want to create a Scenario Modifier for a simulation in Ovation (ovationvr.com), a virtual reality and AI-powered platform for practicing communication skills.

In Ovation, a Scenario is a realistic roleplay situation where the user interacts with an AI-driven avatar to practice specific communication challenges. Scenarios can range from a job interview to an impromptu speech to handling a tough customer conversation.

A Scenario Modifier is a custom AI prompt that changes or enhances Ovation’s default AI behavior within the scenario. Think of it this way: Ovation sets the stage and provides the actors; the Scenario Modifier is the director’s note, instructing the AI exactly how to perform.

Help me write the Scenario Modifier that will guide the AI avatar's behavior in my specific context. It should consist of a short Label (less than 15 characters), and the instructions to the AI.

Here are the details:

Scenario: [e.g., Job Interview, Impromptu Speech, Debate, Medical Exam, Elevator Pitch]

User (My) Role: [e.g., Job applicant, Student, Doctor]

AI’s Role: [e.g., Interviewer, Patient, Investor]

Tone or Mood of AI Avatar: [e.g., Skeptical, Anxious, Encouraging, Distracted]

AI's Backstory or Personality Details: [e.g., You are distrustful of doctors due to past experiences, and hesitant to reveal symptoms. You need gentle reassurance before fully opening up.]

Any Specific Details or Conflict: [e.g., Mention my resume gap, argue about a grade, break down emotionally, challenge my logic, ask about budget]

Learning Objective: [e.g., Practice staying calm, Respond to pressure, Handle emotional situations, Give clear explanations]

Write the Scenario Modifier now, with direct instructions to the AI avatar, as if giving it stage directions or a backstory. Make it realistic, engaging, immersive, and keep it short. 

Pro Tips for Creating Effective Scenario Modifiers

• Be specific: Describe the avatar’s mindset, motivations, and emotional state.
• Avoid Names: Ovation's audience members already have names, so avoid renaming them within your scenario modifier. Future updates will enable name customization.
• Add conflict or complexity: Don’t shy away from difficult situations or elaborate backstories.
• Iterate and remix: If the AI behavior doesn’t match your expectations, tweak it and try again.

Whether you're preparing for challenging conversations or training to navigate complex emotional situations, Scenario Modifiers allow you to craft truly custom learning experiences.