Tune β for your scene
β (scene intensity) is the single-knob tension dial. This guide helps you pick one.
Learning objective: pick β by scene register and escalate mid-scene when the dramatic situation demands it.
Prerequisites
- Library installed.
- You understand β conceptually (weighted frameworks & β).
Step 1: Pick a starting β by register
| Scene type | Suggested β | What it feels like |
|---|---|---|
| Courtroom cross-examination | 0.0 – 0.2 | Every counter bites; high-stakes, adversarial |
| Formal meeting | 0.3 – 0.5 | Professional, some flexibility |
| Family dinner | 0.4 – 0.7 | Warm, counters often waved off |
| Boardroom cordiality | 0.7 – 0.9 | Diplomatic, few hard rejections |
| Celebration / reception | 0.9 – 1.0 | Everyone's agreeing, dispute is a faux pas |
Step 2: Set at scene start
use argumentation_weighted::types::Budget;
state.set_intensity(Budget::new(0.35).unwrap()); // formal meeting
Step 3: Escalate mid-scene
If the scene turns tense (say, after a specific beat), drop β toward zero so counters bite harder:
// After a confrontational beat, raise tension (lower β)
state.set_intensity(Budget::new(0.1).unwrap());
set_intensity takes &self, so you can mutate intensity without holding &mut state — useful when the state is borrowed by the bridge scorer/eval.
Step 4: De-escalate
After a reconciliation beat:
state.set_intensity(Budget::new(0.6).unwrap());
When NOT to use β
If the scene's whole point is that a specific attack must bind (a dramatic reveal, a strict rejection), don't set β above that attack's weight. The structural force is the point.
Verify
Run the scene twice with β at 0.0 and at 0.8 — the number of rejected beats should decrease notably at the higher β.
Related
- Weighted and β concept — the mechanics.
- East-wall demo — β-modulated scene in action.