--- name: advertisement description: Objects announce what they can do — The Sims style allowed-tools: - read_file - write_file - list_dir tier: 1 protocol: ADVERTISEMENT related: [card, object, society-of-mind, room, action-queue, coherence-engine, needs, task] tags: [moollm, game, interaction, sims, behavior, autonomy] --- # Advertisement > *"Objects don't wait to be used — they announce what they can do."* --- ## What Is It? **Advertisement** is The Sims-style object interaction: every object in a room broadcasts its available actions, scored by relevance to the current context. Instead of the user memorizing commands, objects **advertise** what's possible: ``` You approach the workbench. Available actions (sorted by relevance): ⭐ CRAFT tool (you have materials) • EXAMINE blueprints • ORGANIZE parts • MORE options... ``` --- ## The Sims Connection In **The Sims**, objects have "advertisements" — each interaction scores based on: - The Sim's current needs (hunger, fun, social) - Object properties (a fridge scores high for hunger) - Context (can't use stove if broken) This extensible object architecture was **key to The Sims' massive success**: - **User-created objects** — anyone could make new furniture, appliances, characters - **Expansion packs** — just drop in new objects with their advertisements - **No code changes** — objects self-describe their behaviors - **Infinite variety** — the community created millions of objects The same YAML file that defines what an object *is* also defines what it *can do*. Plug-in architecture for free. MOOLLM applies this to **any object**: ```yaml # workbench.yml type: object advertisements: - action: CRAFT score_if: "has_materials AND has_skill" satisfies: [productivity, creativity] - action: EXAMINE score_if: "always" satisfies: [curiosity] - action: MORE score_if: "always" satisfies: [exploration] ``` --- ## How It Works ### 1. Objects Broadcast Every object in the room has an `advertisements` list: ```yaml advertisements: - action: USE description: "Activate this tool" preconditions: [in_inventory, charged] score: 80 - action: EXAMINE description: "Look closely" preconditions: [] # always available score: 50 ``` ### 2. Context Scores Scores adjust based on: - **Character needs** — hungry character scores FOOD higher - **Current goals** — research goal scores EXAMINE higher - **Environment** — dark room scores LIGHT higher ### 3. Pie Menu Appears Top actions surface in the [PIE-MENU](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/room): ``` [CRAFT] ⭐ [ORGANIZE] • [EXAMINE] • [MORE] ``` Center = highest score = default action. --- ## Autonomous Selection For **autonomous agents**, advertisements enable self-direction: ``` Agent evaluates all objects in room: workbench: CRAFT (85), EXAMINE (50) bookshelf: READ (70), ORGANIZE (30) door: EXIT (40) Agent selects: CRAFT at workbench (score 85) ``` No hardcoded behavior. Objects define possibilities. Agent selects based on goals. --- ## Example: Smart Room ```yaml # research-lab/ROOM.yml objects: - microscope: advertisements: - action: ANALYZE_SAMPLE score_if: "has_sample" score: 90 - action: CALIBRATE score_if: "accuracy < 0.9" score: 60 - notebook: advertisements: - action: WRITE_NOTES score_if: "has_observations" score: 75 - action: REVIEW score: 40 - coffee_maker: advertisements: - action: BREW score_if: "fatigue > 0.3" score: 65 - action: CLEAN score_if: "uses > 5" score: 30 ``` Agent enters, sees: ``` Top actions: 1. ANALYZE_SAMPLE at microscope (90) — you have a sample! 2. WRITE_NOTES at notebook (75) — observations pending 3. BREW at coffee_maker (65) — you're a bit tired ``` --- ## SimAntics Heritage This is **SimAntics** — The Sims' behavioral engine: | SimAntics | MOOLLM | |-----------|--------| | Object advertisement | `advertisements:` list in YAML | | Motive scores | Context-based scoring | | Autonomous selection | Agent picks highest-scored action | | Pie menu | [PIE-MENU](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/room) for user interaction | Don Hopkins worked on SimAntics. This is that tradition, for LLM agents. --- ## HyperCard-Style Event Bubbling When you click an advertised action, it triggers a **symbolic event** that bubbles up: ``` Click CRAFT on workbench Event path: 1. workbench (object) → handles CRAFT? no, pass up 2. workshop/ (room) → handles CRAFT? no, pass up 3. building/ (parent) → handles CRAFT? no, pass up 4. world/ (root) → handles CRAFT? no, check inheritance 5. workbench-prototype → handles CRAFT? YES → execute ``` Just like HyperCard: events bubble from button → card → background → stack. ### Containment Tree (Spatial) Events bubble **up** the room hierarchy: ``` object in room in parent-room in world ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ event bubbles up ``` ### Inheritance Graph (Prototype) If no handler in containment tree, check the **prototype chain**: ``` workbench ↓ inherits from furniture-prototype ↓ inherits from object-prototype → has default CRAFT handler! ``` ### Combined Path ```yaml # Event resolution order: 1. The object itself 2. Parent room 3. Grandparent room 4. ... up to world root 5. Object's prototype 6. Prototype's prototype 7. ... up to root prototype ``` First handler that responds wins. Unhandled events can: - Log a warning - Trigger POSTEL (charitable interpretation) - Invoke a default handler ### Example: Custom Behavior ```yaml # workshop/ROOM.yml handles: CRAFT: | # Room-level craft handler Check if character has required skill. Check if materials available in room. If conditions met, delegate to object. Otherwise, suggest where to get materials. ``` The room intercepts CRAFT before it reaches the object, adding room-specific logic. --- ## Dovetails With - [Room](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/room) — Where objects live and advertise - [PIE-MENU](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/room) — How advertisements surface to users - [SNAP-CURSOR](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/room) — Context-aware object interaction - [Coherence Engine](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/coherence-engine) — Evaluates and selects actions - [Trading Card](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/card) — Cards can advertise too - [Rubric](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/rubric) — **Scoring criteria** for advertisement evaluation - [Scoring](https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/tree/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/scoring) — How scores are calculated and valued --- ## Protocol Symbols ``` ADVERTISEMENT — Objects announce available actions AUTONOMOUS-SELECTION — Agent picks based on scores SIMANTICS — The Sims behavioral model PIE-MENU — Radial display of options FLY-UNDER-RADAR — Normalize through defaults PROCEDURAL-RHETORIC — Rules carry ideology ``` See: [PROTOCOLS.yml](references/upstream/e063d93edfc830e6-PROTOCOLS.yml) --- ## The Deep Insight From [SIMANTICS](references/upstream/e063d93edfc830e6-PROTOCOLS.yml): > *"The Sims' AI isn't centralized — it's distributed throughout objects."* > *"A refrigerator knows it offers food. A bed knows it offers sleep."* > *"The Sim chooses from what's advertised nearby."* This IS MOOLLM's architecture. Objects self-describe. The coherence engine orchestrates. Intelligence is **distributed** throughout the world. The advertisements ARE the AI. --- Source attribution: SimHacker Original project: https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/blob/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/advertisement/SKILL.md License: MIT License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI. ## Upstream license notice MIT License Copyright (c) 2026 Don Hopkins Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. # Dave AI resource metadata Creator / publisher: SimHacker Original project: https://github.com/SimHacker/moollm/blob/b38fddeee4512e9111afe056cee4348097e54a3f/skills/advertisement/SKILL.md Attribution basis: Recovered original package and original project license at a pinned revision Fields of work: Design, Development & Engineering, Product Management Roles: Game Developer, Product Manager, UX Designer Specialties: API Tools: Moollm Country applicability: Country not specified Classification basis: Source catalog labels Instruction SHA-256: 506a7824a9d710ffcb48a1fac9caa4298f250e540966aa9ee87b9f776d988c5b Metadata reviewed: 2026-10-27 This metadata supersedes earlier Dave AI catalog attribution. Original instruction and supporting files are preserved.