Getting started with OD
Review scope: Linked public documentation checked October 30, 2026. Examples are proposed checks, not recorded OD results; use your account's current controls.
You will open the site, learn the main controls, and send a first message. You do not need a character sheet, art prompt, or game engine for this lesson.
OD is an adults-only website. Complete its own age and account steps before using the service. An AI character is a fictional participant whose replies are generated by an artificial-intelligence model. A chat is the conversation you have with that character. An image model makes pictures and may be different from the model writing the chat.
Before you begin
Open the OD website in your browser. Have access to the account you intend to use. If the site offers a plan or a paid operation, read the current terms and displayed cost before choosing it; you can learn the navigation without buying anything.
Step by step
- Sign in. Use Login, or complete the site's registration process if you need an account. Keep your sign-in details in the site's own login form.
- Find the navigation. On a narrow screen, expand the site menu if its labels are hidden. Look for the labels below rather than relying on an icon's shape.
- Open Explore. This is the starting point for browsing characters made available by creators.
- Choose a character. Read its public description. This explains the premise to you. Then read the opening message, called the Greeting.
- Identify your role. Decide who you are in this particular conversation. You can begin with an ordinary visitor without inventing a long biography.
- Write a first message. Enter it in the chat message box. For example, in a suitable archive scenario, write: “Hello. I'm looking for an old town map. Can you help?”
- Send once and read the reply. Check whether the character addressed your question. Your next message can answer, ask for clarification, or take an action.
- Return to Chat. Find the conversation you just used. This gives you a way back without starting another conversation accidentally.
The Known State Quickstart describes browsing, beginning a chat, creating a character, and generating an image.
What the main areas are for
| Area | Use it when you want to |
|---|---|
| Explore | Find a public character |
| Chat | Open or continue conversations |
| Create | Build a character of your own |
| My AI | Find characters you have created |
| Generate | Open the available media-generation tools |
| Profile | Find account and persona settings |
| Help Desk | Get help with account or service problems |
These labels appear on the public site. Their position can change between desktop and mobile views.
How to write an action
Dialogue can be ordinary text. To describe an action, place an asterisk before and after it:
*I place the folded map on the desk.* Is this the right district?
Here, you supplied the action. You do not need to ask the AI to decide what your character does. Action formatting.
Check your result
You should be able to find your conversation again, identify who the AI character is, and send a message without mixing up the chat and image tools.
If something goes wrong
- A button is missing: expand the menu and check that you are signed in. Account features can differ. Use the service’s Help Desk if the feature is still unavailable; do not enter credentials into a third-party tutorial or unverified support form.
- The opening assumes a role you do not want: choose another scenario or explain the desired starting role before continuing.
- The reply invents your decision: correct that particular action and use the user-agency instructions in Personas and Custom Instructions.
Next: Create your first character, or learn the chat controls.