Binds and Modes

This post is about bound poses, or Binds, how the Mesmerizer implements them, and how to add your own.

A Bind is the term the Mesmerizer uses for a combination of a pose and some sort of chaining.  The 0.98l version of the Mesmerizer ships with a single Bind;  as mentioned in a previous post, I intend to add more in the final release.  But you can easily add your own, and this post will describe how to do that.

Binds are an extension of Modes - the Mesmerizer's term for its mini-AO that will over-ride the sub's own AO while the mode is active.  Modes are intended for things like doll play, where you may have created a trigger that puts the sub into "doll mode" for a period, and want their movements to reflect that.   The Mesmerizer ships with two Modes - "doll" and "ballet".  Use the setmode command to activate a Mode, for example setmode doll.  You can cancel a Mode and revert to the sub's AO by using setmode with a mode-name of "-":  setmode -.  On canceling a Mode, the sub may have to make a small movement in order for their AO to notice that it has control again.  A Bind is simply a Mode plus a list of the LockGuard points that should be linked together to make it look as if the chains or ropes are holding the sub in the pose.

At first glance, it might seem that Binds should be more like semi-static poses - in other words animations as run by the play command - than Modes, which generally allow the sub to move around.   In fact, most real tie ups wouldn't prevent the sub from moving (unless they were tied to something fixed), although movement would be hindered.   For example, even if hogtied, the sub would likely still be able to move, albeit slowly, by squirming and wriggling.  This is why the Mesmerizer chooses to build Binds on top of Modes, rather than on top of static poses.

The 0.98l release introduces Binds, but there is more functionality that needs to be added before they're complete.  This post will describe the current state of Binds, and I'll update it as more functionality is added.

Modes and Binds are both defined in the Modes notecard in the Mesmerizer's inventory.  Here is the shipping contents of that notecard as of 0.98l:

Mode=Doll
Stands=DollStand1,DollStand2
Walks=~DollWalk3
Mode=Ballet
Stands=Ballerina1
Walks=~BallerinaWalk1
Bind=Hogtied
Desc=Hogtie, knees apart
Stands=Hogtie
Unlink=*
Link=lwrist rankle, rwrist lankle

It consists of a number of sections, each introduced by either a "Mode=" or "Bind=" line.  The default file therefore defines two modes (doll and ballet) and a single bind (hogtied).  Note that mode names are not case-sensitive, but the case used in this notecard will be what's used in Mesmerizer messages, and an initial capital works best with those messages.

We'll look at the mode definitions first, "Doll" in particular.  A mode specifies the animations used for various activities.   Doll-mode only defines animations for standing and walking, although the Mesmerizer also supports the following activities or animation states: stands, walks, runs, turning left, turning right.  I may support more states in the future.  All of these allow the specification of multiple animations, with the expectation that one will be chosen at random, although in 0.98l, only the first in each list is used.

Note that the name of the animation used for the Doll-mode walks, ~DollWalk3, begins with a tilde character.   If you were to play a walk, the sub would walk in place which would look strange;  the leading tilde in the animation name "hides" the animation from the anims command, which is used to see what animations are available to be played.

Doll and Ballet Modes are followed by the definition of the "Hogtied" Bind.  Like Modes, Binds can specify animations for the various animation states.  Unlike Doll and Ballet modes, Hogtied only specifies a stand - there is no walk animation.  Binds (and Modes) that omit a walk are considered "in-place" binds or modes, and no movement is permitted.


The "desc=" line is intended for a brief description of the Bind or Mode, to be shown in an extended version of the listbinds or listmodes commands.  Currently it's not used.

The "Unlink=" and "Link=" lines define the LockGuard chaining to be used, and apply only to Binds, not Modes.  Unlink gives a comma-separated list of LockGuard points that should be unlinked prior to drawing new ones; "Unlink=*" means unlink all points.  Link gives a comma-separated list of pairs of LockGuard points, and will cause a chain or rope to be drawn from the first member of each pair to the second.  Choice of chain or rope is made by a preceding lgropes or lgchains command; chains are used by default.

So when activating the Hogtied bind, with the bind hogtied command, first, any existing chains or ropes will be removed, and then new ones will be drawn from the sub's left wrist cuff to their right ankle cuff, and from their right wrist cuff to their left ankle cuff.  You can edit this notecard to draw other bonds if you prefer to tie a hogtie differently.


As I said earlier, Binds are a work in progress.  In particular, walking (or squirming) in a Bind is still under active development.  I expect that the next update will complete this feature.