\u00b7 \u00b7 \u00b7<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Opening, Rebuilt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Two pieces of feedback landed last week, and both were right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new first act, following Vogler’s stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ordinary World<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Call to Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Refusal – Agree<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Crossing the Threshold<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Tests – Ordeal – Reward<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 \u00b7 \u00b7<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Current Build<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Experience:<\/strong> Time & Cost:<\/strong> \u00b7 \u00b7 \u00b7<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cost Breakdown<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Budget approved for all AI services but fal.ai and Liblib AI, so we switch to Pollo.ai (approved).<\/p>\n\n\n\n $21.40 USD + CNY 199<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 \u00b7 \u00b7<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weekly Progress Report<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe problem<\/th> What we did<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> “The two-layer world is too hard to grasp.”<\/em> <\/td> One world.<\/strong>
A near future where living virtually is simply normal. No lore, no slogan, no “Aidol” label. Teleports, one-tap outfit morphs, floating panels, and nobody reacts.<\/td><\/tr>“The opening has no hero’s-journey shape.”<\/em> <\/td> The first act now has turns.<\/strong>
Ordinary day \u2192 call \u2192 refusal \u2192 mentor \u2192 threshold \u2192 audition.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/aidol\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/arrow-down.png\"){kind=icon}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStage<\/th> Length<\/th> What happens<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Ordinary World<\/td> 30\u201340s<\/td> An ordinary day in the virtual city<\/td><\/tr> Call to Adventure<\/td> 15\u201320s<\/td> Echo rushes in, begging for a stand-in<\/td><\/tr> Refusal – Agree<\/td> 20\u201330s<\/td> “Why me?”<\/em> \u2014 Echo persuades the player<\/td><\/tr> Crossing the Threshold<\/td> 5\u201310s<\/td> The player says yes, and walks on stage<\/td><\/tr> Tests – Ordeal – Reward<\/td> ~2\u20133 min<\/td> Audition \u2192 judges’ verdict \u2192 PASS card<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/aidol\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1.png\")
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Using a pre-defined look, it records your own voice and then alters your voice to a pre-defined voice, then generate an idol’s self-intro video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About five minutes per run. Around $1.30 of real vendor spend<\/strong>, each time, on us. We also have a ledger<\/strong> (via Supabase<\/a><\/strong>) that records every call: request, response, latency, billable units, cost in USD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/aidol\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ledger-edited-1-scaled.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nPer session<\/th> Cost<\/th> What’s in the chain<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Today<\/td> ~$1.30<\/td> No image generation yet, cheaper video model for testing<\/td><\/tr> End of V1<\/td> ~$4.73<\/td> Per-player image generation in, Seedance 2.0 at the quality bar<\/td><\/tr> Planning cap<\/td> $10.00<\/td> Headroom, so a rate move gets absorbed rather than escalated<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Service<\/th> Type<\/th> Purpose<\/th> Amount<\/th> Date<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Pollo.ai<\/td> Subscription<\/td> Video generation<\/td> Waiting for reimbursement<\/td> Sep 3<\/td><\/tr> LiblibAI<\/td> Subscription<\/td> Video generation<\/td> CNY 199<\/td> Sep 7<\/td><\/tr> Fal.ai<\/td> API credit<\/td> Image and video generation<\/td> $21.40<\/td> Sep 8<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n