Temporal Selves Chat Prototype
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This repository contains a web-based prototype that allows participants to:

- Define a Past Self and/or a Future Self
- Chat with the Past Self and/or the Future Self
- Reflect on the conversations
The overall interaction flow is fixed, while content, framing, and wording are customizable.
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Interaction Flow

The app follows a three-step interaction sequence:
== Customize: Participants define their Past Self and/or Future Self.
== Chat: Participants interact with the Past Self and/or Future Self as conversational agents.
== Reflection: Participants reflect on the conversations they have just completed.
⚠️ The order of these steps should not be changed.
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Customization and Adaptation

This prototype is designed to be adapted for different research contexts.
You are encouraged to use your creativity and research judgment to modify the app based on your research needs.
You may customize, for example:
== Wording and framing (e.g., how the selves are described or introduced)
== What can be customized by participants (e.g., adding avatars, traits, values, or other attributes relevant to your study)
== Conversation topics or guidance (e.g., what the Past/Future Self focuses on in the dialogue)
== The visual appearance of the website (e.g., layout, hierarchy, or styling)

Throughout the codebase, you will see comments marked:
STUDENT-EDITABLE ZONE
These indicate areas that are safe to modify without breaking the core interaction flow.
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Getting Started

1. Fork the Repository
Click Fork on GitHub and work from your own copy.

2. Set Up a Project on Data Foundry
Create a project on Data Foundry: https://data.id.tue.nl/documentation/index
Then fill in a file called .env.local in the repository root with your own Project ID and API key, for example:
DF_PROJECT_ID=your_project_id_here
DF_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
⚠️ Do not commit this file.
⚠️ The app will not work without a valid Project ID and API key.
You may use GitHub Codespaces if you prefer not to run the project locally.

3. Adjust the Prototype for Your Research
Modify the scripts, prompts, and interface based on your research questions and methods.

4. Make the Website Available to Participants
If you want to share the web app with participants, you can deploy it using Data Foundry. Please refer to the documentation: https://data.id.tue.nl/documentation/index