Guide

◆Mastering Prompts: Getting Better Results

The engine responds to natural language. You do not need special syntax or commands. But some approaches get dramatically better results than others. Here is what works.

›Writing a Great World Concept

The concept you write at the Genesis Gate shapes everything the engine creates. A strong concept gives the engine more to work with.

Be Specific About Tone

"A fantasy world" gives the engine almost nothing. "A decaying empire where the nobility clings to power through forbidden blood magic while rebel provinces organise in secret" gives the engine tone, conflict, politics, and aesthetic in two sentences.

Name the Constraints

The most interesting worlds have clear rules. Tell the engine what does not exist as much as what does:

  • "No magic. Technology is pre-industrial."
  • "Faster-than-light travel exists, but communication between star systems takes weeks."
  • "Violence is rare. Conflict is resolved through social manipulation and legal maneuvering."

Set the Mood

Genre is a starting point, but mood refines it. "Horror" can mean cosmic dread, slasher tension, or psychological unease. Be explicit about the feeling you want.

›During Play

Be Specific About Intent

The narrator responds to what your character does, not what you want to happen. Compare:

"I try to convince the guard to let me through."

This works, but the narrator has to invent the method.

Use Actions, Not Instructions

You are playing a character, not directing a movie. The narrator responds to what you do, not what you tell the story to be.

"Make the merchant give me a discount."

This tells the narrator what outcome you want. The narrator is not your employee.

OOC for Corrections

If something goes wrong - the narrator misunderstands your intent, forgets a fact, or makes an error - wrap your correction in parentheses:

(My character already has the silver key. She picked it up in the cellar two turns ago.)

The narrator will correct course without breaking the story. See OOT & Corrections for the full system.

Let Failures Happen

The best stories come from things going wrong. If you fail a roll, do not retry the same action. React to the failure. Adapt. The narrator will create consequences that are more interesting than success would have been.

›Prompts That Unlock the Full Engine

The engine has deep systems that activate when you engage with them naturally:

  • Start a business. "I want to buy the abandoned smithy and turn it into a working forge." This activates the Enterprise system.
  • Build relationships. Talk to characters repeatedly. Help them. Betray them. The engine tracks every interaction and adjusts how the world responds to you.
  • Invest in property. "I hire a crew to repair the lighthouse." The engine tracks property condition, upgrades, and revenue.
  • Advance time. "I spend the next three days training." The engine simulates what happens in the world while you are occupied.
  • Explore the economy. "I ask the merchant what goods are in demand." The engine runs a living market with supply, demand, and trade routes.

You do not need to know these systems exist. Just play naturally, and the engine meets you where you are.