What is Lifspel?
Lifspel is a Storyplay Engine—an AI-powered interactive storytelling experience. You inhabit a protagonist, type what you want to do, say, or feel, and the engine renders your intent as literary prose.
You don't need to write well. Just feel honestly.
How to Play
Starting a Story
- Browse available scenarios or choose "Surprise Me" for a random selection
- Each scenario provides a protagonist, setting, and situation
- The story begins—read the opening and respond
Your Role
You control the protagonist. In the input field, describe:
- Actions — What your character does ("I reach for the door handle")
- Dialogue — What they say ("Tell me what you know")
- Feelings — Internal states ("I feel a chill of recognition")
- Observations — What they notice ("I study her expression")
Mix these for variety. The AI interprets your intent and continues the story.
The Goal: Resonance
Your Resonance score measures the craft of your scene—how well you co-authored something that moves. High resonance means you created a scene worth reading back.
Resonance measures five dimensions:
- Variety — Did you mix dialogue, action, observation, and feeling?
- Momentum — Did each choice push the scene forward?
- Engagement — Did you inhabit your character fully?
- Subtext — Did you let silence and implication do their work?
- Progression — Did the scene travel from tension to resolution?
Scene Structure
Stories unfold in scenes with natural dramatic arcs:
- Opening — The situation is established
- Rising — Tension builds through your choices
- Climax — The critical moment arrives
- Resolution — The scene can conclude (Close Scene button activates)
The Interface
Story Column
The main area where narrative unfolds. Your inputs appear as protagonist actions; AI responses continue the story.
Sidebar
- Your Pillars — Your character's core traits: wound, desire, flaw, and strength
- Cast — Characters in your story and their current state
- Scene — Progress through the scene arc and resonance score
- Whispers — Subtle observations and emotional undercurrents
Controls
- Continue — Submit your input and advance the story
- Close Scene — End the current scene (available at resolution phase)
- New Story — Start fresh with a new scenario
- Copy Story — Copy the full story text to clipboard
Creating Scenarios
Build your own worlds with the Scenario Builder:
- Go to My Stories & Scenarios
- Click "Create Scenario"
- Define your protagonist, setting, conflict, and characters
- AI assists with suggestions and descriptions
- Publish to share with others or keep as a draft
Settings
Customize your experience in Settings:
- Story AI Engine — Choose between GPT (OpenAI) or Claude (Anthropic)
- Scene Pacing — Swift, Natural, or Deep Immersion
- Narrative Density — Spare, Balanced, or Rich prose style
- Illustration Style — Use Lifspel's signature style or scenario-specific art
- Compact Navigation — Show icons only in the navigation bar
Tips for Better Stories
- Vary your approach — Don't just talk; observe, move, remember, feel
- Let silence speak — Sometimes what you don't say matters most
- Play your wounds — The most interesting choices come from your character's core
- Trust the AI — Give it room to surprise you
- Be present — Engage with what's happening, not where you want to go
Need More Help?
Still have questions? Contact us and we'll help you out.