01 · Concepts

Three words first

World, save, and turn—plus story layer vs play layer.

4 min read · Matches the world setup workbench (Overview / Story / Play / Publish)

World · Save · Turn

Fig. 1 · A world is the template; a save is one run; a turn is prose plus choices.

World (world bible): your template—title, setting, cast, opening, optional play UI. Others play saves started from that world.
Save: one adventure’s progress. Story beats, choices, inventory, and UI state live on the save—not on the author’s template.
Turn: one generated beat + choices (or custom input). Billing is usually per turn, not per novel chapter.

Story layer vs play layer

Fig. 2 · Make the story playable first. Play UI and systems are upgrades, not day-one requirements.

Story layer (Overview + Story): title, world setting, constraints, characters, opening—what the AI should narrate. The hard start gate lives here.

Play layer (Play tab, when the player shell is on): custom CSS, map/shop/quests, variables, and ability catalogs—how players see and operate within the fixed portrait UI. Optional later.