Tutorial: How to Play

How to Play Lost Out Here – AI GM Edition

Lost Out Here is a solo, text-based RPG where an AI Game Master runs the world of Rathyal for you. Here’s a simple walkthrough of how to get started and how the basic systems work.

1. Starting the game

1. Go to the Lost Out Here page on itch.io.

2. Click “Run game”.

3. A new page will open with a big button that takes you to the custom ChatGPT Game Master.

4. If prompted, log into your ChatGPT account. (A free or Plus account works, as long as you have access to custom GPTs.)

Once you’re in the GPT:

1. Type New Game.

2. The AI GM will:

   • Give you a short intro to the world

   • Ask you to create a name, age, gender, and one-line backstory for your character

   • Roll your starting traits and stats and show them to you

   • Drop you into the opening scene: waking up on a bench in the slums with two Guild Union guards standing over you

From there, you’re in Rathyal.

2. Making choices

On each turn, the Game Master will:

• Describe the scene in detail

• Present you with a list of numbered options, like:

  1. Try to talk your way out of trouble.

  2. Pretend you’re on official Guild business.

  3. Make a run for the side alley.

  4. Stay quiet and see what they do.

You can:

• Type the number of your choice (e.g. 2)

• Or type the full choice text

• Or ignore the list and describe your own action in your own words

The GM will react, roll any necessary skill checks in the background, and move the story forward.

3. Stats, traits & inventory

The AI GM keeps track of:

• Stats:

  • Health

  • Stamina

  • Satiation (hunger/thirst)

• Traits:

  • Strength

  • Agility

  • Charisma

  • Intelligence

• Other stuff:

  • Credits

  • Inventory items & quantities

  • Relationships with key NPCs

  • Faction reputation

  • Location & in-game day

At the end of each turn, the GM will show you a summary so you always know where you stand.

4. Saving & loading your game

You can now save your progress and come back later.

Saving

At any time, type:

save game

The GM will pause the story and print a SAVE BLOCK, which looks something like:

BEGIN LOST_OUT_HERE_SAVE

...your save data here...

END LOST_OUT_HERE_SAVE

Do this:

1. Copy everything from BEGIN LOST_OUT_HERE_SAVE to END LOST_OUT_HERE_SAVE.

2. Paste it into a text file on your computer.

3. Save that file somewhere safe (you can keep multiple saves if you want).

You can use this both as:

• A checkpoint (in case a decision goes badly), or

• A way to branch your story and explore alternate paths.

Loading

When you want to continue a run:

1. Open the custom GPT again.

2. Paste your SAVE BLOCK into the chat (or upload your text file).

3. Type:

load game

The GM will:

• Read the save data

• Rebuild your stats, traits, inventory, relationships, faction reputation, location, and day count

• Confirm what it loaded

• Drop you back into the story where you left off

Recommended Setup for the Best Experience

You can just click around on a laptop and play casually, but if you want to go full immersion, here’s what I recommend:

1. Headphones, low light

• Put on headphones to stay focused on the text.

• Dim the lights or play at night so Rathyal’s neon and shadows live more in your head.

• Treat it more like reading a book or listening to an audio drama than playing a twitchy game.

2. (Optional) Use voice mode

If you have access to voice mode in ChatGPT:

• Let the AI GM read the narration out loud to you.

• Speak your actions back like you’re at a tabletop session:

  • “Option 2.”

  • “I try to talk my way out of it.”

  • “I follow the Breaker into the alley.”

Under the hood, it still works like text, but it feels closer to having a GM at the table with you.

3. Take your time, lean into roleplay

• Don’t rush through choices. Imagine the space:

  • The smell of Spillway Ward

  • The sound of trams overhead

  • The way Guild Union armor looks up close

• If you want, you can reply in character, writing your dialogue or thoughts, not just “Option 1 / Option 2.”

The GM is built to handle both numbered choices and freeform actions.

4. Use saves as “branches,” not just safety nets

Because the save system is text-based, you can:

• Keep one file for your “serious” run (no reload unless absolutely necessary)

• Keep another file where you branch off:

  • “What if I joined the Guild here?”

  • “What if I betrayed that NPC instead?”

That turns Rathyal into a little multiverse you can poke at from different angles.

5. Play in sessions

Lost Out Here is designed to work well in sessions, like a tabletop game:

• Sit down for 30–90 minutes

• Make a few key decisions

• Hit save game when you reach a natural stopping point

• Come back another night and pick up from there

You don’t have to “finish” it in one go. Rathyal will still be there.

If you try this setup (headphones, low light, maybe voice mode), I’d love to hear how it feels for you. And if you discover a particularly memorable moment or route, feel free to share a little session report on the itch page – I’m genuinely curious what kind of lives people end up living in this city.