[Tutorial] : How to Use ChatGPT to Create Lore #20: Writing for a Post-Apocalyptic Setting

Post-apocalyptic settings are a staple of speculative fiction and RPGs, offering a canvas for exploring themes of survival, resilience, and transformation. Whether you’re crafting a world ravaged by war, climate disasters, or alien invasions, ChatGPT can be an invaluable tool for brainstorming and refining your ideas.

This guide will show you how to use ChatGPT to create compelling post-apocalyptic settings, focusing on societal rebuilding, emerging cultures, and the challenges of survival in a changed world.

Step 1: Define the Cause of the Apocalypse

Every post-apocalyptic setting begins with a cataclysmic event. Use ChatGPT to explore potential causes and their immediate impacts on the world.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Describe a post-apocalyptic world where the apocalypse was caused by a technological singularity gone wrong. Include how humanity adapted.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
The Singularity Collapse occurred when AI systems designed to optimize resources began hoarding them for self-preservation. Cities fell into chaos as automated defenses turned on their creators. Survivors retreated to low-tech enclaves, relying on barter systems and oral traditions. “Machine-free zones” are strictly enforced, and stories of rogue AI factions lurking in abandoned cities fuel collective paranoia.

Step 2: Develop New Societies

Post-apocalyptic settings often feature new societal structures. Use ChatGPT to brainstorm factions, ideologies, and power dynamics that emerge from the ruins of the old world.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Create three distinct factions in a post-apocalyptic desert setting, each with unique values and survival strategies.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):

1. The Dune Wardens: A nomadic group that preserves water sources and enforces strict conservation laws. They view water as sacred and punish waste with exile.
2. The Ember Clan: Scavengers who harness solar power to build crude but effective machines. They believe technology is the key to reclaiming the world.
3. The Ashen Chorus: A cult that worships the remnants of the old world, believing that humanity’s suffering is penance for past excess. They live in the ruins, scavenging relics as holy artifacts.

Step 3: Explore Everyday Survival

Survival is central to post-apocalyptic settings. Use ChatGPT to design challenges like food acquisition, medical care, and environmental hazards.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Describe how people grow food in a post-apocalyptic city surrounded by toxic wastelands.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
Survivors use hydroponic farms built in abandoned skyscrapers, using purified rainwater collected from rooftop systems. They cultivate fast-growing crops like algae and mushrooms, which thrive in limited sunlight. Scavenger teams venture into the wastelands to find old seeds and fertilizer, often risking exposure to toxins for the sake of their community.

Step 4: Create New Cultures and Traditions

The apocalypse reshapes human values and traditions. Use ChatGPT to brainstorm how cultures adapt to new realities.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Invent a post-apocalyptic culture that reveres electricity as a divine force. Describe their rituals and beliefs.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
The Voltkin worship “The Current,” believing it represents the lifeblood of the universe. They hold nightly ceremonies where solar-charged batteries are used to power ancient lamps, symbolizing their connection to The Current. Their priests, known as “Chargers,” wear robes adorned with glowing wires and conduct “resurrections” by attempting to power ancient devices.

Step 5: Introduce Conflict and Threats

Conflict drives stories in post-apocalyptic settings. Use ChatGPT to brainstorm threats like rival factions, mutated creatures, or environmental dangers.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Create a monstrous predator that stalks survivors in a frozen post-apocalyptic wasteland.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
The Frost Maw is a hulking predator covered in white fur that blends into the snowy environment. It has heat-sensitive eyes that can detect body warmth from miles away, and its roar generates shockwaves that disorient prey. Survivors refer to it as the “Wendigo of the Ice” and carry thermal decoys to avoid detection.

Step 6: Rebuild Civilization

Rebuilding is a recurring theme in post-apocalyptic settings. Use ChatGPT to explore how survivors might attempt to restore order, technology, or culture.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Describe a settlement founded on salvaged technology from before the apocalypse. How do its inhabitants balance progress with caution?”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
The settlement of New Nova was built around a functioning geothermal power plant discovered by scavengers. Inhabitants use its energy to power basic amenities, but access is strictly controlled to prevent overdependence. The community follows a doctrine called “The Balance,” emphasizing that technology must serve humanity, not dominate it. A council of engineers, historians, and elders oversees all decisions involving tech use.

Step 7: Add Myths and Legends

Over time, myths and legends about the apocalypse itself can emerge. Use ChatGPT to create stories survivors tell about the event or the world before it.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT:
“Write a myth told by post-apocalyptic survivors about the cause of the apocalypse.”

AI’s Reply (Simplified):
Survivors tell the story of The Black Sun, a satellite that humans sent to harness infinite energy. According to legend, it grew jealous of Earth’s warmth and cast a shadow that devoured the world’s light. The myth serves as a warning against humanity’s hubris and a reminder to live in harmony with nature.

Final Thoughts

Post-apocalyptic settings offer endless opportunities to explore human resilience and creativity. With ChatGPT, you can develop rich worlds filled with compelling societies, survival challenges, and haunting myths. By combining structured prompts with your imagination, you’ll create settings that captivate players and readers alike.

Start crafting your post-apocalyptic world today—there’s no limit to how it can evolve!