FAQ · The Catalyst Cycle

FAQ

Common questions, short answers.

Is this written by AI?: No. The archive is human-authored. The AI is the interface you use to explore it, not the author.
What's the difference between the packs in the Reader Edition?: Same story, different packaging. The ChatGPT Pack and Claude Pack are Compact Book Packs — 15-20 Markdown files sized to fit those platforms' project workspaces. The Gemini Pack is the Full Archive Folder ready for code-folder or GitHub import. The NotebookLM Pack is 10-20 compiled sources tuned for citation-grounded answers. The Full Archive is canonical and unedited. Episode Packs are the ten chapters as separate ZIPs for serialized reading.
Is there a normal ebook?: Not for The Catalyst Cycle. The format is intentionally an archive. A linear narrative summary ships with each tier, but the canon lives in the files.
Is this a game?: No. It's a science-fiction story released in a chat-native format. There are no scores, no fail states, no branches you can lose.

Can I share the files?: Personal sharing within your household is fine. Public posting or redistribution is not — the archive is licensed for personal reading.

Which pack should I start with?: If you're on ChatGPT or Claude, use the Compact Book Pack inside that platform's pack — it's the default reader experience. If you're on Gemini, import the Full Archive as a folder or repo. If you're on NotebookLM, add the NotebookLM Pack as sources. README_FIRST.md in the Reader Edition tells you which folder to open.
Do I need a paid AI account?: Most reading modes work on free tiers of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or NotebookLM. Long sessions and the largest files benefit from paid tiers.
Can I use Claude instead of ChatGPT?: Yes. Each platform has its own setup guide. Claude and ChatGPT both excel; Gemini and NotebookLM trade depth for breadth in different ways.

What if the AI invents something?: AI-generated additions are non-canonical unless they appear in an official release. Treat the AI's prose as interpretation, the files as the record.