Fantastic Art Studios has announced Black Box Map Maker, an AI-powered map-making tool for Dungeons & Dragons DMs and RPG gamemasters everywhere. In part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital tools have become an important part of the RPG community. Even RPG shows as large as Critical Role had to make adjustments to their live in-person sessions over the last year.
The fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons is considered to be accessible to new players, which played no small part in tabletop’s recent popularity. As tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons become more popular and widely recognized, one might expect increased interest in map makers and other accessories beyond the games themselves - such that seemingly anyone can design their own tabletop games. Thanks to many online resources, plenty of indie developers now have more opportunities than ever to get their creations into the hands of consumers.
According to a recent press release, the Black Box Map Maker will come to Kickstarter on November 9th and is planned to release later this year. The AI-powered map maker will give the creator a plethora of user-friendly tools to utilize. From over eighty different themes - which include "Medieval Fantasy, Cthulhu, Cyberpunk [and] Valhalla" - to interactive lighting and environments. This tool will allow any gamemaster to create their desired setting for their next combat encounter. Of course, users will also be able to utilize Fantastic Art Studios’ miniatures as character and monster representations within the software.
Fantastic Art Studios also says this software is not exclusively in a digital format. Despite the recent shift that the Dungeons & Dragons community has made to accommodate lockdowns, there are still ways to make use of this tool offline. Maps can be uploaded to a virtual tabletop, shared, mirrored to a smart TV, or even printed - making it easy to utilize maps in person. Fantastic Art Studios also has plans for creating a dark fantasy RPG book, an adventure app, and tabletop miniatures. It’s not clear exactly what incentives will be a part of the Kickstarter campaign right now, but Fantastic Art Studios seems to be carving out space as the go-to place for RPG supplies. Perhaps these other products will be awarded to campaign donors somewhere down the line.
This new map maker already looks to be a game-changer for RPG fans. With the help of the engine’s AI, making maps on the fly will hopefully be a breeze, something any gamemaster would be happy to hear. Dungeons & Dragons, along with many other tabletop RPGs, can often involve improvisation when plans go awry, so having a tool that can help bring improvised plans together should be helpful. Whether a campaign takes place in a hectic cyberpunk city, involves Viking Norse mythology, or strikes a spooky note for the Halloween Dungeons & Dragons session, Black Box Map Maker would likely be a helpful tool for all scenarios.
Black Box Map Maker will come to PC, Mac, Mobile, and VR later this year.
Source: Black Box Map Maker/Steam