Roll20 wants you to make more dungeons. And with a hot new update to Dungeon Scrawl, now you can make ’em fast in real time.
Roll20 announced a new update for Dungeon Scrawl, a real-time mapmaking/editing toolset that is useful for all sorts of things (and isn’t exclusive to Roll20): an instant, random dungeon generator. Though it says something about the tenor of conversations today, when a big part of the conversation is that this instant dungeon generator doesn’t use AI. Rare to see a company not trying to force generative AI wherever they think it might fit, so I gotta say, great job there, Roll20.
But not only is it not AI, but it’s also extremely easy to edit, because it’s a random dungeon generator that exists completely within Dungeon Scrawl. Meaning you can use all the editing toolsets of Dungeon Scrawl to customize your map on the fly.
Roll20 Rolls Out Non-AI Dungeon Generator
Here’s why this is exciting. If you need a dungeon in a hurry, you can just spin one up. These dungeons are procedurally generated rather than created via training data, so you don’t have to worry about eventually needing to spend tokens or having to “pay for compute” or any of the other things that are cropping up in conversations anywhere generative AI has taken root.
Procedurally generated dungeons have been a thing for years. I mean, Donjon is right there, and is still going. But what makes this one extremely convenient for the GM is that it’s both generation and editing all in the same place. You use the dungeon generator to make a map, and then you’ve got the toolset you need right there.
It’s super easy. I’ve used Dungeon Scrawl before myself, and while there’s a little bit of a learning curve, it’s really simple to pick up. And the best part is, no subscription is needed. You can just use it. Right now. Follow the link below, and you can give it a shot.
Even better, it’s not exclusive to Roll20. There are plenty of tools for exporting the maps you’ve made, so you can use them wherever your preferred VTT is. Foundry? Owlbear Rodeo? You name it, it isn’t hard to port over one of these maps.
It’s hard to set a better example of how to enshittify your products than this. They just keep finding stuff that makes life a little easier for their players and GMs.
But don’t take my word for it. Give it a try yourself!
Now to go recreate the HeroQuest Dungeon of my dreams, populated with every monster I can think of!
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