Last weekend I did a playtest release for Inspiration. I ended up only doing a release for the Iphone: I figured I’d see if there were any huge show-stoppers before I bothered everyone with an update.
I got very encouraging feedback: besides some UI issues, I got a lot of requests for features which I already know I need, and are already on my upcoming feature list. So I’m putting a week or so of work into polishing the UI and adding a few of the most-desired features. Once that’s done, I’ll release a playtest to Android users.
Here’s the big feature I’m adding: a random encounter generator for every monster.
Up until now, Inspiration has only offered the traditional type of random encounter generator, by terrain type, the way print Dungeon Masters Guides always did it. You’re wandering through the forest, you’re level 5, what monster do you run into? That’s useful at times, but as a DM in the middle of a game, I frequently know what kind of monster I want to use; I just don’t have time to use the official encounter-building tools to create a balanced encounter for the party’s level.
On each monster’s stats page, I’m adding a tool where you can choose a terrain and the desired Challenge Rating of the encounter, and it will make an encounter for you, potentially including appropriate allies, pets, minions, traps, and other complications.
To do this, I’ve made a web of relationships between the D&D monsters. Hobgoblins, for instance, are most often led by hobgoblin captains or hobgoblin warlords, but might sometimes be led by a bugbear or an evil mage or knight. Similarly, hobgoblins frequently employ goblins as cannon fodder, but might also use worgs, ogres, or even ballistas and catapults.
I think it’ll be super useful to be able to instantly whip up, say, a CR 5 goblin encounter (such as 20 goblins with their 5 giant rat pets, led by a bugbear, skulking behind a pit trap), a CR 14 mage encounter (an evil mage with 6 minotaur servants among explosive runes traps) a CR 16 bone devil encounter (one bone devil with its six cambion spawn), or whatever else you need to fit your story.
I’m almost done updating each monster with its potential minions, bosses, and pets. Then after a little testing of my own, I’ll send out an Android playtest. Looking forward to see if you guys like it.
Sign up for the Inspiration beta test!
Read more about the Inspiration app
I’m sorry about how off-topic this is, but I really love dungeon robber and am very worried about flash becoming a thing of the past at the end of the year. Would you be willing to release an offline version we can download sometime soon? I would really hate to see this game disappear. I know the rules are available which is great, but honestly, it’s a lot more convenient to play it on the PC than on tabletop since this is less roleplaying and more strategy and chance.
Super cool, dude! Had a lot of fun playing with this so far!
I would love to try this program. Have signed up with different accounts but no luck.