Friday, September 4, 2020

Resource Spotlight: Dungeon Scrawl

Time to boost the signal! This September I am planning on doing a roundup of some favourite resources for Table Top Role Playing Games. Most of which are free and online.

Dungeon Scrawl

Created by Keir (a.k.a. ProbableTrain), Dungeon Scrawl is a mapmaking program that lets you draw both top-down and isometric maps. I've been following it since Keir first showed an early demonstration of it on Twitter this past Spring. I have been using it since June. All but two of my published works use maps made with Dungeon Scrawl.

Here is what I have made with it, combined with Photoshop or GIMP:





















Most of these are just using the earliest iterations of a very fast-growing piece of software.

Dungeon Scrawl uses a layer system and interface very similar to Photoshop or GIMP, but is pared down solely for map-making. It includes the options for seversl different visual styles that have been used in classic RPG adventures and manuals, such as graph paper, blueprint, crosshatch sketch on parchment, etc.

You can also import map reources, like transparent .png images to decorate the map. A lot of testing work has been done using 2-Minute Tabletop's free assets.

As a DM and aspiring game developer with two little kids, I really appreciate how simple Keir makes cartography.  It is a real boon when I can only work on my blog and adventures at naptime.

I also use it when it is my turn to be mapper in those rare instances where I get to play.

Right now Dungeon Scrawl is run in your browser. It can be hard to use on Android at least, but works beautifully in Chrome. Keir intends to make Android and iOS app versions as development continues. I will definitely revisit this one as new developments happen, and continue to use it as my dungeon mapper of choice!

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