DM ToyBox

DM ToyBox (or "The Destiny Maestro Toy Box") is an open-ended digital tabletop with an old school analog feel, designed for online play with friends. 

Inspired by games like Dragon Quest and Hero Quest, this is a solo indie's side project in its very early development stages. It embraces the spirit of old school PC games, where running local servers and being mod friendly is the norm, not the exception - no subscriptions required!

Development roadmap

Existing features:

• Map editor: easily craft maps in a 32x32 grid.
• On-the-fly asset creation: miniatures, wall textures and skyboxes can be created in a few seconds.
• Selectable level moods: choose from various atmospheric settings for your maps.

Coming next:

• Dice rolling: making sure you don't need to ALT+Tab just for that.
  
• Online multiplayer: self-hosted servers for playing with friends.
• Custom generative workflows: so you can customize how your assets are generated.

Things I'd love to do:

• Custom model/texture import: allowing players to import their own models and textures.
• Discord/Twitch integrations: enhancing social and streaming capabilities.
  
• Built-in high-quality assets: a collection of artist-crafted, non-generative textures, miniatures and maps.
  
• What would YOU like to see?  A procedural map generator? Status effects? Character sheets? NPC quips? Let me know in the comments below!

Technical requirements

The initial versions will require at least one player to have a modern GPU and some technical know-how to run the generative models. In the long run, the plan is to include a collection of built-in assets, allowing you to skip the generation entirely if you don't have access to a high-end GPU.

Notes about Generative AI usage:

As a game developer, I am very aware of the moral, legal, and technical gray areas surrounding generative AI. In DM ToyBox, AI is only used because I would like to create the experience of being able to instantly spawn "anything" that pops up when a group of friends are playing together, which would not be feasible with traditional techniques.  These generated assets are imperfect and not the star of the show - they are simply "toys" in your "toy box". The real magic happens in the stories you and your friends create.

If the project reaches full release and I can secure the necessary funding, built-in assets will be commissioned from artists rather than AI-generated.