Dungeon Alchemist
- March 30, 2022
- Briganti
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Dungeon Alchemist" is an AI-powered game mapmaking software for creating high-quality fantasy game maps. With various themes to choose from, you can start drawing and let the AI algorithm place walls, floors, objects, and lighting for you. You can randomize and tweak the map until it meets your dream scenario. Perfect for game masters and map enthusiasts! No information available.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Dungeon Alchemist is an incredibly intuitive and user-friendly tool for creating detailed maps quickly, making it a game-changer for DMs.
- The AI-powered room generation saves significant time, allowing users to create functional and visually appealing maps in minutes.
- The integration with various VTTs, especially Foundry, is seamless, automatically exporting walls, lighting, and other essential elements.
- The software currently lacks support for multi-level maps and curved walls, which limits its versatility for more complex structures.
- Some users have reported performance issues and crashes, especially when working with larger maps or extensive assets.
- The AI generation can sometimes produce repetitive or nonsensical room layouts, requiring manual adjustments that can be time-consuming.
- graphics110 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their high quality and impressive visual fidelity, allowing users to create aesthetically pleasing maps that enhance gameplay immersion. However, many users report that the software is demanding on system resources, leading to performance issues such as lag and overheating, especially on lower-end hardware. While the visuals are a strong point, some users feel that the overall aesthetic can be inconsistent and that usability issues detract from the experience.
“You can make something look legitimately creepy, or haunted, or palatial, or gross—whatever, because the graphics are good enough to aid in suspension of disbelief and help elicit such reactions.”
“The graphics are amazing and the tokens make it possible to set a great scene for your adventure!”
“The art style feels more modern and makes my maps feel more alive for not only me but for my players too.”
“It seems to have high system requirements, it has very few features, a high price point and sub-optimal aesthetics.”
“Just another crappy mapmaking tool that graphics looks flat and extremely tiled.”
“It looks very flat and dull in my opinion, which is a shame because I really like orthographic maps.”
- story64 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 89 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that while the tool excels in creating visually engaging maps that enhance storytelling, it currently lacks support for multi-story structures, which limits its potential for more complex narratives. Users appreciate the time saved in map-making, allowing them to focus on story development, but express frustration over the inability to create intricate, multi-level environments. Overall, the application is seen as a valuable resource for both map-making and storytelling, despite its limitations.
“I am a huge fan of visual storytelling when it comes to DMing, and this is the most engaging thing I've implemented into a campaign yet.”
“I can easily spend hours designing maps; Dungeon Alchemist simplifies everything so I can quickly create high-quality maps in mere minutes, allowing me more time to focus on story and other details when preparing for a session.”
“It really shows great promise, and in most cases helps add that background clutter that enhances the scene while I take the time to add the more story-driven elements.”
“However, my party eventually lost interest due to my lack of creative storytelling and the fact that I have a horrible personality that no one will ever find attractive in a romantic (or even platonic) setting... at least that is what I tell myself every night as I fall asleep in bed.”
“As wonderful as this application is, it is impossible to make a multi-story structure without either (a) extensive manual item placement with possibly mismatching textures, or (b) document glitching to force your creations' axis to be higher (huge pain).”
“As many reviews have said, it's only single-story builds, no roofs, etc.”
- optimization27 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a significant concern among users, with many reporting performance issues, especially on lower-end hardware and with larger maps. While some players have managed to run the game with acceptable frame rates on low settings, frequent crashes and lag are common, leading to a recommendation to wait for further updates before purchasing. Users express hope for improved optimization in future releases, as the current state is seen as inadequate for a smooth gaming experience.
“Optimization and/or low graphics mode for large maps or potato PCs.”
“The program runs smoothly, but does struggle with very large maps, as expected.”
“In terms of price to performance, I personally believe this is one of the absolute best examples of value for money I've ever come across.”
“This game has crashed at least 7 or 8 times for me and it is very slow to actually create anything. Performance-wise, this game is a huge mess right now, and I would not recommend buying it in its current state. Please wait a while longer for them to improve performance.”
“The product looks nice, but the results shown by the staff on YouTube are not realistic for most users. Many people I have spoken to have experienced issues, and I would say 9 out of 10 have encountered problems at least once.”
“Probably the result of lazy developers carelessly using some heavy engine (Unity perhaps?) with little care for performance.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that while the map-making process can be tedious, especially when customizing beyond premade templates, tools like auto-fill and dynamic lighting significantly reduce the grind. Users appreciate the high-quality assets and the ability to focus on storytelling rather than the technical aspects of map creation. Overall, the experience is described as a mix of enjoyable creativity and occasional frustration due to the manual placement of elements.
“If you want to make anything that isn't already a premade template or genre, then it's the most tedious and unintuitive tool ever made.”
“There are extremely tedious workarounds, but only the most hardcore map makers will individually place and line up walls one by one.”
“Then I spent some time tediously placing objects I wanted in the map.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay experience is significantly enhanced by the use of advanced map-making tools, which provide high-quality visualizations and unique mechanics like first-person perspectives and realistic environmental effects. However, some users express frustration over certain limitations, such as the lack of multi-level support and fog of war mechanics, which can hinder practical gameplay. Overall, these tools are praised for their versatility and ability to streamline both emergent gameplay and detailed planning.
“This tool is absolutely one of the most useful map-making tools any DM can have in this day of modern tabletop gameplay.”
“The quality of my player's gameplay experience has shot through the roof because of the maps this program can make.”
“For low prep emergent gameplay or simply making outdoor battlemaps in seconds, Dungeon Alchemist is a must-have!”
“It's befuddling why the developers opted for such an impractical choice, rendering the generated maps virtually useless for actual gameplay.”
“There is no fog of war mechanic in place or the ability to stack multiple layers.”
“Also you can imagine how painful it is to have gaming PC problems on top of the technical issues of hosting and game mechanics.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the software is generally criticized for being buggy and laggy, particularly when handling larger maps, which can lead to system freezes. While some users find it usable for most applications and appreciate the support from the community and developers, many express frustration over its unfinished state and ongoing issues, suggesting it is not worth the current price. Overall, the software is still considered to be in early access, with significant room for improvement.
“Dislike that it doesn't have an update for larger maps and freezes my system when I try to make bigger maps.”
“It looks really good but I have had a lot of issues with this product, as have a number of other people in the same community as myself. The product is very laggy and buggy, it is nowhere near a finished product and will probably be a long time before it is. It is a shame; it is totally not worth £31.99 at this moment in time. Honestly, at this moment, I wouldn't pay for it (I am actually requesting a refund).”
“The AI so far is quite stupid and there are features missing (like mirroring of items - I couldn't figure it out). It's buggy and somewhat slow.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is enhanced by impressive lighting effects and environmental elements like fire, fog, and water, which contribute to a rich immersive experience. Users appreciate the auto-generation features for creating detailed settings, such as taverns and dungeons, allowing for a customizable and engaging atmosphere. Overall, the combination of visual effects and user-friendly tools helps players craft a compelling ambiance in their adventures.
“It’s in this first-person view that the lighting effects really shine, but even from a 2D top-down perspective, fire, fog, water, and machinery effects really do provide a sense of atmosphere.”
“The auto-generation of things like taverns and room types for dungeons is just crazy useful for someone like me who likes to really set the atmosphere.”
“The auto generation of things like taverns and room types for dungeons is just crazy useful for someone like me who likes to really set the atmosphere.”
“In terms of the AI, I've found that the main time savers are things like placing walls, floors, doors, and generic atmosphere items.”
“The AI can fill in all the details to complete the fitting atmosphere.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for being misleading, as users feel the product does not deliver on its promises and fails to justify its price. Many describe it as an over-hyped cash grab, with promotional materials that suggest a level of functionality that is not met in practice. While some users find the mapping process easy, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment regarding the value received for the investment.
“Within the hour I spent with the program, the faults became apparent and the positives failed to live up to the advertisement and could not justify the price.”
“Just another over-hyped, never going to get finished cash grab.”
“I kickstarted this when I first saw the advertisement for it.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is subtle and often stems from the contrast between its modern features and the charm of traditional tabletop gaming, where players find joy in creating absurd scenarios together. While the AI's placement of furniture and lighting can occasionally lead to amusing outcomes, the overall comedic value is overshadowed by the nostalgic fun of hand-drawn maps and shared laughter among friends.
“Funny dungeon maker”
“Gathering around a table, crudely drawn maps, hand-painted tokens, food, and friends to describe fantastic and dopey adventures while laughing and having tremendous fun is always going to be the better choice.”
“AI places furniture and lighting sometimes funny, but mostly reasonable.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game's design choices can evoke a sense of emotional discomfort, particularly when clutter disrupts expected spatial arrangements, leading to feelings of unease in their virtual homes. However, the developers' wholesome and communicative nature adds a positive emotional layer to the experience, balancing out the unsettling aspects.
“If you feel like something's emotionally or spiritually off in your home since you downloaded this game, there is a reason.”
“The developers are highly communicative and seem very wholesome.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the music aspect of the game, noting that it enhances the experience by allowing them to add their own sounds and ambient music, making the map-making process more enjoyable and relaxing. The intuitive design encourages players to engage with the game as a way to unwind.
“The map-making process is so intuitive and graphically pleasing; sometimes I just boot it up when I get home from work and throw on some music to wind down from the day.”
“The option of adding sounds and music is fantastic.”
“I'm sure you've already discussed the idea of putting ambient music in the background.”
“The option of adding sounds and music is limited and doesn't enhance the experience.”
“I'm sure you've already talked about putting ambient music in the background, but it feels lacking and repetitive.”
“The music in the game is forgettable and doesn't contribute to the overall atmosphere.”
