Dungeon Painter Studio
- February 26, 2017
- Pyromancers.com
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Dungeon Painter Studio" is a user-friendly game creation tool that allows players to design and build their own tabletop RPG dungeons and environments. It features a wide variety of customizable tiles, objects, and materials, as well as an intuitive, grid-based interface. Completed dungeons can be exported for use in virtual tabletop software or printed for use in physical tabletop games.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Dungeon Painter Studio is a powerful and easy-to-use tool for creating maps for tabletop RPGs, especially D&D.
- The software has a vast library of community-created assets available through the Steam Workshop, enhancing its functionality.
- It allows for quick map creation, making it ideal for GMs who need to prepare encounters on short notice.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult for new users to navigate and utilize the software effectively.
- The program is prone to bugs and crashes, particularly when working on larger maps or using many assets, leading to potential loss of work.
- There is a lack of built-in assets, requiring users to rely heavily on community content to achieve desired results.
- stability71 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The stability of the software is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly hinder usability. Many describe it as "buggy," "unstable," and "abandonware," with some features failing to work entirely, leading to frustration and a lack of confidence in future updates. While a few users acknowledge that it can be functional at times, the overall consensus is that the software is currently a frustrating and unreliable experience.
“So not yet bug-free, but still way better than those Flash-based dungeon mappers out there.”
“Version 1 of the software was more stable and bug-free than Version 2 ever was, but that was never truly finalized by Pyromancer.”
“This software is a buggy mess; there are little details like scrolling through menus, and it will just shoot you up to the top, content will disappear. It sucks, please save your money.”
“Incredibly buggy, functionally abandonware.”
“In its current state, it is a buggy half-baked mess that feels awkward and janky to use.”
- graphics55 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the software are generally considered good for creating RPG maps, with a variety of art styles and assets available, particularly through the Steam workshop. However, users note inconsistencies in art styles and some limitations in the quality of default assets, which can be pixelated. Overall, while the graphics may not satisfy everyone, the ease of use and customization options make it a valuable tool for enhancing tabletop gaming visuals.
“You have an array of art styles, tokens, and various skins to download and fit your desired designs.”
“My players have enjoyed our games greatly with using this to provide extra visuals.”
“As a first release, I'm very impressed with the overall quality and stability of the program as well as the quality and amount of artwork that is included with the package, especially for this low price point.”
“The software's graphics can be a bit limited, as the assets and tiles are pixelated and may not be to everyone's taste.”
“There could be better graphics and more objects added, like more textures, monsters, and different colors for barrels, but it is very useful.”
“Very limited on artwork.”
- optimization22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The optimization of the software is widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, frequent crashes, and a generally buggy experience that detracts from usability. While some acknowledge its potential and usefulness, they express frustration over the lack of updates and optimizations, which have left it feeling clunky and outdated compared to competing tools. Overall, many users recommend caution due to its unstable nature and persistent performance problems.
“Although it still needs a lot of work, especially when building dense maps, optimization and features such as moving assets in groups, I would recommend this software to any DM.”
“It also has export options optimized for different online tabletop environments such as Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds.”
“Could use some quality of life upgrades and optimization, but a good deal for the price.”
“It's unstable, buggy, has bad performance, and I assume it will never be fixed.”
“If you can avoid using this bug-ridden, unoptimized, and laggy borderline abandonware mess, please by god do it.”
“This software has serious performance issues.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Users consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, particularly when it comes to navigating and editing large maps. Many find the process of scrolling through menus and adjusting settings cumbersome, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the creative experience. While some appreciate the detailed capabilities of the tool, the repetitive and labor-intensive nature of the tasks involved often leads to a desire for more streamlined functionality.
“It's extremely tedious to use and requires an annoying amount of familiarity to make complicated maps.”
“Navigating around huge maps to add details is tedious, since you seem to be forced to use the sliding bars at the edges of the screen.”
“When building large maps, it is beyond tedious to use the mouse to click and drag the scroll bars on the side and bottom of the screen to move around, then drag the zoom slider to the desired zoom, then go back to the scroll bars because the change in zoom moved the frame.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this RPG map-making program is user-friendly and allows for customization through various image sets from the Steam Workshop, making it easy to create maps for platforms like Roll20. However, it suffers from awkward mechanics, a lack of key features such as accurate irregular wall drawing, and an outdated interface, which detracts from the overall experience. While the developers are responsive to user inquiries, better documentation of the system mechanics would enhance usability.
“It is a map-making program for RPGs with many user-supported image sets that can be selected from the Steam Workshop to customize your maps for your style of gameplay.”
“It was easy to use and I could generate a map for Roll20 in a jiffy (once I got used to the mechanics).”
“Developer(s) have been relatively prompt and helpful in trying to explain the system mechanics in response to users' questions.”
“It hasn't been updated and some of the mechanics are weird and just awkward to use.”
“I'd like to draw a cavern with irregular walls... and there are no mechanics to do so, at least not accurately.”
“It has many similar mechanics and the like, but its lack of some key features honestly makes me a little sad.”
- story8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Users praise the story aspect of the game for its ability to enhance gameplay through high-quality, customizable maps that integrate seamlessly with narrative elements. The tools available allow storytellers and dungeon masters to create detailed environments that bring their stories to life, although some users note that the software can be buggy at times. Overall, the combination of storytelling and map-making is seen as a significant strength of the game.
“The story in this game is amazing.”
“The maps I'm able to put together really help me bring the story and setting to life for my players.”
“As a long-time dungeon master/storyteller, having a tool like this for plotting out world maps as well as screens and floors for encounters in my Pathfinder games has spoiled me.”
“This piece of software is promising, don't get me wrong; it's just that there are a lot of bugs and crashes. It's handy when you need a compact solution to build a few maps. I used it to build a whole campaign for my D&D story, and it worked well.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity, particularly highlighted by the comically flawed move tool, which unpredictably relocates objects, leading to amusingly frustrating experiences. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, especially in response to challenges like map-making.
“The move tool is hilariously broken; the object you're trying to move always ends up a random distance from where you actually dropped it, seemingly chosen by some divine phenomenon not for mortals to understand.”
“That'll show them for laughing at my maps!”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of technical difficulties, highlighting feelings of struggle and loss when their creations disappear unexpectedly, leading to a sense of helplessness.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users note that various effects significantly enhance the atmosphere of scenes, contributing to a more immersive and engaging experience.
“The ambient sounds and visuals create an immersive atmosphere that pulls you into the game world.”
“Every detail, from the lighting to the music, contributes to a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
“The atmosphere is so rich and engaging that it feels like you're part of a living, breathing world.”
