Outline for a dungeon randomization method to apply to the Bakemono Caverns by the Mountain Crevasse Bridge. Will be running this location tonight in the Bushido flavored Barbarians of Lemuria campaign, thought of this approach on my walk to lunch, fleshing out a bit as I write this up.
When generating a room or cave:
Throw a die for each of these categories. Dice that come out high will mean that feature is present, for some in a binary fashion, for others in a scalar, with 4 meaning some, 5 meaning more or larger, 6 meaning a lot or very large or intense.
If applying to other locations, some categories might not be appropriate, like leaving out or reducing odds on horror or weird elements.
Monsters - Scalar
Other complications/dangers - environmental or traps - Scalar
Horror - Scalar
Weird - binary
Treasures - Scalar, add 1 each for monsters or dangers being 5 or 6, a 6 total or more should include something magic.
Plot hook characters 5 or objects 6
Something significant is concealed/hidden (about location or paths to leave it) binary, on 5-6
If not already mapped:
Natural/Constructed transition vs previous location- on 6
Termination vs branching 1,2 termination, 3 single path beyond, 4 Two paths 5-6 branching
Elevation change - 5 Up 6 Down, could be the space itself or a branching in that direction on exit
Branchings can loop back to connect to previously discovered branchings as appropriate.
Test:
411156223
Yields:
Some monsters
A character or characters that are a plot hook
Something concealed - will be the monsters or plot hook character(s), since no exit paths or other things
Terminal room on this path
Will A.I. do the same thing in less time?
ReplyDeleteI've also used AI to generate some scenarios. This is more of a spur to imagination, where the fun is in fleshing it out, while AI tends to yield stuff that is more complete but rather vanilla in flavor. It is still fun to make stuff up yourself even if AI can grind out something similar.
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