Is This The Best Free Worldbuilding Tool? | MasterScreen Overview

This week' wer're checking out a new player in the RPG worldbuilding (and VTT?) space, MasterScreen
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Welcome to the info paragraph, this is a place to feed the great algorithm, and if you've made it here you have probably scrolled too far! Icarus Games is dedicated to helping dungeons and dragons players and dungeon masters improve their experience in roleplaying games. For RPG players, there are videos on learning dungeons and dragons rules, as well as on character building, roleplaying, and optimization. For Game Masters, there are videos on organizing your dungeon master screen, improving your worldbuilding for your RPGs, and for creating homebrew dungeons and dragons content.
#dnd #masterscreen #worldbuilding

[@digitalspecter]

Finally, an app that doesn't try to hold my data hostage either by storing it in a proprietary format and/or on their servers. If I put long hours in creating something I want to own my creation (the data).

[@IcarusGames]

A completely valid desire, for sure! Sounds like it's definitely worth checking it out for you.

[@Zane-It]

I agree

[@emilyr2836]

Keeping my files on my system is one of my requirements of late - I just can't risk losing all my work if the company folds/is hacked/etc. MasterScreen looks like a very cool option! I'm probably not going to switch from Obsidian because I'm using Obsidian for non-gaming things (and am paying for the ability to sync my notes between all my devices), but I'll definitely keep an eye on MasterScreen as it gets developed.

[@SoulFury-uz6vv]

Are you still using obsidian or have you switched?

[@emilyr2836]

@@SoulFury-uz6vv Still using Obsidian! I should probably look into where MasterScreen is now, though...

[@DraykCiptco]

This actually looked really smooth to use. I've tried other stuff like Fantasia Archive, but sometimes it bogs whenever there's a lot going on. It seems like it handled a lot of these pages really well and has a lot of features on offer. I'm excited to see how this develops :)

[@IcarusGames]

It feels like with all the markdown support, Masterscreen has way more power than I would end up using, but it's really exciting having that potential there.

[@bonbondurjdr6553]

Honestly big fan of Markdown so I'm really happy that they will be using it! Looks awesome, I'm going to check it out right now!

[@sammwich4160]

I've been looking for a decent worldbuilding system for so long because my campaign is so in-depth and every single one I've found has either been paid, has essential things paid, or just doesn't have what I need. I'm so glad I finally found what I was looking for, thank you so much

[@SeanFranchise]

This looks RAD. I’ve been getting really into Notion to build my own GM references, but after watching your Legend Keeper video I’ve been wishing it had pinnable map support. This might be just what I was wishing for!

[@niedude]

that's where I am, too. I like Notion a lot and the only thing I think Im missing that could get me to switch systems is a pinnable map.

[@Gwelith]

Local saving and markdown are big plusses for me. I work in IT and markdown is popular for documenting stuff. Also worth noting that GM Binder uses markdown, so it could make creating PDFs of your contet easier.

[@gickrimes6851]

Another day, another new worldbuilding tool to try hahaha Thanks Anto!

[@IcarusGames]

Gotta catch them all!

[@ranty_fugue]

Thanks for the great overview! Looks really promising and I’ll definitely give it a spin. I’ve been using Legend Keeper for years and love it, but I’m really getting tired of the (overly) long wait to update LK to have a decent text editor. Markdown is a little kludgy-and your comments about it being a underdocumented are well-taken-but at least it allows one to control some low-level text properties like font size, color, etc., unlike LK. Adding some sort of shortcut, like right clicking and getting a list of formatting or link options, would probably be a good idea. :-) TBH, I’m not sure why this needs a VTT component, though… I’m really a big fan of the “do one thing well” approach. Unless they have a big team of devs, either the world builder or the VTT will suffer whenever a big effort is needed for one of them. And Owlbear and Foundry are so amazing, I can’t imagine really using it.

[@IcarusGames]

I agree about the VTT element. As a foundry user I wouldn't find myself using the VTT element and would rather have a more focused worldbuilding tool.

[@jtjames79]

This subject is highly relevant to my interests.

[@IcarusGames]

I know! I saw what you had been putting in your letters to Santa and I'm here to bring you news of the newest shiny toys! 😊

[@Phleanix]

@@IcarusGames ‘Anto’ Clause… is that you?

[@IcarusGames]

Huo huo huo 🎅🎄

[@joshbarron8961]

I think Legend Keeper does a lot of this much better (at least on the worldbuilding front, not so much the monster stat blocks or character sheets), but this wouldn't be too bad if you weren't willing to pay for a monthly sub.

[@IcarusGames]

LK definitely does all the things I want from a tool like this, but Masterscreen looks like its going to be a great option for those looking for a free solution.

[@trushreitsam5802]

Looks just like Obsidian with Leaflet and other Expansions preinstalled. Edit: Okay after trying to do all this in Obsidian... I was wrong. Obsidian is nice, but the Maps in Leaflet don't do well with PNGs and are more finnicky to deal with and Battlemaps are not really a thing in Obsidian (though you could use Excalidraw for both World- and Battle-maps) So maybe I might convert to Masterscreen after some testing and comparison with Obsidian, also because the hosting seems really nice and convenient. (Foundry is just too advanced for my use case of quick and dirty maps and a ton of RP, that doesn't really need that much automation or such)

[@flipfromtheflop1446]

Oooh, I recommended legendkeeper to a friend but this seems like a great alternative!

[@the_nightbringer]

the only downside is that to be able to import images you have to provide a link, it cant be done from the computer

[@ellenripley4837]

I like the vtt functionality of this tool more so than the world building setting. Maybe I can use this for a game I'm working on.

[@brandonpassetti6145]

What software, if any, are you using to create your actual maps? I haven't seen an app that makes that style before.

[@IcarusGames]

The world map was made using Inkarnate.

[@plugwindbdb348]

Hey! I don't know how to set the root folder to import images and all that so anyone has an idea ?

[@Phleanix]

Feeeeeeed the algorithm!!! Looks useful! I might just have a play. :)

[@JonasLohardtHavlykke]

Great video thanks for the effort :) Unfortunately I'm not impressed with the product. I don’t need the VTT. I'm looking for a toll with more focus on worldbuilding and sharing that with players. Realm Works is the closest I've seen but their pricing method ruined it for me.

[@Dark0Storm]

Tbh, I'm struggling to see what this does that Obsidian doesn't do easier (given it now has live preview and with numerous TTRPG based plugins) with the advantage of not needing to be online? Would be interested why this would be a go-to recommend for a free worldbuilding tool (specifically) over that alternative. I certainly understand why people dislike Obsidian, with it's need to use markdown... but that is the case here too.

[@IcarusGames]

I've not used Obsidian, so can't recommend it.

[@Dark0Storm]

@@IcarusGames if you are interested in seeing what it can do I'd recommend Josh Plunkett's videos on it.

[@dragonpulp8662]

@@IcarusGames I'd also say to take a look at it. Its intended use is just a note taking tool in general, but like Alex said Josh Plunkett has some videos for using it for D&D or TTRPGs in general. The big thing that it has that MasterScreen doesn't is that there are community plugins to mod Obsidian. I've seen some mods for an initiative tracker, statblocks, and the map to place pins to other entries. However somethings that MasterScreen has is the VTT, the SRD, and the market place.

[@ellenripley4837]

I feel like obsidian is still the superior choice if you want to use a lot of it's search options and you want a more sandbox type of experience. I use obsidian for all kinds of things aside from world building.

[@thegochie]

is this the only option for world management AND VTT in one?

[@iratevagabond204]

I wonder how this compares to Fantasia Archive. . .

[@jtjames79]

One thing I would like to see tried that I don't think anybody thought of yet, is an AI to fill in the blanks. We got so-called chatbots that convince the undiscerning, in unstructured text. If an AI instead just needed to fill in some blanks like a semi random generator, it would save a ton of work. I think AI could do it even better than a human could in some cases. Like filling out random fluff for NPCs. Auto generate descriptions that are culturally and regionally appropriate. AI could also be used to scrape prompts from descriptive content, then fed to another AI like gradient descent to auto generate art. Then a super resolution AI to upscale the gradient descent output. Then I could click on my map, create a new NPC, let's say a waitress. Then the rest of the form autofills, intelligently. Just edit in any specific details that you want. Let's say you make her attractive and the AI so make sure she has a high charisma score it takes advantage of it in the rest of the character build. AI is at the point it can be made into the ultimate DM's assistant with a little bit of scripting. Okay a lot of scripting. But the server requirements aren't really that bad and can be rented from Amazon or Google for a reasonable price. Every AI needed are already pre-trained and open source. It's just a matter of stringing them together correctly, with lots and lots of structure. Edit: only got a couple of typos from voice to text in a noisy environment.

[@zalmute423]

No thanks. I wouldn't want my stuff randomly showing up elsewhere if the AI owners is using your prompts as a learning model.

[@jtjames79]

@@zalmute423 Almost everything I said already came true. Some I did myself. Also, I'm a venture altruist. The entire point is for people to use my ideas.

[@afonsollima]

I use Obsidian for work, study and writing, which is a huge markdown software. I was looking for a world building tool and found this video. It looks amazing. Not just it has a lot of tools to use, it's markdown, so I know my way around and it's gonna work (at least most of it) on Obsidian. It gives the template I was struggling to build on my own, with a dedicated interface. I'll definitely try it out.

[@ellenripley4837]

You can probably open the files from this software with obsidian as a vault then.

[@rybonesk737]

Is anyone else having an issue where the entries keep rearranging themselves?

[@scabardgmvault]

Have you tried Scabard Campaign Manager?

[@IcarusGames]

I haven't. It's not one I'd heard of before!

[@brucewayne1712]

great app! thx for sharing. does anyone know how to set the root folder for the local file sync? when i hit "local file sync" nothing happens.

[@IcarusGames]

MY root folder defaulted to Documents>Masterscreen

[@brucewayne1712]

@@IcarusGames which browser are you using? chrome?

[@IcarusGames]

@@brucewayne1712 I use Opera, which is chromium based i believe.

[@brucewayne1712]

@@IcarusGames thx for the help. it seems to be a browser issue. now i tried chrome and it works. it does not work with brave...

[@notbloodylikely4817]

The community is screaming out for a new marketplace. Drive Thru is ok and all but their system is ancient and clunky, still the same as it was in the 90s and desperately difficult to reach an audience on there without a big Kickstarter mob to boost sales. I'm actually interested to see this new marketplace but maybe the Devs will take some friendly advice and only sell VTT stuff. Competing with Drive Thru won't work but as I said, Drive Thru is stuck in the past and barely provides publishers with any tools to access the VTT market. A market that only offers VTT stuff would be unique and modern.

[@KnuthMaestro]

What browser is he using?

[@IcarusGames]

Opera, chrome will also work.

[@merlin1851]

dead app

[@IcarusGames]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I've contacted the app's creator to see if they are still supporting it, if not, I'll pull the video down so folks don't get directed towards a dead site.