Map & Region Generator

Map Generator Guide

Spec: multi-room-dungeon-enhancement

Generate AI-assisted battle maps and multi-room dungeons for D&D 5e sessions. Create single rooms for quick encounters or entire connected dungeons with room purposes, stocking patterns, and spatial connections in seconds.

Quick Start

Single Room Map

1. Navigate to Generate → Map Generator
2. Enter Map Name (e.g., "Ancient Temple Ruins")
3. Add Terrain Features (collapsed pillars, hidden altar, etc.)
4. Click Generate Map (or press Cmd+Enter / Ctrl+Enter)
5. Review the generated map with terrain features and grid configuration
6. Click Save to Library (or press Cmd+S / Ctrl+S) to save

Multi-Room Dungeon

1. Navigate to Generate → Map Generator
2. Enter Dungeon Name (e.g., "Cult Hideout")
3. Set Number of Rooms (2-20, tier-limited)
4. Select Connection Pattern (Linear, Branching, Hub, or Five Room)
5. Choose Dungeon Theme (cult_hideout, dragon_lair, bandit_camp, etc.)
6. Set Party Level (1-20) for difficulty scaling
7. Enable Auto-Stock for traditional dungeon stocking
8. Click Generate Dungeon (charges N generations for N rooms)
9. Review dungeon with all rooms, connections, and read-aloud text
10. Click Save Dungeon to save entire dungeon with spatial connections

Form Inputs

Single-Room Mode

Map Name (required, max 100 characters)

• Name for your battle map
• Example: "Throne Room", "Forest Clearing", "Ancient Crypt"

Terrain Features (optional, max 10 features)

• Add features for tactical variety
• Each feature max 200 characters
• Examples: "Collapsed pillars providing half-cover", "Hidden altar with trapped lock", "Overgrown vines (difficult terrain)"

World Setting (optional)

• Select biome, geography, climate for context
• Influences terrain generation
• Examples: Jungle ruins, mountain caves, urban streets

Multi-Room Mode

Number of Rooms (required, 2-20)

• Free tier: Max 3 rooms
• Trial tier: Max 5 rooms
• Premium tier: Max 20 rooms
• Charges: N rooms = N generations

Connection Pattern (required)

• Linear: Sequential progression with bypass routes
  • Best for: Dungeon crawls, linear narratives
  • Example: Classic "room after room" exploration
• Branching: Paths split and converge
  • Best for: Player choice, exploration emphasis
  • Example: Fork in the road with reuniting paths
• Hub: Central room with spokes radiating outward
  • Best for: Open exploration, sandbox dungeons
  • Example: Grand hall with doors to many areas
• Five Room: Classic 5-room dungeon layout
  • Best for: Short sessions, one-shots
  • Example: Entrance → Guardian → Puzzle → Trick → Boss

Dungeon Theme (optional, max 100 characters)

• Theme influences room purposes and descriptions
• Predefined Themes:
  • cult_hideout: Ritual chambers, shrines, torture rooms
  • dragon_lair: Treasure vaults, crypts, boss lair
  • bandit_camp: Barracks, armory, storage
  • ancient_ruins: Libraries, puzzle rooms, crypts
  • wizard_tower: Laboratories, libraries, arcane shrines
• Custom Theme: Provide your own (e.g., "pirate smuggler's den")

Party Level (optional, 1-20)

• Scales encounter difficulty
• Room 1 starts easy, final room is boss-level
• Example: Level 3 party → Room 1 (CR 1), Room 5 (CR 4)

Auto-Stock (optional, default: true)

• Applies traditional dungeon stocking patterns
• Distribution:
  • 30-40% Empty (exploration, rest areas)
  • 40-50% Encounter (combat scaled to party level)
  • 10-20% Trap (hazards, environmental challenges)
  • 10-20% Special (puzzles, NPCs, treasure, unique features)
• Constraints:
  • No more than 2 consecutive combat rooms
  • 1 guaranteed safe rest room (dungeons ≥3 rooms)
  • Final room always encounter (boss fight)

Connection Patterns Explained

Linear Pattern

Topology:

[1] → [2] → [3] → [4] → [5]
       ↓           ↑
       └───────────┘ (secret bypass)

Characteristics:

• Sequential room progression
• Optional secret passages for shortcuts
• 33% chance of bypass route (dungeons ≥4 rooms)
• Best for: First-time GMs, new players, dungeon crawls

Example Use Case:

Branching Pattern

Topology:

        [1]
       /   \
     [2]   [3]
       \   / \
        [4]  [5]

Characteristics:

• Paths split at decision points
• Multiple routes to objectives
• Convergence points where paths reunite
• Best for: Player agency, exploration-heavy campaigns

Example Use Case:

Hub Pattern

Topology:

    [2] [3] [4]
      \ | /
       [1]  ← hub
      / | \
    [5] [6] [7]

Characteristics:

• Central chamber with multiple exits
• Spoke rooms can be explored in any order
• Sandbox-style exploration
• Best for: Open-world dungeons, investigation scenarios

Example Use Case:

Five Room Pattern

Topology:

[1 Entrance] → [2 Guardian] → [3 Puzzle]
                                   ↓
                    [5 Boss] ← [4 Trick]
                        ↑
                [Secret from 1] (optional)

Characteristics:

• Classic 5-room dungeon structure
• Room 1: Entrance (easy encounter or roleplay)
• Room 2: Guardian (gatekeeper encounter)
• Room 3: Puzzle or Setback (non-combat challenge)
• Room 4: Trick or Climax (red herring, false treasure)
• Room 5: Boss Fight (final encounter)
• Optional secret passage from entrance to boss (for clever players)
• Best for: One-shots, convention games, new GMs

Example Use Case:

Room Purposes

The system assigns thematic purposes based on your dungeon theme and connection pattern. Purposes influence room descriptions, encounters, and treasure.

16 Room Purpose Types

Theme-Based Purpose Selection

Cult Hideout → Shrine, Torture Chamber, Prison, Guard Room

Dragon Lair → Treasure Vault, Crypt, Boss Lair, Guard Room

Bandit Camp → Barracks, Armory, Storage, Guard Room

Ancient Ruins → Library, Puzzle Room, Crypt, Shrine

Wizard Tower → Laboratory, Library, Shrine (arcane), Puzzle Room

Generated Content

Single-Room Maps

What You Get:

• Map name and metadata
• Terrain features with tactical properties (cover, difficult terrain, hazards)
• Grid configuration (cell size, offsets)
• Dimensions (width × height in grid cells)
• AI-generated descriptions

Example Output:

Multi-Room Dungeons

What You Get:

• Dungeon Container: Virtual parent map grouping all rooms
• Individual Rooms: Each room is a standalone map with:
  • Room number (1-N)
  • Room purpose (entrance, guard room, treasure vault, etc.)
  • Stocking type (empty, encounter, trap, special)
  • Read-Aloud Text: 2-3 sentences with sensory details (no secrets)
  • GM Notes: Investigation/Perception DCs, hidden details, lore
  • Tactical Notes: Cover positions, enemy tactics (encounter rooms only)
  • Terrain features
  • Grid configuration
• Spatial Connections: Graph of room connections with:
  • Direction (north, south, east, west)
  • Secret passages (with Detection DC)
  • Locked doors (with Lock DC)
  • Descriptive text ("stone archway", "hidden panel behind tapestry")
• Dungeon Summary: Total rooms, stocking breakdown, secret passage count

Example Output (5-Room Cult Hideout):

Tier Limits and Generation Costs

Room Count Limits

Generation Charging

Single Room: Charges 1 generation

Multi-Room: Charges N generations where N = room count

Examples:

• 3-room dungeon: Uses 3 of your monthly generation quota
• 5-room dungeon: Uses 5 of your monthly generation quota
• 10-room dungeon: Uses 10 of your monthly generation quota

Important: Generations are charged only on success. If generation fails, you are not charged.

Upgrade Prompts

Free Tier attempting 5-room dungeon:

Performance and Wait Times

Note: Multi-room dungeons use parallel AI generation. All rooms are generated concurrently for optimal performance.

Progress Indicator:

Generating 5-room dungeon...
✓ Room 1/5 complete
✓ Room 2/5 complete
✓ Room 3/5 complete
✓ Room 4/5 complete
✓ Room 5/5 complete
Creating spatial connections...
✓ Dungeon ready!

Use Cases

1. Quick Combat Encounter (Single Room)

Scenario: Your party unexpectedly attacks the town guard.

Solution:

1. Generate single room: "Town Guard Barracks"
2. Add features: "Weapon racks", "Training dummies", "Locked chest"
3. Use map for tactical combat
4. Save to library for future town encounters

Time: ~15 seconds

2. One-Shot Adventure (Five Room Pattern)

Scenario: You're running a convention game with 4-hour time limit.

Solution:

1. Generate 5-room dungeon with Five Room pattern
2. Theme: "Ancient Ruins"
3. Party Level: 3
4. Get structured adventure: Entrance → Guardian → Puzzle → Trick → Boss
5. Read-aloud text ready for immediate play

Time: ~25 seconds

3. Modular Dungeon Wing (Linear Pattern)

Scenario: Your campaign dungeon needs a new wing (cult hideout section).

Solution:

1. Generate 3-room linear dungeon
2. Theme: "Cult Hideout"
3. Get sequential rooms with bypass secret
4. Integrate into existing dungeon map

Time: ~20 seconds

4. Exploration Sandbox (Hub Pattern)

Scenario: Party enters a wizard's tower with multiple research labs.

Solution:

1. Generate 7-room hub pattern
2. Theme: "Wizard Tower"
3. Central hub (Room 1) connects to 6 spoke rooms
4. Players can explore in any order

Time: ~30 seconds

5. Player-Choice Dungeon (Branching Pattern)

Scenario: You want meaningful choices and multiple routes.

Solution:

1. Generate 5-room branching pattern
2. Theme: "Ancient Ruins"
3. Get fork-and-converge topology
4. Players choose western or eastern path

Time: ~25 seconds

Tips for Best Results

For Single Rooms

✅ Do:

• Be specific with terrain features ("20-foot pit trap, DC 12 Acrobatics to jump")
• Include tactical elements ("Pillars providing half-cover")
• Use evocative names ("Throne of the Forgotten King" vs "Throne Room")

❌ Don't:

• Use trademarked terms (Beholder, Mind Flayer)
• Request massive rooms (recommend 8-15 grid cells per side)
• Overcrowd with features (3-5 features is ideal)

For Multi-Room Dungeons

✅ Do:

• Choose pattern based on session type (linear for crawls, hub for sandboxes)
• Use party level for balanced difficulty scaling
• Enable auto-stock for traditional dungeon feel
• Provide thematic context ("bandit camp in forest ruins")

❌ Don't:

• Generate 20-room dungeons without prep time (takes ~65 seconds)
• Mix incompatible themes (e.g., "wizard tower cult hideout dragon lair")
• Forget to save to library (dungeons are NOT auto-saved)

For Five Room Dungeons

✅ Do:

• Perfect for one-shots and convention games
• Trust the structure (entrance → guardian → puzzle → trick → boss)
• Use the optional secret passage for clever players
• Keep party level 1-5 for 4-hour sessions

❌ Don't:

• Skip Room 3 puzzle (breaks classic structure)
• Treat Room 4 as throwaway (it's the dramatic twist)
• Overload with side content (keep it focused)

Common Questions

Q: Can I edit rooms after generation? A: Yes. Each room is a standalone map in your library. Edit terrain features, descriptions, or metadata as needed.

Q: Can I add more rooms to an existing dungeon? A: Not directly. Regenerate with higher room count and manually merge, or generate additional rooms and manually connect them.

Q: Do I need to use all connection types? A: No. Each pattern (linear, branching, hub, five_room) is self-contained. Choose one that fits your session needs.

Q: What if I don't like the room purposes? A: Regenerate or manually override. Room purposes are suggestions based on theme and pattern, not rigid requirements.

Q: Can I use multi-room dungeons with existing campaigns? A: Yes! Dungeons are saved to your library and can be added to campaigns like any other content.

Q: What happens if generation fails mid-dungeon? A: The system uses ALL-OR-NOTHING transactions. If any room fails, the entire dungeon is aborted and you are not charged generations.

Q: How are secret passages handled? A: Secret passages require Detection DC checks (typically 15-18). They're noted in room connections and GM notes with detection clues.

Q: Can I use the same dungeon for different party levels? A: Regenerate with new party level for properly scaled encounters. Saved dungeons are static (don't auto-scale).

Keyboard Shortcuts

SRD Compliance

All generated maps and dungeons are SRD 5.2 compliant:

✅ Allowed: Orcs, goblins, dragons, undead, generic monsters ✅ Allowed: Generic terrain, magic items, treasure ✅ Allowed: D&D mechanics (CR, stats, abilities)

❌ Blocked: Mind Flayer, Beholder, Displacer Beast (use alternatives) ❌ Blocked: Waterdeep, Forgotten Realms, Eberron locations ❌ Blocked: Bigby's Hand, Mordenkainen's spells (use generic versions)

If you request blocked content, the system will:

1. Warn you before generation
2. Suggest SRD-compliant alternatives
3. Block generation if you proceed with trademarked terms

Related Documentation

• Encounter Generator - Generate balanced combat for dungeon rooms
• Random Tables - Add variety to dungeon rooms