Free GM Resource: Dungeon Scrawl

 

This week's Free GM Resource is a beta version of an online map-maker that I'm finding pretty cool: Dungeon Scrawl.

I discovered this site from a Facebook complaint from Dyson Logos. Evidently he's been losing Patrons to this website, or something? I'm not delving too deep into it. I love Dyson's work and on some level Dyson himself.....not so much. We don't mesh well politically and he says stuff that rubs me the wrong way.

Well it would if I cared and payed much attention to his opinion, but I don't.....you know why? It doesn't matter! His opinion, my opinion....whatever...neither means jack squat when it comes to making maps and slinging dice while playing RPGs.

Now if folks are abandoning his Patreon for Dungeon Scrawl, that is a shame....and if anyone (evidently this is actually a thing) thinks that Dyson is "ripping off" Dungeon Scrawl they have a few screws loose. Seriously. 

Dungeonscrawl.com was created last year. The website mentions that it was created on May 8th, but doesn't state the year. The Dungeon Scrawl Patreon was started in May 2020 and the domain name was registered in May 2020 as well.

Dyson Logos has been around for quite a while. Hell, my 1st blog post about him was dated in 2013 and his first entry on Dyson's Dodecahedron was March 2009. The latest version of Dyson's Dodecahedron (more than likely just his domain name registration) was created in October 2018. Last I checked, all those dates pre-date May 2020!

Even if, and this is a big, fat, lying "if", Dyson was "copying" the style of Dungeon Scrawl.......so what? One (today's Free GM Resource) is giving you tools to create your own maps and the other is giving away completed maps. Two very different, but related, things.

Now I occasionally like making maps, but a good, highly-detailed map.....like Dyson makes. Total PITA. The fact that he gives away so much of his work thanks to his Patreon makes me think if you want finished maps, you need to hit up Dyson's Dodecahedron and follow his Patreon. If you want tools to make your own decent Dyson-ish (but definitely not as detailed and arguably not artisanal and gluten-free) maps, check out Dungeon Scrawl and maybe their Patreon.