First a little background...
If you've ever played D&D or a game like it your aware there are lots of cool charts in the rules for generating random things like treasure, encounters, and even the population and attitude of cities.
It was natural evolution for these pen-and-paper charts to get automated. You can find tons of game related random generators on the web - random name generators seemingly the most common. These are neat and handy tools for the taxed gamemaster.
One of the coolest tools I ever used was some PC based shareware called TableSmith by Bruce Gulke. Not only did it come with ready made generators, but what set it apart for me was the ability to customize or make my own generators.
What I really liked most was the random association of ideas that you might get from typically unrelated things. These sparked imagination and often lead to new plot ideas or one of a kind magic items that helped me develop a memorable world for my players.
Take this result for example:
"PCs are possibly ambushed by...
Fetchlings
Behavior: Seeking revenge for alleged crime
In an generally urban area.
Features: Religious (chaos) crypts"
Its just dripping with ideas. What was the crime? How does it tie into the crypts? How might the players get tangled up in it all? You see, its good food for thought, and it helps you as a gamemaster avoid the same basic plots you might gravitate to.
Same with random magic items, A Darkwood quarterstaff with the Anarchic special abilities conjures up a vivid image of the villain that would wield it.
Now let me tell you what dxContent is...
1. dxContent is browser based (cross-browser at that!) When I got my iPad I was disappointed that i could not find a random generator app to use in my Warhammer Quest games. I didn't know how or even want to build an iPad app but I did want to build a web site anyone could use from any mobile device.
2. dxContent's Table Runner software allows you to make your own random (or as i like to call it procedural) generators. The syntax for nearly all the functions are similar to TableSmith, but I would not say the two are "compatible".
3. dxContent will also be a community of table generators sharing their creations and collaborations in a dxContent generator "library".
4. dxContent is FREE. My goal is to cover hosting costs through unobtrusive google ads (feel free to click!).
5. dxContent Table Runner generators can be embedded in any site!
Enough for now, let me know what you think!
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