Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Dungeon Painter VS Foundry Virtual Tabletop

Compare Dungeon Painter VS Foundry Virtual Tabletop and see what are their differences

Dungeon Painter logo Dungeon Painter

Dungeon Painter is a free powerful encounter map design tool.

Foundry Virtual Tabletop logo Foundry Virtual Tabletop

A self-hosted, modern, and developer-friendly roleplaying platform.
  • Dungeon Painter Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-15
  • Foundry Virtual Tabletop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-18

Dungeon Painter features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Dungeon Painter Online offers a user-friendly interface that is intuitive for both beginners and experienced map makers. This allows for quick map creation without a steep learning curve.
  • Browser-Based
    Being a browser-based tool, Dungeon Painter Online does not require any software downloads or installations, making it accessible from any device with internet access.
  • Custom Assets
    The platform provides a variety of artistic assets and styles, allowing users to create customized and diverse maps suitable for various themes and settings.
  • Community Support
    The tool has an active community of users, providing support, tutorials, and additional resources to enhance map-making capabilities.
  • Export Options
    Users can export their maps in high-resolution formats, making it easy to integrate them into different virtual tabletop environments or print them for offline use.

Possible disadvantages of Dungeon Painter

  • Limited Offline Use
    As a browser-based application, Dungeon Painter Online requires an internet connection, limiting its use in offline scenarios.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, such as lag and slow rendering times, especially when working with large or complex maps.
  • Asset Limitations
    While there are many assets available, users may find the selection limited or may need to create/import custom assets for specific, niche requirements.
  • Subscription Costs
    Some advanced features and asset packs may require a subscription, which could be a drawback for users looking for completely free solutions.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Though basic map creation is simple, mastering more advanced features and techniques can require significant time and effort.

Foundry Virtual Tabletop features and specs

  • Customization
    Foundry VTT offers extensive customization options, allowing users to create intricate and tailored game experiences. The platform supports custom scripts and modules, enabling Game Masters to adapt and extend the functionality to their specific needs.
  • Dynamic Lighting
    The software includes advanced dynamic lighting features that enhance the immersion and realism of the game. It allows for realistic lighting effects, shadows, and visibility based on players' sources of light and line of sight.
  • System Compatibility
    Foundry VTT supports a wide range of game systems through community-created modules, offering versatility in the kinds of tabletop games that can be played.
  • Community Support
    The platform has a robust and active community that creates and shares modules, tokens, maps, and other resources. This support network helps users troubleshoot issues and enhance their gaming experience.
  • One-Time Payment
    Unlike some other virtual tabletops that require ongoing subscription fees, Foundry VTT involves a one-time payment for access to all of its core features.
  • No Forced Updates
    Users have control over software updates, allowing them to avoid potential disruptions in their game from automatic updates.

Possible disadvantages of Foundry Virtual Tabletop

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The extensive customization and variety of features can be overwhelming for new users. The learning curve is steeper compared to some other virtual tabletops, requiring time and effort to master.
  • Initial Cost
    The initial purchase cost can be a barrier for some users, especially those who are unsure if they will get enough use out of the platform to justify the expense.
  • Performance Requirements
    Foundry VTT is resource-intensive and may not perform well on older or less powerful systems. Users with lower-end hardware may experience lag or other performance-related issues.
  • Self-Hosting
    The platform requires the game host to manage their own server setup, which can be complicated for users without technical expertise. While there are hosting services available, this adds an additional cost.
  • Limited Official Support
    While the community is strong, official support is somewhat limited. Users may need to rely more on community forums and documentation for troubleshooting and support.

Analysis of Foundry Virtual Tabletop

Overall verdict

  • Foundry VTT is highly regarded among tabletop RPG enthusiasts, especially those looking for a versatile virtual tabletop platform with extensive customization options. Its one-time purchase model and community support further enhance its attractiveness.

Why this product is good

  • Foundry Virtual Tabletop (Foundry VTT) is considered good due to its comprehensive set of features that cater to both players and game masters in tabletop RPGs. It offers a highly customizable platform with support for various game systems, a strong community-driven module ecosystem, and frequent updates. Its emphasis on automation, immersive visuals, and dynamic storytelling tools make it a popular choice for many users.

Recommended for

  • Game masters seeking a flexible and powerful tool for running RPG sessions
  • Players who enjoy a customizable and visually rich gaming experience
  • Groups that appreciate community content and third-party module integration
  • Users looking for a one-time purchase option with continuous updates

Dungeon Painter videos

Dungeon Painter Studio - Map Making Tool for your Roll20 & Fantasy Grounds D&D game

More videos:

  • Review - Dungeon Painter Studio features in 10 minutes.
  • Review - Creating Tabletop Game Maps Using Dungeon Painter Studio

Foundry Virtual Tabletop videos

What is Foundry VTT? - First Impressions of Foundry Virtual Tabletop

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Dungeon Painter and Foundry Virtual Tabletop)
Game Engine
13 13%
87% 87
Maps
39 39%
61% 61
Gaming
3 3%
97% 97
Mapping And GIS
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Foundry Virtual Tabletop seems to be a lot more popular than Dungeon Painter. While we know about 320 links to Foundry Virtual Tabletop, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Dungeon Painter. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Dungeon Painter mentions (5)

  • What are some really simple map making tools?
    I used to dungeon painter online, then I bought dungeon painter studio because I liked the software. I still use DPS for my non-totm campaigns. Both are dead and not receiving updates now, though. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Combat Homebrews
    Pyromancer Dungeon Painter The online module no longer works due to Flash dying, so you will need to download the free software. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What is the best tool for mapmaking?
    Best free option I've seen is Dungeon Painter Online (though flash is gone so have to download now). Dungeonscrawl is fantastically simple for sketching a quick dungeon. I've also used Inkarnate, Pymapper and some others I forget. The wiki has some recommendations. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Does anyone know a app or site I can use for making maps?
    I used this one a bit before it went download only. http://pyromancers.com/dungeon-painter-online/. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Favourite Map Maker software?
    It's hard to beat Inkarnate for its raw capabilities in both world generation and map/dungeon design. And it has a free option. Obviously limited, but you get what you pay for in truth. Next for me would be the (potentially pricy, but very worth it) Caeora integrated into World Anvil. The complexity you can manifest is absolutely insane. While Azgaar (and "similar" (itch.io) based tools) are without a question... Source: about 4 years ago

Foundry Virtual Tabletop mentions (320)

  • Building a Custom Stream Deck for My D&D Table: Solving Gamepad Integration with a Custom SDK
    As a passionate Dungeons & Dragons player and tech enthusiast, I decided to elevate my game setup by creating a custom coffee table that features an embedded screen. This table displays maps, tokens, plays sound effects, and even shows artwork for players. All of this runs through a powerful platform called Foundry VTT, which is similar to Roll20 but with a better pricing model and an extensive open module system.... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Question: Online DnD
    If you're ready to spend money, though, I'd suggest Foundry. I recommend Foundry for these reasons:. Source: over 1 year ago
  • [Online][5E][Other][Sunday][UTC+0][One-Shot] Blood Will Run on December 10th
    Salutations, lost souls. What's happening: On the 10th of December, at 11:00 UTC+0, I'll be running a simple one-shot to test run the Advanced 5th Edition system by Level Up, using Foundry. It is essentially a fully rewritten, rebalanced version of the regular DnD 5e system, with more character customization. You can check out their website here. Source: over 1 year ago
  • "cannot reach foundryvtt.com at this time"
    At first, I thought I had messed something up in my install, so I made a fresh image and loaded it up. This time, in addition to my update page firing that error, my news feeds on my setup home were also delivering an error saying they couldn't reach the foundryvtt.com web server. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • [PF2E][FoundryVTT][Saturday][CST-12:30PM][PAID] -|- Experienced GM seeking both new and experienced players! Explore a personalized fantasy world that is slowly changing as the Planes Converge! -|- [3-week trial period at (5$) per session. After that it's just (10$)!][2/5 slots open]
    Well of course there is the aforementioned session zero will be the first order on the docket. Our starting point will be the Pathfinder 2E's Beginner Box. I find the Beginner Box to be a genuinely good way to introduce players to both PF2E and FoundryVTT so im gonna use it as a sorta jumping off point for the homebrew. (it also gives me time to work on the homebrew content since it will be customized to your... Source: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Dungeon Painter and Foundry Virtual Tabletop, you can also consider the following products

Inkarnate - A free-form map editor for role-playing games, focusing on overland and continental maps.

Roll20 - Roll20 is a suite of easy-to-use digital tools that expand pen-and-paper gameplay.

Campaign Cartographer - Campaign Cartographer is the leading map making software for games (RPGs, miniatures and wargaming).

Dungeondraft - Dungeondraft is an interesting map development software that is used to create quick maps for your games and it is compatible with Windows as well as Mac OS operating systems.

Wonderdraft - is an intuitive yet powerful fantasy map creation tool for 64-bit Windows 10, Linux, and MacOSX.

Owlbear Rodeo - Owlbear Rodeo is an attempt to make a web app to run tabletop encounters without the complicated setup process needed for other VTTs.