Okay, so I’ve been messing around with AI Dungeon Masters, trying to get the perfect prompt, you know? Like, the one that’ll make the AI really get what I want in a campaign. It’s been… a journey, let me tell you.
I started out super basic. Stuff like, “Create a fantasy adventure.” Yeah, predictable, I know. And the results? Also predictable. Generic quests, bland characters… it was all just… meh. The AI was doing what I asked, technically, but it wasn’t inspiring.
So, I started adding more detail. I figured, maybe if I give it more to work with, it’ll give me more back. I tried things like, “Create a fantasy adventure in a world inspired by Norse mythology, with a focus on political intrigue and morally gray choices.”
Better? Definitely. The AI started throwing in Viking-esque settings, scheming Jarls, and situations where there wasn’t a clear “good guy” or “bad guy.” But it still felt…off. Like the AI was checking boxes, not really crafting a story.
Then it hit me: I was treating the AI like a vending machine. I was putting in my “order” and expecting a perfect product to pop out. But a good DM isn’t a vending machine, they’re a collaborator. They take your ideas and build on them.
My “Aha!” Moment
So I changed my approach. Instead of just describing the setting and plot, I started describing the feel I wanted. The vibe. I started using phrases like:
- “I want a campaign that feels like a dark, gritty detective story, but set in a high-fantasy world.”
- “The tone should be a mix of epic adventure and dry, sarcastic humor.”
- “The players should feel constantly under pressure, like they’re barely keeping their heads above water.”
- “Give a constant tension that makes players can’t relax”
And that’s when things started to click. The AI started generating scenarios that actually surprised me. Characters with unexpected motivations. Plot twists that I genuinely didn’t see coming.
I even started giving the AI “meta” instructions, things like:
- “Don’t be afraid to kill off major NPCs if it makes sense for the story.”
- “Prioritize player agency. Let their choices have real, lasting consequences.”
- “If some ideas are interesting, add them to the story.”
It felt less like I was programming the AI and more like I was actually talking to a DM, explaining what kind of game I wanted to play.
So, my big takeaway? The perfect AI DM prompt isn’t about listing every detail. It’s about conveying the essence of the experience you want. It’s about giving the AI the right direction, and then trusting it to fill in the gaps. It’s still a work in progress, of course, but I’m finally getting campaigns that feel genuinely exciting and unique.
Now, the AI DM gives me more surprise!