A digital “Deck Box” for tabletop RPGs

Sponsor: Jason Robinson (Product Designer), representing Monte Cook Games •

Overview

Table top role playing games (TTRPGs) are full of physical aids to keep track of, share, and use in games. Physical items for games can add a lot of wonder and awe, but they have some issues. For physical cards to be used, you need to be in the same room as the players, you need them in the room (not at home), and have them printed in the first place. Otherwise the players cannot hold their cards. Our project, Digital Deckbox, will help in creating a mobile app.

Our mobile app (iOS/Android) lets GMs and players work with cards and decks associated with Monte Cook Games (MCG) products. Preserving the tactile joy of cards while adding digital benefits like search, sharing, and accessibility. Access decks both online and on your local storage by getting purchased decks from the Monte Cook Store. Share cards with players to allow them to use it in games. Search cards and create custom decks for campaigns.

FAQ

  • What is a cypher?
    • A cypher is a card that can give you a boost in some way. It is used once and then the player returns it to the Game Master. They have a level, and an effect which magnitude is the level of the cyper (often 1d6).
  • Who is Monte Cook Games (MCG)?
    • Monte Cook Games is an innovator on table top role playing games, the creators of the Cypher System.
  • What is 1d6? What is 1d20? 1d100?
    • 1d6 the first number is the number of dice to roll followed by d for "dice" and then the number of sides. 1d6 means rolling a 6 sided dice, or 1d20 is a 20 sided dice. 1d100 can be a 100 sided dice or 2 10 sided dice, one for 10s place one for 1s place. For 2d10s "00, 0" or when both dice show "0" then that is 100, not 0.
  • Are all the cards Cypher System cards?
    • No, MCG have card decks for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition.

Core / MVP Features

  • GMs: Secure sign-in to the MCG Shop and load purchased card-deck products; track campaigns and players; search/sort/filter; share cards; view cards held by players.
  • Players: Accept invitations; search/sort/filter received cards; trade/share cards within a campaign; view artwork and standardized card details.
  • For all users: Secure, accessible, good platform citizen.

Stretch Goals (feasibility-dependent)

  • Basic logic:
    • Cypher deck fetching from MCG store
    • Giving cyphers to players
    • Player use cypher
  • Build collections/decks:
    • attatch decks to campaigns
    • “Convention mode” guest access
    • Cypher hand limit
  • Graphical:
    • Gesture Animations
    • Cast artwork to AirPlay/Chromecast
  • Facilitate store purchases:
    • Favorite unpurchased decks for future purchase
    • Make a shopping cart
  • Desktop version; dice roller (optional skins of purchased dice).

Equipment Requirements

No special equipment beyond a development platform and freely available tools.

Software & Deliverables

  • Professional reporting of design/implementation (possibly a public blog).
  • Complete, documented codebase in a repository and as a physical archive.
  • Working mobile app distributed privately via TestFlight (iOS) and/or Play Console (Android).

Original sponsor description: see Documents.