Dungeons, Dragons, & Psychology Podcast · Robert Walker

Generative AI In TTRPGs

·32 min·2 clips

Robert Walker reveals how he used AI to generate an elf NPC's response when players caught him off-guard.

This episode of the Dungeons, Dragons, & Psychology Podcast explores the use of generative AI in tabletop role-playing games. Host Robert Walker, author and psychology-focused DM, provides a practical guide on integrating this technology into TTRPG campaigns. He frames AI as a tool with significant potential benefits and notable ethical considerations for private gameplay. Walker begins by tracing the history of generative AI, citing the 1966 chatbot Eliza and the 1980s game Rogue as early examples. He notes key developments like Ian Goodfellow's 2014 generative adversarial networks and OpenAI's 2022 release of ChatGPT. The host details specific applications, such as generating NPC responses, creating art for private games, and developing quest ideas like a "warehouse cleanup" job in Scardale. He shares a prompt example that yielded a critical miss description for a stone giant striking itself. A central insight is Walker's distinction between private and commercial use, where he advocates paying artists for any published or monetized content. He finds AI particularly valuable for generating spontaneous descriptions, like for an unplanned alchemist's shop or a tavern named the Weary Wiverin. The technology's tendency to produce formulaic, "wrapped-up" story endings is identified as a creative limitation. Walker also demonstrates its utility for flavor text, such as generating 50 song titles for a bard character. The host provides concrete prompt examples, including one for a "D&D critical miss on an attack from a stone giant" that resulted in a detailed narrative outcome. He recounts using AI to instantly generate a full tavern description and accompanying job board, which led to an entire session arc. Walker emphasizes that AI outputs serve best as creative sparks rather than final plots, due to their reliance on existing internet patterns. The tone is educational and conversational, offering a balanced perspective from an experienced dungeon master. Walker's style is advisory, blending historical context with personal anecdotes and clear usage guidelines. This episode is ideal for dungeon masters seeking to streamline their preparation or creatively overcome improvisational hurdles during sessions. Listeners interested in the ethical debate surrounding AI in creative fields may find his pragmatic stance compelling. Those seeking highly narrative, dramatic storytelling or who are opposed to using AI in any creative context might prefer to skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded tabletop AI guide that is useful for quick ideas, with a hard boundary around original work.

Generative AI is treated here as a handy tool for private tabletop use: it can knock out an NPC image, keep the table moving, and add texture without getting in the way.

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Why you'd press play

Use AI for the table, not for the finished product.

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