Demiplane (company)

Demiplane is a company that creates digital toolsets for playing tabletop role-playing games which can be used as an aid to playing in person or remotely online. The Demiplane platform's main services are game matchmaking, game hosting and licensed content via the Nexus digital toolset. Nexus provides access to digital rulebooks, adventures, and other supplements; it also provides digital tools like a character builder and character sheets. The platform was launched in 2020; early access to Nexus launched in 2021.

The company has also produced and broadcast several web series on their official Twitch and YouTube channels. This includes the ongoing actual play web series ''Children of Éarte'' created and run by Deborah Ann Woll which launched in March 2022.

History

In 2019, Demiplane was founded by Peter Romenesko and Travis Frederick with the platform launching officially in 2020. Romenesko and Frederick grew up in the Lake Geneva area playing tabletop games together "and eventually re-united to build Demiplane". Demiplane acts as a platform for various tabletop role-playing game tools such as game hosting and matchmaking, shared game journals, and digital compendiums for licensed games. The company has received funding from TitletownTech and uses TitletownTech's startup incubator office space.

In March 2021, Adam Bradford – founder of D&D Beyond – joined the company as the Chief Development Officer. From October to December 2021, Demiplane announced three partnerships for their new Nexus digital toolset: Pathfinder Nexus with Paizo, World of Darkness Nexus (for games such as '' Vampire: The Masquerade'' and '' Werewolf: the Apocalypse'') with Paradox Interactive, and Free League Nexus with Free League Publishing. An early access version of Pathfinder Nexus, titled Pathfinder Primer, was launched at the time of the announcement. Nexus has been called the "equivalent to digital toolset D&D Beyond" for other role-playing games.

In April 2022, Demiplane announced that they will host the new Marvel tabletop role-playing game titled ''Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game NEXUS'' with the digital playtest rulebook and early access given to users who pre-order the game. In June 2022, early access for Vampire: The Masquerade Nexus was launched. This is the first Demiplane toolset to include digital/physical bundles for a roleplaying game. Demiplane also announced that they are developing Nexus support for the ''World of Darkness'' game '' Hunter: The Reckoning''.

Toolsets

Demiplane's content and game management system is primarily browser-based, and is fully functional on both mobile and desktop browsers.

Game matchmaking

Demiplane provides a free matchmaking service for over 180 roleplaying games; it is modeled on the matchmaking services offered in online multiplayer video games. Users can select various attributes such as group size and game style/themes. These user selections go into an algorithm to match groups together which includes the option of chat discussion to review expectations with the Game Master. After games, players and Game Masters can rate each other; other users can see these ratings during future matchmaking.

Game hosting

Demiplane's free game hosting service provides text and video chats for users in a game; this feature also provides breakout rooms for Game Masters to use to "reveal secrets to specific players". The platform provides tools for hosted games such as dice rolling, "shared and searchable journals", and task/inventory tracking. Demiplane has built in roleplaying game safety tools such as a raise hand button which anonymously flags to the Game Master that a player feels the game is going outside of pre-determined boundaries. In 2021, Frederick stated that Demiplane isn't intended as a virtual tabletop (VTT) platform or to compete with VTT companies such as Fantasy Grounds and Roll20. Instead, Frederick sees Demiplane as "sideways compatible" with VTT platforms as users can launch VTTs "from within Demiplane".

Game Masters also have the option to host paid game sessions on Demiplane by setting the cost per player and players have the option to provide tips. Demiplane facilitates payment – Game Masters receive 95% of the cost per player & tips; players are charged a 5.5% fee (based on the cost per player and on tips) by Demiplane.

Nexus

Customers can use a specific game's Nexus by purchasing access to licensed content in Demiplane's marketplace. Nexus provides access to a digital reader for role-playing game rulebooks, compendium content, and character sheets for licensed games. The compendium content is a digital version of the book (as HTML, not a PDF); it includes cross-links and tooltips for game rules mentioned in the text. Access to the book's options in the rest of Nexus allows purchased content to be used with the character builder and other tools. It can also provide additional features to hosted games.

, users can purchase early access to ''Pathfinder Second Edition'', the ''Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game'', and ''Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition''.

Streaming shows

The company has also produced and broadcast the following shows on their official Twitch and YouTube channels:

* ''Heroes of the Planes'' (2021) – an actual play web series using the Fifth Edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', led by Todd Kenreck as the Dungeon Master with the cast of players featuring Hope LaVelle, B. Dave Walters, Jennifer Kretchmer, Adam Bradford, Lauren Urban and Meagan Kenreck. It follows adventurers as they travel the multiverse. It ran for 37 episodes.
* ''Demiplanar'' (2021) – B. Dave Walters hosts a web talk show where he interviews various people in the tabletop role-playing game industry. It ran for 11 episodes.
* ''Strixhaven CHAOS'' (2022) – an actual play eight-part limited series using the Fifth Edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', led by B. Dave Walters as the Dungeon Master with the cast of players featuring Hope LaVelle, Jennifer Kretchmer, Lauren Urban and Adam Bradford. The game is set in the '' Strixhaven'' campaign setting.
* ''Children of Éarte'' (2022) – an ongoing actual play web series using the Fifth Edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', led by Deborah Ann Woll as the Dungeon Master with the cast of players featuring Hope LaVelle, Alicia Marie, Adam Bradford, Lauren Urban, and Jennifer Kretchmer. The show has been described as a "fairy tale for grown ups".

References

{{reflist
Browser-based game websites
Free-content websites
Internet properties established in 2019
Mobile content
Role-playing game software
Role-playing game websites