From words to maps in under a minute

Four steps. Any scene. Any genre. Ready for your next session.

NeedAMap create page with a scene description typed in and the control row showing ratio, scope, style, and resolution
1 Step 1

Describe your scene

Type what you see in your mind: “a crumbling stone temple overrun by jungle vines” or “a neon-lit cyberpunk back alley at midnight.” Any genre. Any setting. Any level of detail.

Name the place, then add two or three concrete details: cover, terrain, lighting. You don’t need to mention perspective; that’s handled for you.

A forest clearing surrounded by dense deciduous trees, with a dirt path cutting through the center. Fallen logs provide half-cover, thick undergrowth creates difficult terrain along the edges, and a small stream runs diagonally across the southeast corner.

Or skip writing. Pick from 60 ready-made scene starters and edit to taste.

2 Step 2

Shape it to your encounter

Match the map to the space you’re running. Pick an aspect ratio: a corridor fight wants Wide, a tower interior wants Tall, a set-piece wants Cinematic. Choose Single area or Multi-room. Pick a style: Painted, Gritty, or Ink. Then set resolution; higher resolutions use more credits. See pricing.

Aspect ratio

Corridors, streets, encounters that flow left to right.

Scope

One room or space, one encounter.

Style

Vibrant illustrated color. The classic look.

Resolution

Session-ready detail. 2 credits.

The same controls you’ll use in the app. Go ahead, click around.

One scene, three styles

The same throne room in each style.

Vibrant illustrated color. The classic look.

A throne room battle map in the Painted style: vibrant illustrated color
A finished top-down map displayed in NeedAMap moments after generation
3 Step 3

Get your map in under a minute

Most maps land in 30 to 60 seconds. What comes back is a finished, high-resolution map: top-down and ready to run. Yours to keep and reuse across campaigns.

4 Step 4

Drop it into your VTT

Download the high-resolution image and drag it straight into Roll20, Foundry VTT, Owlbear Rodeo, or any virtual tabletop that accepts image imports. It’s a standard image, so there’s nothing to convert or install.

A completed map in the NeedAMap library ready to download

Resolution, up close

The same map exported at each resolution, zoomed to a single room.

2 credits. Session-ready, sharper than Roll20’s recommended grid detail.

The same map region exported at 2K resolution

The description is the whole trick

These maps came from the descriptions next to them, word for word.

Description

A crumbling stone temple deep in a jungle, vines overtaking the pillars, shafts of golden light breaking through the collapsed ceiling, moss-covered floor tiles, a central altar
Ancient Temple Ruins: top-down fantasy map created from a text description

Description

A narrow cyberpunk alley at night, neon signs in Japanese and English reflected in rain puddles, fire escapes and dumpsters, steam rising from grates, a flickering vending machine
Neon Back Alley: top-down sci-fi map created from a text description

Description

A decrepit grand hall in a haunted Victorian manor, broken chandelier hanging at an angle, torn curtains, thick cobwebs, moonlight through shattered stained glass windows
Haunted Manor Hall: top-down horror map created from a text description

Common questions

Most maps generate in 30 to 60 seconds depending on resolution. 1K is fastest, 4K takes a bit longer. You’ll see a progress indicator while your map is being created.

Any VTT that accepts image imports: Roll20, Foundry VTT, Owlbear Rodeo, Fantasy Grounds, Shmeppy, and more. Download your map and drag it in.

Not at all. You describe the scene in plain language and NeedAMap generates the map. If you can explain what you see in your mind’s eye, you can make a map.

Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, western, and modern are the core five, plus cyberpunk, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, and anything else you can describe. NeedAMap is not limited to D&D.

Square, wide, tall, and cinematic aspect ratios, as single areas or connected rooms, in three art styles, at 1K, 2K, or 4K resolution. 2K exceeds Roll20’s recommended grid detail.

You get free maps to start. After that, plans start at $4/month, and credits scale with resolution. See pricing for details.

Try it with a scene from your own campaign

5 free maps, no credit card required.

Get early access