Read Before You Install

Frequently Asked Questions

GenesisDM: Fantasy Assistant — an official DM assistant for all experiences — is an early Wave 1 trial build. Here's exactly what to expect — no exaggeration, no marketing gloss.

The short version: this is a real, working local-first AI DM tool with genuine session-changing features — and it's still an early trial. Some things (custom asset uploads, full multi-phone voice, Campaign Crafter's final shape) are still being built. Read on for specifics.

Getting Started

What do I need to run it?
OSWindows 10 or 11 only — this build is Windows-only for now
RAM8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended (the local LLM and speech models both need headroom)
Disk space~6 GB free (the app itself is ~1.5–3 GB, plus first-run model downloads)
GPUNot required — everything runs on CPU by default
MicrophoneOptional — only needed for live voice transcription; text-only play works fine without one
Do I need an internet connection?

Only for first launch. A guided setup wizard downloads a local LLM model (via Ollama), a local speech-to-text model (Whisper), and two small embedding models — typically 10–20 minutes depending on your connection. Every step is skippable and resumable if something stalls. After that first setup finishes, GenesisDM runs entirely offline.

Is this free? Are there any API costs?

Free, with no ongoing costs. Speech transcription and scene/entity extraction both run on a local LLM (via Ollama) and local Whisper transcription on your own machine — there's no cloud API being billed, no subscription, no hidden usage costs.

How long is the trial, and what happens when it ends?

Wave 1 is a 30-day trial from your first launch. You'll see a "Trial: N days left" label the whole time, a one-time heads-up at 3 days remaining, and a lock screen once it expires. This is a soft, local-only check — not DRM — and your saved data isn't deleted when the trial ends.

Privacy & Multiplayer

Does my voice or data ever leave my computer?

No. Voice transcription (Whisper) and scene/entity extraction (a local LLM via Ollama) both run entirely on your own machine — nothing is sent to a cloud speech or LLM API. The only network-facing piece is the optional Room Service that lets players join from their phones, and that's bound to your own local network by default. Reaching it from outside your network requires a WireGuard tunnel you set up and control yourself.

What does a player need to join as a Player Companion?

Just a phone with a browser on the same wifi as your PC, plus your room code (or a quick scan of your in-app QR code) and a typed display name — no account, no install. Players joining from outside your home network need a WireGuard connection profile you send them first; that remote path is newer and less tested than the local, same-wifi flow.

Features & Limitations

Is Campaign Crafter ready to use?

It's real and working today — voice-driven entity extraction, a living storyboard with auto-drawn relationships, Scenes & Threads, and one-click run-sheet export all function. But it's the newest part of GenesisDM and still finding its final shape. Treat it as an early look rather than a finished feature, and expect rough edges.

What's not working yet, or has known limitations?
  • Custom asset uploads (your own art or music) aren't supported in this build yet — the tagging tool isn't packaged in. GenesisDM ships with a small starter pack so scene/music matching works immediately without one.
  • Notion note-sync is planned but not built. Obsidian vault connection is supported today via the in-app Settings dialog.
  • Full multi-phone voice (each player's own phone mic captured with pinpoint speaker attribution) is still waiting on one remaining manual step — a TLS certificate for secure browser microphone access. It works today on a single machine; broader multi-device testing is still in progress.
  • Windows SmartScreen will likely show "Windows protected your PC" on first run, since this build isn't code-signed yet. This is expected — click "More info" → "Run anyway."
What tabletop systems does it support?

D&D 5e (2024), Daggerheart, and a system-agnostic "Generic" mode — one dropdown switches Combat, Map, and Mechanics tracking to match whichever you're running.

Feedback

How do I give feedback or report a bug?

The app has an in-app Send Feedback button (always available, not just at trial's end) that opens a short pre-filled form. There's also a Copy Diagnostic Summary button that copies a plain-text summary of your most recent session to your clipboard, so you can paste it into the form yourself — no raw logs or file uploads required. There's no separate public bug tracker for this wave; the feedback form is where reports go.