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What is ProbableTrain?
ProbableTrain is the itch.io developer profile of a creator who publishes small, browser-based tools rather than full games. The profile page lists two projects: Dungeon Scrawl, described as "a simple and effective grid-based mapping tool to help you set the scene for any battle," and City Generator, described as "procedurally-generated American cities." Both are marked "Run in browser," so they are used directly in a web browser without installation.
What each tool is for
- Dungeon Scrawl is aimed at tabletop players and game masters who need a quick battle map. The grid-based approach suits rooms, corridors and encounter layouts, and the page frames it around setting a scene for combat.
- City Generator is for producing American-style city layouts procedurally, which is useful for modern-setting campaigns, urban encounters or background material when you don't want to draw streets by hand.
Who it suits
If you run tabletop sessions and want a map in minutes rather than an art project, Dungeon Scrawl fits that need. If you need a modern city layout as a starting point, City Generator is the relevant tool. Neither is presented as a full game, so treat the profile as a toolbox rather than a catalogue of playable titles.
Decision criterion
Start with the setting you need to map: a dungeon or interior encounter points to Dungeon Scrawl, while a modern urban area points to City Generator. You can open either from the profile at ProbableTrain and check whether the output style matches your game before committing to it.
What is Dungeon Scrawl used for?
Dungeon Scrawl is a browser-based, grid-based mapping tool for drawing tabletop battle maps. It is made for quickly sketching encounter locations—dungeon rooms, corridors, and similar spaces—rather than for producing polished illustration. It runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install before you start drawing.
Practical uses
- Session prep: Sketch the rooms and corridors you expect players to explore, with the grid already in place for movement and range.
- Impromptu encounters: Draw a small map when players wander somewhere you had not prepared.
- Reusable layouts: Keep a library of generic maps (taverns, crypts, cave mouths) that you can drop into different campaigns.
- VTT or print use: A grid-based map is straightforward to share on a virtual tabletop or print for the physical table, though exact export options are worth checking on the tool itself.
Who it suits
It is aimed at game masters and tabletop players who want a fast, functional map, not cartographers seeking detailed terrain, lighting, or texture work. If your priority is speed and a clear grid, it fits well; if you need richly illustrated, atmospheric maps, expect to combine it with other tools or accept a simpler look.
A useful next step: open Dungeon Scrawl and draw one small encounter—two rooms and a connecting corridor—to see how quickly the workflow suits your prep style. If it feels too plain, treat it as a layout sketch to develop further elsewhere. The same creator also offers a City Generator on ProbableTrain for procedurally generated American cities, which is a separate tool for urban settings.
How does the City Generator create procedurally generated American cities?
The City Generator on ProbableTrain is described as producing procedurally generated American cities, and it runs in the browser. The page itself gives only that short description, so the specific generation rules—street layout, block subdivision, zoning or building placement—aren't detailed there.
What the description supports
- It is a procedural tool: the city layout is generated by the software rather than drawn by hand.
- The target style is American cities, so expect the kind of grid-and-arterial street patterns associated with US urban planning.
- It runs in the browser, which makes it easy to try and regenerate results without installing anything.
Practical way to judge it
Open the tool and generate several cities, then check whether the street hierarchy (major roads versus local streets) and block patterns look convincing for your purpose. If you need a map for a tabletop session, pair it with the same creator's Dungeon Scrawl, which is described as a grid-based battle mapping tool. For city-building games or writing, judge the generator by how much variation you get between runs and whether you can export or trace the result.
Can I use Dungeon Scrawl or City Generator directly in my browser without installing anything?
Yes. Both tools on ProbableTrain are listed as Run in browser, so you can open them and start working without downloading or installing anything. Dungeon Scrawl is described there as a grid-based mapping tool for setting up battle scenes, while City Generator produces procedurally generated American cities.
What that means in practice
- Dungeon Scrawl: a good fit if you are a game master who wants to sketch a dungeon or encounter map quickly—open the page, draw on the grid, and use it for your session.
- City Generator: useful when you need a modern urban layout for a tabletop scenario or a writing project and don't want to design streets and blocks by hand.
The browser-based setup suits short, ad-hoc sessions and machines where you can't install software. The trade-off is that you depend on the page staying available and on your browser handling the tool smoothly; for heavy, long-term map projects you may want to check whether the tool offers any way to save or export your work before committing to it.
Next step: open Dungeon Scrawl first if you need a battle map, or City Generator if you need an urban layout, and do a quick test sketch to confirm it runs well in your browser.
Are ProbableTrain's tools free to use or do they require payment?
ProbableTrain's tools are free to use in the browser. The page presents Dungeon Scrawl and City Generator with "Run in browser" buttons and no pricing, subscription or payment information, so there is no stated cost to start using either tool.
What each tool is for
- Dungeon Scrawl is described as a simple, effective grid-based mapping tool for setting the scene for a battle. It suits tabletop game masters and players who need quick, readable encounter maps rather than polished illustration.
- City Generator produces procedurally generated American cities. It is aimed at people who want a settlement layout fast, whether for a role-playing campaign, a writing project or prototyping, and who are happy to work with generated results rather than draw every street by hand.
Practical considerations
"Free to use" here means no payment is requested on the page; it does not describe licensing terms for reusing or redistributing output, which are worth checking if you plan to publish maps commercially. Browser-based tools also depend on your device and connection, so test them with a real project before relying on them in a session.
A sensible next step is to open Dungeon Scrawl and sketch one small battle map, then try City Generator for a single town. If both fit your workflow, you have a no-cost starting kit; if you need precise control or print-ready output, compare the results against your requirements before committing.
For broader alternatives, itch.io hosts many browser-based map and generator tools, and RPGnet forums are useful for comparing tabletop mapping options.
Who is ProbableTrain and what other games or tools have they published?
ProbableTrain is an independent developer with a page on ProbableTrain on itch.io, where their browser-based tools are published. The page describes them primarily through two projects rather than a personal biography: Dungeon Scrawl, "a simple and effective grid-based mapping tool to help you set the scene for any battle," and City Generator, which produces "procedurally-generated American cities." Both are listed as running in the browser, so they are small web tools rather than installable games.
What the two tools are for
- Dungeon Scrawl suits tabletop game masters and players who need a quick battle map: a grid-based editor for laying out rooms, corridors and encounter spaces. Its appeal is speed and simplicity, not detailed illustration.
- City Generator is for anyone who needs a plausible street layout fast — a referee sketching a modern-day setting, a writer blocking out a chase, or a hobbyist exploring procedural generation. The output is described as American-style cities, so expect a specific urban pattern rather than a generic fantasy town.
How to choose between them
| If you need… | Start with | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| A tactical map with a measurable grid | Dungeon Scrawl | Focused on encounters, not broad worldbuilding |
| A whole settlement laid out street by street | City Generator | Generated results, so less hand control over the final layout |
| Something to open without installing anything | Either, since both run in the browser | Browser tools depend on the page staying available |
As a next step, open each tool directly from the profile and test it against one real prep task — a single encounter room or one city district — before committing to it for a campaign or project. The profile itself is the best place to check for any further releases, since the page evidence shows only these two.
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