Dungeon Masters have spent a lot of time getting a game session ready for players, and one of the most challenging parts of the process is helping to make the experience immersive for the players. This leads to thinking outside the box by adding music, sound effects, and ambiance. There are many products out there that help with this, but this one is worth checking out. This is TableTone, an app that has the world at your fingertips. I want to thank the makers of TableTone, GreenLobster, for contacting me personally to check out the app for myself!
TableTone is a soundboard app designed to give you a seamless experience with the worlds you create. With an ever growing libary of ambient sound, effects, and music, Dungeon Masters, or those in a creative mood, can instantly transport themselves and players to another world with seamless mixing of sound and music, making the experience feel like a living Hollywood film.
The app is both free or could be used with a subscription service that gives you access to more worlds, and even more sound effects and ambient scenes. There are three worlds: Fantasy, Horror, and Sci-fi. Each comes with preset experiences and allows you to customize your own! Of course, I gave the horror bundle a try, and the preset I checked out for it is perfect for those who are fans of Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu RPGs! From here, you can set the tone of the music. In this case, I had everything calm…at first. Then a package arrived at the office, and I used the preset doorbell sound effect. No one was at the door, but a package was left. Now, I changed the music tone to suspense as I open the package, there’s an idol, my phone rings (using the phone ringing sound effect. As I’m on the phone with my old friend downtown, I hear claws on wood (using the sound effect) and look up (as I switch the music to action) a creature not of this world!
OK, I went a bit overboard there, but you can see what I’m talking about. This Quick Guide video probably explains it better than I can. As mentioned, this is a freemium and subscription App that will unlock more content as the library in TableTone is continuously growing. Allowing more experiences for players and DMs looking to take their games to another level. I had some fun with it on my own, and I can see this being useful for anyone creative. I actually liked the fantasy ambiance as I’m working on writing a book series, and the ambiance helps put me into the world as I’m creating it. You’re only limited by your own imagination.
You can find TableTone on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and now the new Windows app for your PC.
