Case file / Independent work
ShadowDark Digital Character Sheet
Digital character sheet tool for tabletop RPG players, serving 5000+ daily requests and integrated with popular gaming platforms.
ShadowDark Digital Character Sheet
A comprehensive digital character sheet tool designed specifically for ShadowDark RPG players, providing an intuitive interface for character creation, management, and gameplay tracking.
Impact & Achievements
- 5000+ daily requests from active users via the owlbear.rodeo gaming platform
- 20+ community requirements successfully implemented based on user feedback
- Platform integration with owlbear.rodeo, a popular virtual tabletop platform
- Community adoption across ShadowDark Reddit and Discord communities
- Ongoing maintenance with active stakeholder management and feature development
Project Overview
This solo project emerged from a need in the ShadowDark RPG community for a robust digital character tracking solution for the owlbear rodeo TTRPG platform. The tool fills a gap in the tabletop gaming ecosystem by providing players with an accessible, feature-rich alternative to traditional paper character sheets.
Community-Driven Development
User Research & Requirements Gathering
- Community Engagement: Actively participated in ShadowDark Reddit and Discord communities to understand player needs
- Requirement Analysis: Collected and documented 20+ specific requirements from community feedback
- Stakeholder Communication: Maintained regular contact with Kelsey Dionne, the author of the ShadowDark RPG, ensuring alignment with the game's vision
Collaborative Development
- Tool Compatibility: Worked with other ShadowDark tool creators to ensure ecosystem compatibility
- Community Feedback: Implemented iterative improvements based on ongoing user feedback
- Open Source Engagement: Managed pull requests and maintained transparent development processes
Technical Implementation
The application handles significant daily traffic while maintaining reliable performance and user experience. Integration with the owlbear.rodeo platform enables seamless use during virtual gaming sessions.
Ongoing Responsibilities
Product Management
- Stakeholder Management: Balance feature requests from diverse user groups
- Release Planning: Coordinate updates and new feature rollouts
- Community Relations: Maintain active engagement with the player community
Technical Maintenance
- Code Review: Review and integrate community contributions via pull requests
- Infrastructure: Maintain hosting and domain management
- Performance Monitoring: Ensure reliable service for thousands of daily users
Long-term Impact
This project demonstrates the power of community-driven development and has become an essential tool for ShadowDark players worldwide. The ongoing success validates both the technical implementation and the community engagement approach.
Skills: JavaScript, web development, community engagement, user research, stakeholder management