AI generation
Use the AI Generation panel to draft field text, review suggestion cards, and accept only what belongs in your campaign.
How it works
Open a Creation and you’ll find the AI Generation panel - a dedicated section (inside the AI Generation panel) that generates suggestions for that Creation. You pick what kind of content to generate, generate it, then accept the result into the Creation.
Basic flow
- Open any Creation (NPC, location, encounter, etc.)
- Find the AI Generation panel
- Pick a Generation Type from the dropdown (NPC Details, Dialogue, Location Description, Item Lore, Connection, and so on - the list adapts to the Creation type)
- Optionally type a prompt with specific instructions or context
- Adjust the Creativity slider (0-100%)
- Optionally choose a Tone Preset
- Click Generate
- Review the suggestion cards that appear:
- Click Accept to apply a suggestion to the Creation
- Click Dismiss to remove it (you’ll be offered Save for Later or Delete)
- Use the thumbs up/down to rate a suggestion and improve future results
Each generation uses one of your monthly generations.
Generation options
Generation type
The Generation Type dropdown drives what gets generated. The available types depend on the Creation you’re editing - for example, an NPC offers NPC Details, Dialogue, and Connection; a location offers Location Description and Connection; an item offers Item Lore and Connection; an encounter offers Encounter Design and Connection; a campaign marker offers Campaign Marker and Connection.
Prompt (optional)
Add specific instructions or context. The more specific, the better.
| Field | Weak Prompt | Strong Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| NPC Personality | ”interesting" | "paranoid but not without reason - she’s actually being watched” |
| Location Atmosphere | ”scary" | "the kind of quiet that makes you realize something should be making noise” |
| Item Properties | ”powerful" | "grants strength but slowly makes the wielder cruel” |
Leave the prompt empty to let the engine generate based on existing Creation content and the selected tone.
Tone preset
The Tone Preset dropdown is populated from your saved tone presets and defaults to None. Pick one to shape the style of the output. Common presets:
| Preset | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Fantasy | Grim, serious, morally grey | Villains, horror, difficult moral situations |
| Heroic | Brave, optimistic, larger than life | Heroes, mentors, inspiring moments |
| Comedic | Light, funny, absurd | Comic relief, humorous campaigns |
| Mysterious | Enigmatic, secretive, uncertain | Intrigue, investigation, the unknown |
| Epic | Grand scale, legendary, sweeping | Climactic moments, world-shaking events |
| Gritty | Realistic, harsh, down to earth | Low fantasy, survival, consequences |
| Whimsical | Playful, magical, fantastical | Fey encounters, lighthearted magic |
Creativity slider
A 0-100% slider running from Conservative (left) to Creative (right). It controls how predictable or surprising the output is:
| Setting | Result | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Low % | Safe, conventional, grounded | Background elements, standard content |
| Mid % | Balanced, interesting but plausible | Most everyday use |
| High % | Surprising, unusual, unexpected | Memorable elements, villains, unique items |
Rule of thumb: Low creativity for things that should fade into the background. High creativity for things that should stand out.
Always generate new content
A checkbox below the tone preset. When unchecked, the panel may reuse a similar earlier suggestion instead of calling the engine again. Check it to force a fresh generation every time.
Reviewing results
Results appear as suggestion cards below the panel - the main content first, with alternatives following. On each card:
- Accept - applies the suggestion to the Creation
- Dismiss - opens a dialog offering Save for Later or Delete
- Thumbs up/down - rates the suggestion to tune future output
Once you have a result, a Regenerate button appears with a Fresh / Variation mode toggle. Fresh generates from scratch; Variation riffs on the previous result. While a generation is running, the panel streams the engine’s output live (including a brief “Thinking…” indicator) so you can watch it form.
Context-aware generation
AI generation considers your campaign context:
What the engine considers
- Other fields in the current Creation
- Related Creations (linked NPCs, locations, factions)
- Your campaign’s existing content and relationships
Why this matters
Without context, you get generic fantasy:
“The tavern is busy with patrons drinking and talking.”
With context, you get content that fits your world:
“The Rusty Anchor is crowded tonight - members of the Dockworkers’ Guild cluster near the fire, while a few of Captain Vance’s soldiers drink alone at the bar, watching the door.”
The engine references your existing factions, NPCs, and established details.
Maximizing context value
The more you fill in your Creations, the better context-aware generation becomes:
- Write good descriptions for key Creations
- Create relationships between Creations
- Use tags consistently
- Build out your world - the engine learns from what exists
Subscription and generations
AI generation needs an active AI subscription:
| Tier | Monthly generations |
|---|---|
| Companion ($7.99/mo) | 100 |
| Power ($14.99/mo) | 300 |
Beta testers have Power-level AI access. Each generation uses one of your monthly generations, which reset at the start of each billing cycle. The app shows how many you have left, shifting from green to yellow to red as you approach the limit.
AI generation vs. Quick Prep
Campaign Familiar offers two AI tools. Use the right one for the situation:
| Use AI Generation When | Use Quick Prep When |
|---|---|
| Filling a specific field | Creating a complete Creation |
| Working within an existing Creation | Generating from scratch |
| You need focused, targeted content | You need content fast |
| Refining details during prep | Quick Prep or mid-session |
AI Generation is surgical - one field at a time. Quick Prep is rapid - complete Creations in seconds.
Tips for better results
Write better prompts
Be specific: “A retired soldier who runs a pawn shop and regrets something from the war” beats “an NPC.”
Include the key detail: What makes this interesting? What’s the hook? Include it.
Leave room for surprise: Don’t over-specify. “A tavern with a dark secret” lets the engine surprise you with what the secret is.
Use tone strategically
Match tone to your campaign: If you’re running gothic horror, use Dark Fantasy or Gritty for most content.
Vary tone for depth: Even in a Heroic campaign, your villain might use Dark Fantasy.
Edit rather than regenerate
AI rarely produces perfect content on the first try. But a decent result you spend 2 minutes editing is usually better than burning several generations trying to get perfection.
Flow:
- Generate once
- Accept the result even if imperfect
- Edit the parts that don’t fit
- Add your own ideas
- Cut what doesn’t work
Batch your generation
Do your AI-heavy work in dedicated prep sessions rather than generating one field at a time throughout the week. You’ll get into a flow and use your generations more efficiently.
Example: generating NPC content
Creation: Bartender at The Broken Oar Tavern
Generation Type: NPC Details
Prompt: “Knows everyone’s secrets but never gossips for free”
Tone: Mysterious
Creativity: ~50%
Output:
Peg speaks in prices. Every question costs something - sometimes coin, sometimes a secret of your own, sometimes a favor she’ll collect later. She never forgets a debt, and she never gives information away. The regulars know the rules: you pay for your drinks, and you pay for what you learn. The only thing she offers freely is a refill if you’re interesting enough to keep around.
This gives you a personality you can roleplay: the transactional bartender who trades in information. Accept it, edit to taste, then move to the next field.
Related
- Quick Prep overview - Rapid Creation generation
- Session Companion - AI chat for brainstorming
- AI best practices - Writing better prompts