Building Something Big – The Map Browser Begins!

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to share with you a bit of a peek behind the scenes on something I've been doing of late — a new map browsing module for my website dranskybattlemaps.com.

This new feature will make searching for your next game night map that much simpler. Whether you are on the lookout for an underground ice cavern, a haunted forest, or that hard-to-find corner of a dungeon — the goal is to be able to help you locate it quickly and install it that much sooner.

I'm doing the whole thing on my own — me and ChatGPT throwing ideas around. It's actually like I have a super smart coding pal who doesn't mind my constant barrage of questions (shoutout to the bot). It helps a ton when I'm looking for a second perspective on my spaghetti code or a tip on how not to completely ruin my site.

You will browse using a tag- and category-based system with smart suggestions that will let you pinpoint the map that suits your needs. Super simple, super efficient — that’s what we aim for, anyway! For the time being, the homepage exists as a bit of a showcase, but this module will take a bit longer to complete.

It's a great adventure for me — I'm learning about databases, back-end logic, front-end coding, and a whole load of things I've never done before. It's a long journey, and much of it involves trial-and-error, but I'm getting there steadily and enjoying the ride.

And — heads up! There’s a new map on the way: Phandelver and Below: Zorzula’s Rest. !

Much thanks to all of my members and patrons — your help means everything and makes experiments like these possible. Looking forward to sharing more soon!

Stay awesome! Cheers!

~dransky