itch.io

Highlights

• A new blueprint-based renderer makes templates more consistent and easier to expand, while keeping the same export fidelity.
• A flexible, metadata-driven inspector improves how editing forms are built and managed.
• A three‑pane editor layout adds a persistent left navigation and a clearer editing workflow.
• Custom border colours arrive for labelled-back cards, with saved swatches and easy restore.
• Double stats support brings split values, wildcards, and a polished stat editor.
• Safer storage and exports with version guards, export compression, and persistence improvements.
• Optional desktop wrapper via Tauri for native packaging.

Editor & Workflow Improvements

New three‑pane layout

• Left navigation, central workspace, and right inspector are now organized into a consistent three‑pane layout.
• Cards, Assets, and Settings live in the left nav for faster access.
• The header is cleaner, with a dedicated Library menu for export/import.
• The template chooser is now pinned at the top of the inspector; export/save actions stay pinned at the bottom.
• The language selector is now a compact flag+code popover.

Recent cards

• A new Recent section in the Cards modal makes it faster to jump back to the cards you were just working on.

Rendering & Editing Upgrades

Blueprint-based rendering

• Templates now render through a blueprint system, which keeps layout more consistent across different card types.
• Hero and Monster cards use smarter bottom-stacked layout rules so long text doesn’t break the stats area.
• Everything still exports from the same SVG source, keeping preview and PNG output aligned.

Generic inspector framework

• The editor form is now built from template metadata, making it easier to add or adjust fields without custom UI for every template.

Card Styling

Custom border colours (labelled-back)

• Labelled-back cards can now be tinted with custom border colours.
• Pick colours quickly with a compact inline picker or enter an exact hex value.
• Save favourite swatches for reuse, and restore the default HeroQuest brown at any time.
• A revert option lets you roll back to the last saved colour.
• Swatches are included in backups, so your palette travels with your library.

Stat Editing Enhancements

Double stats support

• Stats can now be single or double values (e.g. 4/6).
• A split toggle lets you expand/collapse a stat without losing the second value.
• Wildcards are supported (*) for special stat cases.
• The stat editor has been restyled to a cleaner pill-and-buttons design.

Inline stat input

• You can now type stat values directly inside the stat editor.
• Accepted inputs are 0–999 or * only, with invalid characters blocked immediately.
• The stepper buttons stay in sync (at 999 the + button disables; at *, the - button disables and + converts to 0).
• Larger values automatically shrink to fit inside the stat box.

Reliability, Storage & Export Improvements

Safer data compatibility

• The app now detects if you open a newer database with an older build and shows a clear, blocking message instead of failing silently.
• The warning tells you which app version last migrated your data for easier troubleshooting.

Export improvements

• ZIP exports (images and backups) can now be compressed, reducing download sizes.
• The app makes a one‑time request for persistent storage support to reduce the risk of browser data eviction.

Desktop Packaging (Optional)

• A lightweight Tauri wrapper lets the app be built as a native desktop version using the same static export as the web app.
• Optional native behavior can open your Downloads folder after export, without changing web behavior.

Small UX Polishes

• Footer version labels now link directly to the GitHub release tag.
• Asset deletion confirmations are more accurate, with live counts and better handling of affected cards and drafts.

I’m really happy to share that version 0.5.1 of the HeroQuest Card Creator is now live. This update builds on the workflow improvements in 0.5.0 and focuses on refining the experience, adding flexibility where people have asked for it, and preparing the app for the next wave of features.

While some of the work in this release is under the hood, there are also a number of visible improvements that should make day-to-day card creation feel more comfortable and expressive.

🎨 More Control Over How Cards Look

One of the most common requests has been more flexibility in card styling, especially for house rules and alternative designs.

With 0.5.1 you can now:

• Use custom border colours on supported card templates
• Work more comfortably with double stats for custom rules or layouts
• Edit stat values more quickly using direct numeric input, rather than relying only on step buttons
• Adjust cards in ways that better reflect your version of HeroQuest, while still keeping a consistent look and feel

Stat fields now support free numeric entry alongside the existing stepper controls. This makes it much faster to enter larger values or special cases when working through lots of cards, while still keeping sensible limits and validation in place.

These options are deliberately controlled rather than completely free-form, so cards stay readable and cohesive.

🧭 A Calmer, More Polished Interface

There have also been a number of UI and navigation improvements aimed at making longer sessions feel smoother:

• A refined left-hand navigation that better reflects how people move through the app
• A recent cards view to quickly jump back into what you were just working on
• Small layout and interaction tweaks that reduce friction and visual noise

Individually these are subtle changes, but together they make the app feel more predictable and easier to live in as your library grows.

💻 Desktop App Builds (and a Call for Help)

The Card Creator has always been downloadable and runnable locally, but 0.5.1 introduces the ability to build the app as a desktop application.

At the moment, I’m only able to produce desktop builds for my own platform. I’m working on a MacBook Pro (M-series), so the desktop build I’m sharing is likely to run on Apple Silicon Macs (M2, M3, M4, M5). Alongside that, I’m also sharing the standard HTML/JavaScript version, which can still be run locally in a browser as before.

If anyone in the community is comfortable building software and would be willing to build and share desktop versions for:

• older Intel Macs
• Windows
• Linux

that would be hugely appreciated. The source code is available, and contributions here would really help make the app more accessible across platforms.

⚠️ Important: Backups & Upgrading Safely

As always, it’s strongly recommended to back up your library before using a new version of the app.

In practical terms, this means:

• Export your library as a backup before running 0.5.1
• If you overwrite your existing 0.5.0 folder, your data should carry over as expected
• If you run 0.5.1 from a different folder, the app may not automatically see your existing library, as it uses browser storage (IndexedDB)

If you’re hosting the app behind a local or remote server, upgrading should be seamless as long as the new version is served from the same domain and port. Even then, keeping a backup is always a good idea.

🔧 Foundations for What Comes Next

A big part of 0.5.1 has been about preparing the ground for future features. Internally, templates and layouts have been reworked into a more structured foundation. While you won’t see all of the benefits of that immediately, it puts the app in a much better position to support:

• More card templates
• Greater template flexibility
• Sharing parts of a library rather than whole databases
• A more mobile-friendly interface over time

I didn’t want to rush those bigger features out until this groundwork was in place.

🐞 Bugs, Feedback & Issue Reporting

Although I’ve worked hard to maintain quality in this release, there’s always a chance that new bugs have slipped in. If you do run into issues, please report them using one of the following:

• Community bug report thread:
  https://itch.io/t/5671014/bug-reports-issue-tracking
• GitHub issues (and project board):
  https://github.com/markforster/heroquest-card-creator/issues
  https://github.com/users/markforster/projects/9/views/1

Reports, screenshots, and reproduction steps are all hugely helpful.

As always, thanks to everyone who’s been using the app, sharing feedback, and contributing ideas. It genuinely helps shape where the project goes next.

👉 Download v0.5.1 here:

• HTML Assets (to run or serve locally)
  
• Installable Mac app (DMG for m2 > m5)

https://mark-forster.itch.io/heroquest-card-creator#download

As always source code for the project is available here https://github.com/markforster/heroquest-card-creator

Full release notes can be found here https://itch.io/t/5895025/heroquest-card-maker-051-full-release-notes

Now that the latest update is out, I wanted to do something a bit different.

While building and testing the Card Creator, I’ve accumulated my own working library of cards, artwork, and assets. These are things I’ve used to experiment, prototype ideas, and generally put the tool through its paces. Rather than keeping that to myself, I’ve decided to share it openly for anyone who wants it.

If you’re just getting started, this gives you something tangible to explore straight away. You can browse cards, reuse artwork, tweak things, or just use it as inspiration for your own creations. Nothing here is meant to be “official” or definitive. It’s simply a practical library that grew alongside the tool itself.

I’ve always felt that HeroQuest homebrew thrives when ideas are shared, adapted, and built upon, and this felt like a natural extension of that spirit. Hopefully it helps lower the barrier to jumping in and makes the first experience with the app a bit more fun.

A few important notes before importing!

• This library requires version 0.5.0 of the Card Creator. The version currently hosted on itch.io is already up to date, so if you’re using the app there, you’re good to go. If you’re running a downloaded or local copy, please make sure you’ve updated it to version 0.5.0 first, as older versions (such as 0.4.2) won’t be able to load this file.
• If you already have your own cards or assets, please back up (export) your existing library first. Importing this file will overwrite your current cards and artwork library.
• At the moment, there’s no way to merge libraries or import only part of this one. Partial import and export (for collections or selected cards) is something I’m planning to add soon, but for now this is an all-or-nothing import!. Again I need to re-iterate that you should backup (export) your library first!!!

You can download the library from https://public.markforster.info/Heroquest/Tools/heroquest-card-maker-backup-2026...

Try the card creator here https://mark-forster.itch.io/heroquest-card-creator and Import the library

Note: The library file is fairly large and not especially optimised. It’s very much a working collection rather than a curated pack, so depending on your connection it may take a little while to download. Whats in the library? All of the cards you may have seen in screenshots todate along with all of the assets.

I’m really excited to share that version 0.5.0 of the HeroQuest Card Creator is now live 🎉 

This release has been a big one for me. Ever since the early versions, I knew that once people started creating more than just a handful of cards, the real challenge wouldn’t be makingcards - it would be managing them comfortably and confidently. v0.5.0 is all about solving that.

🗂️ Collections

You can now organise cards into Collections - quests, expansions, campaigns, experiments, or anything else that makes sense to you.

• Cards can belong to multiple collections
• Nothing is ever duplicated or hidden
• There’s always a clear All Cards view underneath everything
• An Unfiled view helps you spot cards that still need organising

This makes working with larger libraries far calmer and more focused.

🖼️ Bulk Image Upload (with safety built in)

Artwork management has been a big quality-of-life improvement in this release.

• Upload multiple images at once
• Duplicate images are automatically detected and skipped
• Files with the same name but different content are safely renamed
• Clear feedback shows you exactly what happened

You can work faster without worrying about accidentally cluttering or breaking your asset library.

📦 Bulk Export

When you’re ready to use your cards, you no longer have to export them one by one.

• Export multiple cards - or an entire collection - in one go
• Everything is bundled into a single ZIP of images
• Clear progress and safe cancellation during export

It’s designed to make the final step - printing, sharing, or archiving - feel just as smooth as the creative process.

🌍 Language Support & Localisation

v0.5.0 also introduces proper localisation support across the app.

The interface now supports multiple languages, with language selection that behaves reliably and layouts that adapt more gracefully to translated text. This work was driven largely by feedback from users across Europe, and it lays the groundwork for supporting many more languages going forward.

If there’s a language you’d like to see supported, please let me know and I’ll do my best to get it added in a follow-up patch.

🏷️ Custom Stat Labels (optional)

For tables using house rules or alternative terminology, you can now optionally override shared stat labels globally via a settings modal, so your cards better match your game and language.

This release represents a big step forward for the project. The workflow now feels complete:

organise → iterate → export, without friction at any stage.

As always, feedback is very welcome - whether it’s ideas, issues, or just seeing what people are creating with it. Thanks to everyone who’s been following along so far ❤️

👉 Download v0.5.0 here:  https://mark-forster.itch.io/heroquest-card-creator#download

:) I'll definitely find a use for it. I'm thinking of getting small stickers printed (mine and my kids faces) and using that space for them. great job!

Nice work! really like the layout. Do feel the shield takes up a lot of useful space that could be used for artefacts and potions but overall the design is beautiful!

Definitely going to be grabbing this and using instead of the base game sheets. Bravo and Kudos

That’s a really great idea, and you’ve described the problem perfectly.

What you’re outlining is very much the direction I’d like to take things in long term: separating content (text, stats, images) from presentation (fonts, colours, borders, layouts), so you can iterate on the look and feel without having to revisit every card individually. Being able to evolve from “OG HQ style” into something more custom or experimental without rework is exactly the kind of workflow pain I want the tool to help with.

I’ve got a few features I want to tackle first that move things in that direction in smaller steps, things like more control over border colours, additional card layouts, better text formatting, and safer partial export/import so changes don’t require touching an entire library. Those pieces are important groundwork before something as impactful as full templating can land properly.

I’m working pretty flat out at the moment, so realistically it may be a few months before I can step back and design something of this size properly, but it’s absolutely going onto the roadmap. I really appreciate you taking the time to describe the use case so clearly, and I’d definitely be open to chatting more about it when I get closer to that stage.

Thanks for the great suggestion, it’s exactly the kind of feedback that helps shape where this goes next.

I'm very conscious i haven't been working on this tool but i've been so caught up with https://mark-forster.itch.io/heroquest-card-creator/community lately. I'm in the process of wrapping up some key features for the card creator then i'll be spending a bit of time polishing and refining the search tracker and planning out a more clear and detailed roadmap! 🤞

Nice quest! I'm in between quests from the base game and one of 4 expansions we got this christmas. Playing with my 3 boys (10, 9 and 6).. I think they're really going to love this as an transition quest from base quests to to kellars keep! thank you !

I wanted to share a quick follow-up for anyone who grabbed the free artwork assets I posted recently.

I’ve now made an updated version of my current working artwork library available. This one is more organised and better optimised, based on how I’m actually using the assets day to day while building cards.

Everything is still free to use, and the idea is the same as before — to give people something solid to start with. If you’re new to the Card Creator or don’t yet have your own artwork, this should make it much easier to dive in and start experimenting straight away.

Hopefully it’s useful, whether as a starting point, reference material, or something to build on.

You can download the assets in zip format from here. Enjoy and happy card making!

Hi all,

Just a quick heads-up that version 0.4.2 of HeroQuest Card Creator is now available.

If you download the app and run it offline by opening index.html directly from your computer (rather than using the hosted itch.io version or a local server), you’re strongly encouraged to update to this release. Without this fix card exports will NOT include a background image of the card or the required heroquest styled fonts 

This version includes a fix for an issue that could affect exported cards when running from the local file system.

👉 Full details are in the devlog here: 

The hosted itch.io version is unaffected, as is any self-hosted version served via an HTTP server. However, if you rely on the downloadable offline version (running directly from your filesystem), we recommend downloading the latest build.

Thanks again for all the feedback and reports — it really helps keep things running smoothly!

HeroQuest Search Tracker is a lightweight, table-friendly companion that tracks which heroes have searched which rooms for treasure during a quest. It removes the need for coins, tokens, or memory checks and keeps the game flowing without changing the rules.

This release focuses on clarity, reliability, and real-table usability.

✨ Core Features

Board & Room Tracking

• Faithful HeroQuest board layout with clearly defined rooms

• Each room tracks treasure searches per hero

• At-a-glance indicators show who has and hasn’t searched a room

• Rooms can be disabled if they are not used in the current quest

Hero Management

• Supports any number of heroes (beyond the base four)

• Classic heroes supported out of the box (Barbarian, Dwarf, Elf, Wizard)

• Heroes can be added or removed at any time

• Removing a hero also removes them from all tracked room searches

Visual Search Status

• Room-level view shows which heroes have searched

• Hero-focused view highlights which rooms a single hero has searched

• No need to click through lists to understand board state

• Designed to be readable from across the table

State Persistence & Sharing

• Automatically saves progress between sessions

• Export the entire board state as a shareable link

• Import a saved state on another device (phone, tablet, laptop)

• Ideal for swapping devices mid-game or sharing with your group

Session Controls

• One-click Reset Searches (heroes and rooms remain intact)

• Board image toggle for clearer contrast when needed

• Designed for touch and mouse input

⚠️ Known Limitations (Current Version)

• Board layout is fixed to the classic HeroQuest map

• Treasure search tracking only (no traps, secret doors, or monsters)

• Import replaces the current state (no merge)

• Hero colour markers repeat if many heroes are added

• Reset clears search progress only (not heroes or room configuration)

These limitations are intentional to keep the tool focused and fast during play.

This roadmap reflects direction, not promises.

The Search Tracker is intentionally focused and aims to stay simple, stable, and table-friendly.

🎯 Short-Term Goals

• Minor UI refinements for readability on small screens

• Copy and micro-interaction polish

• Clearer visual distinction for disabled rooms

• Improved affordances for hero-focused views

🧩 Quality-of-Life Improvements

• Optional alternate board visuals or contrast modes

• Subtle animation or feedback when marking searches

• Small accessibility improvements (contrast, tap targets)

🧪 Exploration (Non-Guaranteed)

• Optional annotations or notes per room

• Optional “table view” summaries (per hero / per room)

• Additional board layouts (only if they do not complicate core use)

These ideas will only be pursued if they do not increase table friction.

🛑 Out of Scope (By Design)

• Full quest management

• Monster, trap, or secret-door tracking

• Dice rolling or combat helpers

• Rule enforcement or automation

The Search Tracker is designed to support the game, not replace it.

If you run into a bug, unexpected behaviour, or something that doesn’t work as you’d expect, the best place to report it is on GitHub:

👉 https://github.com/markforster/heroquest.search-tracker/issues and the active board here https://github.com/users/markforster/projects/7/views/2

That’s where issues can be properly tracked, discussed, and followed up over time, and it gives them the best chance of being seen and addressed. The code itself will be published to the repository in the coming weeks, but issues can already be logged there now.

You’re still very welcome to share feedback, ideas, and general thoughts here on the forum — I do read them — but I have limited time to pull actionable bugs out of forum threads and comments. If something feels broken or needs fixing, GitHub is the most reliable way to make sure it doesn’t get missed.

Thanks for taking the time to report issues and help improve the app — it’s genuinely appreciated.

Also, if you’re struggling for artwork to play about with check out this topic https://itch.io/t/5673541/free-heroquest-style-artwork-for-anyone-who-wants-it

Hi all,

The card creator is intentionally a blank slate when you first open it — no cards and no images — but it’s become clear that this may not match the expectations of some first-time users, especially if they don’t already have artwork of their own.

To help with that, I’m sharing a large collection of HeroQuest-style character artwork I’ve built up over time, in case it’s useful as a starting point:

👉 https://public.markforster.info/Heroquest/Artwork/all-character-artwork-flattene...

All of the artwork is AI-generated and you’re free to use it however you like — remix it, tweak it, or just use it for testing and experimentation. No attribution required.

Alternatively if you don't mind using AI created artwork you can use the GPT i setup here https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67716ef315cc8191bc2b325feea57fb6-heroquest-character-art... its a bit flaky and needs solid descriptive prompting but they results tend to be pretty good.

Hopefully this makes it easier to jump in and start using the app without hitting a blank screen on day one.

nice catch thanks, images added

Hi! Thanks so much for the kind words — I’m really glad you’re finding the card creator useful.

Just to double-check how things are behaving on your side: the Assets library starts out empty and is populated with images that you upload yourself. Once images are uploaded, they should appear both in the Assets view and when selecting an image for a card.

Were you able to upload any images yet, or does the library remain empty even after uploading? If it’s the latter, that definitely sounds like something I should look into.

HeroQuest Card Creator is a small passion project I built for myself while creating homebrew content for HeroQuest. I love the original cards — their proportions, typography, and the tactile feel of sitting down with a quest book and a pile of components — and I wanted a tool that felt like a friendly layout companion rather than a heavy application. This runs entirely in the browser, from static files or can be served, with no accounts or servers involved, and is designed to make card creation feel quick, calm, and enjoyable.

The project was inspired by a Unity-based HeroQuest Card Creator, which helped me make my first custom cards. Over time, I found myself wanting something  easier to iterate with, so this is my own take on that idea — staying faithful to the classic layouts while smoothing out the workflow. You can build hero, monster, spell and treasure-style cards, manage your artwork in a reusable library, save and revisit cards, export print-ready images, and back everything up locally.

I’m sharing this not to sell anything, but because I enjoy building tools and I enjoy HeroQuest — and a huge amount of the content that inspired me comes from people freely sharing their work online. If this tool helps you create a new hero, spell, quest, or bit of homebrew for your table, then it’s doing exactly what I hoped it would. Feedback is always welcome, and I’ll keep iterating on it as time and interest allow.

If you run into a bug, unexpected behaviour, or something that doesn’t work as you’d expect, the best place to report it is on GitHub:

👉 https://github.com/markforster/heroquest-card-creator/issues and the board i'm tracking them on here https://github.com/users/markforster/projects/9/views/1

That’s where issues can be properly tracked, discussed, and followed up over time, and it gives them the best chance of being seen and addressed. The code itself will be published to the repository in the coming weeks, but issues can already be logged there now.

You’re still very welcome to share feedback, ideas, and general thoughts here on the forum — I do read them — but I have limited time to pull actionable bugs out of forum threads and comments. If something feels broken or needs fixing, GitHub is the most reliable way to make sure it doesn’t get missed.

Thanks for taking the time to report issues and help improve the app — it’s genuinely appreciated.

This roadmap outlines the areas I’m interested in exploring next for HeroQuest Card Creator.

It is not a promise, schedule, or ordered plan. Items may change, evolve, or never be implemented if they stop feeling useful or enjoyable.

The focus is on making the app scale calmly, support real-world usage, and remain enjoyable to work with over time.

✅ Now Delivered (v0.5.0)

With the release of version 0.5.0, a number of the areas originally outlined below are now live. These features focus on helping the app feel comfortable and predictable once you start working with larger sets of cards and assets.

📚 Card Organisation & Collections

• Cards can be grouped into collections such as quests, expansions, or campaigns
• Cards are managed as part of a set rather than strictly one at a time
• Workflows like exporting everything in a collection are now supported
• This lays the groundwork for safe and scalable bulk actions

📤 Export & Output Improvements

• Multiple cards can now be exported at once
• Exports are bundled into ZIP files for easier printing or sharing
• Export workflows integrate directly with collections

🖼 Asset Handling & Bulk Workflows

• Multiple images can be uploaded in one go
• Duplicate images are detected and skipped automatically
• Files with the same name but different content are handled safely
• Clear progress and feedback help avoid mistakes at scale

🌍 Internationalisation

• Multi-language support is now enabled across the app
• Language selection is persistent and reliable
• The groundwork is in place to support additional languages over time

For a more detailed breakdown of what shipped in v0.5.0, see the release post here: https://mark-forster.itch.io/heroquest-card-creator/devlog/1312028/bringing-it-all-together-a-faster-calmer-way-to-create-cards and a full set of release notes here https://itch.io/t/5767871/-heroquest-card-creator-v050-is-out

🔍 Search, Filtering & Discovery

As libraries grow, finding cards and assets should remain straightforward.

Possible areas of exploration include:

• Searching beyond names into card and asset metadata
• Filtering cards by template or type
• Sorting by name, creation date, or last edited
• More structured result views rather than long flat lists

The goal is to reduce scrolling and guessing, and make larger libraries feel manageable.

🎨 Visual Customisation

Some flexibility in appearance can unlock many use cases without overwhelming the editor.

Ideas being explored:

• Customisable card border colours
• Variant styling built on existing templates
• Controlled visual options that preserve a clean, consistent look

The aim is flexibility without turning the editor into a blank canvas.

🧩 Templates & Long-Term Flexibility

The current template set reflects the cards I actively use, but the system is designed to grow.

Future possibilities include:

• Additional official-style templates
• Variant templates built on existing layouts
• A more generic or modular card template (long-term)

Any expansion here will be driven by usefulness, not completeness.

🖼 Visual Fidelity & Output Quality

Improving visual quality without increasing friction is an ongoing interest.

Possible areas of work:

• Support for higher-resolution artwork assets
• Scaling templates to support larger output sizes
• Optional image optimisation to reduce backup sizes
• Maintaining print quality while keeping files manageable

This is an area that requires careful balancing and would be introduced gradually.

🧭 Direction Over Features

This roadmap is guided by a few core ideas:

• Work should accumulate safely
• Larger libraries should feel easier, not harder, to manage
• The editor should stay calm and predictable
• Features should compound rather than fragment the experience
• Not every idea will be implemented, and that’s intentional

Thank you for taking the time to follow the project and for sharing your thoughts and feedback.

Version 0.3.0 is the first release focused on a complete, reliable card-creation workflow.

In this version I wanted to make it easy to create cards, reuse artwork, manage your creations over time, and export finished cards — all directly in your browser, with no account required.

🃏 Create HeroQuest-Style Cards

Create cards using a growing set of classic-style templates, including:

• Hero cards
• Monster cards (with icons)
• Small and large artwork cards (treasure-style layouts)
• Card backs

Each card updates live as you edit, so you always see exactly what you’re creating.

🖼 Manage Your Artwork

Upload your artwork once and reuse it across as many cards as you like.

• Keep all your images in a shared artwork library
• Search assets by name
• Remove artwork you no longer need

No re-uploading the same image over and over.

📚 Save & Re-Edit Cards

Save cards into a personal library and come back to them later.

• Browse saved cards with thumbnails
• Search by name or card type
• Open any saved card back into the editor
• Update existing cards or save new versions

Your cards are no longer one-off creations.

📤 Export Print-Ready Cards

Export finished cards as high(ish)-resolution PNG images:

• Ideal for printing or sharing
• Filenames are automatically based on your card titles

💾 Backup & Restore Everything

Back up your entire library — cards, artwork, and editor state — into a single file.

• Restore your collection on another browser or computer
• Safe, explicit import with clear warnings
• Supports older backup formats as well

Your work stays portable and future-proof.

🌐 Works Anywhere

• Runs entirely in your browser
• No account, login, or server required
• Optional downloadable bundle for offline or self-hosted use

🎯 Why This Matters

• You can come back to your work
• You can organise it
• You can export it cleanly
• You can back it up

This lays the foundation for larger libraries, more templates, and more powerful features in future releases.

🔍 Current Limitations

HeroQuest Card Creator is an evolving tool, built with a strong focus on real-world usability, reliable workflows, and a solid foundation before expansion. This version is not with out its limitations many of which are intentional design choices, not technical blockers.

🌍 Language & Internationalisation

• The interface currently appears in English only.
• Internationalisation is implemented under the hood, but is temporarily disabled.

Support for additional languages was paused to focus on:

• Finalising template layouts
• Ensuring card content fits correctly within visual constraints

Some translated card text can exceed available space, particularly within card templates.
When internationalisation is revisited, this will likely require:

• Smarter text fitting or scaling
• Carefully curated translations
• Possibly allowing users to provide their own translation files
• Or community-assisted translations

Language support is planned, but will be approached thoughtfully rather than rushed.

🃏 Templates & Scope

• The current template set reflects the cards I actively use:

  • Character cards
  • Monster cards
  • Spells and treasure-style cards
  • Card backs
• Additional templates are not required for my own play right now.

The template system has been designed so new templates can be added in the future, but expanding the template library was not the priority for this version.

The focus has been on:

• Building a complete, cohesive workflow
• Ensuring saving, loading, exporting, and backups all work reliably

More templates may be added when it makes sense — not simply to chase completeness.

📚 Card Organisation & Bulk Actions

• Cards are currently managed individually.
• There is no concept of collections, decks, or grouped card sets yet.
• Cards must be exported one at a time.

This is a known friction point — and also one of the next areas of interest.

Before introducing collections and bulk export, the app needed:

• A stable card library
• Reliable asset management
• Safe backup and restore

Those foundations are now in place.

📤 Export Options

• Cards can currently be exported as PNG images only.
• Each card is exported individually.
• PDF, SVG, or bundled exports are not available yet.

Future export improvements (including bulk export and additional formats) are being considered, but were intentionally deferred until the core workflow felt complete.

🖼 Asset Size & Storage

• Artwork is stored locally in the browser.
• Backup files include all assets at their original size.

While this ensures fidelity, large images can increase backup size.

Possible future improvements may include:

• Optional image resizing or optimisation
• User-controlled asset compression

This requires careful consideration to avoid degrading card quality.

🎨 Advanced Customisation

• Templates are structured rather than fully free-form.
• There is no generic “blank” or fully modular card template yet.
• Some visual elements are fixed per template.

This is intentional — the goal is to keep the editor focused and calm, rather than overwhelming.

More flexible or modular templates may be explored in the future if they align with how the app is actually being used.

⚙️ Game Mechanics & Rules

• The editor focuses on classic HeroQuest-style card presentation.
• Advanced or highly custom rules systems are not a current priority.

The app supports the way I play and homebrew with my family.
Anything beyond that will only be added if it feels genuinely useful or interesting.

🔌 Accounts & Sync

• There are no user accounts.
• All data lives locally in your browser.
• There is no cloud sync between devices.

Backup and restore are the intended ways to move your work between machines.

🧭 Design Philosophy

HeroQuest Card Creator is built:

• For personal use first
• With expansion in mind, but not at the cost of stability
• To feel calm, predictable, and trustworthy

If you have ideas or feedback, they are always welcome — just keep in mind that some limitations may remain even as the app grows and that’s intentional. Not every suggestion will align with the long-term design goals of the app.