My own subscription platform, researched, designed, and coded from scratch.
The Challenge
I play D&D most weekends and got frustrated with existing tools. Either too complicated, missing features I needed, or not built with real players in mind. So I decided to build my own. But I also wanted to make it a real product, not just a side project. That meant thinking properly about onboarding, conversion, and building something people would actually pay for.
The Approach
Problem definition
Started with my own pain points, then talked to other DMs to see if I was just being fussy. I was not. The same frustrations kept coming up across different experience levels.
User research
Ran testing sessions with players of different experience levels. Found that onboarding was critical. Experienced DMs wanted to crack on, but newer players needed hand holding. The flow had to serve both without slowing either down.
Worked with artists
I sourced amazing human artists to collab with to start figuring out its identity.
Development
Built it myself using Next.js, Firebase, and Stripe. Designed a freemium model where core features are free and premium features are visible but locked. The idea is that users experience enough value to trust the product, then see exactly what they would get by upgrading. Pricing is on the homepage, full feature list is public, and there are working examples you can try before signing up. No hiding anything.
Onboarding
Designed progressive onboarding that only captures what is essential upfront. A campaign cannot exist without a name and players, so that is all we ask for before letting users into the dashboard. What if they are just looking? What if they only have a rough idea? The architecture is also built to support future paths. Soon we will ask "one shot or homebrew?" at the start, giving newer players a guided experience without adding any friction for the experienced.
Testing and iteration
Ongoing testing with real players running real campaigns. Best way to find the rough edges. Still improving it based on feedback. This is not a finished project, it is an ongoing one...
The Solution
A subscription based campaign management platform with progressive onboarding that only captures what is essential upfront, then lets users explore at their own pace. The walkthrough is designed so that experienced users can skip ahead while newer players get guided through. The architecture also supports future expansion into one shots and guided adventures without needing to redesign the onboarding.
The Outcomes
- Full end to end product ownership: research, design, code, deployment
- Freemium subscription model with Stripe payment integration
- Progressive onboarding designed for multiple experience levels
- Trust first approach: transparent pricing, public feature lists, free working examples
- Beta testing with real players running real campaigns
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