Welcome to the Banter Bulletin!

The Banter Bulletin is a page designed to keep up with the latest up to date questions and answers from the Bouncyrock Bi-Monthly Banter streams that are done every two months. When an old question gets asked again, and a new answer is given, it will be updated here!

All answers on this page are summaries of the answers given by the team, and not all questions get ported to the Bulletin. For full the full context of a particular question, please go to the timestamped video paired with the question.

You can always find a playlist of all of the Bi-Monthly Banters on Bouncyrock's YouTube channel.

Latest Banter - April 18th, 2025

Feature Showcases

Here we'll be keeping a list of timestamped links to the latest showcases of particular features. When a feature gets released, it will no longer be in this list!

Q&A with the Chat

Updated tags mark questions updated or added as of April 2025.

⛈️ Audio & Atmosphere Enhancements

Custom Playlists for Atmosphere Blocks?

Timestamped Answer

We agree this is a great idea but need to ensure it fits well within the system. Improvements to the audio system are planned.

Custom Music and Ambient Sounds in TaleSpire?Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

We've discussed it internally. Custom sound effects are more feasible and align with our current modding plans. Music integration poses challenges due to syncing and licensing concerns. While peer-to-peer options were once considered, no technical progress has been made recently. We'll keep the community posted as we revisit the idea.

Move Atmosphere Blocks & Change Colors?

Timestamped Answer

Movement may already be possible, but we’ll check. Color customization is on the radar, with accessibility concerns in mind.

Rolling Thunder & Ambient Sounds?

Timestamped Answer

Future audio updates will include effects like rolling thunder and other ambient audio.

Multicolored Lights?

Timestamped Answer

Technically possible now but needs bug fixes before implementation.

Neon Light Bars for Sci-Fi Assets?

Timestamped Answer

Noted as a request; we are looking at better handling tile variants.

Weather System Implementation?

Timestamped Answer

The weather system will likely be integrated into the atmosphere controls, allowing layered effects like wind, rain, and snow accumulation. Wind direction will influence particle effects. While snow buildup is a technical challenge, it is an exciting possibility. We are also exploring a library of sound effects for placement on the board.

Unity 6 Upgrade & Raytracing?

Timestamped Answer

Moving to Unity 6 would require rewriting many systems. We want to complete some major features first before considering it. Raytracing isn’t a priority.

Plans for Better Rendering (Global Illumination, Antialiasing, etc.)?

Timestamped Answer

Particle systems are coming first. Advanced rendering features must balance performance across different hardware.

Day/Night Cycle in Board Settings?

Timestamped Answer

Conceptually difficult due to tabletop pacing. Might be better handled via the Symbiote API for community experimentation.

🔍 Tagging, Searching & Miniatures

Can the Community Help with Tedious Tagging Tasks?

Timestamped Answer

While community-defined tags are coming, only the creator can update tags on mod.io. We're brainstorming ways to assist creators in adding tags to existing assets.

More Hotbar Items?

Timestamped Answer

The bottom bar UI is overdue for a rework, but no timeline yet.

Larger Miniatures for Titan-Sized Creatures?

Timestamped Answer

Possible, but the movement system will need updates to handle them properly.

New Player Vision Feature – Will the Discovered Map Stay or Reset?

Timestamped Answer

The vision doesn't persist once the player moves. Persistent visibility is much harder to implement.

🎮 Game Mechanics & Features

Will TaleWeaver Allow Custom Props & Tiles?

Timestamped Answer

Yes. This has been on our radar and is on our roadmap.

Can Vision Ranges Be Set for Players?

Timestamped Answer

Yes, but only as spheres with the new feature in progress. Cones would require too much manual positioning and have elevation issues.

Hide Volume Linking, Toggling, and Labeling?Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

Linking hide volumes to GM or atmosphere blocks for batch toggling is an idea we've discussed, though it's technically tricky due to synchronization and UI complexity. Custom-shaped volume drawing remains more likely than linking. We're also aware of the request for naming or labeling hide volumes. While no updates are currently planned, it's a feature we intend to revisit and improve in the future.

More Keyboard Shortcuts for Mini Controls?

Timestamped Answer

Rather than adding more direct shortcuts, we plan to integrate functions into the inventory system, allowing players to drag actions onto a hotbar for quick access. Mapping inventory items to number keys may also be implemented, making interactions more intuitive.

Traps & Mini Interactions?

Timestamped Answer

Triggers and scripting are being considered but require a large new system.

Larger Tiles for Natural Features?

Timestamped Answer

We originally planned for the terrain system to handle larger natural features, but some existing tiles may stay. The current largest tile size is 8x8, and while expanding tile sizes further would be useful, the terrain system should address most needs. We have no plans to remove existing tiles.

Paint/Color Feature for Assets?

Timestamped Answer

Adding a paint/color system for assets would be a massive undertaking. Unlike character models, existing props and tiles were not designed with this in mind, meaning every asset would need to be reworked significantly. We would need to decide between separate shaders or recreating assets with color masks. While character customization is planned, applying this system broadly to all assets is not currently feasible.

More Spell Animations?

Timestamped Answer

Yes, no timeline, unfortunately.

Inventory System Functionality?

Timestamped Answer

Our inventory system will act as a flexible tool, allowing players to store and access various game functions, dice rolls, macros, and mini interactions. Items can be moved between different inventories, and creatures can have their own collections. The system is designed to be adaptable rather than tied to a specific game system, ensuring maximum usability.

Will There Be a Customizable Torch Feature (Brightness, Color, etc.)?

Timestamped Answer

If torches become creature properties, they could be saved as part of mini blueprints.

Can Players Be Given Control of Creature Groups?Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

We agree this feature would make wargaming much smoother. It's technically feasible, but would require backend API support to do it cleanly. With the backend lead soon on parental leave, we’re prioritizing client-side features for now. In the future, we’d like to support bulk permission assignments that either succeed or fail as a group. We’re also considering a feature to drag entire parties onto the board at once. In the meantime, granting GM access to all players is a functional workaround for mass creature control.

Advanced Mini Base Sizes (e.g. for Warhammer-style Bases)? Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

We’ve discussed support for non-standard base sizes (e.g., 1.5 tiles or millimeter-accurate Warhammer-style bases), but it’s currently non-trivial due to how mini scales are encoded. Base size isn't stored separately from the mini’s overall scale, and making that customizable per morph would increase complexity and data size. While technically feasible, we’d want to revisit what role bases serve and whether a ruler-like overlay would be a better approach. A feature request and upvotes on it would help gauge interest.

⚒️ Building

Sub-Board Movement, Rotation, and Capsizing?Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

Sub-boards are planned to support free positioning and rotation, independent of tile snapping. While the sub-board itself will follow regular tile placement rules, it can be moved and angled freely. Full capsizing or multi-axis rotation (like listing a ship) is under consideration but may depend on control scheme complexity and further testing during implementation.

Additional Rotation Options for Props?Updated: April 18th, 2025

Timestamped Answer

We’ve experimented with more rotation options, potentially combining them with tile variants to offer greater variety. While it’s something we’re excited about, it’s currently on the backburner and hasn’t seen recent development.

📌 Final Notes

Where Do You See TaleSpire in 5-10 Years?

Timestamped Answer

We want to keep developing it as long as possible. If financial support ends, we are designing the backend so the community can host their own servers to ensure longevity.