Good morning, everyone! I gave myself the task to try to develop a roadmap for the features I have planned for Cursed Crown between now and when I release. After mocking up a few designs, I settled on what I’ve attached to this post. Let’s break it down.
Version 0.5.0: The Modernization Update
In this update, I plan to make the final updates to the tool versions I intend to use, barring anything unforeseen such as critical security fixes or similar. What I need to get done here is updating the Unreal Engine from version 5.6 to version 5.7. With that update, I’ll be forced to update the framework plugin I’m using, ACFU, to its most up-to-date version. Either one of these updates would be pretty benign on its own, but the last time I had to update both simultaneously, there were issues that arose that caused the upgrade to take weeks instead of hours.
Why do this update? Having the most up-to-date version of the tools allows me to make use of the most poweful and feature-rich versions while making sure that any security updates are also included. This update will also signify the final time I do this during the development cycle prior to the full release. If the game is popular enough and there is enough demand or compelling reason to do so, it’s possible I could upgrade again post-release. But that’s definitely not going to be decided untl the time comes.
Vesion 0.6.0: AI and Enemies
During the last large Unreal Engine and ACFU update, the AI I had written broke. I wasn’t able to solve it in a timely manner and simply removed the few enemies that were peppered into the testing landscape. Now that the game is larger and the tools will be updated to their final versions, it’s time to add the AI back in.
Why do this update? This one should be obvious, but in case it’s not: the world is pretty boring without any enemies to fight. Even during testing prior to a version build, it feels to even me that the world is barren. This needs fixing.
Version 0.7.0: Early Access
I want to get the game into Steam Early Access in a timely manner so people can test it and generate some hype.
Why do this update? It’s a necessary step toward releasing the game. I want to do it early so there’s enough time for people to get an idea of what will be included, but not so early that it doesn’t actually represent the game’s final vision. Version 0.7.0 seems like a reasonable point in development.
Version 0.8.0: The Flora and Fauna Update
Once the development of the game reaches a state where it’s able to be started, played, and completed, I want to make it “prettier.” I expect that the minimum viable product (MVP) includes all the planned dungeons and bosses to let the player reach credits and feel satisfied. But if I progress with my current plans, the world may still feel barren. The plan for this update is to break the overworld into a grid of 8×8 or 10×10 sections and spend time hand-tweaking each section to include more flora and fauna. (Hence the version title!) My intention is to also include things like birds or rabbits that you can stumble upon as you travel and will act realistically, running or flying away when they spot you.
Why do this update? The world of Valerath lives in my head. I want to do it justice, and the barren “desert” devoid of life that I’ve been creating doesn’t really represent the vibrancy that should exist.
Version 1.0.0: The Full Release
This release will be the full vision of the game. All the NPCs, dungeons, caves, and monsters will be here and woring.
Why do this update? This is what it all culminates in. Without this update, there is no reason for any of the releases leading up to it.
The Future
Now, what you see here is a set of guide posts. It shouldn’t be expected to represent all the development that will be done between now and the game’s release. Having 0.5.0 lead immediately into 0.6.0 isn’t realistic and you should expect to see 0.5.1, 0.5.2, and any other intermediate steps between. Also, remember that as a single person making all this, plans can, and very well may, change. I will try to keep to the plans, but I’ll make sure everyone is updated when they change.
Thank you all for sticking with me through this. The future looks bright, but long. As we keep marching forward, keep on gaming!