Tasks:Road Map

The Road Map tries to give an overview of the direction Adonthell development is heading. If you are planning to help with development, here you'll find something to work on.

In brief, our Road Map consists of two major milestones:

1. Release version 0.4.0 with the recreated Waste's Edge game.
2. From then on, expand engine and game data and create the Dun Barethsol game.

Recreate Waste's Edge

Since Waste's Edge [1] is basically a (small) subset of Dun Barethsol, we'll be converting it to the v0.4 engine as a first step. This will pave the way to Dun Barethsol and free us from the burden of supporting two code bases in the future. Tasks specifically related to porting Waste's Edge are:

1. Engine and Editor Requirements
   Bits and pieces of the game engine and tools that need to be completed before building Waste's Edge.
2. Recreate Waste's Edge User Interface
   Design and implement GUI for Waste's Edge entirely on Python side.
3. Convert and enhance Waste's Edge gfx
   Waste's Edge graphics are in an internal format that can be exported to PNG format with the convert_graphics.py script. They will then have to be adapted to the new resolution, turned into sprites and supplemented by a matching shape.
4. Recreate Waste's Edge map
   With the graphics in place (and the map editor too), the Redwyne Inn can be recreated. This time it would be created in one piece, making use of the added z-axis.
5. Convert Waste's Edge dialogues and quests
   While the conversations themselves are pretty unchanged, but quest progress is handled radically different. Either implement a basic quest editor or use the convert_quests.py script to create the Waste's Edge quest tree.
6. Convert Waste's Edge NPC schedules
   Character schedules need to be adapted to the new engine. Also gives us the possibility to test out some basic NPC interactions (patrons asking for ale, Orloth bringing it to their table) using the Ether).

Create Dun Barethsol

Dun Barethsol will be the first actual role playing game using the Adonthell engine. As such, the major tasks will consist of incorporating role playing elements into v0.4.0:

1. Implement complex GUI Widgets and Containers
   Implement table or matrix container.
2. Implement quest log GUI
   To show the log book mechanism associated with the new quest system, implement a quest log GUI and write the required quest log entries for Waste's Edge.
3. Integrate Item System
   At present, only item models are implemented. Add graphical representation to items and integrate with map engine.
4. Integrate Inventory
   With complex widgets in place, create interface for inventory management. Allow picking up and dropping of items to demo. Improve NPC schedules to handle items.
5. Implement Role Playing System
   At present, the Game Rules only exist in documentation.
6. Implement Melee Combat
   With the game rules and items in place, add melee combat with NPCs to the demo.
7. Implement Ranged Combat
   With the game rules and items in place, add ranged combat with NPCs to the demo.
8. Implement Spells
   With the game rules and items in place, add casting spells on self and others to the demo.

Other tasks that can and should be done in parallel include Graphic related tasks, creation of the game world, dialogue writing, etc ...

And Then?

Once Dun Barethsol is released, it might be in order to go over the engine for cosmetic and usability improvements, like:

1. Improve Game Controls
   Provide better configuration and default settings for the Input System.
2. Implement annotations on in-game Maps
   Allow players to add their own notes to in-game maps.
3. Implement Lighting System
   Allow for day/night cycle, darker dungeons, etc ...
4. Improve Modding Ability of Engine
   Allow for official/user contributed mods.
5. Implement Sky Layer
   Have clouds or birds floating above the landscape.