Hello everyone,
First, I want to acknowledge that the previous roadmap didn’t progress as expected. Development always brings surprises and forces us to rethink plans. However, the time wasn’t wasted. We’ve established a long-term development plan and built a strong foundation for what’s ahead. With a clear direction and flexibility in place, we’ve set the timeline for this roadmap at six months.
Game development is a bit like building a city. Some teams focus on laying strong foundations, others experiment with bold new ideas, and some make sure everything is easy to navigate. That’s exactly how we’ve structured Norland’s development.
- Conservative Track – This is the foundation. It focuses on the core mechanics that hold the game together—walls, bodyguards, incoming guest reform, new lore, a new global map, and dynasty menus. These are the systems that make Norland function at its core.
- Experimental Track – This is where we test big ideas. Think of it as trying out new districts in the city—some will be great, others might need adjustments. This track has introduced unique visitors, 3D terrain, and puppet mechanics—features that add more personality and unpredictability.
- Player Experience Track (New!) – A city can have great roads and buildings, but if there are no signs or pathways, navigating it becomes frustrating. That’s what this track is for—redesigned menus, improved UI, and refining older mechanics to make interactions smoother without changing the game’s depth.
With this new track in place, all three areas—building, experimenting, and fine-tuning—are moving forward simultaneously to make Norland the best version of itself.
Art and Content
We’ve hired two artists and plan to redraw all of the game’s art. While this will take time, we’ve already locked in an aesthetic concept that focuses on realistic architecture and thoughtful design.
The camera, interior view, and zoom will remain unchanged. We’re creating three distinct biomes: northern, midlands, and subtropics. We’ll also begin experimenting with local map generation—we’ll see how it develops.
Work-in-Progress Visuals:
Disclaimer: Images are a work in progress and do not represent the final product.
Concepts for late high-level residential buildings and a new type of Lord's Hall.
New environment and basic peasant house
Proposal for different environments
Player Experience Track
This is our newest development track, focused on making menus, UI, and existing mechanics smoother to interact with—without changing the game’s depth. While the Conservative and Experimental tracks shape Norland’s systems and politics, this track ensures players can engage with those systems intuitively.
We’re making several upgrades to core menus and management systems to streamline gameplay.
- Army Menu Redesign – You’ll now be able to equip each warrior in your squad individually and hire additional peasants (with a cost). This system is already in development and will be more flexible and user-friendly.
- Knowledge Menu Overhaul – This is our third redesign of the system. Beyond making it easier to navigate, it will now allow books of the same content to exist in multiple languages, with translation options available.
- Initial Game Settings Redesign – Once the Knowledge Menu is complete, we’ll begin work on revamping the game’s starting options. This is a larger project, and while it may not be finished within this roadmap, the long-term improvements will be worth it.
Reworking Archaic Systems
Some older mechanics have remained due to Norland’s complex inheritance system, but we recognize that some of them feel outdated—or frustrating. We’re simplifying these systems while keeping their original intent intact:
- Alcohol System
- Character Needs
- Assigning Tasks to Buildings
- Crime and Penalties
- Migration Mechanics
- Church Services
- Character Communication
Many of these updates are already near completion, so you’ll be able to test them soon and share your feedback on how they feel in practice.
Conservative Track
This track focuses on city planning, economic systems, and structured mechanics—the backbone of Norland’s gameplay. Right now, the game lacks early-stage planning tools, making it difficult to organize cities and resources efficiently. To solve this, we’re integrating classic city-builder mechanics, but with Norland’s own unique approach.
Planned Features:
- Physical Storage – Resources will have actual locations rather than being universally accessible.
- Expanded Distribution – A single system for resource flow and wages, allowing for barter and monetary economies.
- Urban Development – More realistic housing mechanics tied to population density and social infrastructure.
- Expanded Local Trade – Daily traders bringing basic goods, encouraging a shift toward a cash economy.
- Character Archetypes – Lords and major figures will have distinct personalities, influencing diplomacy and management.
If Time Allows, We’ll Also Work On:
- Garrisons on the Global Map
- Battle Formations
- Seasonal Changes (We know this was promised before, but storage mechanics need to be reworked first.)
- New Food Types, Heating, and Clothing Mechanics
Physical Storage
Right now, resources exist in a shared "cloud", meaning materials can be accessed from any warehouse, anywhere. This makes logistics irrelevant, reducing the need for city planning since building placement doesn’t matter.
With physical storage, resources will be stored in specific locations, meaning:
- Logistics will require actual management.
- Transporting goods will take time and effort.
- Workers carrying heavy loads will move slower.
This change adds depth to city planning and makes resource management a key strategic element.
Expanded Distribution
The current system has multiple distribution methods—lords get resources for free, peasants and soldiers are paid, and prisoners get items from a warehouse.
We’re replacing this with a unified system where you control:
- Who receives resources
- What they get
- Whether they’re paid in money or goods
This allows for barter-based economies early on, transitioning into a monetary system as trade expands.
Urban Development
Most of the population currently lives in two types of houses, which don’t reflect realistic medieval urban growth.
In classic city-builders like Caesar, houses upgrade automatically when new goods are available. But that doesn’t feel realistic—people don’t just add floors because jugs appeared in the market.
Instead, Norland’s system will be more dynamic:
- Low-density housing is preferred at first (more space, fewer neighbors).
- Densification lowers quality of life, leading to unhappier residents.
- Players must counterbalance urban crowding by investing in temples, entertainment, and security.
Historically, medieval cities were worse places to live than villages, but they made up for it with economic opportunity, protection, and services. We want to reflect this authentically in Norland.
Expanded Local Trade
Once expanded distribution is in place, we’ll introduce local traders who bring basic goods (like food) into cities daily.
This will:
- Encourage a transition from barter to a cash economy.
- Reduce storage costs by letting workers buy their own goods.
- Make logistics more meaningful, as managing trade networks becomes a key consideration.
This mirrors real-world urban development, where societies move toward money-based economies as trade becomes more complex.
Character Archetypes
Right now, lord relationships can feel random and difficult to manage. We want to tie them more closely to mood so players aren’t overwhelmed by sudden shifts.
Additionally, we’re introducing two character categories:
- Strong Characters – Unique figures with distinct personalities and traits.
- Everyday People – Generic, loyal, and drama-free characters with fewer talents but more stability.
When adding lords to your family (choosing a bride or granting titles), you’ll decide how much drama you want:
- High-risk, high-reward: Powerful but volatile figures.
- Stable but less effective: Safe choices with weaker skills.
We plan to introduce 12 unique archetypes, each with their own taboos, actions, and behaviors:
- Altruist
- Scrooge
- Puppeteer
- Hero
- Sadist
- (And more!)
These archetypes will influence diplomacy, personal rivalries, and internal politics, adding more depth to the ruling class.
Experimental Track
This track focuses on unique systems that only Norland can explore, emphasizing social hierarchy, power, and political dynamics. At its core, Norland is about politics—how power is gained, maintained, and challenged.
While we’ve already introduced usurpers, we realized that the system needed to be more intricate. Instead of being a single mechanic, it will now be part of a larger political system that governs how rulers maintain control—or lose it. We started with puppets, and now we’re expanding further:
Planned Features:
- Loyalty of Specific Population Groups – Groups like the army will have their own allegiances, meaning rulers won’t be able to rely on blind obedience. This will also allow us to remove artificial balancing mechanics, such as the church tax.
- Group Conspiracies – Power struggles will involve friends, puppets, and political factions, making betrayal a real possibility.
- Usurpers – This mechanic will limit player control in an interesting way. A usurper could overthrow your dynasty, and if successful, you lose—adding high-stakes tension to ruling.
- Political Speeches – This will serve as the foundation for philosophy, history, religious doctrines, and their role in politics. Leaders will shape public opinion through words, not just actions.
Additional Ideas We’re Exploring:
- Arranged Marriages and Claims to the Throne – Because this is the Middle Ages, after all.
- Character Influence System – This is one of the most complex changes, impacting how characters persuade, manipulate, and influence each other. It will significantly alter the political landscape, so we’re approaching it carefully.
These systems aim to make Norland’s power struggles more dynamic and unpredictable, ensuring that ruling is never as simple as just holding the crown.