ᅠᅠ
HOW WE USE THIS ROADMAP
Making a game is a notoriously unpredictable path filled with all manner of random encounters. To traverse this development landscape, we'll need a map. Preferably one with a road. Thus enters the Kynseed Roadmap! Within this map you'll find a look at what updates we've already completed, an overview of what updates to expect in the near future, and lastly a long-term view of the entire game.
Having a clear outlined plan is a necessary component for any game, but one of the benefits of being a small indie team is the freedom to approach development more organically. So as we devised our roadmap, it was important to us that we balanced structure with flexibility. We want to remain agile so that we can react to things that a roadmap can't possibly predict.
To do this, we'll map out upcoming updates one batch at a time. Each batch of major updates will include a small sentence or two describing that update's primary focus, but updates further out will be a bit more mysterious. Once we finish an update, we'll mark it as complete and include a bullet list of highlights (in addition to a larger community announcement and changelog.) Each update may take around a month, sometimes more depending. As always, we'll keep you updated every step of the way in our community and with our weekly devlog, The PixelCount Post.
Check out the map legend below for more details, plus instructions on how to access other development branches. We're easy to find around the community, so don't hesitate to give us a shout if you have any burning questions we can extinguish. Thank you all for joining us on this road trip and for being our travel companions. We've packed plenty of snacks and our Spotify playlists are primed and ready.
ACCESSING OTHER BRANCHES
Each update on this roadmap will get rolled out to all players on all platforms once ready. While we can't guarantee there won't be bugs or other issues from time to time, these major updates will be as stable as we can manage for an in-development game such as ours. However, we know some of you are hungry for more frequent updates, even if it means things might be less stable as a result. That's where update branches come in!
So what is a 'branch'? In development terms, a branch is a sort of update channel you can subscribe to and change at any time. Whatever branch you subscribe to will automatically download whenever we push an update to it. Below is an overview of the different branches we'll be using during development, as well as information on how to access them.
Main Branch
This is the default branch all players are put in at the start. In general, this branch will receive an update whenever we complete one of the major roadmap updates listed on this roadmap. As such, this will be the most stable branch and is what we recommend to the average player who wants no-fuss straightforward game updates. (We make every effort to keep saves as stable as possible on this branch.)
Preview Branch
Before we send out an update to the main branch above, we push the update out a week early for players who like to help us test things first. This assists in squashing out any bugs or feedback that we didn't catch ourselves in our own playtesting. (Saves can sometimes be backed up, but may occasionally break.)
Experimental Branch
Some players love getting their hands dirty by helping us playtest the more frequent incremental changes to the game. While it's by no means a requirement that you send us feedback if using this branch, we do encourage such players to work closely with us by giving feedback and bug reports for this branch in the usual places (forums and Discord preferably). This branch is perfect for players who want to work more closely with us and have a more hands-on impact on development. (Save stability cannot be guaranteed!)
How To Select Branches
ᅠᅠ1. Within the Steam application, right click Kynseed in your library
ᅠᅠ2. Select "Properties" from the menu
ᅠᅠ3. Click the "Betas" tab
ᅠᅠ4. Choose either the 'latest' or 'experimental' branch as outline above
MAP LEGEND
Upcoming Updates
This is the current batch of updates being worked on, organized in the order we'll do them. Once a batch of updates is complete, we'll then map out the next batch. An update's main focus will typically represent first implementation, not full implementation.
The Entire Journey
This is the overview of all game content still to come. This overview covers only new content at the time this roadmap was first written and doesn't necessarily represent all content already in-game.
Update Types
To cover ground at an even pace, updates will fall under one of three categories: Features, Content, and Future.
Release Timing
The further out a roadmap goes, the more difficult it is to predict its timing. So to ensure we don't promise inaccurate far-off release dates, we're instead focusing on a release rhythm. Each update will take around a month or so, with smaller in-between patches released as needed.
The Entire Journey Symbols
ᅠᅠ🌰 - Initial first pass implementation
ᅠᅠ🌱 - Progressively more polished and refined
ᅠᅠ🌳 - Generally implemented as intended
WORLD MAP
ᅠᅠ• Havens
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 The Vale
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Candlewych Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Summerdown
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Poppyhill Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Mellowfields
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Mellowbrook Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Deepstone
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Sagtyt Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Woemarsh
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Gaslight Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Pinehaven
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Tunt Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Surrounding Regions
ᅠᅠ• Hubs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• The Circle
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Stonecrown
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• The Shingles
ᅠᅠ• Combat Regions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Simplewood
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Softwood
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Midwood
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Toughwood
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Nightmare Hallow
ᅠᅠ• Fae Realms
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Tir Na Nog
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• E’ergreen
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Briar
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Voide
WORLDLY ADVENTURES
ᅠᅠ• Quill Hoarders
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Regional Collectables (Food, Recipes, Books, Etc.)
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• More Insects to Collect
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Scattered Ancient Relics to Find
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Special Fae Shops
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Gems & Runes to Imbue Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Home Delivery Box
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Noticeboard
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Mailbox
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Home Larder
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Seasonal Temples with Goddess Challenges
ᅠᅠ• Getting Around
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Rootways
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• World Shortcuts
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Glowing Trail
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 'Wottyzit' Interactable Highlighting
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Additional Map Icons/Elements
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Campfires When Travelling
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Goddess Interactions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Statue Travel
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Statue Offering
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Goddess Curses
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Goddess Boons
ᅠᅠ• Attending Events
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Village Festivals
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Seasonal Events
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Pig Racing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Sheep Racing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Chicken Racing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Pig Auctions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Sheep Auctions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Chicken Auctions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Marble Minigame
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Squeal or No Squeal Minigame
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• (Other Minigames Likely to Come)
NPC'S
ᅠᅠ• Generations
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• First Generation NPC’s for Each Village
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Generic NPC Components for Future Generations
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Visual Aging for Life Stages
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• NPC Funerals
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Generational Family Feuds
ᅠᅠ• NPC Systems
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Schedules & Routines
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Reactions & Emotes
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Chat System
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Asking Favours
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Family Secret Boxes
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Birthdays & Favorite Items
ᅠᅠ• Pets
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Buying Pets
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Interacting with Pets
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Riding Pets
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Pet Whistle
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Pet Aging
MASTERS
ᅠᅠ• The Role of Masters
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Each Master Gives a List of Tasks
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Players Learn a New Ability for Each Completed Task
ᅠᅠ• Master Skills
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Melee Combat
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Ranged Combat
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Exploring
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Nature
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Gardening
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Fishing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Hook
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Drag
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Cooking
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Bard
MONSTERS
ᅠᅠ• Combat Zone Denizens
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Hobs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Nobs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Lobs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Nymphs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Forest Hag
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Remnants
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Jabberwock
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Fachen
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Barghest
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Dragon
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Banshee
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Buggane
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Plus some nasty surprises!
FAE
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Tir Na Nog
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Gnomes
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Fairies
ᅠᅠ• E’ergreen
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Mossmen
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Dryad
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Puck
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Green Children
ᅠᅠ• Briar
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Fel
ᅠᅠ• Voide
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Shimmerkyn
GENERATIONS
ᅠᅠ• Player’s Life
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Player Appearance Customisation
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌳 Kid Age Player Sprites
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Adult Age Player Sprites
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Elder Age Player Sprites
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Life Mirror
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Selecting Kynseed Inheritor
ᅠᅠ• Passing On Legacies
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Physical Possessions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Genetics
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Training
CHARACTER PROGRESSION
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Relationships
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Friendship
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Dating
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Marriage
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Copulation
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Children
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Orphanage Adoption
ᅠᅠ• Family
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Kynseed Tree
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• All Tree Growth Stages
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Branching Upgrade Tree (Literally)
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Nurture Children to Teach Skills
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Gain Positive/Negative Perks from Activities
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Choose Family Traits & Perks
ACTIVITIES
ᅠᅠ• Combat
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Additional Melee Weapons
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Range Weapons
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Combat Death & Fairweather Revival Cost
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Unlock Combat Abilities
ᅠᅠ• Farming
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Buy or Find Seeds
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Plant Seeds in Farming Areas
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Water Crops
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Fertilise Crops
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Upgrade Farming Tools
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Unlock Farming Abilities
ᅠᅠ• Fishing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Seasonal & Weather Dependent Fish
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Find Rare Fish
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Unlock Fishing Abilities
ᅠᅠ• Mining
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Mine for Ore in Dungeons or Caves
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Upgrade Tools for Better Materials
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Knockers!
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Digging
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Digging Minigame with Rewards
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Upgradeable Tools for Better Rewards
STORY DEVELOPMENT
ᅠᅠ• Sequences
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Scripted Cutscenes
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Mystery Events/Appearances
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Vignettes
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Among Other Surprises
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Mr Fairweather
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Returning to Fairweather
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Fairweather Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Yearly Tax
SHOPS
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Blacksmith
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Craft Weapons, Tools, & Other Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Use Different Ore Materials & Moulds
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Cabinet for Storing Crafted Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Add Augment Gems and Runes
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Goods Store
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Sell Various Goods & Animals
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Barter with Customers
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Display Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Feed & Care for Animals
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Simple Customisation of Store Decor
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Apothecary
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ🌰 Mix Powders, Potions, & Creams
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ🌰 Use Ingredients with Different Effects/Traits
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Herb Garden for Growing Ingredients
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ🌰 Cabinet for Storing Mixed Goods
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ🌰 Crafting Room
ᅠᅠ• Tavern
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Craft Beers to Sell
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Assign Beers to Kegs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Serve Local NPC’s
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Hire Entertainers
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Beer Crafting Process
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Malt Roasting
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Mashing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Boiling
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
ᅠᅠ• General Operation
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Open & Close Shop
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Customers Order at Counter
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Common & Rare Customer Types
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Ledger
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Manage Orders & Stock
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Set Employee Hours & Wages
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 View Profit/Loss Info
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 View Shop Status Info
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Rename Shop
ᅠᅠ• 🌰 Hiring Staff
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Hire Staff to Run the Store
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Local NPC’s Can Be Employed
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 NPC’s Have Different Job-Related Skills
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Staff Will Impact Business Reputation
ᅠᅠ• Reputation
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Businesses Can Gain or Lose Reputation
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Local Rep - The Village Level
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 World Rep - Word Travels at Higher Rep
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Personal Rep - Combined Total of Local/World Rep
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Business Gets Known for Highest Quality Item
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Can Earn Business Awards
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Unlock Shop Upgrades from Special Fae
INTERFACE
ᅠᅠ• New UI
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Kynseed Tree Interface
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Wheel of Delight
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Family Skills/Status
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Job Crafting Stations
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Font System Refinements
ᅠᅠ• Icons
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌱 Pop-Up Bubbles for Interactables
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• NPC Emotes/Reactions
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Inventory Items
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Control Icons (Keyboard, Mouse, & Gamepad)
CONTROLS
ᅠᅠ• Mouse, Keyboard, & Gamepad
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 Keyboard Remapping
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Gamepad Vibration Feedback
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Ongoing Improvements to Existing Controls
GENERAL ADDITIONS
ᅠᅠ• Writing
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Flavour Text
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Books
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Proverbs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• 🌰 More Dialogue Variety for NPC’s
ᅠᅠ• Other Systems
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Balancing (Economy, Combat, Etc.)
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Localisation Preparations
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Game Speed & File Size Optimizations
ᅠᅠ• Backer Rewards
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Backer Names in the Credits
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Digital Art Pack (Wallpapers, Posters, GIF’s)
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Digital Uncompressed Soundtrack
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Digital Lore Bible & Art Book
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• ComboSprite Editor
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Backer Named Wandering Fae
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Personalised Gravestone Epitaphs
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Custom Backer Statues
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Custom Backer Legendary Items
AMBIANCE
ᅠᅠ• Audio
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Music for All New Content
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Additional SFX for New Content
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Refine Volume Mixing for All Music/SFX
ᅠᅠ• Scenery
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Wildlife Creatures
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Squirrels
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Hares
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Different Birds
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Possibly Others
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Additional Weather Systems
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Particle Effects (Chimney Smoke, Etc.)
ᅠᅠᅠᅠ• Rooftops for Buildings
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ