If you can’t watch the video, you can read the article below:
Hi, this is Jan! 👋 Dungeon Realms Designer & CEO. We released our app to Google Play and App Store a few days ago. I hope you have a great adventure! While many features are implemented already, we still have a lot of work to do. Today I want to give you a complete overview of our roadmap. After that, I will tell you more about our company situation and our investors, and I’ll have a big ask for you.
3 Phases
We divided the roadmap into three phases.
The first phase is about completing mechanics and adding map combat.
The second phase enables people to use their creativity in our app - for Game Masters to build their worlds and for players to customize their characters better.
The third phase is about ensuring you always have someone to play with. We will introduce a new game mode.
Keep in mind that the User Experience and Art might be slightly different in the end. We might also switch, add, or remove some features from the roadmap based on technical difficulties once we thoroughly review it with our team. But still, this roadmap should give you a clear picture of our top priorities.
Phase 1: Combat & Mechanics
Out of Campaign Characters
Even if your character is not in any campaign, you’ll have access to its character sheet, and you’ll be able to edit it. We want to add this small but important feature as soon as possible.
Battle Map: Positioning
You will have a new tab in your campaign with a default grid map. You’ll be able to place characters, monsters, and NPCs on it. It will make it easier to run your battles. Players will be able to move their characters on the map on their own.
Game Time
GMs will be able to track time in their campaigns. You’ll be able to see for how long your campaign has been going. This will also come in handy once we have temporary effects. We will be able to check when, for example, a character stops being poisoned or when a torch stops functioning.
Things like combat rounds, rest, or a world map traveling will also affect the Game Time.
Rolling V2
There will be greater transparency for rolls. Your rolls will show appropriate modifiers, abilities, and other bonuses.
Chat Actions
Players, NPCs, and monsters will be able to use Chat Actions, even outside of Combat. You’ll be able to attack with weapons, cast spells, and use items or class features.
We believe it will add much value, especially for players, and make the game more interactive.
Improved Mechanics
This is a huge thing, which needs a whole separate article. In short, we will go over all racial traits, class features, and spells and make work as many of them as possible. We will also make conditions and exhaustion really affect your character sheet, rolls, and battles.
First, we will make work the first three levels. Then we’ll add more levels and subclasses.
Combat
We’ll add a Combat option to the map. When the Game Master taps on it, it will automatically create an Order of Combat out of creatures on the map. The GM will be able to reroll the initiative and start the Combat.
We will notify a player or GM when they’re up for their turns. For a turn, many options will be available - moving, attacking, casting, using class features, or even disengaging, dodging, or dashing. Hit points, conditions, feature charges, spell slots - the app will track all of it.
All creatures will go over their turns according to the initiative. Rounds will be added up automatically. The GM can end the Combat at any time.
Phase 2: World-building
Grid Map Builder
The map will have a new option - Build. Game Masters will be able to change the maps’ terrains and drag various objects and creatures on them. Maps will be huge, and there won’t be almost any limits on what you can build.
You will also be able to build multiple maps and start putting together a whole world for your campaign if you want to.
The best thing is that it will be possible to turn every map into a battlefield - so you’ll have a lot of fun creating combat challenges for your party.
We’re still exploring different art approaches. If you have an idea of what the map should look like in the app, let us know!
Line of Sight
There will be a third option for each map - Light. You will be able to set up a Bright Light, Dim Light, Darkness, or Magical Darkness. Based on that, creatures will be getting (dis)advantage on perception checks or getting a Blindness condition. Darkvision will also work!
We’ll also add the Line of Sight feature - so players won’t be able to see what’s behind the corner or a wall. Covers in Combat will work too!
Hex Map Builder
You will be able to create both grid maps and hex maps. Hex maps are for your world.
You’ll be able to link any hex map tiles to your grid maps. This way, you can create a whole network of locations and truly build your world.
We’re also exploring our art options on this one - so it will look better than on this mockup!
Character Avatar Builder
We’re still working on the UX of this feature, but we know it will enable you to customize your character. You’ll be able to play with their visuals - selecting hairstyles, facial features, skin tones, pieces of clothing, and much more.
See some examples of new character clothing we’ve prepared.
Content Management
We will simplify Content Management for Game Masters. You will have your collection of content (notes, maps, scenes, creatures, items...) which you can plug into any campaign and use immediately.
You’ll even be able to build your worlds outside of any campaign, and have fun, even not role-playing.
Phase 3: New Game Mode
At this point, you’ll have complete 5E role-playing automatic tools at your disposal. You’ll also be able to create any world you like and invite other people into it.
We will be working hard on how to connect everyone inside the app. Features such as a friend list or reviews will be on their way. The most important thing, however, will be a new Game Mode.
We don’t have a clear picture of what it will be, but we have some ideas in mind.
For example, in an Arena Game Mode, when you build a cool combat map, invite other players, and battle together against monsters. You won’t need a Game Master at all.
Or a Game Book mode - where a pre-made story with multiple options and map combat are sewed together. You’d be able to play it with your friends without a GM.
Or a PvP mode - different parties and even GMs can play against each other to climb up the Dungeon Realms leaderboard.
Once Phase 1 and Phase 2 are done, we will introduce some of these ideas and probably let you guys vote on what you want to see in the app.
The Big Ask
I’m pretty excited about this, and the whole Dungeon Realms team is excited too. We’re looking forward to releasing all these features to improve your experience.
We’ve already been working hard for a couple of years. It wasn’t easy to release both iOS and Android versions, figure out the right UX for the app, to do all the art and writing. We went through Kickstarter, Early Access, Covid, and team changes.
Luckily, we have private investors who have been supporting us for years now. We need them to keep doing so or find new investors. The app is not complete enough right now to attract enough role-players who might be able to support the studio. We believe it will be if we finish Phases 1 and 2 I just showed you.
And I believe I can get further support for this app. But I need evidence that we’re going the right way. That this plan will work. It will help me to convince investors to keep supporting us.
If you believe the roadmap I just showed you makes sense, I’d like to ask you to show your support by buying Fire Gems. All you need to do is go to the app, tap the Fire Gems button, and buy a Package. If you send me a screenshot of Fire Gems in your account, I will add your nickname and contribution to the Hall of Fame, which is available on your website. You can send it to jan@fireballrpg.com or Discord.
If there are enough of you, it will mean the world to me. Not only will investors see your interest in this app, but also that our plan is the right one.
You can spend the Fire Gems later for new adventures, monster miniatures, map assets, character assets, and other things. It’s just about buying them a little bit earlier.
Thank you for reading, being with us, and for your support! If you have any questions, I’d be really happy to answer them! 🧡
Have great adventures!