Short Term
What we’re working on right now, or within the next month.
Measurement Tools for Combat
Tools that allow players to measure paths and straight lines, and then move their characters along them, subject to GM approval. This allows us to run turn-based combat much more effectively.
Target Tracker
XCOM-like HUD that shows players all visible/targetable enemies and allies. Links smoothly into Foundry’s targeting system for combat.
Milestone: Steam Demo Release
We’re releasing the Steam demo to the general public as soon as we feel Merlin is usable enough to run basic combat with Foundry. At this stage, Merlin is usable, but has some major shortcomings:
- Lack of content other than Unreal marketplace assets
- No streamlined way to share or sell content
- Lots of half-finished features, rough UI etc.
Gravity Controls
We need to be able to alter gravity for objects and creatures.
Video Settings + Optimisation
The test stream revealed that we really needed to improve performance for bad to mediocre PCs. Adding some video settings options + performance improvements to demo scene.
Medium Term
Bare minimum of features we want to finish before considering Merlin out of “Early Access”.
SDK Release
The free version of the SDK will be a tool that makes packaging content for Merlin easier, and allows you to do things like name assets, add tags and thumbnails, etc. Note that the SDK is not required to make content for Merlin: all you need is a free install of Unreal Editor 5 (but the free SDK plugin is easier to use than doing it all manually).
The paid version of the SDK will cost around $15, will contain all the tools of the free version, and will give you full access to all of Merlin’s editor binary files, which enables you to create more complex scripts and mods that integrate with Merlin’s interface.
UI Overhaul
Most of Merlin’s UI is placeholder (looks like shit). We need to spend a serious couple of weeks at some point just improving the look of everything.
Select Tool Improvements + Polish
Existing translate tool needs to be much nicer to use. Transform and scale tools needed. More options like snapping, axis aligning also possibly needed.
Spawn Tool Improvements + Polish
Need to be able to search by tags, by package, by material. Some options to set whether spawned objects are visible to players, have gravity, etc.
Advanced Measurement Tools
Tools to measure AOEs, jump gaps, a couple of other things.
Dice Tool
The current 3D dice tool is unfinished, and needs to be properly integrated with Foundry.
Hierarchy Window
Currently half-finished. Should be usable to select any object in the scene, and search by name, type and group.
Content Roadmap
We plan to begin producing and selling custom maps and adventures for both Merlin and Foundry VTT. This will inform the development of Merlin’s core systems, but will be tracked in a separate roadmap.
Environmental + Lighting Effect controls
System for easily controlling time of day, fog presets etc.
Vision + Darkness system
System for implementing in 3D things like Fog Cloud, Darkness and dim light, in different game systems, integrated with Foundry, and working in conjunction with the above control system.
Merlin Store + Workshop
We’re working on a streamlined system that will make it much easier for users to share their created content with their own players, and to sell them to other users while protecting them from piracy.
Basic Spells
We showed off the web spell in the early trailers – we want to have at least a handful of spells available to all users, probably at least: Web, Fireball, Open/Close, Mage Hand, Grease, Entangle. Larger sets of spells will likely be sold separately as future add-on content.
Long Term
Future features we hope to eventually get to. Some may become paid add-ons, modules, or DLC.
Browser-Only Mode
Series of systems that would allow players to play fully in a browser with specially prepared maps, with only the host needing to run Merlin.
Character Creator
Not sure if this is needed given existing tools for Unreal Engine. We might just license some version of a tool to make it easily available to Merlin usrs.
Talespire Integration
Ctrl + v Talespire maps into Merlin. Not sure if we are legally allowed to do this lol but it would be easy to make, and once it’s out there it can always just be used as an unofficial mod.
3D Inventory
Simulate exactly where your spell component pouch is on your belt in extremely autistic detail.