Auto Warz — Roadmap¶
Document Type: Project Management Version: 1.0 Status: Living Document — update as milestones are completed Last Updated: 2026-09-05 Vault destination:
04_Project ManagementParent Document:[01_Master GDD](<../01_Design Documents/01_Master GDD.md>)Related Documents:[02_Scope & MVP Document](<../01_Design Documents/02_Scope & MVP Document.md>)·[01_Technical Architecture Document](<../02_Technical Documents/01_Technical Architecture Document.md>)·[04_Factory & Resource System Design](<../01_Design Documents/Systems/04_Factory & Resource System Design.md>)⚠️ This filename has no numeric prefix, and must never be given one. Every other file in
04_Project Managementis prefixed. This one is the exception because BADE locates it by filename, not by path —01_ROADMAP.mdwould simply not be found. The filename is an interface. A consistency pass that adds a prefix here breaks an integration silently.
Top-down 3D factory automation, space exploration and RTS in Godot 4. Current work is development phase 2, Core Factory, inside release phase 1, Early Access.
⚠️ The phases in this document are development phases, not release phases. They are the build order. Release phases are owned by
[02_Scope & MVP Document](<../01_Design Documents/02_Scope & MVP Document.md>)and there are only two of them. The axes do not line up: development phase 2 is work inside release phase 1, and development phase 4, Multiplayer, is co-op, which ships in the Launch release, still Phase 1. See[04_Data Dictionary](<../05_Reference/04_Data Dictionary.md>)§0a.Milestone IDs (
M2.4,M3.1) are an interface. They are referenced across the vault and read by tooling. Never renumber them. If the build order changes, add milestones or mark them skipped.
Next¶
- Building Detail Panel: port configuration (M2.7)
- Building Detail Panel: recipe selection
- Building Detail Panel: module slots
Why this first. Three open items converge on this panel and nothing else does. OI-004 names it critical path for the port refactor — the largest piece of code work waiting — because ports default to
DISABLEDand configuration lives here, so the refactor cannot ship without it. OI-259 puts port reconfiguration here as an instant panel action. OI-320 puts recipe selection here. Port configuration is the half OI-004 is actually blocked on; the other two can follow without holding it.
Recently completed¶
Newest first. Absorbed from the former ROADMAP-COMPLETED.md.
- Resource schema replaced — 2026-08-28.
ResourceTierdropped forcategory,substance,typeandphaseacrossResourceDefinitionand all 19 resource.tresfiles. Closed OI-276. - Left and right flap panel system — 2026-07-05.
FlapBase,LeftFlap,RightFlapand their tabs, plusFactoryStats,NotificationCenterandUIEventsautoloads. - HUD components — 2026-04-03. Top bar, build toolbar with category popups, Genesis queue and minimap, with per-tab colours and icon labels.
- Genesis carry, fetch and build flow — 2026-03-31. Carry inventory with
carry_full, debounced fetch planning, and theScenarioTestRunnerscenarios that cover it. - Outpost Mode prototype — 2026-03-16. Multi-storey building generation, floor navigation, Genesis traversal and travel mode. Built outside the milestone sequence.
- M2.3 Pipe System — 2026-03-13. Pipe segments, networks and connectors, drag placement, pipe save/load, belt visual refresh, Genesis nav mesh pathfinding.
- M2.2.5 Genesis Redesign — 2026-03-01. Persistent build ghosts, autonomous
patrol and tasks, Plan and War mode toggles, right-click cancellation, independent
IoConnectors. - M2.2 Full Building Set (Processing) — 2026-02-27. GUT integration, passing unit tests, and the extraction, processing, storage, power, research and module crafter buildings.
- M2.1 Full Resource Set — 2026-02-27. Galaxy seed config, multi-input recipes, resource and recipe files.
- Phase 1 Prototype — 2026-02-24. Grid and camera, first building and resource, belt system, production chain, power system, Genesis bot, prototype session loop.
- Phase 0 Foundation — 2026-02-23. Development environment and project scaffolding.
The plan¶
Purpose and how to read this¶
This breaks the full Auto Warz development plan into concrete milestones ordered by priority. Each has a clear definition of done, so you know exactly when it is finished.
This is a living document. Update it when milestones complete, when scope changes, or when priorities shift. A roadmap that does not reflect reality is useless — which is the failure this file was merged to fix.
Each milestone follows the same shape: Goal, Deliverables, Definition of Done, Estimated Hours (a guide, never a deadline), and Unlocks.
Where we actually are¶
⚠️ The milestone numbering is not a sequence of progress. Do not read it as one.
The order in which milestones were planned and the order in which work actually happened have diverged, and reading the numbers as a queue produces exactly the wrong conclusion — that M2.4 is next because M2.3 is done.
| Milestone | Real state |
|---|---|
| M2.4 — Drone System | Skipped, not pending. Untouched. Its design was subsequently rewritten (see M2.4 below) |
| M2.5 — Train System | Skipped, not pending. Untouched |
| M2.6 — Construction Bot Bay | Skipped, not pending. Untouched |
| M2.7 — Basic HUD & UI | Roughly two-thirds built, out of order, and never marked |
| Outpost Mode | A working prototype, built entirely outside the milestone sequence |
Outpost Mode is deliberately not milestoned here, and its absence is not an oversight. It is a separate mode with its own roadmap at
[06_Outpost/09_Outpost Roadmap](<../06_Outpost/09_Outpost Roadmap.md>). Giving it M-numbers in this file would imply it sits on the critical path to Early Access, which it explicitly does not.
Design ran far ahead of code. Most of 2026 went into the design vault rather than
the engine: the power system, the port model, transport and logistics, pollution and
organics, and the research tree were all specified or reconciled while the code stayed
at roughly its March position. AGENTS.md is the authority on what actually exists —
read it before trusting any #done marker here.
Not implemented at all, despite appearing in data, documents or folder scaffolding: power simulation, research, modules, aliens, achievements, drones, trains, multiplayer.
Developer reality¶
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Development pace (original) | ~15–20 hrs/week (~850 hrs/year) |
| Development pace (actual) | AI-assisted — significantly faster |
| Tracking style | Feature-based milestones — done when done |
| First priority | Playable prototype as fast as possible |
| Engine | Godot 4, GDScript |
| AI assistance | Claude.ai (orchestration) + GitHub Copilot Pro (coding) |
| Phase 1 estimate (original) | ~115–184 hrs (~1–1.5 months at original pace) |
| Phase 1 actual | ~2 days (Feb 23–24, 2026) |
| Full game estimate (original) | ~4–5 years at original pace |
| Full game estimate (revised) | ~3–5 months to Early Access |
The Golden Rule: A rough playable game is worth more than a perfect unplayable one. Always prioritise getting something running over getting something right.
Timeline comparison¶
All dates assume Feb 23, 2026 as project start. Original pace assumes 17.5 hrs/week. AI-assisted pace is based on Phase 1 actual performance with a conservative slowdown for complexity, multiplayer and polish.
⚠️ Revised dates are optimistic estimates — multiplayer, art and audio will likely take longer than the formula suggests. Best-case targets, not deadlines. The Phase 2 target of mid-March 2026 has passed; see Where we actually are.
| Phase | Original Estimate | Original Target | AI-Assisted Estimate | Revised Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P0 — Foundation | 5–9 hrs | Feb 23, 2026 | ~2 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| P1 — Prototype | 115–184 hrs | Apr–Jun 2026 | ~2 days | ✅ Feb 24, 2026 |
| P2 — Core Factory | 195–300 hrs | Nov 2026–Mar 2027 | ~2–3 weeks | ⚠️ passed |
| P3 — Factory Depth | 195–270 hrs | Jun–Nov 2027 | ~2–3 weeks | Early Apr 2026 |
| P4 — Multiplayer | 105–165 hrs | Feb–Jun 2028 | ~2–3 weeks | Late Apr 2026 |
| P5 — Polish & EA | 165–260 hrs | Oct 2028–Apr 2029 | ~4–6 weeks | Early Jun 2026 |
| 🚀 Early Access Launch | ~Late 2028–Mid 2029 | ~Jun 2026 | ||
| Phase 6 — Space Layer | TBD | Post-EA | TBD | Post-EA |
| Phase 7 — War & Full Release | TBD | Post-EA | TBD | Post-EA |
Development Phase 0 — Foundation¶
Actual: ✅ Completed Feb 23, 2026
M0.1 — Development Environment #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M0.2 — Project Scaffolding #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
Development Phase 1 — Prototype¶
Actual: ✅ Completed Feb 24, 2026
M1.1 — Grid & Camera #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M1.2 — First Building & Resource #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M1.3 — Basic Belt System #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M1.4 — First Production Chain #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M1.5 — Basic Power System #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-23
M1.6 — Genesis Bot #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-24
M1.7 — Prototype Session Loop #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-24
🎉 Phase 1 — Prototype Complete.
Development Phase 2 — Core Factory¶
Goal: All Phase 1 resources, buildings and production chains exist and work. The factory is deep enough for 3–4 hours of solo play.
Original estimate: 195–300 hrs — target Nov 2026–Mar 2027 Revised estimate: ~2–3 weeks — target mid-March 2026 (passed)
M2.1 — Full Resource Set #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-27
Delivered:
- galaxy_seed added to GameManager.session_config
- RecipeDefinition multi-input refactor — inputs: Dictionary
- 17 new resource .tres files: 4 raw, 4 refined, 5 component, 4 fluid
- 9 new recipe .tres files
The
FLUID = 4tier delivered here was removed on 2026-08-28 and replaced bycategory/substance/type/phase. See Recently completed.
M2.2 — Full Building Set (Processing) #done¶
Completed: 2026-02-27
Delivered: - GUT 9.6.0 integrated and patched for Godot 4.6 - 70 unit tests passing across 3 test files - All extraction, processing, storage, power, research and module crafter buildings
M2.2.5 — Genesis Redesign #done¶
Completed: 2026-03-01
Delivered:
- Persistent translucent blue build ghosts with bottom-to-top progress fill
- Autonomous Genesis patrol loop and task execution
- Plan mode (P) and war mode (W) toggles
- Right-click ghost in world or task in queue to cancel
- IoConnector independence fix — survives adjacent building demolition
M2.3 — Pipe System #done¶
Completed: 2026-03-13
Delivered:
- PipeSegment — connects to all adjacent pipe faces automatically, arm-based visual,
fluid amount tracked per segment
- PipeSystem — registry and tick coordinator; _rebuild_networks() BFS bridges via
both input_face and output_face sides of adjacent PipeConnectors
- PipeNetwork — pair-equalisation fluid simulation (0.4 transfer rate, 0.5 dead-band),
oscillation-free on looping networks, O(edges) per tick
- PipeConnector — mirrors the IoConnector pattern, 10-unit buffer, chains
output→input with adjacent connectors
- FluidDefinition and all 4 fluid .tres files
- PLACE_PIPE and PLACE_PIPE_CONNECTOR task types
- Drag placement — Manhattan routing for belts and pipes, ghost pool reuse, camera pan
suppressed during drag
- Sentinel pattern — cells reserved in GridSystem at queue time, replaced on completion
- Belt connection-aware visuals — L/T/straight/cross from flow connections
- NavigationRegion3D + NavigationAgent3D pathfinding, rebaked after placement
- Save/load: null sentinel guard, Genesis task queue serialised, pipes and pipe
connectors serialised
- session_config["pipe_complexity"] — Basic / Standard / Full
Key design decisions locked:
- Fluid simulation uses pair-equalisation, not greedy pressure-sort propagation
- Pipe-to-pipe connectivity is automatic; PipeConnector provides directional control
- Belt visuals are connection-aware, computed from flow direction
- Genesis collision_mask = 0; nav mesh handles building avoidance
- Walk target is the nearest footprint edge cell, not the building centre
M2.4 — Drone System #todo¶
Rewritten 2026-08-30 (OI-298). The original list was built on a Drone Port, which no longer exists. Charging moved to the drone module, construction to a dedicated building, and fleet visibility to a HUD tab — a building with nothing left to do is worse than no building. Design authority:
[21_Drone Logistics Design](<../01_Design Documents/Logistics/21_Drone Logistics Design.md>).
- Drone module — a roof-slot module that is pickup point, dropoff, dock and charger
- Drone Pit — shared reserve of unassigned drones any route can draw on
- Pair routing: source module → destination module, where demand pulls and nothing is pushed
- Drones fly routes visually and charge while docked in their module
- Cache boxes — flat and assembled as two distinct items, box type configured at the module
- Trip conditions — a trip starts only when the destination has demand and the source has stock
- Drone status and fleet visibility in a HUD tab
Estimated Hours: 20–35 hrs
Blocked in practice by the port refactor (OI-004). Drones interact with ports at both ends of every route, so building this before the refactor means building it twice.
M2.5 — Train System #todo¶
- Rail track placeable (straight + curves auto-generated)
- Train Station building implemented
- Locomotive + Cargo Wagon entity
- Train follows rail to stations in schedule order
- Loading/unloading at stations via connected belts
- Rail Signal implemented (prevents collisions)
- Train schedule UI in station detail panel
Estimated Hours: 40–60 hrs
⚠️ Trains are the most complex logistics system. Budget extra time for edge cases.
M2.6 — Construction Bot Bay #todo¶
- Construction Bot Bay building implemented
- Bot Components production chain working
- Construction Bots produced and visible on map
- Bots operate independently of Genesis — separate task queue
- Build queue: player places ghosts → bots execute automatically
- Multiple bots work in parallel on different tasks
- Bots can be destroyed by aliens (placeholder — no aliens yet)
- Bot Depot building implemented
- Bot Bay research node gates this milestone
Estimated Hours: 25–40 hrs
M2.7 — Basic HUD & UI #partial¶
Roughly two-thirds built, out of order, and never marked until now (OI-036). Built well ahead of M2.4–M2.6, which remain untouched.
Built:
- Top bar — session timer, war mode toggle
- Build toolbar with category popups, building cards
- Genesis status chip and task queue
- Minimap
- Build / Plan mode toggle
- Left and right flap panel system with tabs
- Session menu (Escape) and settings screen
Not built:
- [ ] Building Detail Panel for all building types — the current next action
- [ ] Supply chain diagnostic overlay (O)
- [ ] Fluid network diagnostic overlay — pressure and temperature per segment
- [ ] Global Theme resource — all UI styling is currently code-built StyleBoxes
- [ ] TutorialManager autoload — step tracking, completion conditions, skip/resume
- [ ] Tutorial prompt panel — Genesis avatar, two-sentence prompts
- [ ] All 9 tutorial steps wired to existing game signals
- [ ] PlayerProfile.tutorial_complete and tutorial_step fields
Design reference:
[09_UI-UX Design Document](<../01_Design Documents/Interface/09_UI-UX Design Document.md>)·[10_Tutorial & Onboarding Design](<../01_Design Documents/Interface/10_Tutorial & Onboarding Design.md>)The Building Detail Panel must carry port configuration ([23_Port System Design](<../01_Design Documents/Systems/23_Port System Design.md>)§5.1b, §9a) and recipe selection ([04_Factory & Resource System Design](<../01_Design Documents/Systems/04_Factory & Resource System Design.md>)→ Recipe Selection). Neither existed when this milestone was first written.
Estimated Hours: 50–70 hrs
Development Phase 3 — Factory Depth¶
Goal: A full 8–10 hour solo play session is achievable and fun.
Original estimate: 195–270 hrs — target Jun–Nov 2027 Revised estimate: ~2–3 weeks — target early April 2026
M3.1 — Research System #todo¶
M3.2 — Module System #todo¶
M3.3 — Alien Enemy System #todo¶
M3.4 — Advanced Diagnostics #todo¶
Rescoped 2026-08-30 (OI-314). Previously Advanced Diagnostics & Factory Overview. The full-screen Factory Overview was removed in
[09_UI-UX Design Document](<../01_Design Documents/Interface/09_UI-UX Design Document.md>)v0.6 and its readouts distributed across the right flap;[05_Reference/04_Data Dictionary](<../05_Reference/04_Data Dictionary.md>)lists it as deprecated. The diagnostics half survives — supply chain overlay, shortage alerts and the Analytics tab — so this is a rescope, not a deletion.
M3.5 — Blueprint System #todo¶
M3.6 — Save & Load (Full) #todo¶
M3.7 — Procedural Planet Generation #todo¶
Development Phase 4 — Co-op Multiplayer¶
This is co-op, more than one account in one world, and it ships inside release phase 1: note that development phase 5 below is the Early Access launch. War multiplayer (many worlds into one war instance) is development phase 7. See
[04_Data Dictionary](<../05_Reference/04_Data Dictionary.md>)§0b.
Original estimate: 105–165 hrs — target Feb–Jun 2028 Revised estimate: ~2–3 weeks — target late April 2026
M4.1 — Basic Networking #todo¶
M4.2 — Multiplayer Factory Sync #todo¶
M4.3 — Multiplayer UX #todo¶
M4.4 — Headless Server Mode #todo¶
Development Phase 5 — Polish & Early Access¶
Original estimate: 165–260 hrs — target Oct 2028–Apr 2029 Revised estimate: ~4–6 weeks — target early June 2026
M5.1 — Balance Pass #todo¶
M5.2 — Art Pass #todo¶
⚠️ Scoped against a cel-shader direction that has since been dropped. Rescope or remove — tracked as OI-040.
M5.3 — Audio Pass #todo¶
M5.4 — Steam Integration #todo¶
M5.5 — Early Access Launch Prep #todo¶
🎉 Early Access Launch — Major milestone.
Development Phase 6 — Space Layer¶
Revised estimate: ~2–3 months post-EA — target Aug–Sep 2026
Development Phase 7 — War & Full Release¶
Revised estimate: TBD — target ~late 2026 to early 2027
Milestone summary¶
| Phase | Est. Hours | Original Target | Revised Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P0 — Foundation | 5–9 hrs | Feb 2026 | Feb 2026 | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| P1 — Prototype | 115–184 hrs | Apr–Jun 2026 | Feb 2026 | ✅ Feb 24, 2026 |
| P2 — Core Factory | 195–300 hrs | Nov 2026–Mar 2027 | Mid Mar 2026 | ⚠️ partial |
| P3 — Factory Depth | 195–270 hrs | Jun–Nov 2027 | Early Apr 2026 | |
| P4 — Multiplayer | 105–165 hrs | Feb–Jun 2028 | Late Apr 2026 | |
| P5 — Polish & EA | 165–260 hrs | Oct 2028–Apr 2029 | Early Jun 2026 | |
| 🚀 Early Access | Late 2028–Mid 2029 | ~Jun 2026 |
| Milestone | Est. Hours | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| M0.1 — Dev Environment | 2–4 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M0.2 — Project Scaffolding | 3–5 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.1 — Grid & Camera | 15–25 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.2 — First Building & Resource | 15–20 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.3 — Basic Belt System | 20–35 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.4 — First Production Chain | 15–25 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.5 — Basic Power System | 15–20 hrs | ✅ Feb 23, 2026 |
| M1.6 — Genesis Bot | 20–30 hrs | ✅ Feb 24, 2026 |
| M1.7 — Prototype Session Loop | 10–20 hrs | ✅ Feb 24, 2026 |
| M2.1 — Full Resource Set | 15–25 hrs | ✅ Feb 27, 2026 |
| M2.2 — Full Building Set | 25–40 hrs | ✅ Feb 27, 2026 |
| M2.2.5 — Genesis Redesign | 15–25 hrs | ✅ Mar 1, 2026 |
| M2.3 — Pipe System | 40–60 hrs | ✅ Mar 13, 2026 |
| M2.4 — Drone System | 20–35 hrs | skipped |
| M2.5 — Train System | 40–60 hrs | skipped |
| M2.6 — Construction Bot Bay | 25–40 hrs | skipped |
| M2.7 — Basic HUD & UI | 50–70 hrs | ⚠️ ~2/3 built |
| M3.1 — Research System | 45–65 hrs | |
| M3.2 — Module System | 35–55 hrs | |
| M3.3 — Alien Enemy System | 40–60 hrs | |
| M3.4 — Advanced Diagnostics | 20–30 hrs | |
| M3.5 — Blueprint System | 20–35 hrs | |
| M3.6 — Save & Load (Full) | 20–30 hrs | |
| M3.7 — Procedural Planet Gen | 25–40 hrs | |
| M4.1 — Basic Networking | 40–60 hrs | |
| M4.2 — Multiplayer Factory Sync | 35–55 hrs | |
| M4.3 — Multiplayer UX | 15–25 hrs | |
| M4.4 — Headless Server Mode | 15–25 hrs | |
| M5.1 — Balance Pass | 40–60 hrs | |
| M5.2 — Art Pass | 60–100 hrs | |
| M5.3 — Audio Pass | 25–40 hrs | |
| M5.4 — Steam Integration | 20–30 hrs | |
| M5.5 — EA Launch Prep | 20–30 hrs | |
| 🚀 Early Access Launch | ~Jun 2026 |
Revision history¶
| Version | Date | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | 2026-02-22 | Initial draft |
| 0.2 | 2026-02-26 | Timeline comparison table, actual completion dates for M0.1–M1.7 |
| 0.3 | 2026-02-27 | M2.1 marked complete |
| 0.4 | 2026-02-27 | M2.2 marked complete |
| 0.5 | 2026-02-27 | M2.2.5 inserted; M2.3–M2.7, M3.1, Phase 6–7 expanded |
| 0.6 | 2026-03-01 | M2.2.5 marked complete |
| 0.7 | 2026-03-13 | M2.3 Pipe System marked complete |
| 1.0 | 2026-08-30 | Three roadmaps merged into one. Absorbed docs/ROADMAP.md (the BADE worklist) and docs/ROADMAP-COMPLETED.md, both now deleted, into what was 01_Development Roadmap.md. The BADE contract is now structural — Next is the first section and the first - [ ] in the file is the next action by construction, rather than by luck. Five months backfilled (OI-036) and a Where we actually are section added, because the numbering read as linear progress when it is not: M2.4–M2.6 were skipped, M2.7 was built out of order and never marked, and Outpost Mode sits outside the sequence entirely. M2.4 rewritten (OI-298) — the Drone Port no longer exists. M3.4 rescoped (OI-314) — the Factory Overview was removed; the diagnostics half survives. Next action set to the Building Detail Panel, which OI-004, OI-259 and OI-320 all converge on. |