AeThex-Engine-Core/docs/WELCOME_SCREEN_PLAN.md

Custom Welcome Screen Implementation Plan

Overview

The AeThex Engine welcome screen will provide a modern, branded onboarding experience that highlights AeThex's unique features and helps users get started quickly.

Files to Modify

Primary Files:

• engine/editor/project_manager/project_manager.cpp - Main project manager
• engine/editor/project_manager/project_manager.h - Header file

customization Points:

1. Branding Elements

Window Title (Already Done via version.py)

The project manager will now show "AeThex Engine - Project Manager"

Welcome Panel

Location: Create new panel in project_manager.cpp

Content:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [AeThex Logo]  AeThex Engine           │
│                                         │
│  Next-Generation Game Engine            │
│  • AI-Powered Development               │
│  • Cloud-First Architecture             │
│  • Modern Developer Tools               │
│                                         │
│  [New Project]  [Open Project]          │
│  [Import Project]                       │
│                                         │
│  Quick Start:                           │
│  • First Game Tutorial →                │
│  • Documentation →                      │
│  • Sample Projects →                    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

2. Custom Features Panel

Getting Started Section

• Interactive tutorial launcher
• Video tutorials embedded/linked
• Sample project templates
• Community showcases

What's New Section

• Latest AeThex features
• Update notifications
• Blog/news feed integration

Resource Links

• Documentation (searchable)
• Discord Community
• Asset Marketplace (future)
• GitHub Repository

3. Visual Customizations

Color Theme

Apply AeThex cyan/purple gradient:

// In _update_theme()
Color aethex_primary = Color(0.0, 0.851, 1.0); // #00D9FF
Color aethex_secondary = Color(0.545, 0.361, 0.965); // #8B5CF6
Color aethex_dark = Color(0.118, 0.118, 0.180); // #1E1E2E

Custom Panels

• Rounded corners with glow effect
• Gradient backgrounds
• Smooth animations
• Modern card-based layout

4. Implementation Steps

Step 1: Add Welcome Panel Widget

// In ProjectManager class
Control *welcome_panel = nullptr;

void _create_welcome_panel() {
    welcome_panel = memnew(PanelContainer);
    // Add logo, text, buttons
}

Step 2: Add Quick Links

LinkButton *docs_link = memnew(LinkButton);
docs_link->set_text("Documentation");
docs_link->connect("pressed", callable_mp(this, &ProjectManager::_open_docs));

Step 3: Add Template Selector

OptionButton *template_selector = memnew(OptionButton);
template_selector->add_item("2D Platformer Starter");
template_selector->add_item("3D First-Person Template");
template_selector->add_item("UI/Menu Template");
// etc.

Step 4: Recent Projects Enhancement

• Add project screenshots/thumbnails
• Show project stats (last modified, file size)
• Quick actions (Run, Edit, Remove)
• Tag system for organization

5. Advanced Features (Future)

Cloud Integration

• Sign in with AeThex account
• Sync projects across devices
• Cloud-based collaboration
• Remote project management

AI Assistant Welcome

• "What would you like to create today?"
• AI-powered project setup
• Smart template recommendation
• Code generation quick start

Analytics & Insights

• Usage statistics (optional opt-in)
• Performance recommendations
• Community trends
• Popular assets/tools

6. Code Structure

New File: engine/editor/project_manager/aethex_welcome_panel.h

class AeThexWelcomePanel : public PanelContainer {
    GDCLASS(AeThexWelcomePanel, PanelContainer);
    
private:
    VBoxContainer *main_container;
    TextureRect *logo_display;
    RichTextLabel *welcome_text;
    HBoxContainer *quick_actions;
    
    void _on_new_project();
    void _on_quick_tutorial();
    void _on_open_docs();
    
protected:
    static void _bind_methods();
    
public:
    void update_theme();
    AeThexWelcomePanel();
};

New File: engine/editor/project_manager/aethex_welcome_panel.cpp

Implementation of the welcome panel with all AeThex branding and quick actions.

7. Testing Checklist

• Logo displays correctly
• All links open correctly
• Theme matches AeThex colors
• Buttons are responsive
• Keyboard navigation works
• Scales properly on different resolutions
• Translations work (TTR macros)
• Animation performance is smooth

8. Future Enhancements

Phase 1 (Month 1-2)

• Basic branding and layout
• Quick links functional
• Custom color theme

Phase 2 (Month 3-4)

• Template system
• Interactive tutorials
• Project thumbnails

Phase 3 (Month 5-6)

• Cloud integration
• AI assistant preview
• Analytics dashboard

Phase 4 (Month 6+)

• Full feature parity with vision
• Community showcase
• Marketplace integration

Implementation Priority

High Priority (Do First):

1. ✅ Window title and branding (Done via version.py)
2. Custom welcome message
3. AeThex-styled buttons and panels
4. Quick link buttons

Medium Priority (Do Soon):

1. Template project system
2. Getting started tutorial
3. News/updates panel
4. Enhanced recent projects view

Low Priority (Do Later):

1. Cloud integration UI
2. AI assistant interface
3. Analytics dashboard
4. Community features

Current Status

Completed:

• Engine name branding
• Logo files
• Color scheme defined

Next Steps:

• Create aethex_welcome_panel.h/cpp
• Integrate into project_manager.cpp
• Add custom styling
• Test and refine

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Note: The welcome screen is a complex UI component. Start with simple text/button customizations, then gradually add more sophisticated features as the project matures.