docs: Add comprehensive product roadmap and feature architecture

- Full product vision from basic IDE to game dev ecosystem
- 8-phase roadmap covering visual scripting, marketplace, AI, analytics
- Detailed architecture for priority features
- Revenue model and competitive positioning
- Tech stack evolution plan
- Success metrics and timeline

2026-01-23 22:38:27 +00:00

18 KiB

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AeThex Studio - Product Roadmap & Vision

Current State: Basic IDE

What we have now is essentially a code editor with some templates. That's table stakes.

Vision: The Unity/Unreal for Cross-Platform Metaverse Development

AeThex should be the one-stop platform where creators build once and deploy everywhere - with visual tools, AI assistance, marketplace, collaboration, and analytics.

PHASE 1: Core IDE Enhancement (Foundation)

1.1 Visual Scripting System

Why: 70% of Roblox creators are visual learners / non-coders

┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐
│ On Player   │───▶│ Check if    │───▶│ Give Item   │
│ Touch Part  │    │ Has Pass    │    │ to Player   │
└─────────────┘    └─────────────┘    └─────────────┘

Node-based editor (like Unreal Blueprints)
Drag-and-drop logic blocks
Auto-generates Lua/Verse/TS code
Bi-directional: edit nodes OR code

1.2 Live Game Preview

Why: Can't test code without leaving the IDE

Embedded Roblox-like 3D viewport
Hot-reload code changes
Console output in real-time
Breakpoints and step debugging
Mobile device preview mode

1.3 Real-time Collaboration

Why: Teams need to work together

Google Docs-style multiplayer editing
Cursor presence (see teammates typing)
Voice/video chat integration
Code review comments inline
Conflict resolution

1.4 Version Control (Built-in Git)

Why: Professional teams need proper VCS

Visual git interface (no command line needed)
Branch visualization
Pull request workflow
Auto-commit on save (optional)
Integration with GitHub/GitLab

PHASE 2: Asset Pipeline & Creation Tools

2.1 3D Scene Editor

Why: Visual level design is essential

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Scene View                    │ Inspector      │
│ ┌──────────────────────────┐  │ ┌────────────┐ │
│ │      🎮                  │  │ │ Transform  │ │
│ │    ┌───┐                 │  │ │ X: 0  Y: 5 │ │
│ │    │   │  👤             │  │ │ Z: 10     │ │
│ │    └───┘                 │  │ ├────────────┤ │
│ │  ████████████            │  │ │ Scripts    │ │
│ └──────────────────────────┘  │ │ + Add      │ │
│ Hierarchy    │ Assets         │ └────────────┘ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Drag-drop object placement
Terrain editor
Lighting system
Physics simulation
Cross-platform export (Roblox .rbxl, UEFN .umap)

2.2 Asset Library & Manager

Why: Games need models, textures, sounds

Built-in asset browser
Import: FBX, OBJ, GLB, PNG, WAV, MP3
Auto-optimization per platform
Asset variants (LODs, mobile versions)
AI-powered asset generation (text-to-3D, text-to-texture)

2.3 Animation Editor

Why: Bring characters to life

Timeline-based animation
Skeletal animation support
Blend trees and state machines
Animation retargeting (apply human anim to any rig)
Procedural animation tools

2.4 Particle System Editor

Why: Visual effects are crucial

Visual particle editor
Real-time preview
Presets library (fire, smoke, magic, etc.)
Cross-platform particle export

2.5 Audio Workstation (Basic)

Why: Sound design matters

Waveform editor
Spatial audio setup
Music sequencer (simple)
Sound effect library
Adaptive audio triggers

PHASE 3: AI-Powered Development

3.1 AI Code Generation (Not Just Translation)

Why: "Build me a combat system" should work

User: "Create a round-based game system with 3 minute rounds,
       team scoring, and a lobby between rounds"

AI: [Generates complete system with:]
    - RoundManager.lua
    - TeamScoring.lua
    - LobbySystem.lua
    - UI components
    - All connected and working

3.2 AI Game Designer

Why: Help with game design, not just code

"What mechanics would make this more fun?"
"Balance these weapon stats"
"Suggest monetization that isn't predatory"
Playtest analysis and suggestions

3.3 AI Asset Generation

Why: Not everyone can do art

Text-to-3D model generation
Text-to-texture
AI music generation
AI sound effects
Style transfer (make assets match your game's style)

3.4 AI Bug Detection

Why: Find issues before players do

Static analysis with AI reasoning
"This loop might cause lag because..."
Security vulnerability detection
Memory leak detection
Cross-platform compatibility warnings

3.5 AI Documentation

Why: Nobody likes writing docs

Auto-generate code comments
API documentation from code
Tutorial generation from codebase
Changelog generation from commits

PHASE 4: Marketplace & Economy

4.1 AeThex Marketplace

Why: Creators want to monetize; buyers want shortcuts

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🏪 AeThex Marketplace                    [Search]   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Featured                                            │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐    │
│ │ Combat  │ │ Vehicle │ │ Fantasy │ │ UI Kit  │    │
│ │ System  │ │ Physics │ │ Assets  │ │ Pro     │    │
│ │ ⭐4.9   │ │ ⭐4.7   │ │ ⭐4.8   │ │ ⭐5.0   │    │
│ │ $15     │ │ $25     │ │ $40     │ │ $10     │    │
│ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘    │
│                                                     │
│ Categories: Scripts | 3D Models | UI | Audio | FX   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Sell scripts, assets, templates, full game kits
Revenue split (80/20 creator/AeThex)
Ratings and reviews
License management
Cross-platform asset conversion included

4.2 Creator Subscriptions

Why: Recurring revenue for top creators

Creators can offer subscription access
Patreon-style tiers
Early access to new content
Direct support/consulting

4.3 Commission System

Why: Connect creators with developers who need custom work

Post job: "Need inventory system, $500 budget"
Verified creators can bid
Escrow payment system
Portfolio and reviews

PHASE 5: Deployment & Analytics

5.1 One-Click Deploy

Why: Getting code into games is painful

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🚀 Deploy to Platform                   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ☑ Roblox        [Connected] [Deploy]    │
│ ☑ UEFN          [Connected] [Deploy]    │
│ ☐ Spatial       [Connect Account]       │
│ ☐ Core Games    [Connect Account]       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Deploy Options:                         │
│ ☑ Run validation checks                 │
│ ☑ Optimize for platform                 │
│ ☐ Deploy to staging first               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

OAuth with each platform
Direct publish to Roblox experiences
UEFN island deployment
Automatic platform optimization
Rollback support

5.2 CI/CD Pipeline

Why: Professional development workflow

Automated testing on commit
Lint and format checks
Cross-platform compatibility tests
Staging → Production workflow
Scheduled deployments

5.3 Analytics Dashboard

Why: Data-driven game development

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 📊 Game Analytics - "Epic Battle Sim"               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Players (7 days)          Revenue (7 days)          │
│ ┌─────────────────┐       ┌─────────────────┐       │
│ │    📈 +23%      │       │    📈 +15%      │       │
│ │  ╱            ╲ │       │      ╱╲         │       │
│ │ ╱              ╲│       │    ╱    ╲       │       │
│ │╱                │       │  ╱        ╲     │       │
│ └─────────────────┘       └─────────────────┘       │
│ 45.2K daily active         $12.4K this week         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Retention    │ Monetization  │ Performance          │
│ D1: 42%      │ ARPU: $0.28   │ Avg FPS: 58          │
│ D7: 18%      │ Conv: 3.2%    │ Crash rate: 0.1%     │
│ D30: 8%      │ LTV: $1.85    │ Load time: 2.3s      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Cross-platform unified analytics
Player behavior tracking
Funnel analysis
A/B testing built-in
Revenue tracking
Performance monitoring
Error tracking (Sentry integration)

5.4 Performance Profiler

Why: Optimize before deploying

CPU/GPU usage graphs
Memory allocation tracking
Script execution time
Network usage (for multiplayer)
Platform-specific bottleneck detection
"This function runs 500x/second, consider caching"

PHASE 6: Multiplayer & Backend

6.1 Backend-as-a-Service

Why: Multiplayer games need servers

Managed game servers
Real-time databases (like Firebase)
Player authentication
Leaderboards
Matchmaking
Cloud saves
No server code needed (visual configuration)

6.2 Multiplayer Testing

Why: Can't test multiplayer alone

Spawn multiple test clients
Simulate latency/packet loss
Record and replay sessions
Bot players for testing

6.3 Economy Management

Why: In-game currencies are complex

Virtual currency management
Item database
Trading system
Anti-cheat for economy
Cross-platform wallet

PHASE 7: Community & Learning

7.1 Learning Platform

Why: Grow the next generation

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🎓 AeThex Academy                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Your Progress: Level 12 | 2,400 XP      │
│ ████████████░░░░░░░░ 60% to Level 13    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Current Course: Combat Systems          │
│ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐        │
│ │ ✅  │ │ ✅  │ │ 🔵  │ │ ⚪  │        │
│ │ 1   │ │ 2   │ │ 3   │ │ 4   │        │
│ └─────┘ └─────┘ └─────┘ └─────┘        │
│ Lesson 3: Hitboxes and Damage           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🏆 Achievements                         │
│ [First Script] [100 Lines] [Published]  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Interactive coding lessons
Video tutorials
Challenges with XP rewards
Certifications
Mentorship matching

7.2 Community Hub

Why: Creators need community

Project showcases
Forums / Discord integration
Game jams (hosted by AeThex)
Creator spotlights
Job board

7.3 Creator Certification Program

Why: Verified expertise matters

Skill assessments
Platform-specific certifications
Verified badges on marketplace
Enterprise hiring pipeline

PHASE 8: Enterprise & Teams

8.1 Team Workspaces

Why: Studios need organization

Organization accounts
Role-based permissions
Project organization
Shared asset libraries
Team analytics

8.2 Enterprise Features

Why: Big studios have big needs

SSO/SAML integration
Audit logs
Compliance tools
Dedicated support
Custom SLAs
On-premise option

8.3 White-Label Solution

Why: Some companies want their own version

Branded IDE for game studios
Custom template libraries
Internal marketplaces
Integration with existing tools

Revenue Model

Free Tier

Full IDE access
3 projects
Community support
Basic templates
1GB asset storage

Pro ($15/mo)

Unlimited projects
AI code generation (100 requests/day)
Advanced analytics
Priority support
50GB asset storage
Marketplace selling (85/15 split)

Team ($40/user/mo)

Everything in Pro
Real-time collaboration
Team workspaces
Version control
CI/CD pipelines
200GB shared storage

Enterprise (Custom)

Everything in Team
SSO/SAML
Dedicated support
Custom SLAs
Unlimited storage
On-premise option

Tech Stack Evolution

Current

Next.js → React → Monaco Editor → localStorage

Target

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    FRONTEND                          │
│  Next.js │ React │ Three.js │ Monaco │ Y.js (CRDT)  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                    BACKEND                           │
│  Node.js │ tRPC │ Prisma │ PostgreSQL │ Redis       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                 INFRASTRUCTURE                       │
│  Vercel │ AWS S3 │ CloudFlare │ Planetscale         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                   SERVICES                           │
│  Stripe │ Clerk Auth │ Liveblocks │ Sentry │ Posthog│
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                      AI                              │
│  Claude API │ OpenAI │ Replicate (3D Gen)           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Priority Implementation Order

NOW (Next 2-3 months)

✅ Avatar Toolkit (DONE)
🔄 Visual Scripting MVP
🔄 Live Game Preview (embedded)
🔄 Asset Library v1

NEXT (3-6 months)

Real-time Collaboration
Built-in Git
AI Code Generation v2
Marketplace MVP

LATER (6-12 months)

Scene Editor
Animation Editor
Analytics Dashboard
One-Click Deploy
Backend-as-a-Service

FUTURE (12+ months)

Enterprise Features
Learning Platform
Full Marketplace
Mobile App

Competitive Positioning

Feature	Roblox Studio	Unity	Unreal	AeThex
Browser-based	❌	❌	❌	✅
Cross-platform export	❌	Partial	❌	✅
AI code translation	❌	❌	❌	✅
Visual scripting	❌	✅	✅	🔄
Built-in marketplace	✅	✅	✅	🔄
Real-time collab	❌	Partial	❌	🔄
Free tier	✅	✅	✅	✅
Learning built-in	Partial	❌	❌	🔄

Our edge: Browser-based + Cross-platform + AI-native

Success Metrics

Year 1

50,000 registered users
5,000 monthly active creators
500 marketplace listings
$100K GMV on marketplace

Year 2

250,000 registered users
25,000 monthly active creators
5,000 marketplace listings
$1M GMV on marketplace
100 paying teams

Year 3

1M registered users
100,000 monthly active creators
25,000 marketplace listings
$10M GMV on marketplace
500 paying teams
10 enterprise clients

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