1. Feature and Interface Polishing.
2. Developer Manual and API Documentation, along with more Video tutorials.
3. Performance Optimizations.
4. Web Player released.
5. Programming API usable and clean.
6. Full .NET Scripting integrated with Visual Studio for full Edit-and-Continue productivity! 
7. Full world deployment capability. 
8. One-Click Web Publishing from Visual3D
9. Redesigned Web Player (possibly for v1.1)

Version 1.1 - Patch Release, TBD

1. High Priority Bug Fixes for existing features.
2. Interior Support with elegance and optimizations.  Integrated with outdoor scenes, sensibly.
3. Top-notch large and medium scale Terrains, with AAA rendering quality and tool support.   Better integration with outside tools, like Grome.
4. Further top priority enhancements defined by our community.
5. Interior support added to tool set.  Will not be elegant, but will start providing this functionality.
6. Gui Editing Tools completed.
7. Enhancements to Art Path.
8. Import/Export of Visual3D scenes, terrains, and other assets.
9. Re-Introduction of the Networking component for multi-player and "Realmware Online" lobby (it's been working for almost 2 years now, but we haven't packaged for easy re-use yet).
10. Add the PhysX plugin, for more advanced physics features and performance.
11. Introduction of the Web Player, for easier deployment.  Here it will just run locally inside your browser as a proof-of-concept.
12. Support for binding more than one mesh to single skeleton, to provide more more convenient model workflow and replaceable (or optional) parts.

Version 1.5 - Xbox 360 Support

Version 2.0: (Target Date: TBD)
 

1. Advanced Asset library management (intuitive incorporation of 3rdparty Asset Libraries, and publishing of your own).
2. Robust Art Path, supporting a number of new formats (currently support only .mesh, and .DAE.  Will add support for formats such as OpenFlight, .FBX, .X, .OBJ).
3. Web Player elegance, including streamed assets JIT, and a full-proof installer.
4. Introduction of Advanced Scene Portals, and large-scale spatial management (to support inter-planetary simulations and games).
5. Introduction of Collaborative Design Mode.
6. One-Click Deployment.
7. More Documentation and Tutorials.
8. More sample content packages for various genres (e.g. RPG, RTS, FPS).
9. Essential Security Features.
10. More robust and advanced networking.
11. Introduction of MMO Features.                 

Previous Releases

 
V0.9.5 ("Beta 5.0") - Features:  (Target Date: Monday, September 14th, 2009) - RELEASED!

V0.9.4 ("Beta 4.0") - Features: (June 6th, 2009) - RELEASED!

1. [Done] Terrain Tool set bug fixes, and user interface enhancements to make work flow more intuitive, friendly and efficient.
2. [Done] Physics, to make integration into your own scenes more intuitive and easy.
3. [Done] Particle Editor, to take it to a level of usability that let's you modify the particles in any of your scenes, easily.
4. [Done] Cinematic Control, with a better interface for setting up more cinematics (not just camera).
5. [Partial] Configuration of controls and AI for your own custom models.  Elegance added to this workflow.
6. [Parital] Gui Editor, 1st cut, with nominal functionality.
7. [Partial] Reconstruction of some scenes to make use of our Component Model, so that there will be a sufficient degree of editability to our demo scenes.
8. [Partial] Reconstruction of the main Avatar class (and derivatives) to make configuration of Avatars and other smart-objects more dynamic and editiable from Architect.
9. [Done] PSSM - Parallel Split Shadow Map technique to provide the next level of quality in our shadowing techniques.  They look awesome.
10. [Done] New Water, taking it to the next level of performance and realism.  You will love it.
11. [Partial] QuadTree spatial manager introduced, for more efficient handling of high content scenes.
12. [Not Done] New Demos, including one for Vehicle Physics, where you can modify the ramps and track.
13. [Done] New Lost Isle 3, with enhancements.
14. [Not Done] Easier configuration of Input Handling.
15. [Done] Many miscellaneous fixes.
16.  

 V0.9.3 ("Beta 3.3") - Features: (Target Date: February 14th - Valentines Day!) - RELEASED!

Note: Recent slip from Jan 31st to Feb 14th incurred to enable key staff members to give priority attention to a paying business client who needs a vital demo completed this week.  This client is largely responsible for the good health of our company for the past 18 months, and they definitely deserve (and need) this priority attention from us.  Thanks for your understanding. :)  We've also delayed it more to fix a few more critical bugs to ensure a better user experience.

1. More stablization of the API.  We're more than half done for Beta 3.2.  It's time to finish the job.  <-- Progress was made, but still much to be done.  We'll post a baseline dump of our API documentation for this release, so you can all see the state of things.  We will break this API for the next few beta releases though.
    
2. Particle Editor - 1st cut! <-- Done.  If you select a Particle System in the scene and then you can edit it.  It's only a preview of what is to come though, since saving your edits won't really affect the scene content yet....  In Beta 3.4, this will be truly usable for nearly all scenes, and all new scenes as well.
    
3. Cinematic Camera Controller and Design Panel (as shown in the video tutorial, but now even more improved since then).  <-- it's working.  Check it out.
    
4. Entity Editor Mode - next cut.  Many improvements here.
   1. Entity View Mode, enables viewing of single entities.  <-- this works, but has some issues that will be resolved for Beta 3.4.
   2. Facilitates the importing of new Models, and hooking them up with Attachment points, User Controls, Animation, and AI.  <-- This is mostly working, although the procedure to make it work aren't so elegant yet.  Look for more elegance in Beta 3.4.  I'll add a tutorial for how to do some of this, this week.
       
5. Improvements to Terrain Tools.
   1. Importing from existing terrain tools (e.g. Grome, GeoControl, World Machine, Terragen). <-- it works.  Try out the tutorial on Importing New Terrain found on our wiki here.
   2. Enhanced Terrain Tools Panel. <-- It's enhanced, but it's still due for a total facelift targeted for Beta 3.4, and more efficiencies to workflow are also targeted for Beta 3.4.
   3. Fix many bugs <-- Yep.  Some key functions for terrain importing, morphing, and painting now work!
   4. Enable users to create new terrain (and reuse) or edit existing terrain with less headache.  <-- it works.
       
6. Enhancements to Scripting.  Aiming for next level of usability.
   1. TBD -- will add soon.  <-- still waiting on more descriptions of this from our Scripting Specialist.
   2. Camera Cinematic Controls added.  This is part of the scripting system.  <-- done, but more enhancements are already being done for Beta 3.4.
       
7. Enhancements to Physics.  Aiming for next level of usability.
   
   1. TBD -- will add at release.  <-- waiting on more description from our Physics Specialist.
8. Documentation and Tutorials for a couple of these:  <-- We've added 4 tutorials since the release, and have plans to add a half-dozen more this week.
   1. .NET Programming API   <--- I'll make a dump of the current API this week.
   2. Art Path - importing models, terrains, and configuring their materials, and other adjustments.  
   3. Terrain Toolset.
   4. Particle Editor
   5. Physics Design Mode
   6. Scripting
   7. TimeLines and Cinematics
   8. Full Morph Animation support.
       
9. Make use of the new Component and Script model, to achieve the following:
   1. Import your own models, and attach key maps, behaviors, triggers, and scripts (i.e. "bring them to life")  <-- partially done, as mentioned above.  Tutorial for this will be added this week.
   2. Reconstruction of all scenes to make use of our new Component Model, which will eliminate most of the C# code that has been embedded into custom scene files.  Instead these scenes will be composed of drag/drop reusable components.  You will be able to drag/drop the scene components and configure them to generate a unique scene with your own customized combination of components and settings for each.  <-- not done!! Sorry!  Look for this in Beta 3.4!

       

10. Gui Editor baseline is back!  But you can't save or use your edits yet.  But you can preview the edit mode.  It's still rough, and will be improved and usable for Beta 3.4.
     

We'll update this plan, as it becomes more clear to us.
 

V0.9.2 ("Beta 3.2") - Features: (Target Date: December 23rd) RELEASED!

Online Indie License pre-sales begin here, just in time for Christmas.

1. Enhanced "Entity Editor".  Check it out!  Adds new "Mount Point Editor".
2. Material LOD's.  Now you can specify to use high detail materials up close, and then to use lower detail materials from further away, to provide a more complete optimization for performance.
3. Dialog Editor!  Very usable and capable. 
   1. Integrates with Voice Recognition so that you can "speak the response" and it recognizes it! (Vista has this built-in.  For WinXP, download MS Speech 5.1 for this.)
   2. Easy to use editor, and enables event triggers, sounds/animations with lip sync.
4. Fixes needed for Beta 3.1 features.   Many fixes.
5. Performance Optimizations, to produce higher FPS. 
6. Terrain Tools enhancements.   (Still have usability issues that are being addressed for Beta 3.3.)
7. More stablization of API.  (a little over half done.  Have improved some core interfaces and component model).
8. More Art Path enhancements.
9. Browser Support (runs in IE7 cleanly).
10. Physics Tool set support!
    1. Ability to drag/drop physics into any scene.  (Static Hulls)
    2. Character controllers that use real physics (hull-based collisions).
    3. High performance.
    4. Vehicle physics in Lost Isle now works with the Static Hulls that you can drag in (align cylinders with Palm Trees to produce collision with vehicles). 
    5. HeightModifiers - automatically generated from actor/models placed in scene.
11. Licensing enhanced to integrate with online purchasing of Indie licenses.
12. Scripting Workflow enhancements.  It's getting more usable, and is integrated with the Dialog system.
    1. It is possible to add "Python scripted actions" which it is possible to transfer (dnd) on entity. It is more "for fun" than for practical use
13. Tool set enhancements and Fixes for Asset Library, World Explorer, and Object Editor.
    1. List Editing in Object Editor enhanced.
    2. Object Editor navigation improvements and bug fixes.
          

Beta 2.3 - Features:  (Target Release Date:  July 28th) RELEASED!

1. Advanced Rich LandCover Feature, defined via XML.  Makes use of ARGB channels of the referenced image file, and then overlays procedural generation of plants overtop your scene or terrain.  This feature has been enhanced to auto-transition 3D models into billboard equivalents at a configurable distance from the camera.  This enables much larger/richer scenes than before.

   You will see these benefits realized inside the "Lost Isle" and "LandCover" demos.

    

2. New Advanced Terrain System (GIS2) - Preview.  We have a new terrain system that has been under development since February of this year, and has finally matured to point that allows us to present it to our users.  Our ultimate plan is that this new system will be obsoleting the previous terrains.

    

3. Iron-Python Basic Scripting - Preview - This might give you a taste of what is to come, although at this point, this feature will still be highly under-developed.

    

4. Global Performance Setting now used to scale content richness to best suit your PC specs.
    

Beta 2.4 - Features:  (Target Release Date:  August 21st) RELEASED!!

1. [Done] Enhancements and Fixed for Advanced Rich LandCover Feature.

    

2. [Done] GIS2 Enhancments

    

3. [Done] EarthBuilder Terrain Editing Tools - Preview.  This toolset is still under development, but can be previewed in Beta 2.3, so you can see how this toolset is coming together.

    

4. [Partial] Scripting System enhancements.

    

5. [Partially Done] Enhancing support for Collada with the following:   
   a. [DONE] LOD Generation and Configuration
   b. [Done now, but not in Beta 2.4] Animation splitting and merging (to split up a single large animation into many smaller ones).
   
    
6. [DONE!] Fixes for Model/Material Editors - to make sure the workflow is very intuitive.  Right now the process of editing materials on your new models is a bit bumpy and quirky, and requires you to have instructions on how to make it work.  We're aiming to eliminate these main issues, to ensure artists have a better experience with importing their models into Visual3D first try.

    

7. [DONE] More realistic Physics Demos using "real objects/models" provided by BlackSkullStudios.

    

8. [Not Done] Physics Design Mode - Preview - We will show you most recent progress on our Physics Design mode, which is likely to be rudimentary for this release.  Our ultimate goal is to have seamless robust integration between full-physics simulation and the rest of your application logic (configurable by each application).

    

9. [NOT DONE, Sorry] Character Creation, Prototype - we're aiming to just support a single humanoid character for this release, to enable the import of humanoid characters with the typical humoid actions such as "Idle", "Walk", "Run", "Backpedal", "StrafeRight", "Attack", "Jump", etc.  Although this won't initially be a "robust" feature, it should help alleviate some of the pains that AndroidAdam was attempting to alleviate with his "Character Creator" utility.

    

10. [Partially Done, Hiccup Recitification] More Dynamic Global Performance Configuration Options - We have been integrating logic into our demos to detect "Low FPS" and respond by turning down some features (like Plant counts, or Particle counts), in order to enable the PC to catch up with Application logic, and restore FPS to a respectable rate.  We are going to mature this feature a bit more, in an attempt to enable those with "kick-#@$!@!!" systems to see "our best quality effects" while enabling those with "middle-end" systems to still "good performance with decent quality".   It has been a challenge for us to create demos like Lost Isle that cater to both ends of the spectrum effectively, and also to enable users to figure out which features/settings are causing them the most performance issues.

V0.9.0 ("Beta 3.0") - Features: (Released Nov 4th)

1. Stabilized .NET Programming API.  [More than half done.]
2. Advanced Skies (Day/Night transitions, Moving Sun, Star map, and moving clouds).
   Should be designable via Architect.  [Try this! Edit your Scene Node, then select the Sky Tab in the Object Editor!]
3. Ground Fog.  Sweet looking.
4. Enhancements for LandCover.  Looking better than ever.  Now we include 3D model LODs as well, so that the impostor becomes the Lowest LOD, rather than just having a single 3D model followed by the Impostor (it was too abrupt in Beta 2.4).  You can partially edit LandCover in Architect now.  More to come.
    
5. Lost Isle2!  Enhanced Terrain Demo with GIS2, Advanced Skies, Physics, and Ground Fog.
6. Architect Toolset Enhancements
   1. Usable new Terrain Tools, with morphing, texturing, and procedural land cover.  [Partially Usable, but still awkward.  There is much more work planned for this toolset.]
   2. Fixes and enhancements to Model and Material Editors.  [Check out some sweet new enhancements.  Better than ever.]
   3. 1st cut of Physics Design Tools. [Not too usable, but presents a first draft for you to look at.]
   4. 1st cut of Particle Editor. [Only a placeholder for this release.  It does nothing yet.]
   5. Import Models and configure their behavior in scene (either with AI, Scripts, or User Controls). [NOT DONE! Sorry.]
   6. Replaced old Asset Library panel with an all new Asset Explorer with added features and nicer interface.
   7. Many miscellaneous improvements.
      1. Fixed the XSI Ogre Exporter issue where animations didn't work.  Now they do!
      2. Object Editor presentation enhancements and fixes.
      3. Baseline implementation of the new "Component model" shown on the Lizardman with a Fire Weapon effect.
          
7. Enhancements to Art Path:
   1. Not much done here, but we did fix the XSI Ogre Exporter issue.
       
8. Error Submissions will be working.  [Yes they are, and they attach your log file as well!]

V0.9.1 ("Beta 3.1") - Patch Release, (Targeted for Nov 14th)

1. Fix critical bugs from Beta 3.0 release (all main bugs reported in forums).  You'll see few error dialogs!
2. Performance enhancements.
3. Speech Recognition!  (done for a client, and you reap the benefits)
4. Import 3d Models and hook them up to Key Maps, physics, and behaviors - all from Architect.
5. Some fixes for Terrain Tools, Physics panel, and Scripting.
6. More changes to API, moving towards a stable API.
7. More "componentization" of scenes and complex actors, so that you can compose more of them from Architect (instead of using hard coded custom classes for each).
8. More... currently unplanned fixes or enhancements that catch our fancy (those developers can sometimes be "out of control" you know).

 Change Notes:

Terrain Rendering and Editing:

• Many Terain tool quirks have been eliminated, to provide hours of editing fun!
• "Ctrl+Z / Undo" capability for the main morphing and painting functions, so you can easily undo your mistakes!
• Immediate Terrain 'Preview' Mode to allow work flow to toggle instantly between Terrain edit mode and Run mode.
• Enhanced Terrain Visual representation (e.g. Bumps, specularity, and overall enhancement).
• New Camera Manipulation logic for Terrain Editing mode that enable faster navigation of the scene and convenient centering on the paint brush.
• Terrain Editing brush precision logic (and helps prevent accidents).
• Lost Isle 3 has been repainted with our tool set to demonstrate these capabilities.
• <New> Procedural Terrain Painting!  And it does look awesome.  This is only the start of something really great.

Physics

• More automated integrations, built right into SceneObject.
• Physics can now be defined for Models, which is inherited automatically by the Actors that use that model!
• Moveable platform supported, now demonstrated by the Galleon ship in Lost Isle 3.
• Procedural Plant Physics! (demonstrated in Lost Isle 3 Landcover)
• Integration with Design Mode, so that you can place objects on top of physical objects that are defined as "ground surfaces" (e.g. the bridge in Lost Isle 3, or even the Galleon ship). You can also "stack boxes" in design mode very efficiently.
• Many bug fixes, so that in even more ways the physics "just works".
• Performance enhancements to allow you to put more physics into your scene without slowing it down.
• Easier to use automated physics. Design mode now respects your physics shapes, allowing you to do easy stacking of objects.
• Physics visualizers can be toggled on/off from tool strip button in any both design and run modes.
• New physics object types - Sensor and CollisionObject
• New Physical Class allows easy configuration of object with single drop down selection (e.g. "Character"). (Options are "StaticEnvironment", "Obstacle", "MoveablePlatform", "Character", "Vehicle", etc.
• Automatic generation of Convex Hull collision shape for each model.
• Many improvements for Model Physics Settings editor (e.g. "Visualizer", new collision shapes, and compound shape editor).

Architect Toolset and Design Mode Controls

• Dramatic Improvements in Design Mode manipulations, with grouping and flexible manipulation options. You can now "duplicate/copy" groups in scene with amazing ease and speed.
• Undo capability for many operations (e.g. add, delete, and positioning of objects).
• Object Editor enhanced, with ability to navigate backwards rapidly to previous selections
• Easy toggling on of various Design visualizers (such as Physics and Paths).
• Light Visualizers and controls.
• Improvements in sub-selection of complex composite actors.
• Much cleanup of presentations in Object Editor and the Explorer panels.

Cinematics and Pathing

• Enhancements to run-time operation in these modes.
• New group path finding AI example has been included in the Tech Demos.
• New paths and cinematics have been added to Lost Isle 3 for demonstration.
• Bug fixes (e.g. path changes made run-time are now respected instantly).
• Visualizers for this can be toggled On/Off from the tool strip in both Design and Run Mode.

Overall

• XNA 3.1 Migration is complete! Underlying logic has been altered to take advantage of this.
• Automated Skeletal Animation Transitions for smoother transitions between animations! (procedural timed interpolations)
• Installer enhanced, which should produce a higher success rate among new users (the first download with installation of dependencies is the hardest part).
• Some New World Creation quirks have been fixed.
• At least 100 bug fixes not mentioned here.