A5E Character Builder Development Timeline

We are developing a dynamic Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition character generator web app that works cooperatively with the user interface (UI), data and user accounts on the A5E.tools website. Below you will find our intended roadmap for this process. You’ll note that we have not included dates on this roadmap, as the process is an unpredictable one. However, we hope that each phase beyond Phase 1 will be accomplished in between 1-3 months. We’d like to reiterate that this is not a timeline guarantee, but we are working as hard as we can.

Note that in the meantime there is a basic character builder on A5E.tools which allows you to create 1st-level characters. That is not the same project as the one we are discussing in this article.

Phase 1: A5e Tools Data Entry [almost complete]

The initial stage involves entering game elements into the A5E.tools website with taxonomy which means the system knows what type of content each is. This has been our primary focus so far, and we have now entered most of the core A5E data.

Phase 2: Static Character Sheet Form [almost complete]

Develop a static (non-dynamic) form that represents a form-fillable online A5E Character Sheet. This form will have all of the fields and options of a standard A5E character sheet and in many cases will have pre-configured drop-downs and field options to choose from. However, it will not calculate the various math involved with a character, or do the "heavy lifting" and ongoing level upgrades that a character generator will offer.

This step is necessary in order to have a basic framework to understand required fields and where these fields interact with existing website database elements.

It also helps identify and solve some of the layout and UI issues that impact the user experience aside from the underlying programming.

Users will be able to save and share their characters on the A5E.tools website.

Phase 3: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Development

A usable yet limited version of the character generator. This version will use a smaller scope of races and classes than the final product and allows us to develop the basic logic and functionality of the character generator while limiting the amount of math and logic interactions (and therefore reducing bugs to contend with) while establishing essential functionality and proof of concepts.

Phase 4: User Testing of MVP

Open MVP to site user testing and gather feedback on what works well, what needs to be improved, ideas we perhaps didn't consider, bugs to fix, etc.

Phase 5: Enhanced Product Development

Build out the entire character generator with the full list of races and classes and all options, etc. Also refinements and bug fixes based on the user feedback from Phase 4.

Phase 6: Product Release

Release the full character generator and begin the ongoing cycle of incorporating fixes and improvements.