Roadmap

The foundation everything runs on — networking, scripting runtime, persistence, and the base player scaffold.

• Networking layerDedicated server, listen server, and client-only modes from a single build.Complete
• Lua scripting runtimeFull scripting engine with hot-reload support and sandboxed execution.Complete
• Chat & command systemIn-game chat with admin command pipeline and permission levels.Complete
• World save systemPersistent world state — writes to disk on disconnect, loads on connect.Complete
• Character creator stubBasic player identity stub ready for Phase 6 full implementation.Complete
• Player state scaffoldFoundation state object for health, stamina, and inventory systems.Complete

The open world itself — terrain, buildings, destruction, AI, and the living day/night/weather cycle.

• World architectureWorldConstants, VoxelType registry, elevation zone lookup, POI and road placement tool, terrain sculpt, and water system.Complete
• Terrain pipeline4 biomes: forest, swamp, desert, plains — GAEA 2 authored, tiled export, hand-painted rivers and roads via RAM 3.Planned
• Voxel chunk systemGreedy-meshed voxel world with dynamic LOD and streaming chunk loading.Complete
• Building systemPlayer-placeable structures across all block tiers from wood to reinforced.Complete
• Town builder toolDeveloper tool for hand-authoring pre-built settlements and POIs.In Progress
• Destructible terrainEvery wall and floor can be destroyed. Structural integrity cascades collapses.In Progress
• Structural integritySupport pillar simulation — remove the right block and the structure falls.In Progress
• Player controllerFull movement system with sprint, crouch, climb, and fall damage.In Progress
• Zombie AISwarm intelligence, sound response, pathfinding, wall-breaking behaviour.In Progress
• Entity animationsFull animation state machines for player and zombie characters.Planned
• World progression systemDayCount and BossesKilled global counters driving horde difficulty.Planned
• Day/night cycleReal-time cycle with dynamic lighting, increasing night danger.Planned
• Weather systemRain, wind, and storm events that affect sound propagation and visibility.Planned

Everything that happens to you and everything you do to them.

• Full player stateHealth, stamina, hunger, thirst, radiation — all simulated and synced.Planned
• Status effectsBleeding, burning, poisoned, irradiated — each with unique gameplay consequences.Planned
• Combat pipelineMelee and ranged combat with hit location, damage types, and recoil.Planned
• Inventory systemDrag-and-drop grid inventory with stacking, weight, and condition tracking.Planned
• Item systemFull item data layer with six quality tiers and Lua-scriptable behaviours.Planned
• Crafting systemRecipe-based crafting with ingredient discovery and progression gating.Planned
• Skill systemLearn-by-doing skill progression. No menus — shoot more, aim better.Planned

Persistent bases, territory control, and the cooperative systems that make team survival possible.

• Claim block systemTerritory claims that protect player structures from decay and unauthorised editing.Planned
• Team systemPersistent crews with shared base access, resources, and team chat.Planned
• Nightly horde directorAI director that assembles and routes nightly horde waves based on DayCount.Planned
• Power & signal networkGenerators, wiring, sensors, automated gates and turrets.Planned

The full depth of the world — special locations, end-game systems, and everything that makes survival a story.

• Farming & cropsGrow food, manage water and fertiliser, harvest before the horde rolls through.Planned
• VehiclesFind, repair, fuel, and drive. Loud but fast — plan your routes.Planned
• Quest & nomad systemWandering traders, radio quest leads, and reputation-driven rewards.Planned
• Special locationsFortified compounds, underground labs, irradiated zones, hidden caches, boss encounters, and the Research Facility end-game trigger.Planned

Getting Corrupt Earth into players' hands — polish, mod support, and full release pipeline.

• Full server persistenceComplete server-side persistence pipeline with incremental save and rollback.Planned
• Modding pipelineSteam Workshop support, mod packaging, dependency resolution.Planned
• Complete UI frameworkFull in-game UI for all player-facing systems.Planned
• Full character creatorFace, hair, clothing, and cosmetic customisation.Planned
• 36 · Performance & optimisationNetwork delta compression, occlusion culling, LOD tuning, Burst hot paths, GC pressure reduction, and GPU batching — all validated at 100 players on dedicated servers.Planned

Self-contained systems built independently of the main phase order. Each can be developed whenever its specific dependencies are met.

• 37 · Desire pathsThree-layer feedback loop: terrain wear (visual VoxelType changes), a float heatmap driving path costs, and a Burst-compiled 2D flow field replacing per-zombie A* for horde navigation. Paths form naturally from zombie and player movement, fade when unused, and player-dug tunnels instantly become high-priority zombie routes.Planned
• 38 · Light shaft systemMesh-based volumetric light beams for window interiors that track the Azure sun in real time — rotating, tinting, and fading with sun elevation. Driven by a ShaderGraph with additive blending, Fresnel view fade, and noise-based dust falloff.Planned