Roadmap help

Development terms,
in plain English.

A game can be playable online while its next update is still being tested. This guide explains the labels in the workshops.

Builds and release status

MVP — minimum viable product: The smallest viable game product we can launch: a complete play loop, clear goals, an outcome and a way to play again, with the required release checks passed. It does not need every planned feature.
Prototype: A small experiment that answers a question, such as whether a game mechanic is fun. It may be temporary.
Local candidate: A proposed build in a development environment. It has not necessarily been accepted or published. A newer local update can exist while players use an older online version.
Acceptance / gate: Acceptance checks a specific build against its agreed requirements and records the result. A gate is a requirement that must pass before the next step.
Early Access: A viable game released for players to enjoy while development continues. Known limitations are stated clearly. This label does not replace gameplay quality or required release checks.
Release / deployment: A release is a version made available to its intended audience. Deployment puts that build on its hosting service. We still check the actual online address and version afterward.
Rollback: Return to a previous known working release if an update fails. That is why earlier tested builds are kept.

Roadmap / queue: The intended order of work. A queued idea is waiting its turn; being listed does not mean development has started.
Sprint / slice: A bounded chunk of work with a clear result and stopping point. A slice is one manageable part of an update, not necessarily the whole update.
Planning sprint: In the roadmap estimates, one planning sprint means ten developer working days. A task with a four-hour allowance uses a different unit.
Developer days versus elapsed time: Developer days estimate working effort. Elapsed time is clock time from start to checkpoint, including waits. A quick checkpoint does not prove a multi-day estimate took only minutes of work.
MVP and full-release estimates: The full estimate already includes the MVP: do not add them together. Estimates are planning ranges, not promised dates. Once a version exists, remaining work is tracked separately.

Storyboard: A sequence showing what the player sees and does. A pictured feature is not proof that it has been implemented.
Character drift: Unintended changes to a character’s face, proportions, clothes, colors or markings across images. Approved references keep the character consistent.
Sprite / animation frame: A sprite is a flat image used to draw a character or object. An animation frame is one picture in a movement sequence.
Atlas / sprite sheet: One image containing many smaller pictures or frames. The game selects the rectangle it needs.
Pivot / anchor: The reference point used to position an image. Inconsistent anchors can make a character jump, slide or float between frames.
Gameplay scale / texture: Gameplay scale is the size artwork actually appears during play. Texture is surface detail. Froggy’s golden Colorado River toad markings and raised skin texture should still read at that size.

Build / automated tests: A build turns source code into runnable files. Automatic checks catch specific mistakes; passing them does not prove every interaction, visual detail or sound feels right.
Emulated versus physical tests: An emulated check uses a phone-sized browser or simulated conditions on a computer. A physical check uses a real phone or tablet, including touch, rotation, screen cutouts, sound and performance. One does not replace the other.
Fullscreen / Home Screen app: Fullscreen is requested through a player action where supported; refusal must not stop play. A Home Screen app launches from an installed icon and needs its own device check. Browser bars cannot always be hidden.
Listening check: A person checks music and effects for comfort, clarity, mute and pause behavior. Automatic tests cannot judge whether the mix sounds good.