# Roadmap

OpenRA3 is a very large undertaking. This roadmap is deliberately honest about
scope: reconstructing a 2008 RTS engine from a decompiler plus a related open
engine is a multi-year, multi-person effort. The milestones below are ordered so
that each one produces something that builds and runs.

## Done

- [x] **v0.0.1 — skeleton + minimal skirmish.** C++26 modules, GCC 16,
      CMake/Ninja, Docker `dev`/`deploy`, GitLab CI. Reads `BIG4`/RefPack data
      from a local install, recovers map start waypoints, and runs a
      deterministic headless two-player skirmish to a decision.
- [x] **v0.1.0 — map renderer + window.** Software ARGB framebuffer, TGA
      decoder for the map art, BMP output, map/grid/unit compositing, and an
      SDL3 window viewer (pan/zoom).
- [x] **v0.2.0 — dual toolchain.** Switched to Clang + libc++ with
      `import std;` in every module; added an isolated Windows cross-build
      (llvm-mingw + SDL3 MinGW) producing `openra3.exe` + `SDL3.dll`, alongside
      the Linux build. Both images are separate to keep the toolchains apart.
- [x] **v0.3.2 — real terrain.** `ra3.terrain` parses the map's `HeightMapData`
      and `BlendTileData` and rasterises the actual terrain from the install's
      `Terrain.big` tile textures (top-down, elevation-shaded), replacing the
      `<map>_art.tga` overview as what `render` draws.
- [x] **v0.3.0 — real balance + skirmish + Vulkan.** `ra3.data` pins the retail
      numbers (damage types, `ArmorTemplate` percentages, weapons, units,
      structures, ore economy) audited from EA's open RA3 XML; `ra3.skirmish` is
      rebuilt on them (armour resolution, weapon target masks, pay-as-you-go
      build queue, power, tech prerequisites, refinery ore cycle, team-wipe
      victory); and `ra3.vulkan` replaces the presentation stack with Vulkan
      (SDL3 surface, embedded SPIR-V), with a null fallback where no loader
      exists.

## Next

- [ ] **v0.3.1 — tactical map view.** The Vulkan/SDL viewer reproduces the
      retail tactical view (`TheTacticalView`, `ra3_1.12.game` `0x00cdb7b4`):
      opens centred on the player's start, wheel zoom, edge scroll and clamped
      pan. A hand-rolled HUD was tried and removed — the real in-game interface
      is `.apt` art that must be recovered first, so it is not on the near
      roadmap.
- [ ] **v0.4.0 — real update modules.** Locomotor movement, projectiles and
      warheads, build placement, shroud, and pathfinding, driven by the
      `GameObject` module set recovered from the binary.
- [ ] **v0.5.0 — data-driven content.** Deserialise the compiled assets
      (`global.bin`/`static.*.bin` + `.manifest`) so `ra3.data` reads the
      install instead of pinned constants; real maps, models and strings.
- [ ] **v0.6.0 — full renderer.** Perspective terrain (the heightmap is decoded
      but drawn top-down today), W3D models and the full in-game client on
      Vulkan, plus input.

## Cross-cutting tracks

- **RE depth** — keep recovering retail layouts (see
  [`REVERSE_ENGINEERING.md`](REVERSE_ENGINEERING.md)); every structure gets an
  address citation and a test.
- **Determinism & replay** — the logic random stream and frame ordering must be
  reproducible; replay format and a golden-replay test suite.
- **Offline only** — no online mode. Multiplayer, if pursued, is LAN lockstep on
  the message stream, never an online service.