Smoke & Honey -- Development Plan

Phased roadmap from current project state to shippable vertical slice and beyond.

Last updated: March 30, 2026 -- Character Creator system added to Phase 3 (tasks 3.0-3.0e): PlayerData, creator scene, layered portrait system, name injection, pronoun token pass. Business & Funding restructured with Master Priority List.

Godot 4.6 GDScript 5 Phases

Current Project State

Audit Note (March 28, 2026) This plan has been fully reset based on a codebase audit. All status markers now reflect what actually exists in working code -- not what has stubs, skeletons, or design docs. If code compiles and runs, it is DONE. If a variable exists but the feature does not function in-game, it is TODO.

Engine

Godot 4.6
GL Compatibility

Scripts

GDScript files across autoloads (9), simulation (10), UI (11), world (22), NPC (4), core (3), tools (2). All ASCII-clean, Godot 4.6 compatible. MusicManager added March 28.

Scenes

home_property (main), player, hive, cedar_bend, 7 exterior zones, 5 interiors, 4 NPC prefabs, inspection overlay, hive management, chest storage, 2 menus, map, shop, loading.

Art

Cainos Village tileset, 38 Langstroth UI sprites, 25 item sprites (32x32), 42 flower sprites (32x32, 7 species x 5-6 lifecycle), 7 modular hive sprites, cell atlas (14 states), 4 animated character sets (120x120 8-way), 12 queen-finder images.

What is fully working (verified March 30, 2026) Full 10-script simulation pipeline with two-sided frames (70,000 cells per hive). 3D ellipsoid geometry for comb drawing and queen laying. Forage-dependent comb drawing rate. Walled-in hex adjacency constraint. Science-calibrated populations (24k bees), exponential varroa model, corrected nurse ratios. Honeycomb hex-grid renderer with cell atlas (blend_rect compositing), LOD palette, dirty-flag cache. Multi-box inspection overlay: W/S navigate boxes, A/D frames, F flip Side A/B, cell tooltips (tier-gated), queen sighting (+15 XP, 60%+1%/level), energy cost (10/inspection). 5-tier Knowledge system. Dev mode +Day/+Month buttons in inspection overlay. Colony installation: Package Bees (4-6 day laying delay, 7-day lockout, progressive comb drawing) and Nuc (10,200 bees, immediate ticking). Hive Tool, Gloves, HiveManagementUI (add deep/super/excluder, rotate deeps, R key). Storage Chest (50-slot). Modular hive sprites (7 components, build-phase visuals). 25 item sprites in 10-slot hotbar. Context-sensitive prompts. FlowerLifecycleManager: 7 types, 42 sprites, seasonal quality S-F, bloom windows, spread mechanics, no-spawn mask, grid-cell distribution. Player: 8-way walk/run, 4 modes (NORMAL/TILL/PLANT/HIVE). Current sprite is fixed beekeeper-gear character (correct for gameplay -- all customization hidden under gear). Character creator system (name, appearance, pronouns, backstory) is Phase 3 TODO -- no PlayerData fields, no creator scene, no pronoun tokens in dialogue yet. Uncle Bob placed with 6 dialogue sets (need pronoun token retrofit in Phase 3). Ellen + Frank scripts/sprites ready. Interiors: Diner (5 meals, energy restore), Feed & Supply (11 items, seasonal stock), Post Office (LIVE BEES delivery). Infrastructure: SaveManager (JSON + base64), TimeManager (224-day calendar, 8 months, 4 seasons), GameData ($500 start, energy, XP, levels), HiveManager, ForageManager, QuestManager (skeleton), NotificationManager (toasts), DialogueUI (bubbles + portrait box), HUD (signal-driven), MainMenu + PauseMenu. MusicManager autoload (March 28): 8 seasonal tracks (1 per month), crossfade over 2s on month change, loops, -6dB default. Honey simulation verified (March 30): LBS_PER_NU corrected to 0.005. Peak summer ~1.5 lbs/day net, ~80 lbs harvestable over season. Super comb draw rate corrected (0.80/house bee, 8000 cell/day cap). Thresholds lowered to 1.0 lbs stores + 60% brood drawn.

Next priority: Phase 2 -- Harvest & Economy Loop The simulation runs, inspection works, flowers grow, bees do their thing. What is missing is the player's reason to care: harvest the honey, grade it, sell it at market, buy supplies, and repeat. This is the farm-sim loop that turns observation into gameplay.

Phase 2 progress: Steps 1-4, 6-7 complete (50% of Phase 2 tasks done). Sleep/nap/auto-save fully wired (2.1-2.4). Weather system complete end-to-end (2.5-2.10). Equipment shop wired (2.11-2.12) with smoker and bee suit. Smoker & sting system (2.13-2.16): 25% base sting chance, weather/suit/smoke modifiers, notification feedback. Saturday Market (2.25-2.27) wired with transaction UI. Community Standing tier system (2.28-2.30): 5 tiers (Stranger-Respected) with price multipliers. PlayerData singleton created with character fields and pronoun system. Character Creator scene and QuestManager expanded.

Remaining for Phase 2: Harvest pipeline (Step 5): harvest decision UI (2.17), super collection (2.18), uncapping (2.19), extraction + grading (2.20), bottling (2.21), post-harvest frame state (2.24). Partial harvest: beeswax tracking (2.22) and winter reserve warning (2.23) are done.

Simulation Architecture

The tick pipeline runs headlessly every in-game day. FrameRenderer only fires when the player opens inspection view. Both sides (A + B) of each frame are processed per tick using a swap technique. UI reads from snapshot dict -- never raw cell data.

  Daily Tick (HiveSimulation.tick)
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
   1. CellStateTransition    -- age cells, biology (egg-larva-pupa-adult), disease spread
   2. PopulationCohortManager -- age cohorts, mortality curves, role promotion
   3. NurseSystem            -- nurse:larva ratio, capping delay, royal jelly surplus
   4. ForagerSystem          -- weather gate, field trips, nectar/pollen deposit, +/-20% variance
   5. NectarProcessor        -- cure nectar 5:1, deposit into both sides of frames
   6. QueenBehavior          -- lay budget x species x grade x age x stress x season, ellipse mask
   7. CongestionDetector     -- brood-bound / honey-bound / swarm_prep flag
   8. HiveHealthCalculator   -- composite health (pop 25% + brood 25% + stores 20% + queen 20% + disease 10%)
   9. SnapshotWriter         -- write read-only snapshot dict for UI (zero extra cell reads)
  10. FrameRenderer          -- (on-demand) hex-grid cell atlas render, LOD, side parameter
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Data: PackedByteArray cells[70x50] x 2 sides x 10 frames = 70,000 cells/hive
  Cell states: 0-13 (foundation, drawn, egg, larva, brood, drone, nectar, curing, honey,
               premium, varroa, AFB, queen cell, vacated)
  Nuc start: 5 drawn frames (2-6) with seeded brood on both sides, 5 empty foundation (0,1,7,8,9)

Core Loop -- "It's Alive"

Open the game, place a hive, watch it tick, open the frame, see real bee biology on both sides.

COMPLETE

Exit Criteria -- ALL MET

+ Hive simulates 7+ days autonomously (full 10-script pipeline)
+ Frame inspection with honeycomb hex grid (cell atlas, 14 states)
+ Two-sided frames: F flips Side A / B, per-side stats
+ Queen lays eggs in elliptical pattern, brood nest forms naturally
+ Day advances, 8-month calendar, 4 seasons cycle
+ Player walks around in animated beekeeper sprite (8-way, walk/run)

Also Completed

+ Cedar Bend world + home_property (main scene, 6-layer TileMap)
+ Uncle Bob NPC -- dialogue, +2 XP/talk, E-key interaction
+ Ellen Harwick + Frank Fischbach -- scripts, sprites, scenes ready
+ Queen sighting mechanic (60% + 1%/level, +15 XP)
+ Save/load (JSON + base64, versioned schema)
+ NotificationManager + DialogueUI + HUD + MainMenu + PauseMenu
+ FlowerLifecycleManager (7 types, 42 sprites, season quality S-F)
+ Nuc starting state (10,200 bees, 5 drawn/5 foundation, 3D ellipsoid brood dome)
+ Diner, Feed & Supply, Post Office interiors built
+ 38 Langstroth-themed UI sprites + cell atlas + 25 item sprites (32x32)
+ Package Bees installation + establishment (laying delay, lockout, comb drawing)
+ Hive Tool, Gloves, Storage Chest. HiveManagementUI for box ops
+ Multi-box inspection (W/S boxes), box rotation (R key)
+ 3D ellipsoid comb drawing, forage-dependent rate, walled-in constraint
+ Modular hive sprites (7 components, build-phase visuals, isometric stacking)
+ Context-sensitive hive prompts based on held item
+ Science-calibrated simulation (24k bees, exponential varroa, corrected ratios)
+ Project-wide ASCII cleanup + type inference audit (Godot 4.6 compat)
+ 7 exterior zones + 5 interior scenes with door/zone transitions
+ Map overlay with zone pins

Simulation Pipeline (all done)

Script	Status	Notes
HiveSimulation.gd	DONE	Orchestrates all 10 steps. Two-sided tick via swap. Nuc seeding on both sides.
CellStateTransition.gd	DONE	14 cell states. Aggregates both sides. full_count_side() for per-side display.
PopulationCohortManager.gd	DONE	Worker/drone lifecycle, seasonal mortality, diutinus winter bees.
NurseSystem.gd	DONE	Nurse:larva ratio, capping delay, IDEAL_NURSE_RATIO 1.2.
ForagerSystem.gd	DONE	Weather gate, field trips, +/-20% daily variance, congestion penalty.
NectarProcessor.gd	DONE	5:1 nectar-to-honey, deposits on both sides.
QueenBehavior.gd	DONE	Elliptical laying (ratio 0.52), supersedure/swarm flags, grade modifiers.
CongestionDetector.gd	DONE	NORMAL/BROOD_BOUND/HONEY_BOUND/FULLY_CONGESTED, swarm_prep at 0.78.
HiveHealthCalculator.gd	DONE	Composite health from 5 weighted components (0-100 scale).
SnapshotWriter.gd	DONE	Reuses pre-computed counts, zero extra cell reads.
FrameRenderer.gd	DONE	Hex-grid cell atlas, blend_rect compositing, LOD palette, dirty-flag cache.

Inspection & Rendering (all done)

Feature	Status	Details
InspectionOverlay.gd (~1000 lines)	DONE	Full-screen overlay with Langstroth frame bars, 5-tier Knowledge system, progressive accumulation, dev mode bypass.
Frame navigation (A/D keys)	DONE	10-frame cycle with header display.
Side flip (F key)	DONE	Toggles A/B. Each flip records side via _record_current_side(). Seen X/20 counter.
Cell tooltip	DONE	Hover tier-gated: L1 none, L2-5 state name, dev = full debug. Hex-offset mouse mapping.
Queen sighting	DONE	60% base + 1%/level (capped 80%). +15 XP on success.
Energy cost	DONE	10 energy per inspection.

World & Characters (all done)

Feature	Status	Details
Player sprite (The_Beekeeper)	DONE	120x120 frames, 8-way idle/walk/run. Runtime-loaded spritesheet.
Uncle Bob sprite + placement	DONE	120x120, 8-way. Placed in world with 6 dialogue sets.
Ellen Harwick	DONE	Script + scene + sprite. Not placed in world yet.
Frank Fischbach	DONE	Script + scene + sprite. Not placed in world yet.
FlowerLifecycleManager	DONE	7 types, 42 sprites, bloom windows, season quality, spread, no-spawn mask.
DandelionSpawner	DONE	Annual quality roll (POOR-EXCEPTIONAL), density/timing/edge bias.
World scenes (7 exterior + 5 interior)	DONE	home_property, cedar_bend, community_garden, county_road, timber_creek, fairgrounds, harmon_farm. House, Diner, Feed Supply, Grange Hall, Post Office.

Infrastructure (all done)

System	Status	Details
SaveManager.gd	DONE	JSON + base64 cell data. Saves everything. Versioned schema.
TimeManager.gd	DONE	224-day year, 8 months, 4 seasons, 1 real min = 1 game hour. Day/midnight signals.
GameData.gd	DONE	Dollars, energy, XP, level thresholds, items, meals, buffs, reputation float, XP reward constants.
HiveManager.gd	DONE	Hive registry, daily tick broadcaster.
ForageManager.gd	DONE	Integrated with FlowerLifecycleManager. Month-indexed levels.
QuestManager.gd	DONE	Skeleton: start/complete/fail API, signals. Zero quest definitions (Phase 3).
DialogueUI.gd	DONE	MODE_BUBBLE (world-space) + MODE_BOX (portrait). Full implementation.
NotificationManager.gd	DONE	Layer 50, max 5 stacked toasts, typed with color themes.
HUD	DONE	Signal-driven, programmatic bars, energy + XP fill bars.
MainMenu + PauseMenu	DONE	New Game / Continue / Quit. Pause: Resume / Map / Save / Main Menu.
Interiors (Diner, Feed & Supply, Post Office)	DONE	Meals/energy restore, 11 shop items, LIVE BEES delivery.

Harvest & Economy Loop -- "Something to Sell"

Goal: harvest honey, grade it, sell it at market, buy supplies. The core farm-sim loop becomes functional.

NEXT UP -- 0% complete

Exit Criteria (all must work in-game)

[x] Player can sleep to advance the day and restore energy
[ ] Weather rolls daily and visibly affects foraging + inspection safety
[ ] Player harvests honey from capped super frames
[ ] Honey graded by moisture (Premium / Standard / Economy)
[ ] Frank buys honey at Saturday Market, player earns dollars
[ ] Player buys equipment at Feed & Supply with real transactions
[ ] Smoker modulates bee defensiveness, stings cost energy
[ ] Community Standing tracks reputation with price multipliers
[ ] One full season playable start to finish

Build Order (sequential -- do not skip ahead)

~~1. Sleep / day-advance (unlocks daily cycle)~~ DONE
2. Weather system (gates foraging + inspections)
3. Equipment shop wiring (enables purchases)
4. Smoke & sting system (inspection risk/reward)
5. Harvest pipeline (uncap - extract - grade - bottle)
6. Saturday Market (sell to Frank)
7. Community Standing (tier + price multiplier)

Why this order matters Sleep/day-advance is the foundation -- without it, you cannot test any system that spans multiple days. Weather must come next because it gates foraging (which drives honey production) and inspection safety. Equipment shop must work before smoke/stings because the player needs to buy a smoker and bee suit. Harvest depends on having capped honey frames (which require multiple days of simulation + weather). Market depends on harvest output. Standing depends on market sales. Each step builds on the one before it.

Concrete Task List (work top to bottom)

Step 1: Sleep / Day Advance (GDD S5)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.1	Sleep action (bed)	DONE	Player walks to bed in house interior, presses [E]. Daily summary overlay shows stats (balance, energy, honey, date). "Begin Day N" button advances to 06:00 next day, restores energy to 100%, triggers all hive/flower day ticks. Implemented in house_interior.gd (self-contained overlay) and hud.gd (HUD-side summary). No Z-key overworld sleep -- bed interaction is the canonical path.	TimeManager (done)
2.2	Enter house to sleep	DONE	Player walks into farmhouse door (collision-based Area2D entry), navigates to bed inside 15x10 tile room, presses [E] near bed to trigger sleep flow. Bed zone: cols 11-13, rows 3-5. "[E] Sleep" prompt appears within 64px radius. Door exit returns player to exterior with 40px south offset to prevent re-entry loop.	2.1, house interior (done)
2.3	Nap action (bench)	DONE	Outdoor bench near farmhouse at (80, 20). Player presses [E] within 48px. Screen fades to black (tween), advances time +2 hours, restores 50% max energy, fades back in. Does NOT advance day, does NOT save. Uses bench.png sprite with StaticBody2D collision. Script: nap_bench.gd. Registered as map POI. GDD says 25-30% energy / 2-3 hours -- tuned to 50% / 2h per Nathan's spec.	2.1
2.4	Auto-save on sleep	DONE	SaveManager.save_game() fires automatically when player accepts daily summary after bed sleep (both house_interior.gd and hud.gd paths). Save captures end-of-day state BEFORE day advance. Dev mode advance-day button (G-key panel) intentionally does NOT save to avoid overwriting real save during rapid testing. Console logs: "[House] Game saved (bed sleep)" / "[HUD] Game saved (bed sleep)".	2.1, SaveManager (done)

Step 2: Weather System (GDD S5, S6.9)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.5	Weather data model	DONE	Daily weather state: Sunny/Calm (best), Overcast, Rainy, Cold, Windy. Roll once per day on wake. Store in TimeManager or new WeatherManager autoload. Season-weighted probabilities (more rain in spring, cold in winter).	2.1 (day advance triggers roll)
2.6	Weather affects ForagerSystem	DONE	ForagerSystem.gd already has a weather gate placeholder. Wire it: Sunny = 1.0x, Overcast = 0.7x, Rainy = 0.0x (no flights), Cold = 0.0x, Windy = 0.4x. This directly impacts daily honey production.	2.5, ForagerSystem (done)
2.7	Weather HUD icon	DONE	Small icon in top bar showing current weather. 5 weather icons needed (or use text placeholder initially). Tooltip shows forager impact.	2.5, HUD (done)
2.8	Weather affects inspection safety	DONE	Cold/Windy weather increases sting chance multiplier. Rain prevents opening hives ("Too wet to inspect"). Warning toast when attempting inspection in bad weather.	2.5
2.9	Season transition visual	DONE	Brief fade + "Season Name" text when season changes. TimeManager already emits season_changed signal -- connect it to a visual.	2.5
2.10	Weather serialization	DONE	Save current weather state in SaveManager. Restore on load.	2.5, SaveManager (done)

Step 3: Equipment Shop Wiring (GDD S6.7)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.11	Wire shop purchase flow	TODO	shop_screen.gd exists with item display. Wire: select item, confirm purchase, deduct GameData.money, add to player inventory. Show insufficient funds warning. Items: smoker ($25), hive tool ($15), bee suit ($85), extractor ($200 at Level 2), refractometer ($45 at Level 2).	shop_screen.gd (done), GameData (done)
2.12	Level-gated items	TODO	Some items require player level 2+. Show lock icon or "Requires Level 2" in shop. Extractor and refractometer are level-gated.	2.11

Step 4: Smoke & Sting System (GDD S6.1)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.13	Smoker mechanic	TODO	Smoker is an inventory item. Before inspection: prompt to smoke hive (if smoker in inventory). Smoking sets a "calmed" flag on the hive for that inspection. Over-smoking (3+ puffs) reduces observation accuracy (chance to misread cell states). Each puff costs 1 energy.	2.11 (smoker purchasable)
2.14	Sting probability system	TODO	Per-frame sting check during inspection. Base: calm colony 10%, defensive 25%. Modifiers: bee suit x0.20, smoker x0.85, combined ~95% reduction. Evening (after 15:00) x1.25. Weather: cold/windy x1.15. Each sting costs 5-8 energy.	2.13
2.15	Bee suit equipment	TODO	Purchased at Feed & Supply ($85). When in inventory: automatically reduces sting chance x0.20. Could add equipped/unequipped toggle later, but for now just having it in inventory is enough.	2.11 (purchasable)
2.16	Sting feedback	TODO	On sting: screen flash, energy deduction, notification toast ("Stung! -7 energy"). Track sting count per inspection for Knowledge Log (Phase 3).	2.14

Step 5: Harvest Pipeline (GDD S6.6)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.17	Harvest decision UI	TODO	During super frame inspection: show per-frame honey % capped. If >80% capped, enable "Harvest" button. If <80%, show fermentation risk warning. "Wait" or "Harvest Now" choice. Only super frames (not deep brood frames).	InspectionOverlay (done)
2.18	Full super collection	TODO	Alternative to per-frame: collect entire super as ITEM_FULL_SUPER. Remove from hive stack. Add to inventory. Process later at extraction step. Simpler first pass.	2.17, HiveManagementUI (done)
2.19	Uncapping step	TODO	Process full super or individual frames. Scratch roller or hot knife (just a button, not a minigame for v1). Each frame costs 1 energy. Cappings produce beeswax resource (track in GameData for Phase 4 crafting).	2.18
2.20	Extraction + moisture grading	TODO	Read moisture from capped honey cells. Grades: <17% Premium (+40% value), 17-18.5% Standard, 18.6-20.5% Economy (-20%), >20.5% Fermented (mead only, Phase 4). Each 10% uncapped adds ~+0.6% moisture. Moisture affected by season (drier in summer) and forage quality.	2.19
2.21	Bottling choice	TODO	Choose: jar (higher unit price, slower to sell) or bulk bucket (faster, lower price). Jars added to inventory with grade label. Track grade + quantity in GameData. Super weight: ~3.5 lbs per full super frame.	2.20
2.22	Beeswax tracking	TODO	Uncapping produces beeswax. Track beeswax_lbs in GameData. Foundation for Phase 4 crafting (candles, balm, polish). For now just accumulate it.	2.19
2.23	Winter reserve warning	TODO	If honey_stores <60 lbs approaching Reaping: orange tint on overworld hive. <40 lbs: red tint + warning toast. Prevents player from over-harvesting and starving colony.	SnapshotWriter (done)
2.24	Post-harvest frame state	TODO	After extraction, frames return to "drawn comb" state (not foundation). Bees refill faster on drawn comb. Return empty super to hive or store.	2.20

Step 6: Saturday Market (GDD S6.7)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.25	Saturday Market scene	TODO	New scene or repurpose existing fairgrounds/cedar_bend area. Only accessible on Saturdays (TimeManager day-of-week check). Place Frank Fischbach NPC (script + sprite already done). Market stall visual.	Harvest system (2.21), Frank NPC (done)
2.26	Sell honey to Frank	TODO	Interact with Frank at market. He offers to buy honey jars. Prices: Standard $8/lb, Premium $11.20/lb (+40%), Economy $6.40/lb (-20%). Price modified by Community Standing tier. Sell up to 10 jars/week initially.	2.25
2.27	Transaction UI	TODO	Show inventory of sellable honey, grade, quantity, price per unit. Confirm sale. Add dollars to GameData.money. Remove jars from inventory. Show earnings toast.	2.26

Step 7: Community Standing (GDD S1)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
2.28	Standing tier system	TODO	GameData.reputation exists as float. Implement 5 tiers: Newcomer (0-99), Known (100-249), Trusted (250-499), Respected (500-749), Beloved (750-1000). Price multipliers: x1.00, x1.02, x1.05, x1.10, x1.15. Display tier in HUD or pause menu.	GameData (done)
2.29	Standing gain actions	TODO	Award standing: +1/jar sold, +3/quest completed (Phase 3), +15-75/NPC quest. For Phase 2: selling honey is the primary Standing source.	2.28, 2.26
2.30	Standing affects prices	TODO	Wire Standing tier multiplier into Saturday Market sell price calculation. Higher tier = better prices. Show multiplier in transaction UI.	2.28, 2.27

Art needed for Phase 2 Saturday Market stall sprite, weather icons (5 states or text placeholders), honey jar icon variants (premium/standard/economy labels), smoker inventory icon, bee suit icon, extraction UI background. Frank portrait already exists. All character sprites done. Use colored rectangles as placeholders for anything not yet drawn -- do not let art block code progress.

Living World -- "People & Purpose"

Goal: quests give direction, NPCs build relationships, events create surprises. The world feels alive and responsive.

Depends on Phase 2

Exit Criteria

[ ] Character creator runs at new game start (name, appearance, pronouns, backstory)
[ ] Player name appears in Knowledge Log header, market nameplate, Bob dialogue
[ ] All NPC dialogue uses pronoun tokens -- no hardcoded he/she/him/her
[ ] Daily tasks and seasonal goals generate play variety
[ ] Uncle Bob tutorial quest chain playable start to finish
[ ] Knowledge Log fills as player discovers phenomena
[ ] Player can order package bees or nucs via Post Office
[ ] At least 2 seasonal events fire (dandelion eval, honey competition)
[ ] At least 1 challenge event surprises the player (varroa spike)

Build Order

1. Character creator scene + PlayerData persistence
2. Pronoun token pass on all existing NPC dialogue
3. Quest system engine (definitions, tracking, rewards)
4. Uncle Bob tutorial quest chain (5-8 quests)
5. Daily tasks + seasonal goals
6. NPC friendship system + remaining NPC quest chains
7. Knowledge Log UI panel + entry triggers
8. Bee acquisition ordering flow (Post Office)
9. Seasonal events + challenge events

Character Creator (GDD S21 -- Player Character & Character Creation)

Design context: "Eli" is the default character name and narrative shorthand used throughout the GDD -- but the player creates their own character before the game begins. This is a personal expression tool, not an RPG stat system. The beekeeper gear worn during gameplay is the same for all characters; customization is visible in the title card, journal header, and cutscene frames. All GDD references to "Eli" apply equally to any player character.

#	Task	Status	Details
3.0	PlayerData singleton -- character fields	TODO	Add to GameData autoload (or new PlayerData.gd autoload): player_name (String, default "Eli"), pronouns (enum: HE_HIM / SHE_HER / THEY_THEM), backstory_tag (enum + freetext), appearance (skin_tone int 0-5, hair_style int 0-7, hair_color int 0-9, build int 0-2). Persist in SaveManager JSON. Must be initialized before any scene loads NPC dialogue.
3.0a	Character creator scene	TODO	New scene: character_creator.tscn. Runs on New Game before the opening cutscene. Sections: (1) Name entry -- free text field, max 24 chars, default "Eli". (2) Pronouns -- 3 buttons: He/Him, She/Her, They/Them. (3) Backstory tag -- 3 preset cards + "Write Your Own" (120 char free text, journal-only). (4) Appearance -- skin tone row (6 swatches), hair style grid (8 options), hair color row (10 swatches), build toggle (3 options). Live preview of player portrait updates in real time as selections change. Confirm button writes to PlayerData and advances to opening cutscene.
3.0b	Layered portrait sprite system	TODO	Player appearance is visible in: title card, Knowledge Log journal header, cutscene frames. NOT visible during normal gameplay (always in beekeeper gear). Build a layered portrait renderer: base body layer (3 builds) + skin tone shader or atlas + hair style layer (8 styles) + hair color tint. All portrait art at 32x32 grid resolution. Art is a prerequisite -- flag as ART NEEDED. Do not implement until portrait sprite sheets are approved via Leonardo AI workflow.
3.0c	Name injection -- UI and dialogue	TODO	Player name must appear in: (1) Saturday Market nameplate (Phase 2 -- wire during 2.25 market build), (2) Knowledge Log journal header ("[Name]'s Field Notes"), (3) Uncle Bob dialogue and NPC quest dialogue where the GDD uses "Eli". Implement as a global token replacement: all dialogue strings use {player_name} token. DialogueUI.gd resolves token before display.
3.0d	Pronoun token pass -- all NPC dialogue	TODO	Every NPC dialogue string that refers to the player must use tokens, not hardcoded pronouns. Token set: {they}, {them}, {their}, {theirs}, {themself}. DialogueUI.gd resolves tokens at display time based on PlayerData.pronouns. He/Him: he/him/his/his/himself. She/Her: she/her/her/hers/herself. They/Them: they/them/their/theirs/themself. Write all NEW dialogue with tokens from the start. Audit existing Bob dialogue (6 sets from Phase 1) and retrofit. Do not write "he said" or "she noticed" anywhere in hardcoded strings.
3.0e	Backstory tag -- journal intro + Bob dialogue	TODO	Backstory tag affects: (1) Opening journal entry (first page of Knowledge Log -- 2-3 sentences, flavor only). (2) 1-2 early Bob dialogue lines in Year 1 (different observation about "the kid"). Presets: "Screen-Numbed Kid" (default Eli narrative), "Anxious Achiever" (different flavor), "Quiet Loner" (different flavor). "Write Your Own" shows in journal only, no dialogue change. All four paths lead to the same mechanical game.

Quests & Events (GDD S8)

#	Task	Status	Details
3.1	QuestManager expansion	TODO	QuestManager.gd skeleton exists (start/complete/fail API). Expand: quest type enum (Daily, Seasonal, NPC, Challenge, Mastery), reward dispatch (XP + money + standing), deadline tracking, quest_definitions dictionary, serialization hooks.
3.2	Uncle Bob quest chain	TODO	Tutorial backbone: 8 quests spanning Year 1-3. First quest: "Install your package bees." Progresses through first inspection, first harvest, first winter, first spring evaluation. 75-150 XP each, +30-75 Standing.
3.3	Daily tasks	TODO	10-30 XP, $5-25, +3 Standing each. Pool of ~20 tasks. New one each morning. Examples: "Check entrance for dead bees," "Test varroa load on Hive 3." Rotate from pool.
3.4	Seasonal goals	TODO	100-200 XP, $50-200, +20-50 Standing. Multi-step. One active per season. Examples: "Complete spring equipment inventory," "Prepare hives for winter." Failure: -10 Standing.
3.5	Remaining NPC quests	TODO	Frank: market/honey quality chain (5 quests). Ellen: disease diagnosis chain (5 quests). Darlene: queen management chain (6 quests). Walt & Kacey: farm neighbor chain (6 quests). Cedar Valley BKA: community chain (4 quests). Total: ~34 quests, 3,425 XP, 1,150 Standing.
3.6	Seasonal events	TODO	GDD S8.2: Dandelion Evaluation (spring), Spring Buildup Challenge, Midsummer Dearth, Swarm Season alerts, Goldenrod Evaluation (fall), Summer Honey Competition, Winter Preparation, Winter Survival Challenge.
3.7	Challenge events	TODO	GDD S8.3: Varroa Outbreak (test/treat in 2 weeks), Colony Starvation (emergency feeding), Robbing Behavior (reduce entrances), AFB Scare (ropiness test, burn/treat decision), Pesticide Event (Harmon farm), Swarm Escaped (check for new queen).

NPC Relationships (GDD S9)

#	NPC	Status	Phase 3 Scope
3.8	NPC friendship system	TODO	Per-NPC relationship score (0-100). Increments: dialogue (+1), quests (+5-15), gifts (+3-5). Thresholds unlock questlines, locations, dialogue branches. Serialize in SaveManager.
3.9	Uncle Bob expansion	TODO	Phase 1 dialogue done. Add: tutorial quest chain, seasonal contextual advice, inspection tips tied to current hive state. Breakfast at diner Tuesdays. Dialogue tree branches by player level and season.
3.10	Frank Fischbach placement	TODO	Script + sprite done. Place in Saturday Market. Expand dialogue for quest chain. Friendship unlocks premium shelf at 5 consistent sales.
3.11	Dr. Ellen Harwick placement	TODO	Script + sprite done. Place in world (Cedar Bend or home visit). Disease inspection quests. Diagnosis dialogue tree. Friendship speeds diagnosis.
3.12	Darlene (Mentor) -- NEW NPC	TODO	Needs: 120x120 animated sprite + portrait. Coffee at diner Friday mornings. Teaches inspection technique. Friendship threshold introduces Hartley's Apiary (premium supplier).
3.13	June (Postmaster) expansion	TODO	Post Office interior exists. Add dialogue progression, relationship tracking, package notification system.
3.14	Walt & Kacey Harmon	TODO	Sprite files exist as small reference PNGs. Need full 120x120 animated sets. Farmer neighbors. Pesticide event source. Kacey friendship opens Harmon Farm as apiary location.

Knowledge Log (GDD S7.3)

#	Task	Status	Details
3.15	Knowledge Log UI panel	TODO	In-game notebook. Access from PauseMenu or dedicated key. Scrollable entries with 6 categories: Brood, Disease, Forage, Equipment, Queen, Harvest.
3.16	Entry triggers (~16 core entries)	TODO	Auto-triggered: First Inspection, Reading Brood Pattern, Nectar Flow Begins, Swarm Impulse, Winter Bees, AFB Signs. Action-triggered: Eggs and Their Meaning, The Queen First Contact, Varroa Treatment Windows, Splitting a Hive. Each: +20 XP, tooltip upgrade.
3.17	Late-game entries	TODO	Deeper ecology/science/history. Reward for completionists. Makes complete log an effective beekeeping primer.

Bee Acquisition Flow (GDD S6.3)

#	Task	Status	Details
3.18	Post Office ordering flow	TODO	Colony installation mechanic DONE (Phase 1). Nuc starting state DONE. Post Office has LIVE BEES delivery mechanic. TODO: ordering UI at Post Office, supplier selection, queen grade roll, cost deduction, delivery timing (3-7 days).
3.19	Supplier tiers	TODO	River Valley (mail, Year 1, D10/C35/B45/A10/S0, 5% DOA). Cedar Bend Feed & Supply (local, Year 1, D0/C10/B50/A35/S5). Hartley's Apiary (Level 2 + Darlene friendship, C0/B15/A55/S30). Grade affects queen laying modifier.
3.20	Swarm traps	TODO	Craftable or purchasable. Place at location in spring/summer. Chance wild swarm arrives (free colony). Uncertain genetics/health.

Art needed for Phase 3 Character Creator (HIGH PRIORITY -- blocks 3.0b): Player portrait layered sheets -- base body (3 builds x front-facing, 32x32 grid), skin tone overlays or atlas (6 tones), hair style sheets (8 styles x front-facing), hair color tint swatches (10 colors). Character is always in beekeeper gear during gameplay -- portrait art only needed for title card / journal / cutscene. Generate via Leonardo AI. Approve before implementing 3.0b.

NPCs: Darlene character sprite (120x120 8-way) + portrait. Walt & Kacey full animated sets (120x120).

UI: Knowledge Log page background texture. Swarm trap sprite. Quest notification icons. NPC relationship meter UI element. Character creator screen background / frame art.

Depth -- "Now It Gets Real"

Goal: full disease suite, queen rearing, swarm management, multiple apiary locations, crafting. The simulation earns its name.

Depends on Phase 3

Exit Criteria

[ ] All 7+ diseases detectable and treatable (or fatal)
[ ] Player can rear queens from selected larvae
[ ] Swarm prevention, catch, and split all functional
[ ] At least 3 apiary locations unlockable via Standing
[ ] Crafting converts wax/pollen/honey into higher-value goods
[ ] Honey house and workshop structures buildable

Build Order

1. Disease detection UI + treatment mechanics
2. Full disease suite (EFB, Nosema, Sacbrood, SHB, etc.)
3. Swarm management (prevention, catch, split)
4. Queen rearing system (graft - develop - mate - grade)
5. Multi-apiary locations with Standing gates
6. Crafting system & apiary structures

Pests & Disease (GDD S3.6)

#	System	Status	Details
4.1	Treatment UI	TODO	Treatment selection during inspection or from inventory. Show: treatment type, cost, timing window, effectiveness. Track treatment history per hive.
4.2	Varroa treatment mechanics	TODO	Varroa simulation DONE (cell state, mite invasion, population tracking). TODO: sugar roll/sticky board test action, mite count display in inspection, treatment application (oxalic $8, formic $15, synthetic $20), threshold 3% = treatment required.
4.3	AFB detection + response	TODO	AFB cell state DONE (8%/day spread, 35-point health penalty). TODO: visual indicators (sunken caps, ropiness), detection probability (40% L1 to 95% L5), burn/treat decision UI, Dr. Harwick trigger.
4.4	European Foulbrood (EFB)	TODO	4%/day spread, 30% natural recovery. Treatment: nutrition + requeening + antibiotics (5-day course). Colony lost at 40% larvae infected. x0.75 laying modifier.
4.5	Nosema	TODO	Gut parasite. Dysentery streaks (spring sign). -15% spring buildup per infected winter. Treatment: reduce stress, Fumagillin. x0.80 laying modifier.
4.6	Sacbrood, SHB, Tracheal Mites, Chalkbrood, DWV, Wax Moths	TODO	Secondary diseases per GDD S3.6. Each with detection symptoms, management options, health impacts.

Swarm Management (GDD S6.5)

#	System	Status	Details
4.7	Swarm event sequence	TODO	CongestionDetector has swarm_prep flag at 0.78. TODO: full sequence -- queen cells on bottom frames, increased drones, bearding visual. Old queen departs with 40-60% of bees.
4.8	Swarm prevention actions	TODO	Add space (supers), perform split, clip queen wing (delays swarm), remove queen cells. Each has trade-offs and energy cost.
4.9	Colony splitting	TODO	Divide strong colony. Temporary strength loss both halves. Requires new queen for queenless split. No cash cost but significant time/energy.
4.10	Post-swarm recovery	TODO	Remaining colony with virgin queen takes 3-5 weeks to return to production.

Queen Rearing & Breeding (GDD S3.9, S6.4)

#	System	Status	Details
4.11	Queen age decline (observable)	TODO	QueenBehavior.gd has age/supersedure thresholds. TODO: visible decline in brood pattern quality, proactive requeening prompt, year tracking in inspection.
4.12	Queen rearing system (Level 4 unlock)	TODO	Graft larvae into queen cups. 16-day development. Virgin queen DCA mating flight. Grade from genetics + mating success. Mating success by location: Home 65%, County Road 50%, Timber 80%, River Bottom 85%.
4.13	Queen marking system	TODO	International color-year: White (1/6), Yellow (2/7), Red (3/8), Green (4/9), Blue (5/0). Track queen age at a glance.
4.14	Requeening process	TODO	Multi-step: confirm queenlessness, acquire queen, introduce with cage (3-5 day release), monitor acceptance, open cage, laying resumes 1-2 weeks post-acceptance.
4.15	Queen sales	TODO	S/A-grade queens listable to Cedar Valley BKA or Uncle Bob's network. Premium income at high levels.

Multi-Apiary Locations (GDD S12-13)

#	Location	Unlock	Forage	DCA Quality
4.16	Home Property	Start	Low -- wildflowers, small garden	Moderate (65%)
4.17	Cedar Bend Town Center	Start	Town garden, diverse urban flora	--
4.18	County Road	Start	Open exposure, variable	Poor (50%)
4.19	Timber & Woodlot	Trusted (Standing 250+)	High -- linden, sheltered	High (80%)
4.20	Harmon Farm	Trusted + Kacey quest	Very High -- white clover	Moderate (65%)
4.21	River Bottomland	Respected (Standing 500+)	Willows (spring), goldenrod (fall)	Very High (85%)
4.22	Cedar Valley Grange	Level 3 + Standing 400+	Queen trades, bulk sales	--

Scenes exist for most locations (home_property, cedar_bend, county_road, timber_creek, harmon_farm). map_overlay.gd and zone_manager.gd provide basic framework. TODO: hive placement in non-home locations, per-location forage pools, shared forage competition, location-specific weather modifiers.

Crafting & Structures -- Core (GDD S6.8, S7.2)

#	System	Status	Details	Depends on
4.23	Crafting system -- core infrastructure	TODO	CraftingManager autoload (or singleton on Crafting Station scene): recipe_definitions dict, craft_item(recipe_id) function, material check/deduct logic, output to inventory. Serialization hook for in-progress passive recipes. Crafting Station scene (Year 1 Level 2 structure) serves as the interaction point for all non-kitchen recipes. Kitchen recipes (wax rendering, infusions, mead) work from the house interior.	2.22 (beeswax tracking), GameData inventory
4.24	Honey House structure (Silas quest chain)	TODO	Three-tier structure system: Dilapidated (visible, inaccessible from game start), Restored Tier 1 (Silas Q1-Q3, ~$230, mid-summer Y1: 2-frame extractor, indoor settling, bottling), Upgraded Tier 2 (Silas Q4, Year 2, ~$375: 4-frame extractor, curing room, -0.8% moisture bonus). Wire Silas Crenshaw NPC quest chain (4 quests) as the unlock path. See GDD S7.2 for full structure spec.	4.23, NPC quest system (3.1)
4.25	Fermentation Room structure	TODO	Year 2, Level 3 unlock. Built as an addition to the Honey House or as a separate cellar structure. Enables Traditional Mead and Fruit Mead (Melomel) production. Provides stable-temperature environment that reduces off-flavors (quality modifier). Cost: ~$200 materials + 30 energy to build. Visible from game start as a locked-out area.	4.24 (Honey House restored)
4.26	Queen Rearing Area structure	TODO	Level 3+ unlock. Dedicated apiary zone for queen cups, mating nucs, and rearing frames. Required for the queen rearing system (task 4.12). Small footprint on home property. Costs $150 + 20 energy to build.	4.12 (queen rearing system)

Passive Crafting Queue (GDD S6.8.2)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.27	Passive recipe tick system	TODO	CraftingManager tracks in-progress passive recipes: {recipe_id, start_day, duration_days, vessel_item_id}. Each daily tick: check if (current_day - start_day) >= duration_days; if yes, emit recipe_complete signal. SaveManager serializes active_recipes array. Max 3 simultaneous passive recipes (vessel count limit). Completion notification via NotificationManager.	4.23, TimeManager (done)
4.28	Vessel item system	TODO	Vessels are inventory items that become "occupied" during a passive recipe: ceramic_crock (farmhouse mead), fermentation_vessel (traditional mead/melomel), mason_jar (infusions, propolis tincture). An occupied vessel cannot be used for another recipe. Vessel must be in storage (shed chest or kitchen) to start recipe. Item sprite: occupied vs. empty variant (color-coded lid/seal indicator).	4.27
4.29	Weekly check-in dialogue	TODO	For mead and tincture: optional weekly "check in" action on the occupied vessel (E key). Returns flavor-text-only status update from a predefined table (5-7 entries per recipe type). No mechanical effect -- pure atmosphere and reassurance. Examples: "The airlock is bubbling steadily -- a good sign." / "Clearing nicely. Another 3 weeks or so." Costs 1 energy per check-in.	4.28

Candle Variety System (GDD S6.8.4)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.30	Candle recipe variants	TODO	Four candle recipes in CraftingManager: tea_light_batch (10-pack, 2 energy, 0.5 lbs wax, $18 batch value), taper_pair (2 energy, 0.15 lbs wax, $9 pair), pillar (5 energy, 0.3 lbs wax, $12 each), novelty_molded (6 energy + 2 for flower press, 0.3-0.5 lbs wax, $15-18). All require rendered_beeswax + wicks. Mold types are one-time purchases from Tanner's ($8-20 each).	4.23
4.31	Flower pressing system	TODO	New action: pick flower from garden or field during bloom season (Wide-Clover through Full-Earth). Add to inventory as item_fresh_flower. From house interior: interact with "press book" prop on bookshelf. After 3 in-game days, fresh_flower converts to pressed_flower (a passive tick, not a queue slot). Pressed_flower is a storage item that persists. Required input for novelty candle recipe. Runs out if player does not gather during active season -- natural cross-season planning mechanic.	4.30, FlowerLifecycleManager (done)
4.32	Mold catalog (Tanner's winter order)	TODO	Novelty mold catalog appears in Tanner's winter stock (Deepcold / Kindlemonth only). 4 molds available per year (randomized from a pool of 10): honeybee, hexagon, leaf, acorn, pinecone, flower, bear, sunflower, etc. Each mold costs $8-20 and is reusable. Mold in inventory = recipe unlocked. Buying from catalog is a deliberate winter decision that requires planning ahead (no in-store spring stock).	4.30

Infused Honey System (GDD S6.8.3)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.33	Infused honey recipes + passive queue	TODO	Three recipes: lavender_honey, hot_honey, spiced_honey. Each uses 1 lb raw honey + 1 botanical item. Botanical items: dried_lavender, dried_chili, spice_packet (Tanner's $2-4 each; garden-grown variants free if player cultivated and dried them). Infusion uses 1 mason_jar vessel, passive tick of 3-5 days. Output: 1 jar infused honey (labeled variant). Sell prices: lavender +$2/lb, hot +$3/lb, spiced +$2/lb over base honey price.	4.23, 4.28 (vessel system)
4.34	Botanical drying (forage garden harvest action)	TODO	New action during Full-Earth / early Reaping: "Dry herbs" from forage garden beds containing lavender, chili, or herbs. Costs 5 energy per bed. Output: 3-6 dried_botanical items per bed. Items stored in shed chest or kitchen. If dried botanicals not gathered before winter, must buy from Tanner's ($2-4 per packet). Teaches the cross-season planning loop: plant in spring, dry in fall, infuse in winter.	4.33, FlowerLifecycleManager (done)

Farmhouse Mead -- Year 1 Entry (GDD S6.8.6)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.35	Ceramic crock vessel + farmhouse mead recipe	TODO	ceramic_crock item: purchased at Tanner's ($25, reusable, takes 1 inventory slot when occupied). Farmhouse mead recipe: 3 lbs raw_honey + 1 gallon water (implicit) + wine_yeast ($3 packet at Tanner's). Initiated from house kitchen. Passive queue duration: 56-84 days (randomized per batch within range). Output: 3-4 item_farmhouse_mead_bottle at $12 each. Cannot be entered in Crafting Fair competition. Quality modifier: -1 tier below traditional mead.	4.27, 4.28
4.36	Traditional mead recipe (Year 2)	TODO	Gated behind Fermentation Room structure (4.25). Recipe: 4 lbs raw_honey + water + wine_yeast ($3). Uses fermentation_vessel item ($45 at Tanner's Level 2 shop stock). Duration: 56-84 days passive. Output: 4-5 item_traditional_mead_bottle at $18 each. Quality range based on honey grade input (premium honey = better mead). Competition eligible for Winter Crafting Fair.	4.25 (Fermentation Room), 4.35
4.37	Fruit mead / Melomel (Year 3)	TODO	Gated behind Year 3 + Community Standing >= 400 (Respected). Recipe: 4 lbs raw_honey + seasonal fruit (apple, cherry, blackberry from orchard or wild forage) + water + yeast. Duration: 70-98 days passive. Output: 4-5 bottles at $22-28 depending on fruit type. Art: new bottle sprite variant with fruit label. Requires player to have grown or gathered fruit in previous season.	4.36, 4.21 (River Bottom / orchard forage)

Propolis Tincture (GDD S6.8.7)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.38	Propolis collection during inspection	TODO	New optional action during inspection (after frame pull step): "Scrape propolis" button. Costs 2 energy per use, once per hive per inspection. Yields 0.02-0.05 lbs propolis per hive visit. Track propolis_lbs in GameData. Show propolis inventory in shed chest. Must accumulate ~0.5 lbs for a tincture batch (typically 3-6 months of consistent scraping).	InspectionOverlay.gd (done)
4.39	Propolis tincture recipe + passive queue	TODO	Year 2 unlock. Recipe: 0.5 lbs propolis + 1 bottle food-grade alcohol ($6 at Tanner's Level 2 stock). Uses mason_jar vessel. Passive duration: 28-42 days. Output: 3-6 item_propolis_tincture_bottle at $8-12 each. Dr. Harwick quest chain uses propolis tincture as a quest item (her health and wellness research chain). Saturday Market buyer segment: "Natural remedy buyers" unlocked at Frank relationship 40+.	4.38, 4.28 (vessel system)

Honey Gift Sets & Packaging (GDD S6.8.5)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.40	Packaging materials + Tanner's winter catalog	TODO	New item category: packaging_materials. Types: kraft_sleeve ($3/5-pack), kraft_box ($5/3-pack), ribbon_twine ($4/roll). Available ONLY in Tanner's winter catalog (Deepcold/Kindlemonth stock). Must be pre-ordered before winter; not available in spring/summer shop. Introduce through Frank Fischbach quest (Q3: "Label and Shelf" -- he mentions gift packaging as a way to get the premium shelf price).	2.11 (shop wiring), Tanner's shop screen
4.41	Gift set assembly recipes	TODO	Three gift set recipes at the house kitchen table (packaging station -- a small prop interaction point, no new scene needed): honey_candle_bundle (1 honey jar + 1 taper pair + 1 kraft_sleeve, 3 energy, +25% combined value), beekeeper_sampler (1 standard jar + 1 infused jar + 1 tea light 3-pack + 1 kraft_box, 5 energy, +30% combined value), wax_gift_set (1 pillar candle + 1 lip balm + 1 polish tin + 1 ribbon_twine, 4 energy, +28% combined value). Gift sets are a distinct market item with their own sprite (wrapped package icon).	4.40, 4.30 (candles), 4.33 (infused honey)

Beeswax Furniture Polish (GDD S6.8.8)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.42	Furniture polish recipe + dual use	TODO	Recipe: 0.25 lbs rendered_beeswax + 1 linseed_oil bottle ($4 at Tanner's) = 2-3 polish_tin items. Active kitchen recipe (no passive queue), 4 energy per batch. Output: item_polish_tin. Two uses: (1) Sell at Saturday Market $7-9 each. (2) Apply to hive box/equipment: [E] on stored equipment with polish_tin in hand = +10 condition + weatherproofing_modifier flag (reduces degradation rate by 10% for that season). Weatherproofing flag is visible in equipment inspection tooltip. Year 1 accessible -- no unlock gate beyond having beeswax.	4.23, 2.22 (beeswax tracking)

Crafting Skill Track (GDD S6.8.9)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.43	Craft milestone tracking in CraftingManager	TODO	Track per-category batch counts in GameData: candles_batches_completed, mead_batches_completed, products_types_completed (set of recipe IDs), winter_products_this_season. Persist in SaveManager. These counters drive Knowledge Log entry triggers and unlock quality modifiers.	4.23, 3.16 (Knowledge Log entry triggers)
4.44	Craft Knowledge Log entries + quality modifiers	TODO	Six new Knowledge Log entries (see GDD S6.8.9 milestone table). Entry triggers: first candle batch, 20 candle batches, first fermentation, 5 mead batches, 5 different product types, 10 winter products in one season. Quality modifiers delivered as GameData flags: candle_burn_bonus (+10% burn time after entry 1), candle_price_bonus (+5% after entry 2), mead_clarity_bonus (+1 quality tier after entry 3), mead_price_bonus (+8% after entry 4), gift_set_premium (+5% after entry 5), winter_xp_bonus (+5 XP/batch after entry 6).	4.43, 3.15 (Knowledge Log UI)

Downtime Systems -- Overview (GDD S6.10)

Context: The game has ~70-80 days/year of low-bee-work time (winter, midsummer dearth, early spring, late fall). The systems below fill this time with activities a real beekeeper would do. They are lower priority than the crafting loop but critical for the game not feeling empty during Year 1 winters. Implement after the core crafting system is functional.

#	System	Scope	Status
4.45	Equipment Repair Loop	Extends existing condition system into a shed sorting and repair activity	TODO
4.46	Tool Maintenance	Seasonal sharpen/clean/oil for smoker, hive tool, uncapping knife	TODO
4.47	Tree Care & Pruning	Extends tree planting into a multi-season care loop	TODO
4.48	Seed Saving & Catalog Orders	Fall seed harvest + winter catalog ordering for specialty forage species	TODO
4.49	Cover Cropping & Soil Work	Reaping-to-Quickening soil improvement loop for garden beds	TODO
4.50	Property Construction Projects	Shed lean-to, fence repair, bee water station -- off-season construction	TODO
4.51	CVBA Meeting Expansion	Optional activities within monthly meetings (setup, presentations, donations)	TODO
4.52	Diner Regular Status	Passive reputation system for consistent diner attendance	TODO
4.53	Bulletin Board Winter Micro-Quests	Monthly rotating single-session neighborly tasks	TODO
4.54	Beekeeper's Journal & Annual Review	Year-end Kindlemonth reflection activity with NPC narrative seeds	TODO
4.55	Spring Planning Map	Winter drag-and-drop layout tool generating spring checklist	TODO

Hive Equipment Repair Loop (GDD S6.10.1 + S6.10.2)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.45a	Shed sorting UI	TODO	New interaction at the shed chest: "Sort Equipment" mode shows all stored hive components in a grid sorted by condition (worst first). Each item displays condition as a colored bar (green >70, yellow 50-70, red <50). Player can select and repair. Traffic-light color system uses the existing condition scale. No new data needed -- reads existing equipment_condition from HiveSimulation data.	StorageChest.gd (done), hive condition system (done)
4.45b	Repair action wiring	TODO	Wire all three repair tiers to the sorting UI: basic_repair_kit ($25, +20 condition, 3 energy), full_refurbishment ($60, to 75 condition, 8 energy), craftable_repair_pack (beeswax + wood_scraps, to 65 condition, 5 energy, Level 3 unlock). repair_kit and refurbishment_kit are purchasable items at Tanner's. wood_scraps are a new byproduct from lumber conversion (1 scrap per 3 lumber batches -- minor resource stream).	4.45a, 2.11 (shop wiring)
4.46a	Tool wear tracking	TODO	Add tool_condition dict to GameData: {hive_tool: 100, smoker: 100, uncapping_knife: 100, extractor: 100}. Each use during relevant action decrements by 0.5-1.0 points. At 70: warning notification "Your hive tool is getting dull." At 40: penalty applies (see GDD S6.10.2 penalty table). At 0: tool is unusable until maintained. Serialize in SaveManager.	GameData (done), relevant action scripts
4.46b	Tool maintenance actions	TODO	New action at shed workbench: "Maintain Tools." Opens a simple UI showing tool conditions. Available actions: sharpen (hive_tool + uncapping_knife: whetstone $5 reusable 10x, 2 energy, restores to 100), clean smoker (pipe_brush $4 reusable, 3 energy, restores to 100), deep clean extractor (15 energy, 1x per year, restores to 100, required to prevent contamination modifier). Whetstone and brush are one-time purchases from Tanner's.	4.46a

Tree Care & Pruning (GDD S6.10.4)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.47a	Tree health/condition system	TODO	Each planted tree gets a condition score (0-100). Condition affects forage NU contribution: >75 = 100%, 50-75 = 80%, 25-50 = 60%, <25 = 40%. Condition decrements by 2/season passively (natural wear) and is restored by pruning (+15), fertilizing (+10), and healthy rainfall (+5, weather-driven). Track per-tree in a tree_data dict in GameData. New item: tree entry with {species, planted_year, condition, years_to_maturity}.	GDD forage system (S14)
4.47b	Dormant pruning action	TODO	New action available on any planted tree during Deepcold or Kindlemonth: "Prune." Requires pruning_shears ($18 one-time purchase at Tanner's from Year 1). Costs 8 energy per tree. Restores +15 condition. Triggers first-ever-prune Knowledge Log entry: "Caring for Your Forage Trees." Lloyd Petersen dialogue hook: if Lloyd is nearby (at County Road/Timber zones), he comments on pruning technique within 2 days of the action ("Saw you out in the trees last week...").	4.47a, tree planting system (existing)
4.47c	Spring fertilization action	TODO	Available in early Quickening. Requires fertilizer_bag ($8, covers 3 trees, Tanner's spring stock). 5 energy per tree. +10 condition + bloom_quality_bonus flag (1.08x NU multiplier for that tree this season only). Flag resets each year. Must be purchased and applied before Greening for full effect; late application in Greening gives half the bonus.	4.47a, 2.11 (shop)

Seed Saving & Winter Catalog Orders (GDD S6.10.5)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.48a	Seed saving action (fall)	TODO	New action on mature garden beds during Reaping: "Save Seeds." Costs 5 energy per bed. Output: 3-5 item_saved_seeds (species-tagged). Saved seeds have 5% better germination rate than purchased seeds (flag modifier on planting). Seeds stored in shed chest, persist through winter. Beds that are not saved-from can still be replanted from Tanner's stock next year. First seed saving action triggers Knowledge Log entry: "The Seed Loop."	Forage garden system, FlowerLifecycleManager (done)
4.48b	Tanner's winter catalog	TODO	New seasonal shop stock mode: Tanner's seed catalog opens in Deepcold Week 1 and closes at end of Kindlemonth. Catalog includes 8 specialty seeds not available during spring (borage, phacelia, crimson clover, anise hyssop, buckwheat, lemon balm, catnip, cosmos). Ordered seeds arrive Day 1 of Quickening (delivery mechanic via Post Office notification). Regular spring stock (clover, sunflower, coneflower, wild bergamot) unavailable during winter -- players who run out must wait or order specialty alternatives. Implement as a second stock_mode on the existing shop_screen.gd.	2.11 (shop), Post Office delivery system (3.18)
4.48c	Bed planning drag-and-drop (Spring Planning Map)	TODO	See 4.55. Seed catalog integrates with planning map: seeds in inventory show up as placeable items on the planning map UI. Player can "assign" seeds to specific beds during winter planning. This is a soft system -- assignment is a reminder, not a hard lock. Completing a plan with 3+ beds assigned earns +3 XP and a spring checklist notification.	4.48b, 4.55

Property Construction Projects (GDD S6.10.3)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.50a	Construction project system	TODO	New system for multi-day buildable property improvements. Each project has: required_materials dict, energy_sessions (N sessions of M energy each), days_per_session (1), visual_state progression (foundation > frame > complete). Projects initiated from a "Blueprint" item (purchased at Tanner's or drafted at workbench). Session state saved each day. Cannot be abandoned mid-build without losing half materials.	4.23 (lumber system), 2.11 (shop)
4.50b	Shed lean-to project	TODO	Materials: 15 lumber + hardware_pack ($40 Tanner's). Energy: 3 sessions of ~13 energy each. Unlock: Year 1. Benefit: +20 equipment storage slots in shed chest (currently 50-slot -- expands to 70). Visual: lean-to structure added to east wall of shed sprite (seasonal variants). One of the "visible progression" milestones a new player will work toward in their first winter.	4.50a
4.50c	Fence line repair project	TODO	Materials: 8 lumber + hardware_pack ($20 Tanner's). Energy: 2 sessions of 10 energy. Unlock: Year 1. Benefit: pest_resistance_modifier +5% applied to all home apiary hives (affects SHB entry probability and wax moth chance). Visual: fence line appears complete in home property scene. Minor narrative payoff: Darlene comments "Nice to see the fence fixed -- keeps the deer out of those hives."	4.50a
4.50d	Proper bee water station	TODO	Materials: 4 lumber + stock_tank ($30 Tanner's). Energy: 15 energy (1 session). Unlock: Year 1. Benefit: eliminates heat_wave_water_emergency event (currently a 20% chance heat event where player must manually provide water or colony takes stress damage). Visual: small tank near hive yard with a water ripple idle animation in summer. Seasonal fill reminder notification in Quickening ("Time to fill the bee water station").	4.50a, 2.5 (weather/heat wave system)

CVBA Meeting Expansion (GDD S6.10.7)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.51a	Optional meeting activities	TODO	After arriving at the Grange Hall for a meeting, present 2-3 optional action choices before the meeting begins: "Help set up" (2 energy, +3 Standing, NPC acknowledgment next visit), "Stay late to talk with [NPC]" (2 energy + time slot, +5 NPC relationship, unlocks relationship dialogue branch), "Donate a jar of honey" (1 honey jar, +8 Standing + +5 NPC relationship for all present). Only 1 optional action available per meeting (chosen once per visit). Presentation option (Level 3+): separate dialogue chain, +50 XP +20 Standing.	QuestManager (3.1), NPC relationship system (3.8)
4.51b	Bring-a-guest mechanic	TODO	When walking to the Grange Hall and passing an NPC who is available (not on their fixed schedule), a prompt: "[E] Invite [NPC] to the meeting." Requires NPC relationship >= 40. Invited NPC accompanies player, shows in meeting scene as a background character. Rewards: +10 NPC relationship, +10 Standing, unlocks a cross-chain dialogue line between that NPC and another club member (unique to each combination). Max 1 guest per meeting.	4.51a, 3.8 (NPC friendship system)

Diner Regular Status (GDD S6.10.8)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.52	Diner attendance tracking + Regular status	TODO	Track diner visits in GameData: diner_visit_log (array of {day, meal_period}). Regular detection: 4 consecutive week-day same-meal-period visits = Regular for that slot. Two tracks: breakfast_regular (4 consecutive Tuesdays at breakfast), lunch_regular (4 consecutive weekday lunches). Full_regular = both. Regular status persists; a 2-week gap resets to "almost regular" (not fully reset -- give benefit of doubt). Agnes NPC (new: diner waitress background character, no sprite needed -- dialogue only) delivers Regular-status lines and tips. Packed_lunch item generated 1x per week for Full_regulars.	TimeManager (done), diner interior (done)

Bulletin Board Winter Micro-Quests (GDD S6.10.9)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.53a	Bulletin board scene + interaction	TODO	Physical prop in Cedar Bend exterior scene: a corkboard on the exterior wall of the Grange Hall. Interactable with [E]. Opens a simple UI showing 0-2 active micro-quests (rotates at month start). Bulletin board is visible from Year 1 but shows "No postings yet" until Community Standing reaches 100 (Known tier). Micro-quests display: title, brief description, objective, reward, expiry date.	Cedar Bend scene (done), QuestManager (3.1), Standing system (2.28)
4.53b	Winter micro-quest pool (5 quests)	TODO	Five winter micro-quests (see GDD S6.10.9): Lloyd_firewood (Deepcold, visit + 10 energy + wildflower seeds reward), honey_potluck (Deepcold, 2 lbs honey donation + narrative payoff), check_harwick_hive (winter, warm-day weight check + Ellen relationship + quest chain hook), library_book_return (any winter, Frank relationship + Library location unlock), darlene_equipment_loan (Kindlemonth, deliver item + equipment upgrade gift). Each is a QuestDefinition in QuestManager. One micro-quest active per zone per month. Expire on month rollover (-2 Standing if expired while active).	4.53a, 3.1 (QuestManager)

Beekeeper's Journal & Annual Review (GDD S6.10.10)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.54	Annual journal activity (Kindlemonth)	TODO	Available in Kindlemonth from the house interior (desk/writing prop). Opens a structured 4-section UI: (1) Hive Performance Review: auto-populated from inspection data -- shows per-hive stats, player selects "Best Colony" (tags that hive, seeds Bob spring dialogue). (2) Forage Notes: auto-populated from ForageManager flow data -- shows which plants contributed most NU. Player writes one observation (3 preset prompts). (3) Lessons Learned: 3 choice prompts (e.g. "Split earlier," "Monitor mites weekly," "Plant more linden"). Chosen lesson = first Bob spring exchange topic. (4) Spring Intent: set 1-3 goals from curated list or free text (80 chars). Goals appear as soft HUD reminders during Quickening/Greening. +10 XP per goal achieved by end of Wide-Clover. Total journal XP: +70 base, +10 per spring goal met. Knowledge Log entry: "Year One in Review" (or "Year [N] in Review").	3.15 (Knowledge Log UI), 3.9 (Bob dialogue), GameData inspection history

Spring Planning Map (GDD S6.10.11)

#	Task	Status	Details	Depends on
4.55	Planning map overlay	TODO	Available in winter (Deepcold/Kindlemonth) from PauseMenu > "Plan Spring." Opens the existing map_overlay.gd in a special "planning mode." In planning mode, the player can drop color-coded markers on any apiary location they own: new hive slot (blue), forage bed change (green), tree planting (brown), structure improvement (yellow). Each marker requires a short text description (40 chars max, one of 5 preset tags). Completing 3+ markers on the home property: +3 XP + "Spring Checklist" notification fires on Day 1 of Quickening listing all markers as a soft to-do. Markers are cosmetic (no hard lock) -- they simply appear during Quickening as highlighted areas on the overworld to guide the player's early season focus.	map_overlay.gd (done), 4.48c (seed integration)

Art needed for Phase 4 (crafting + downtime systems) New item sprites (32x32): ceramic_crock (occupied + empty), fermentation_vessel, mason_jar (occupied + empty), polish_tin, gift_set_bundle, pressed_flower (3-4 variants), dried_botanical (3 variants), propolis_tincture_bottle, farmhouse_mead_bottle, pruning_shears, whetstone, pipe_brush, hardware_pack, kraft_sleeve, kraft_box. New structure art (home property): shed lean-to addition sprite (seasonal), proper fence line sprite (seasonal), bee water station sprite (idle water animation in summer). New props: corkboard/bulletin board (Cedar Bend exterior), desk/writing prop (house interior), press book prop (house interior), packaging station prop (house kitchen). All art must be approved via Leonardo AI workflow before implementation.

Polish & Ship -- "Make It Shine"

Goal: audio, visual polish, tutorials, balance, settings, and platform readiness. The game is shippable.

Ship

Audio & Visual

Ambient hive hum (pitch shifts with health/activity)
Seasonal outdoor soundscape (birds, wind, rain)
Inspection audio (frame removal, bee movement, smoker puff)
Harvest audio (extractor spin, uncapping knife)
+ Music: MusicManager DONE (March 28) -- 8 seasonal tracks, 1 per month, 2s crossfade. Tracks: Quickening, Greening, Wide-Clover, High-Sun, Full-Earth, Reaping, Deepcold, Kindlemonth. Remaining: compose final track audio files.
Seasonal transition animations
Particle effects (bee swarms, pollen, smoke)

Systems & Platform

Settings screen (volume, resolution, controls, accessibility)
Tutorial/onboarding flow (first-time player guidance)
Balance pass (XP curves, economy, difficulty scaling)
Localization framework
Steam Achievements integration
Controller support
Accessibility (colorblind modes, text sizing)

Already Complete (from earlier phases)

System	Status	Notes
Save/Load	DONE	SaveManager autoload, JSON + base64, versioned schema.
Main Menu	DONE	New Game / Continue / Quit. Continue enabled only when save exists.
Pause Menu	DONE	Resume / Map / Save / Main Menu.
Notification System	DONE	Layer 50, max 5 stacked toasts, slide+fade.
Dialogue UI	DONE	Speech bubbles (world-space) + portrait dialogue box (screen-bottom).
HUD	DONE	Signal-driven, programmatic bars, energy + XP fill bars.
UI Art (38 sprites)	DONE	Full Langstroth frame theme: buttons, panels, bars, icons, map assets.

Business & Funding

Master Priority List -- Game + Business

How to use this list: Work top to bottom. Do not start a lower-priority item until the one above it is complete or explicitly unblocked. Game development and business formation are interleaved because they depend on each other -- a filed LLC enables banking, banking enables business expenses, a playable vertical slice enables Kickstarter and itch.io.

#	Task	Track	Status	Depends On	Notes
1	File Certificate of Organization with Iowa SOS	LLC	IN PROGRESS	--	$50 at sos.iowa.gov or by mail. EIN already obtained (41-5191825). Certificate of Organization prepared -- just needs signature, date, and filing. This is the single most important next action.
2	Open business bank account (Five Cats Studios LLC)	LLC	TODO	Item 1 (filed LLC)	Requires filed LLC + EIN. Separate all business expenses from personal from this date forward. Track Claude, Leonardo, domain, Steam as deductible business expenses. Any local bank or credit union works for a small LLC.
3	Separate and log business expenses from filing date forward	LLC	TODO	Item 2 (bank account)	Once the bank account is open, all business expenses (Claude, Leonardo, domain, Steam dev fee, hardware used for development) go on the business account. Keep receipts. This is a tax and LLC protection requirement, not optional.
4	Complete Phase 2 -- Harvest & Economy Loop	GAME	TODO	Phase 1 (done)	This is the critical path. Weather system (2.5), harvest pipeline (2.17), Saturday Market (2.25), equipment shop (2.11), smoke/stings (2.13). A full play loop is required before any external-facing work (Kickstarter, itch.io, Steam page) can be credible. Follow the phase 2 task numbers in order.
5	Capture gameplay screenshots for promotional use	CAPTURE	TODO	Item 4 (Phase 2 complete)	Once the harvest loop is playable, capture high-quality screenshots: inspection view with full honeycomb, harvest in progress, Cedar Bend exterior, Saturday Market, hive yard in summer. Use Godot's built-in screenshot (F12 or PrintScreen) or OBS. Target: 6-10 hero screenshots at 1920x1080 minimum. These are needed for itch.io, Kickstarter, and Steam page.
6	Record a gameplay trailer / demo video	CAPTURE	TODO	Item 4 (Phase 2 complete)	60-90 second trailer showing the core loop: arrive at hive, open inspection (hex frame visual), harvest honey, sell at market. Capture with OBS Studio (free). Edit in DaVinci Resolve (free). No narration needed -- let the gameplay speak. This trailer is the single most important asset for Kickstarter success and itch.io visibility. Upload to YouTube unlisted first for review.
7	Launch on itch.io (free or pay-what-you-want demo)	PLATFORM	TODO	Items 5 & 6 (screenshots + trailer)	itch.io is free to list and has zero upfront cost. Use it to release a playable demo or vertical slice build after Phase 2 is complete. Pay-what-you-want pricing lets early supporters pay voluntarily. itch.io revenue goes to the LLC bank account. This is the lowest-friction way to start building an audience and get real player feedback before Steam. Create account at itch.io under Five Cats Studios.
8	Complete Phase 3 -- Living World	GAME	TODO	Item 4 (Phase 2 complete)	Quests & Events, NPC Relationships, Knowledge Log, Bee Acquisition. Phases 1-3 complete = v0.1 Alpha target, which is the gate for the Indie Fund application and Iowa Arts Council grant.
9	Iowa Arts Council -- Art Project Grant application	GRANT	PREPARE	LLC filed (Item 1), some work samples	Next cycle ~Sept 2026. Iowa resident, solo creator, digital art form -- strong fit. Draft artist statement now. Gather work samples (screenshots, GDD excerpts, design documents). Up to $5,000. Does not require a fully playable game -- current build may already qualify.
10	Open Steam page + wishlists	PLATFORM	TODO	Items 5 & 6 (screenshots + trailer), Phase 2 complete	Steam Developer fee: $100 one-time (already budgeted). Open page at vertical slice / Alpha stage for wishlist building. Genre tags: Farming Sim, Casual, Simulation, Nature, Relaxing. Comparables: Stardew Valley, Garden Story. Target: 5,000 wishlists before launch. Every wishlist = a likely day-one buyer. This is the single highest-ROI pre-launch action after having a trailer.
11	Plan and launch Kickstarter campaign	KICKSTARTER	TODO	Items 5, 6, 7 (screenshots, trailer, itch.io demo), Phase 2+ complete	Do not launch Kickstarter without: a playable demo, a trailer, and existing community proof (itch.io downloads, wishlists). Target window: Q4 2026 alongside Indie Fund application. Goal: $10,000-$25,000. Rewards: digital copy, soundtrack, backer credits, exclusive backer bee skin. Kickstarter takes 5% + payment fees (~8-10% total). Funds go to LLC bank account. Use Kickstarter's built-in tools for campaign page. Start writing campaign copy 4-6 weeks before launch.
12	Indie Fund application	GRANT	PENDING ALPHA	v0.1 Alpha (Phases 1-3), trailer, pitch materials	Variable recoupable investment (not a grant -- they invest and recoup from sales). Apply when v0.1 Alpha is playable. Requires strong vertical slice, a trailer, and a compelling pitch narrative. indiegamegirl.com/indie-fund. Primary external funding target.
13	Complete Phases 4 & 5 -- Depth, Polish, Ship	GAME	TODO	Phase 3 complete	Disease suite, queen rearing, swarm management, multi-apiary, crafting, full audio, accessibility, platform certification. Target: v1.0 Steam launch Q3-Q4 2027.
14	Steam launch + itch.io full release	PLATFORM	TODO	Item 13 (all phases complete)	Simultaneous Steam + itch.io launch. PC/Mac primary. Mobile port post-launch if sales support it. Pricing: $14.99 base, 10-20% launch discount. Press review copies via Keymailer or direct outreach 4 weeks before launch.

LLC Formation Status

Formation Status -- March 30, 2026 Five Cats Studios LLC (Iowa single-member). EIN confirmed: 41-5191825 (IRS Notice CP575G, March 30, 2026). Certificate of Organization prepared (LLC/documents/). Signature and date lines are blank -- not yet filed with Iowa SOS. Filing is the immediate next action ($50, sos.iowa.gov or mail). Bank account can open once filing is confirmed. Operating Agreement drafted.

Formation Checklist

[x] EIN obtained -- 41-5191825
[x] Operating Agreement drafted
[x] Certificate of Organization prepared
[ ] File Certificate of Organization with Iowa SOS ($50) -- NEXT ACTION (Priority #1)
[ ] Open business bank account (requires filed LLC + EIN) -- Priority #2
[ ] Separate business expenses from personal from filing date forward -- Priority #3

Art & Video Capture Plan

All promotional materials -- itch.io page, Kickstarter campaign, Steam page, grant applications -- require high-quality screenshots and a gameplay trailer. Capture happens after Phase 2 is complete and the harvest loop is playable. Do not capture from the current build; the missing harvest loop makes it impossible to show the core game loop.

Tools (all free)
Screenshots: Godot built-in (F12) or Windows Snipping Tool at 1920x1080 or higher.
Screen recording: OBS Studio (obsproject.com) -- free, high quality, zero watermark.
Video editing: DaVinci Resolve (free tier) -- professional quality, no watermark, exports to H.264/H.265.
Audio: Use in-game MusicManager tracks as background. No external music licenses needed.

Asset	Specs	Used For	Priority Shots
Hero screenshots	1920x1080 minimum, PNG	itch.io, Kickstarter, Steam, grants	Honeycomb inspection (full hex frame in summer), harvest in progress (uncapping knife + extractor), Cedar Bend exterior (town square, summer), Saturday Market (player selling to Frank), hive yard (multiple hives, flowers blooming), home property (full season)
Gameplay trailer	60-90 sec, 1080p60, H.264	Kickstarter (required), itch.io, Steam, Indie Fund pitch	Open with hive yard wide shot. Cut to inspection (bees moving, brood nest visible). Show harvest pipeline (uncap, spin, bottle). Cut to market (coins exchanging). End on player in flower field, hive thriving. No narration -- music from MusicManager + ambient bee hum.
GIF / short loops	480x270 or 640x360, 10-15 sec	Social media, Reddit posts, itch.io widget	Honeycomb cell rendering (satisfying), bees filling honey cells, harvest spinner, flowers blooming in timelapse.
Game logo APPROVED	1200x1200 px, PNG. File: `assets/ui/logo/game_logo.png`	Title screen, Kickstarter banner, Steam page, itch.io header, press kit	Selected March 30, 2026. Bee smoker LEFT + ornate "Smoke & Honey" calligraphic script RIGHT. Smoke from side spout nozzle. Amber-brown background. See GDD §10.0 and `research/art/logos/Almost_There.html` for full design spec.
Capsule / banner art	Steam: 460x215, 231x87. itch.io: 315x250	Steam store capsule, itch.io thumbnail	Derive from approved game logo. Crop or recompose logo into required dimensions. Must match established art style. Get Nathan approval before using.

Platforms & Launch Strategy

Platform	Cost	Timeline	Notes
itch.io	Free (itch takes 0-10%, you choose)	After Phase 2 (demo/vertical slice)	First platform to launch. Zero upfront cost. Great for indie discovery. Use pay-what-you-want for demo. Set revenue split to minimum (0%) or small percentage. Primary early-access and feedback channel before Steam.
Steam	$100 one-time dev fee	Page open at Alpha (Q3 2026), full launch Q3-Q4 2027	Open page early for wishlist building -- wishlists are the most valuable pre-launch asset. Steam takes 30% (drops to 25% after $10k, 20% after $50k). Pricing: $14.99. Launch discount 10-20%. Genre tags: Farming Sim, Simulation, Casual, Nature, Relaxing.
GOG / Epic (stretch)	Application-based (GOG curated)	Post-launch if sales warrant	GOG is curated -- apply after positive Steam reception. Epic Games Store is by invitation for most titles. Not a priority for initial launch.
Mobile iOS/Android (stretch)	Apple Dev $99/yr, Google Play $25 one-time	Post-launch	Requires significant UI adaptation for touch. Free-to-play core with optional Season Pass. Only pursue if Steam launch is profitable enough to fund the port.

Kickstarter Campaign Plan

Gate Requirements -- Do not launch Kickstarter until ALL of these are met:

Phase 2 complete (playable harvest loop)
Gameplay trailer (60-90 sec, polished)
itch.io demo live with measurable downloads
Steam page open with at least 500 wishlists
LLC bank account open (required to receive funds)
Campaign copy drafted and reviewed

Element	Details
Target goal	$10,000 minimum / $25,000 stretch. Keep goal achievable -- failed Kickstarters damage credibility. A funded $10k campaign is better than a failed $50k campaign.
Campaign length	30 days. Momentum peaks in first 48 hours and last 48 hours. Announce to all channels simultaneously on launch day.
Reward tiers	$5 Thank You (name in credits), $15 Digital copy at launch, $30 Digital copy + OST download, $60 Backer Edition (exclusive in-game bee skin + early access), $150 Beekeeper Tier (all above + name an NPC), $500 Apiarist Tier (all above + dev call with Nathan). Keep tiers simple -- fewer is better.
Fees	Kickstarter takes 5%. Payment processing ~3-5%. Budget for ~10% total fees on funded amount. Factor into goal calculation.
Timeline	Target launch Q4 2026 (Oct-Nov), aligned with Indie Fund application window. Holiday wishlists and gift purchases help.
Campaign page needs	Trailer at top (required), hero image, 3-5 gameplay screenshots, "What is Smoke & Honey?" paragraph, "Who is Nathan / Five Cats Studios?" section, risk and challenges (be honest), reward tier breakdown, stretch goals (if any), FAQ.
Promotion	Reddit: r/indiegaming, r/gamedev, r/farming, r/beekeeping. Twitter/X: #indiedev, #gamedev, #pixelart. Post itch.io link one week before Kickstarter to build credibility. Reach out to 5-10 small YouTube/Twitch channels that cover cozy/farming games.

Grants & External Funding

Ineligible Grants -- Do Not Apply
Iowa Greenlight Grant (IEDA): Film and media productions only. Video games explicitly excluded. Not eligible.
Epic MegaGrants: Requires Unreal Engine. Smoke & Honey uses Godot 4. Not eligible.

Grant	Amount	Window	Status	Notes
Iowa Arts Council -- Art Project Grant (Individuals)	Up to $5,000	~Sept 2026	PREPARE NOW	Strong fit: Iowa resident, solo creator, digital art form. Draft artist statement now. Gather work samples (screenshots, GDD excerpts). Does not require a fully shipped game. Apply with current build materials.
Indie Fund	Variable (recoupable investment)	Q4 2026	PENDING ALPHA	Not a grant -- recoupable investment from sales. Apply at v0.1 Alpha. Requires strong vertical slice and trailer. indiegamegirl.com/indie-fund. Primary funding target.
NEA Arts in Digital Media	$10,000-$100,000	Annual	MONITOR	Federal grant. More competitive but worth applying at Alpha. Requires LLC in good standing or 501(c)(3) sponsor. Check grants.gov annually.

Overhead & Revenue Projections

Monthly Overhead (~$45/mo)

Expense	Cost	Notes
Claude Pro	~$20/mo	AI development assistant
Leonardo AI	~$12/mo	Art generation (Lucid Origin model)
Godot Engine	$0	Free, open source
Iowa LLC annual fee	~$50/yr (~$4/mo)	Biennial report due in odd years
Domain	~$12/yr (~$1/mo)	5catsgamestudios.com
Steam Dev fee	$100 one-time	Already budgeted

Revenue Projections (Year 1 Post-Launch)

Scenario	Projection	Assumptions
Conservative	~$8,000	500 units @ $15 avg. Small launch, limited visibility.
Moderate	~$35,000	2,300 units @ $15. Positive reviews, some press coverage.
Optimistic	~$125,000	8,300 units @ $15. Strong word-of-mouth, wishlists convert.

Release Timeline

Milestone	Target	Gate
LLC filed	April 2026	Iowa SOS filing confirmed.
Business bank account open	April 2026	After LLC confirmed.
Phase 2 Complete (Vertical Slice)	Q2-Q3 2026	Full harvest-sell loop playable.
Screenshots & trailer captured	Q2-Q3 2026	After Phase 2 complete.
itch.io demo live	Q3 2026	After trailer ready.
Steam page live + wishlists open	Q3 2026	After vertical slice + trailer.
Iowa Arts Council grant application	Sept 2026	Prepare now.
v0.1 Alpha (Phases 1-3)	Q4 2026	Enough content for Indie Fund application.
Kickstarter campaign	Q4 2026	After trailer, itch.io demo, Steam wishlists.
Indie Fund application	Q4 2026	Requires Alpha + trailer + pitch materials.
v0.5 Beta	Q2 2027	Phases 1-4 complete.
v1.0 Release	Q3-Q4 2027	All 5 phases complete. Steam launch. PC/Mac.
Mobile port (stretch)	Post-launch	iOS/Android. Pending sales performance.

Vertical Slice Checklist

The vertical slice target = Phase 1 (done) + Phase 2 complete. Once Phase 2 is done, the game has a full play loop: observe bees - manage hive - harvest honey - sell at market - buy supplies - repeat across seasons. External playtesting can begin at this point.

#	Feature	Done?	Phase
--	Hive simulation ticks daily (10-script pipeline, two-sided frames)	+	1
--	Honeycomb hex-grid renderer with cell atlas (14 states, LOD)	+	1
--	Frame inspection: navigate, flip side, tooltips, queen sighting	+	1
--	Queen lays eggs in elliptical pattern, brood nest forms naturally	+	1
--	Player animated sprite (8-way walk/run, 120x120)	+	1
--	NPCs with dialogue (Uncle Bob placed, Ellen + Frank ready)	+	1
--	FlowerLifecycleManager (7 types, season quality, bloom, spread)	+	1
--	Time system (8 months, 224 days, 4 seasons)	+	1
--	Save/load, menus, HUD, notifications, dialogue	+	1
--	Interiors: Diner, Feed & Supply, Post Office	+	1
--	Package Bees + Nuc colony installation mechanics	+	1
--	Hive Tool, Gloves, Storage Chest, HiveManagementUI	+	1
--	Multi-box inspection + box rotation + modular hive sprites	+	1
--	3D ellipsoid comb drawing, forage-dependent rates	+	1
--	25 item sprites (32x32) + context-sensitive prompts	+	1
2.1	Sleep / day advance + nap + auto-save (2.1-2.4)	[x]	2
2.5	Weather system (gates foraging & inspections)	[ ]	2
2.11	Equipment shop wired (real purchases)	[ ]	2
2.13	Smoke & sting system	[ ]	2
2.17	Harvest honey (uncap - extract - grade - bottle)	[ ]	2
2.25	Saturday Market -- sell to Frank (wire player_name to nameplate during build)	[ ]	2
2.28	Community Standing (5 tiers, price multipliers)	[ ]	2
--	One full season playable start to finish	[ ]	2
3.0	PlayerData singleton -- player_name, pronouns, backstory_tag, appearance fields	[ ]	3
3.0a	Character creator scene (name, pronouns, backstory, appearance -- runs before opening cutscene)	[ ]	3
3.0b	Layered portrait system (title card, journal header, cutscene frames)	[ ]	3
3.0c	Name injection -- Knowledge Log header, market nameplate, Bob dialogue	[ ]	3
3.0d	Pronoun token pass -- all NPC dialogue strings use {they}/{them}/{their} tokens	[ ]	3

Development Principle Phase 2 is the critical path. Everything else (quests, disease, queen rearing, locations, crafting, audio) layers on top of the harvest-sell loop. Do not skip ahead -- a working economy loop with weather and day advance gives every future system a reason to exist. Art can lag behind code; use colored rectangles as placeholders for any missing sprites.

Tasks 2.1-2.4 (sleep/day advance, nap, auto-save) are complete. Honey production simulation verified (March 30): a single colony now produces ~80 lbs harvestable per season at peak, enough for 2 supers. Super comb drawing rates are realistic. The simulation is ready to support the harvest pipeline. Next: task 2.5 (weather system). Follow the numbers.