Internal Logistics

Team Structure
The proposed structure is that one Project Lead heads a team of Area Leads, which have creative ownership and directional responsibility for their area. Each area will consist of core team members, who are involved longitudinally in the project and have a larger role in development than the pool of casual team members, who are supporting individual tasks or committed to shorter time periods. Examples of what that might look like are outlined but can change according to what suits the area.

Project Lead
The project lead is responsible for ensuring coordination across the different areas, proposing and monitoring deadlines, and leading discussions of major changes. The project lead role is filled by the current mod author, as they are familiar with the existing draft; however, the project lead does not see this as “their project” and will not make unilateral decisions. Upon formation of the core/lead team, an agreement will be reached about the decision-making process and who will have ultimate creative authority over various pieces. The priority is to ensure that the expertise and creativity of the team shines through!

Area Leads
The goal is to ensure that one core team member in each area takes on the role of Area Lead to ensure coordination, cohesion, and direction for the related pieces. Area Leads will work with the Project Lead to set reasonable area-specific deadlines. They will also have the authority to make creative decisions in their area (while consulting other area leads for those decisions with a larger impact).

Examples of area lead roles are:


 * Administration
 * Implementation (coding/scripting, CK, and xEdit)
 * Communications and Community Management
 * Level and Environmental Design
 * QA (testing, patching, file maintenance)
 * Sound Design (music and sound)
 * Visual Arts
 * Writing (creative)

Core and Casual Team Members
The Echoes team recognizes that as a volunteer effort, recruits will have different preferences for the level of leadership, amount of time, and amount of planning they contribute. Core team members will play a larger, fairly consistent role over the span of the project, while casual team members are recruited for specific tasks.

Example Roles and Responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities will be proposed/assigned depending on the number and experience level of applicants, with updates given to applicants by June 6, 2021. Potential tasks/roles are outlined in the application form, but following is a list of some of the potential (and exciting!) pieces that will be available.

'''These are intended as jumping-off points to help potential recruits think about what they might be able to help with. You won't be required to do all of this, and feel free to propose your own ideas.'''

Warning – some (light) spoilers!

Administration

 * Obtaining and ensuring appropriate mod/asset permissions
 * Coordinating between teams
 * Task check-ins and monitoring timelines
 * Setting up shared accounts
 * Setting up task or bug tracking as needed

Implementation

 * Entering data in CK, such as character, quest, and dialogue information
 * Navmeshing
 * Scripting and coding, such as:
 * Planning and implementing the back-end changes to the existing Thieves Guild quests
 * Implementing the radiant/notice board quest system
 * Implementing the guild recruitment mechanic
 * Supporting creation of key scenes
 * Implementing items, weapons, armor, and spells
 * Approving proposed story/character developments to ensure that in practice, the ideas are feasible

Communications and Community Management

 * Setting up, maintaining, or monitoring the Discord (or other collaboration platform)
 * Drafting copy for recruitment, promotion, and mod description
 * Acting as a point-of-contact for external partners
 * Maintaining the Nexus forum and support page

Level Design

 * Designing flow of unique dungeons
 * Planning loot and player rewards
 * Planning enemies and encounter zones
 * Planning flow of heists and stealth missions
 * Reworking the flow of existing dungeons, such as the Twilight Sepulcher

It is anticipated that the Level Design, Environment Design, and Implementation teams will work closely together. The main difference is that the level designers are focused more on mechanics and area flow, the environment team is focused on appearance, and the implementation team confirms that plans are feasible.

Environment Design
''Draft versions of most major environments will be released to the level and environment team as a base. The draft is the result of integrating/ combining existing mods with the original work of the current mod author.''


 * Planning and designing the guild’s dynamic progression in the Ragged Flagon and Thieves Guild Headquarters.
 * Refreshing, coordinating, or designing the look, feel, and tone of remastered major environments, such as:
 * Sewers [Markarth (proposed: ichor/earthy green Dwemer and Forsworn); Whiterun (proposed: Nordic/Imperial Whiterun); Solitude (proposed: Imperial); Windhelm (proposed: Ancient, icy Nordic)]
 * Outlaws Refuges (each hold capital) and vampire dens
 * Hidden Hideouts (city and wilderness versions)
 * New Thieves Guild locations (Mercer’s house and Goldenglow Estate)
 * Nightingale locations (Nightingale Hall and the Twilight Sepulcher)
 * Cluttering and decoration
 * Designing lighting and image spaces
 * Designing unique visual effects or requesting custom assets as necessary

QA

 * Scouting potential mod conflicts and issues
 * Identifying mods or Creation Club releases that we will (not) support
 * Playtesting work-in-progress pieces to provide timely feedback to other areas
 * Playtesting larger drafts for bugs
 * Testing navmesh
 * Maintaining master files and assets
 * Recommend changes to Implementation

Sound Design

 * Designing the sound environments and placement of corresponding markers
 * Designing acoustic spaces
 * Developing ambient noise (i.e. for the Ragged Flagon as it progresses, unique or remastered dungeons)
 * Creating or reimagining music tracks
 * Compiling track lists for new/existing locations
 * Identifying/recommending sound and music patches

Visual Arts

 * Creating new or identifying existing artifacts, armor, weapons, and assets
 * Designing/sculpting the look of new characters
 * Planning new or variant guild outfits
 * Creating promotional images, infographics, or screenshots
 * Finalizing the design of the new “safe stash” Shadowmark (sample available)

Writing (creative)

 * Reviewing, editing, and expanding the proposed quest lines (available in a separate document to avoid spoilers)
 * Take the lead on ensuring progression/satisfying integration of key (side)plots, including:
 * Mjoll the Lionness
 * The history of Barenziah and the first Nightingales
 * The trio of the Shadow, Tower, and Lover
 * Character growth over time
 * Maven Black-Briar and her political power move
 * City influence progression and quests
 * Re)write character dialogue, ambient scenes, and key scripted scenes
 * (Re)write or enhance some character backstories and roles, such as for Rune, Vipir, and Vekel
 * Create apocrypha

= Example Milestones =

May 2021 – Project Recruitment

 * May 22, 2021 – Project primer and supporting documents release deadline
 * May 30, 2021 – Reminder post about completing the interest form
 * May 31, 2021 – Expressions of interest due

June 2021 – Team Formation and Alpha Scope

 * June 6, 2021 – Updates given to interested applicants
 * June 6, 2021 – Draft internal Discord (or other collaboration platform) opened
 * June 13, 2021 – Core team in place (project deadlines reassessed)
 * June 13, 2021 – Introduction and discussion about alpha release scope
 * June 13, 2021 – Initial team “department” and mentor/buddy assignments
 * June 20, 2021 – Subject area draft outlines/proposals due for comment
 * June 23, 2021 – Draft outlines/proposal comments due
 * June 27, 2021 – First draft outlines/proposals due for comment
 * June 30, 2021 – Final scope of alpha release confirmed
 * June 30, 2021 – First batch of 2D communications materials due
 * June 30, 2021 – Character profiles due with sample dialogue for casting call

July 2021 – Casting Call and First Drafts

 * July 3, 2021 – Community update #1
 * July 3, 2021 – Community Discord opens (if interest)
 * July 3, 2021 – Casting call for voice actors opens
 * July 11, 2021 – Updated/detailed project plan released internally
 * July 25, 2021 – First round of environments for navmeshing and bug-testing
 * July 25, 2021 – Casting call for voice actors closes
 * July 31, 2021 – Review of voice actor applications due

August 2021 – Work Period and QA

 * August 6, 2021 – Deadline for first contact with selected voice actors
 * August 8, 2021 – Community update #2
 * August 21-28, 2021 – Ideally, round of “live” voice acting sessions for scenes
 * August 28, 2021 – Second round of environments due for basic bug-testing
 * August 28, 2021 – First round of implementation due to QA for bug-testing

September 2021 – Area Lead Review and Revisions

 * September 12, 2021 – Final voice assets received
 * September 12, 2021 – Music and sound file receipt deadline
 * September 26, 2021 – Intra-department alpha materials review by leads
 * September 27, 2021 – Community update #3

October 2021 – Compilation of Alpha

 * October 3, 2021 – Project pieces due to compiler for initial QA and feedback
 * October 10, 2021 – Project piece revisions due to compiler
 * October 15, 2021 – First draft of compiled alpha to QA
 * October 30, 2021 – Community update #4
 * October 31, 2021 – Distribution of draft alpha to reviewers, screenarchers, mod authors, patchers, translators, and external testers

November 2021 – Alpha Release and Patching

 * November 1-7, 2021 – Last minute bug squashing
 * November 1, 2021 – Collection of availability for moderation, bug-squashing, point-of-contact, and confirmation of authority for changes
 * November 9, 2021 – Mod description, links, and credits draft due
 * November 9, 2021 – Alpha feedback form due
 * November 9, 2021 – Screenshots for mod page due
 * November 9, 2021 – Mod page graphics and screenshots due
 * November 9, 2021 – Draft upload of mod and testing of files/post (for .bsa completeness, upload issues, etc.)
 * November 11, 2021 (12:00 noon MST) – Alpha release
 * November 11, 2021 – Community update #5
 * November 11, 2021 – Alpha feedback form opens
 * November 11-30, 2021 – First round of hot-fixes

December 2021 – Alpha Patch and Beta Planning

 * December 1, 2021 – Community Update #6
 * December 7, 2021 – First review of alpha feedback due
 * December 18, 2021 – Beta proposals due
 * December 18, 2021 – Second batch of alpha patching/hot fixes due
 * December 18, 2021 – Community Update #6
 * December 18, 2021 – Team check-in – how is it going?

January/February 2022 – Beta Team Check-in and Final Alpha Update

 * January 15, 2022 – Reminder on mod page to send feedback
 * January 22, 2022 – Team update (internal)
 * January 29, 2022 – Second review of alpha feedback due
 * January 31, 2022 – Scope of last alpha update determined
 * February 22, 2022 – Last alpha update
 * February 28, 2022 – Alpha support closes

[Project milestones for the beta release TBD after the July project plan update]