Website-first layout system:
Desktop pages now push toward a real website feel instead of everything being trapped inside an app-style centered shell.
Roadmap
Live now, next priorities, and future direction.
The Social Circle roadmap is meant to be useful, not vague. It shows the current build honestly while keeping future plans flexible.
Live now
The core product is already working. This section keeps that clear before showing future work.
Home Feed redesign:
The Home Feed moved to a wider, more open desktop layout with a lighter sidebar, clearer center lane, helper rail, and restored real navigation.
Exact-match world passes:
Social Circle, Circle Snap, Social Lite, Gamers Circle, and Circle Vision have all received deeper layout passes to match the newer approved desktop direction more closely.
Right-rail support system:
World pages now use clearer secondary support/context rails for onboarding, posting guidance, and discovery instead of cramming everything into the center lane.
Logged-out landing/auth overhaul:
The logged-out homepage/login experience was rebuilt toward a full-page website layout with cleaner hierarchy and less shell clutter.
Messages (DMs):
Stable inbox + thread view, unread reliability, hide/restore threads, and relationship access rules were aligned more consistently.
Current focus
These are the areas that need cleanup, verification, or focused V1 polish.
Stripe LIVE final verification:
Confirm production is using LIVE keys, LIVE webhook secret, and the correct LIVE price IDs everywhere that matters.
Performance pass:
Reduce unnecessary re-fetching and tighten the heaviest feed/profile/mobile surfaces.
Launch seeding pass:
Keep staff picks, prompts, and onboarding content strong so new accounts do not feel empty on first login.
Signup / login World preview:
Add a locked or blurred World preview to the logged-out experience so visitors can see what exists inside before they create an account, using public-safe or demo-style content only.
First action clarity:
Make it clearer what a new user should do first after signup: choose a World, post one thing, follow or connect, or start from a World that fits them best.
Gamers Circle LFG Starter:
Build the first small LFG flow so gamers can post who they want to play with, when, on what platform, and mark the post filled, completed, cancelled, or expired.
Known beta limitations
These are understood issues or planned gaps. They are listed clearly so beta users know what is being handled.
Known beta limitation
Direct iPhone camera video uploads
Video Upload v2Risk: High
Compressed/exported MP4 videos upload, but some direct iPhone camera originals can still fail. The longer-term fix is resumable upload and/or automatic conversion instead of asking users to change camera settings.
Being stabilized
Mobile/PWA media posting polish
Short polish passRisk: Medium
Snap, Vision, and Gamers received posting repairs, but real-device testing still matters for safe-area spacing, fixed footers, upload feedback, and button behavior.
Planned cleanup
Performance and loading feel
Medium passRisk: Medium
Some world pages can still feel sticky or heavy after large media and layout changes. The next pass should reduce unnecessary fetching and smooth loading states.
Roadmap item
Logged-out locked / blurred World previews
Short activation passRisk: Low
The signup and login experience should show enough of the Worlds to make the platform feel real, while still protecting private content. Demo cards or public-safe blurred previews are the safest starting point.
Roadmap item
Gamers Circle LFG Starter
Focused feature passRisk: Medium
Phase 1 should stay small: create an LFG post, browse active posts, reply through comments, and let the host mark it filled, completed, or cancelled. Private joining, applications, and connection info should wait until Phase 2.
Planning only
Kickstarter feature prep
Low-risk prepRisk: Low
Albums, Series, and LFG Starter should be planned through schema, flow, labels, edge cases, and rollout order before full build work starts.
Roadmap item
Creator payout automation
Later monetization passRisk: Medium
Manual payout review exists as the safe early path, but full creator payouts still need Stripe Connect onboarding, pending / eligible / held balance tracking, monthly payout rules, fraud holds, payout caps, tax wording, and final payout handling.
Detailed roadmap
Each section is written to be readable on its own, so visitors can scan the page without getting lost.
Roadmap note
The roadmap shows what is planned, in progress, being explored, or saved for later. Completed items should move to Updates once shipped.
Now / In Progress
Logged-out experience and signup clarity
Make the first visit easier to understand before someone creates an account.
Improve the first page people see before creating an account.
Make the main CTA clearer.
Remove confusing nested scroll or double-scroll behavior.
Show what each World is for before signup.
Keep email signup simple for now.
Avoid adding Google, GitHub, or Discord login until auth expansion is actually needed.
Make the signup page match the newer login page style.
Now / In Progress
Updates and Roadmap split
Keep shipped work and future plans from fighting for space on the same page.
Separate Updates from Roadmap so shipped work and future plans do not fight for space.
Keep Updates focused on what changed, shipped, improved, or was recovered from early history.
Keep Roadmap focused on what is planned, in progress, exploring, or saved for later.
Remove duplicate footer problems.
Remove stray top nav issues.
Make both pages match the newer The Social Circle visual direction.
Next
Shareable LFG Starter for Gamers Circle
Build LFG as a temporary active board for finding people to play with.
Let users create one active LFG at a time.
Let users set game, platform, play time, group type, slots needed, notes, and expiry.
Let posts disappear from the active board when filled, completed, cancelled, or expired.
Add a shareable LFG link so posts can be shared outside The Social Circle.
Let logged-out visitors view safe public LFG details.
Return users to the same LFG after signup or login.
Keep private connection info out of Phase 1.
Next
Portable feature direction
Let useful social objects travel outside the platform while The Social Circle remains the home base.
Build The Social Circle as the home base.
Let useful social objects travel outside the platform.
Start with shareable LFG posts.
Later apply the same thinking to Circle Snap albums, Circle Vision series, and public creator profiles.
Keep identity, safety, private info, and moderation inside The Social Circle.
Let public links act as doorways back into the platform.
Next
Circle Snap Albums
Give photo and visual posts a better way to be grouped, shared, and revisited.
Add a better way for photo and visual posts to be grouped.
Let users organize visual content into albums.
Make albums easier to share and revisit.
Keep Circle Snap focused as the visual-first World.
Explore future public/shareable album pages.
Next
Circle Vision Series
Give video creators a stronger structure so posts do not disappear into a feed.
Add a better structure for video creators.
Let video content be grouped into series.
Give video creators a stronger reason to keep posting inside Circle Vision.
Reduce the feeling that video posts disappear into a feed.
Explore future public/shareable series pages.
Later
Safer LFG joining and private connection layer
Add joining and private connection details only after the simple public LFG board is useful.
Add Join Group button.
Let hosts accept or decline applicants.
Show private connection info only to the host and accepted users.
Support connection types like lobby code, server IP, friend code, Discord invite, party link, gamertag, PSN, Xbox, Epic username, Steam friend code, and custom instructions.
Prevent blocked users from applying.
Allow reporting of LFG posts, hosts, and participants.
Keep private connection info out of public previews, APIs, and screenshots.
Later
Universal LFG game details
Keep LFG flexible enough for different games without creating a new database structure for every game.
Add common fields like region, time zone, mic preference, crossplay, platform, language, casual/ranked/competitive.
Use flexible game details so different games can store different information.
Support games like Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Apex, Roblox, GTA, Helldivers, and other online multiplayer games.
Avoid building a new database structure for every game.
Keep Phase 1 simple before adding advanced game-specific fields.
Later
LFG notifications and session lifecycle
Add lifecycle states and notifications once the LFG flow has enough real use to support them.
Notify hosts when someone replies or applies.
Notify users when they are accepted or declined.
Notify participants when a lobby is filled or cancelled.
Add session states like Active, Filled, In Session, Feedback, Completed, and Archived.
Add simple post-session feedback once the system knows who played together.
Start with positive trust signals before adding penalties.
Later
LFG trust, reputation, and guardrails
Build trust signals carefully without turning LFG into a public punishment system.
Add positive trust signals like sessions completed, reliable host, reliable player, good teammate, mic confirmed, and showed up.
Avoid public negative ratings early.
Keep reports private to admin/moderation.
Add review farming protection.
Limit repeated reputation boosts from the same small group.
Add missed-feedback warnings only after the positive system is useful.
Use softer public wording like Temporary Matchmaking Pause instead of punishment-heavy language.
Future
External LFG reach
Let outside tools mirror safe public LFG posts without exposing private connection info.
Add safe public API routes for active LFGs.
Let Discord bots or webhooks mirror safe LFG posts later.
Support external widgets for clans, streamer sites, and gaming communities.
Never expose private connection info through public APIs.
Keep The Social Circle as the source of truth.
Let outside tools act as doorways back into the platform.
Future
Creator support and monetization direction
Keep monetization creator-first and avoid promising heavier payout systems before usage supports them.
Keep the core platform free.
Explore creator support tools once usage is stronger.
Keep creator monetization optional and creator-first.
Avoid over-promising payout systems before the platform is ready.
Protect the platform mission before adding heavier monetization layers.
Future
Public profiles and creator home base
Make public profiles stronger as shareable identity pages that still respect the separate Worlds.
Make public profiles stronger as shareable identity pages.
Let creators use The Social Circle as a second lane for their online presence.
Keep profiles connected to Worlds without collapsing every identity into one feed.
Improve how badges, world identity, links, and posts appear publicly.
Make the platform useful even when people discover it from outside links.
Where it goes next
This is the broader direction. These are not instant promises. They are the areas the platform is moving toward.
Signup previews that show the Worlds:
The logged-out experience should show the shape of The Social Circle before asking people to join, with locked or blurred previews for Social Circle, Social Lite, Circle Snap, Gamers Circle, Circle Vision, and Home Feed.
Gamers Circle LFG Starter:
LFG should become a useful first action for gamers: post what you want to play, find people, coordinate, and clear the board when the request is no longer active.
Home Feed that always feels alive:
Featured/curated patterns and stronger discovery without turning the platform into an aggressive algorithm product.
Creator support growth:
Keep support simple and trustworthy first, then expand creator tooling carefully.