ChronicleForge
Executive Summary
Vision Statement
To become the foundational timeline architecture for immersive worldbuilding, where creators can seamlessly map intricate histories and dynamically explore causal relationships across their narratives.
Problem Summary
Worldbuilders struggle with disjointed tools when creating complex timelines involving overlapping events, character arcs, and historical periods. Current solutions like spreadsheets lack visualization capabilities, while specialized tools like World Anvil require paid tiers for advanced features[1][2]. This leads to fragmented workflows and difficulty maintaining chronological consistency across narratives.
Proposed Solution
ChronicleForge provides a unified web-based platform for creating interactive timelines with native support for overlapping events, nested periods, and rich media annotations. Features include drag-and-drop event sequencing, multi-layer visualization filters, and cross-timeline synchronization to maintain narrative coherence.
Market Analysis
Target Audience
Primary Users:
- Fantasy novelists tracking character arcs
- RPG game masters developing campaign histories
- Tabletop RPG players building collaborative worlds
- Historical fiction authors managing parallel timelines
Key Behaviors:
- Uses multiple tools simultaneously (Obsidian + World Anvil + spreadsheets)
- Values visual representation of temporal relationships
- Requires annotation capabilities for event details
Niche Validation
The source Reddit thread demonstrates strong validation with 5 upvotes (100% ratio) and 7 comments actively seeking solutions. Top-voted comments explicitly request features like overlapping periods and chronological organization[4]. World Anvil's paid timeline features[1] and Paracosm's specialized worldbuilding approach[3] confirm market willingness to adopt dedicated solutions. The frustration with manual text-file systems further validates the pain point.
Google Trends Keywords
Market Size Estimation
Serviceable Available Market: ~2.5M users actively using digital tools for worldbuilding based on World Anvil's reported user base and Obsidian plugin download metrics
Serviceable Obtainable Market: ~120K early adopters in writing/RPG communities based on subreddit engagement (r/worldbuilding: 1.2M members, r/DnD: 2.7M members)
Total Addressable Market: ~15M global users including fantasy writers, RPG designers, and tabletop gamers. (Source: Wizards of the Coast player data & NaNoWriMo participation)
Competitive Landscape
| Solution | Strengths | Weaknesses for Worldbuilders |
|---|---|---|
| World Anvil [1] | Specialized fantasy tools | Complex UI, paid timeline features |
| Paracosm [3] | World-centric organization | Limited timeline visualization |
| Obsidian Plugins | Local storage, flexibility | Manual setup, no native overlays |
| Plottr [4] | Writer-focused sequencing | No RPG-specific features |
| Spreadsheets | Accessibility | No visual chronology representation |
Opportunity: ChronicleForge occupies the gap between generic writing tools and complex platforms by specializing in temporal relationships with intuitive overlapping visualization.
Product Requirements
User Stories
As a game master, I want to visualize overlapping character lifespans during historical events so I can plan meaningful NPC interactions
As a novelist, I need to attach research notes to specific timeline events with source citations to maintain narrative consistency
As a collaborative worldbuilder, I require conflict-free merging of parallel timelines when combining team contributions
MVP Feature Set
Drag-and-drop timeline editor with collision detection for overlapping periods
Multi-scale views: Era overview ↔ Detailed event sequencing
Nested event groups: e.g., 'The Dragon Wars' containing 15+ battles
Rich text annotations with image/link support per event
Export as interactive HTML for campaign handouts
Non-Functional Requirements
Offline-first capability: Local timeline editing with cloud sync
Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 compliant timeline navigation
Performance: Render 500+ event timelines in <2s
Key Performance Indicators
Timeline Density Ratio: (Events + Periods) / Timeline → Measures engagement depth
Annotation Richness: Avg. attachments/media per event
Narrative Connections: Causal links created between events
Go-to-Market Strategy
Core Marketing Message
Stop wrestling with timelines – ChronicleForge lets you see how your world's events intertwine. Create rich historical narratives where overlapping reigns, wars, and character arcs finally make visual sense.
Initial Launch Channels
- Niche Community Partnerships:
- Exclusive beta for r/worldbuilding moderators
- Featured tutorial series with popular RPG YouTubers
- Content-Driven Acquisition:
- 'Timeline Rescue' service: Free conversion of spreadsheets/text files to interactive timelines
- Playbook Integration:
- Pre-built templates for D&D campaign settings (Forgotten Realms, Eberron)
Strategic Metrics
Problem Urgency
High
Solution Complexity
Medium
Defensibility Moat
Specialized Data Relationships:
- Patent-pending algorithm for visualizing overlapping temporal periods
- Unique 'narrative causality' mapping between events
- Worldbuilding-specific data schemas (e.g., character lifespans vs. historical eras)
Community Ecosystem:
- Timeline forking with attribution system
- Shared template marketplace
Source Post Metrics
Business Strategy
Monetization Strategy
Freemium Model:
- Free tier: 1 timeline, 50 events, basic visualization
- Pro ($8/month): Unlimited timelines, overlapping period support, media attachments, export options
- Team ($15/user/month): Collaborative editing, version history, campaign management tools
Financial Projections
Conservative Year 1 Projection:
- 1,000 free users → 8% conversion to Pro → 80 paying users ($640 MRR)
- 5 writing groups (5 users each) on Team plan → $375 MRR Total: $1,015 MRR by Month 12 Assumes targeted launch in RPG/writing communities
Tech Stack
Node.js (Express) for real-time collaboration features. Alternative: Python (FastAPI) if complex period-calculation algorithms require scientific computing.
PostgreSQL with TimescaleDB extension for optimized time-series data handling. Supports complex temporal queries across overlapping events.
Next.js with React Flow for timeline visualization and Recharts for data displays. Enables server-side rendering for SEO and static timeline exports.
- Filecoin/IPFS: Decentralized storage for timeline media attachments
- Figma Plugin API: For importing worldbuilding assets
- Stripe: Subscription management
- Novel.sh: Rich text annotation engine
Risk Assessment
Identified Risks
User Workflow Fragmentation: Target audience uses 3-5 tools simultaneously[4], making adoption challenging
Mitigation Strategy
Implement Obsidian plugin and World Anvil CSV import to serve as bridge tools, positioning ChronicleForge as the temporal layer in existing workflows