Hey everyone,
The next release for Alkemion Studio introduces a pair of changes that give more flexibility in how modules are structured and how content is organized visually. This update is also the beginning of a longer evolution that will spread across future releases.
Rethinking Node Types
Since the earliest builds of Alkemion, Node Types have acted as a way to categorize content. That model worked fine for early-stage usage, but it also carried an assumption about how adventures and worlds should be shaped. Some users approached the tool with their own mental models and often had to adapt to the fixed categories provided by the system.
In the upcoming release, Node Types become flexible. Nodes can be created with any type, and their type can now be changed at any point after creation. The release also introduces a new Generic type, which can be created on the fly by double-clicking empty space on the Board. This opens up workflows that depend on reorganizing or rethinking content after the fact, which was previously awkward.
Looking ahead, this change sets the groundwork for fully customizable types. Soon, users will be able to define their own categories for Nodes rather than sticking to predefined ones. The generic type gives us a stable baseline to build on, and future updates will add richer behavior for user-defined types when the time is right.
Moving From Group Nodes to Group Widgets
Group Nodes were introduced as a way to visually organize parts of the board. They also had text content and could contain other Nodes. This worked, but it combined meaning, structure, and layout inside a single concept. That merging made it harder to reason about modules once boards became large or deeply nested.
The update retires Group Nodes and replaces them with Group Widgets. Group Widgets only handle visual grouping, layout, and emphasis. Nodes continue to carry content and meaning. Links continue to express relationships. Widgets deal with how the board is arranged and read.
During migration, every Group Node becomes a Group Widget on the Board. If a Group Node had text content, that content is preserved inside a new standalone Node. Existing layouts remain recognizable, and no structure is lost in the process.
Why these changes matter
Alkemion is built around a loop between the Board and the Editor. People explore ideas spatially on the Board, then consolidate and prepare material in the Editor. For that loop to work with larger modules, users need to control their own structure instead of following a fixed model.
Fixed Node Types and content inside Group Nodes sometimes got in the way of that loop. The new approach keeps structure simple and easier to adjust.
- Nodes define meaning and content
- Links define relationships
- Widgets define layout, grouping, and emphasis
Separating these roles makes modules easier to navigate, easier to refactor, and easier to share. It also reduces the hidden assumptions that push users toward a specific workflow.
A glimpse forward
This release is part of a broader shift toward user-defined structure. Work on type customization will continue, and future updates will let users define their own categories, rules, and visual identities. No single model for how a campaign or adventure should be prepared works for everyone, and Alkemion is evolving to reflect that reality.
We will share more as this direction unfolds. For now, we hope these changes make it easier to experiment, reorganize, and think on the board without fighting the system.
See you soon,
The Alkemion Team
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