Release Workflow
Work in Progress
This documentation is still being expanded and refined. Features, screenshots, and descriptions may change until Talescape's public release. If something is unclear or you need help, please ask on the official Talescape Discord. We're happy to clarify or update pages as needed.
When your story is ready for players, you’ll publish it as a release. A release is a packaged version of your story that passes through several stages of review before becoming available on the Talescape marketplace.
All releases are handled inside the Releases section of the editor.
1. Creating a Release
To begin, open the Releases tab and select Create New Release. You’ll configure a few basic options:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Status | Initially set to Draft. You can edit everything freely in this state. |
| Description | Optional short note or changelog for this release. |
| Type | Choose between Early Access or Full Release. |
| Pricing | Select a pricing tier (Free, Micro, Small, Medium, Large, or Premium). |
Once configured, click Save & Continue to generate the release draft.
2. Status Overview
Each release moves through several clearly defined stages. These appear as a timeline in the release details view.
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | The release is still being worked on and is not yet ready for submission. |
| Ready for Review | The release is complete and has been submitted for review. |
| Automated Review | The system runs checks to validate your story’s structure, assets, and metadata. |
| Manual Review | A Talescape administrator reviews your release for content guideline compliance. |
| Approved | The release has passed all checks and is cleared for publication. |
| Processing | The release is being prepared for upload to the marketplace. |
| Published | The release is live and available to Dreamers. |
You can open a release at any time to see its current status and review progress.
3. Automated Review
Once you submit your story, Talescape runs several automated checks:
- Verifies that all referenced media exists and loads correctly.
- Checks for unreachable scenes or missing backgrounds.
- Validates story metadata, content warnings, and age ratings.
- Ensures your release meets file size and structure limits.
If any issues are found, the release will return to Draft with warnings listed in the Checks tab.
4. Manual Review
After passing automated validation, your story enters Manual Review. During this step, a moderator reviews your story for:
- Compliance with Content Guidelines
- Accuracy of content warnings and age ratings
- Proper disclosure of AI-generated assets
Manual review ensures that all stories published on Talescape meet the same quality and ethical standards.
5. Approval and Publishing
Once approved, your release is automatically moved through the final stages:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Approved | The release is approved and queued for publishing. |
| Processing | Files are prepared, packaged, and distributed to the marketplace. |
| Published | The story becomes available for Dreamers to download and play. |
You’ll receive a notification once your release goes live.
6. Updating a Release
If you discover an issue after publication, you can create a new release version. Each version goes through the same review process but keeps player data intact. Older versions remain accessible to buyers for compatibility reasons.
7. Withdrawing a Release
If you want to remove a story from the marketplace:
- Open the release and select Unpublish.
- The story will no longer appear in listings, but existing buyers will retain access.
- Published releases cannot be deleted; they can only be unpublished.
8. Comments & Communication
During manual review, Talescape moderators can leave comments if clarification or changes are required. You’ll see these directly on the release page and can respond or adjust your story accordingly before resubmitting.
9. Typical Review Timeline
Most reviews are completed within a few business days. Contest submissions and flagged stories may require additional time. The timeline indicator on the release details page always reflects the current stage of your submission.
10. Checklist Before Submitting
Before marking your release as Ready for Review, ensure that:
- All scenes and media are validated by the Checks System.
- You’ve completed story metadata, tags, and age ratings.
- Content warnings are accurate and AI usage is disclosed.
- The story preview works from start to finish without errors.
Once your release reaches the Published state, it becomes visible in the marketplace under your Bard profile.